Nokomis Health Centre. (submitted photo/Paula Halstead)

By Angie Rolheiser

Costumes, parade and smiles

Lifting spirits at the Nokomis Health Centre

May 8, 2020 | 4:00 PM

A once a week special visitor and an upcoming car parade are two of the ways spirits are being lifted for the residents at the Nokomis Health Centre.

With many restrictions in place at long term health care facilities across Saskatchewan due to the COVID-19 pandemic, days can be long for those who live there but a special visitor has been bringing weekly greetings to the home while dressed in a costume.

Christine Gingrich of the Simpson area often visits the centre to see her mother and started window visits once the facility restrictions were put in place.

“At that time I had actually broken my wrist and I couldn’t go see my mom at the centre to tell her about it but the staff had put a message on Facebook for me to stay healthy and so I thought I should bring them a message,” Gingrich said.

On March 18, Gingrich went to visit another resident for her birthday and as she was sitting outside the window, she figured there needed to be some fun brought to them.

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The next week, she wore a costume and brought a sign with a message for the residents.

Christine Gingrich in banana costume outside of the Nokomis Health Centre. (Facebook/Christine Gingrich)

“It’s just my way of making them laugh and giving them something to look forward to because they never know when I’m going to show up and what I’m going to be wearing next,” Gingrich said.

Each costume typically has a sign and message that goes along with it, or details on how things are going outside of the care home.

“I have also gone in a fat man costume saying I need to stay away from my fridge and I have also gone as a chicken with a message to stay in your own coop and not in everyone else’s — that kind of thing,” Gingrich said.

Christine Gingrich in clown costume at Nokomis Health Centre. (Facebook/Christine Gingrich)

“I’ve got a few more planned and I just really like making them laugh and it breaks up their day because it must be very long days with not being able to have visitors,” Gingrich said.

The home in Nokomis accommodates 18 residents from the area and some from as far away as Eastern Canada.

Gingrich said she plans to attend an upcoming family and community parade hosted by the Nokomis Health Centre where she will be sporting a new costume and message for the residents.

Recreation Coordinator for the centre Paula Halstead told northeastNOW with seeing many different car parades on social media for birthdays she wanted to do the same type of thing but in celebration of Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday.

“We have had a good response so far with it being an impromptu thing,” Halstead said. “Lots of friends and family in town as well as some from out of town that we know of that are going to take part.”

Vehicles will line up at the front entrance of the Health Centre at 2 p.m. and all participants are asked to stay inside their vehicles. According to Halstead, a few residents hope to see some vintage cars in the parade.

“Unfortunately, some of our residents have become very frustrated with the changing rules or irritated in all of this,” Halstead said. “I think this pandemic has been hard on everyone and it was so hard to tell them that those family visits wouldn’t be happening anymore so I just really wanted to do something unique to celebrate our seniors through this trying time.”

Halstead said staff members work hard to keep some activities going for the residents but a big highlight has been getting wi-fi hooked up.

“We can access virtual concerts and church services, family connecting with FaceTime and video calls,” Halstead said. “The wi-fi has lifted our restrictions into a whole new realm.”

Sunday’s car parade is sure to be another way of lifting spirits over a weekend that would typically mean more visits for the mothers of the centre.

“Let’s just have some fun and bring some joy to our residents and all the mothers for Mothers’ Day,” Halstead said.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser