A moment in time
Precious life moments continue for residents and families thanks to generous donations to the St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund.
The COVID-19 crisis has changed the way we interact and connect with each other on a daily basis – but not all of life’s precious moments have been lost or put on hold.
Recently, at St. Joseph’s Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care (Mount Hope), 93-year-old resident Hilda Libal was able to attend her grandson’s wedding virtually through the newly established Family Connections Program and generous donations made through St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund.
The Family Connections program is being offered for over 200 families as an opportunity to have a virtual visit with loved ones. The iPads used in the family connections program were generously provided through donations to the St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund. This fund was created to support COVID-19-related research, patient equipment and comfort items for staff.
Hilda Libal, a 93-year-old resident at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, watches her grandson's wedding virtually amid the pandemic thanks to donations made to the St. Joseph’s Health Crisis Fund.
“Residents like Hilda are able to gain access to iPads and better connect with their families because of these donations,” says Bernice Haasen, coordinator of the Therapeutic Recreation Program at Mount Hope. “The program has been very popular and we are looking at ways to continue it during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”
Hilda’s grandson Matthew and his lovely bride Mikyla were set to have a traditional ceremony with family and friends. When the pandemic occurred, they changed their plans and invited over 80 family and friends to attend their wedding virtually instead from their front yard of the bride’s parents’ home.
“It was such a blessing that mom could be there,” says Hilda’s daughter Maree. “Your thoughtfulness and attention to detail was so kind."
Staff from Mount Hope also pitched in to make the event special and memorable for Hilda and her family.
“Hilda coloured a picture before the wedding for the newlyweds and expressed how excited she was to share this experience,” says Amy Harris, Music Therapist at Mount Hope. “We found a corsage to place on her left side as the grandmother of the groom and helped her dress her best for the special occasion.
Hilda summed up the experience with a simple sentence. “It was just wonderful,” says Hilda.