ABOYNE – The Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care Home in Aboyne received two iPad donations in August.
Spectrum Therapeutics, the medical division of Ontario-based, Canopy Growth, chose to donate 57 iPads to 21 long-term care homes in Ontario, two of which went to Wellington Terrace to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We knew we wanted to do something because the elders, the seniors in long term care facilities, as we all know, have been hardest hit,” said chief advocacy officer, Hilary Black.
“Tragically 80 per cent of the COVID deaths in Canada have been people who are in residential care.”
After talking with a colleague whose dad was is in long-term care and relies on his health worker to use their personal phone for a video chat, Black decided to donate as many iPads as possible to seniors who may be more isolated again this fall and throughout the remainder of the pandemic.
“I’m really hoping for this to be a call to action and to inspire other companies or other organizations to reach out to the long-term care facility in your community, see if they need anything,” Black said.
“I think that they may need donations of things that could improve quality of life both for the residents and for the health workers.”
Wellington Terrace was one of the chosen homes because if its involvement in Spectrum Therapeutic’s research study looking at cannabis use in long-term care facilities.
Wellington County communications manager Andrea Ravensdale said the two iPads have been very well received at Wellington Terrace.
“Some residents do not have family and friends who live nearby or they are unable to visit as often as they like,” Ravensdale said. “Facetime calls on the iPads provide our residents a chance to stay connected to their loved ones during these uncertain times.
“Other residents have been enjoying using the iPads to access information on the internet.”
Each of the iPads given to a long-term care home included a stand on wheels so its easily rolled around between residents and can stand up independently.
“If the iPads are loaded up with all of the right programs so that people can Skype or Zoom or do whatever they need to the idea is that the health care workers then don’t have to spend their time standing there holding a phone so that somebody can see their grandkid,” Black said.
