Family care givers can now accompany loved ones into local hospital

It was a cruel consequence of the COVID crisis, but now essential visitors—now known as Care Partners— are being allowed back to the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC) beginning tomorrow (Thursday).

For the past number of months, the hospital has stopped caregivers, usually spouses or children of the sick, from accompanying their loved ones that need hospitalization.

The situation was highlighted recently when Diane Demers, a wife who is a full-time caregiver and advocate for her 70-year-old husband with dementia was refused entry to the hospital.

See: 'Heartbreaking' as wife turned away from caring for dementia-patient husband

Diane Demers' husband Louis has suffered from complex medical issues including vascular dementia for more than five years.

She wants to "sound an alarm bell" and share her story to ensure that people with dementia are not denied access to their caregiver when seeking medical help in hospitals.

That policy has now changed, with the hospital saying today that family and loved ones of patients are an important part of the hospital community.

"As hospitals across Ontario adapted to provide care during the pandemic, we had to make many changes to protect our patients, staff, and physicians," says a news release from the hospital. "NBRHC restricted access to our facility in March, based on direction at the time from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. We know this decision can be difficult for families and loved ones with a patient receiving care at our hospital."

Care Partners are different from casual visitors; they are family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and community members who provide critical and often ongoing personal, social, psychological, and physical support, assistance, and care to patients in care.

"Beginning tomorrow, each inpatient may have one dedicated care partner (plus a designated alternate) for the patient’s length of stay between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. with only one entry and one exit each day".  

Care Partners will need to be in good health, screened before entry, wear a hospital-issued mask at all times while in the hospital among other new safety guidelines.

"Detailed information will be provided to Care Partners, including a toolkit and a sticker to identify you, when you arrive at the hospital," continues the release.

At this time, general visitors will continue to not be permitted in the Health Centre as an important measure to ensure everyone’s health and safety. 

Meanwhile Demers hasn't given up the fight to make sure this sort of thing doesn't't happen in any future pandemic or next wave.

She is creating a Facebook page entitled 'Fighting for Dignity' for now and will also be creating a group page in the next couple of days, she told BayToday.