As COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Canada, fears are as well. At this point, most of us are sadly accustomed to the risks associated with this pandemic. But this fear is different. It’s the sense that the end is nowhere in sight.
Subconsciously, many of us were okay with foregoing get-togethers and celebrations like Canada Day and Thanksgiving. But we were holding out hope that the hard work would pay off, and we could have a relatively normal Christmas. Unfortunately, cases spiked again since Thanksgiving weekend, and many are pointing to that holiday as the start of this newest upward trend in cases.
Whether this correlation is the cause is unclear, but it has generated enough concern for experts to advise scaling- back plans for the upcoming holidays. Much like they did before Thanksgiving, authorities are advising against family get-togethers and hoping people comply. Many will, and many will not.
But for each of us, there’s a decision to be made. And often, it’s a complex one.
Many of us have elderly family members with underlying health conditions. Some of them are in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, which have been hit hard by the pandemic. We may have no option to visit them since it would endanger the entire community.
Family members who are still independent but are high-risk are the question mark. The obvious answer may be to avoid them, but how does one celebrate with the rest of the family knowing that their older loved ones are alone? They may be missing their last opportunity to be with everyone in their lifetime. These are complex issues.
When people either don’t care or think that things are futile, they throw caution to the wind and behave irresponsibly. The people who contributed to the spread of the virus during Thanksgiving will hopefully change their behavior, but those who suffered no consequences (that they know of ) will likely keep doing the same thing.
But instead of feeling defeated and throwing in the towel, it is still possible to salvage some semblance of the holidays.
For those looking for responsible ways to make this work, we must first face the facts.
There is no way to all be under the same roof, eating a holiday meal safely. It just is not going to happen. We cannot eat without masks or maintaining the six- foot required distance for safety. So, we must get creative.
Video conference technology is an excellent option for many people in this dilemma. Sure, the setup might be tricky, and it’s not the same as being together for real. But from the safety of everyone’s own home, you can all be present on the same call at the same time. This may take some effort to set up, but you might be surprised. It could just feel normal for a little while.
This is not the only possible solution, but an example of focusing on what we can do instead of what we can’t.
Contributed by Marcel Gemme
Marcel has dedicated his life to helping others find help. He focuses his attention on helping individuals find long-term Senior Care. He does this through his journalism, community outreach, and his website, ECDOL.org. Excellent Care, Decency, and Optimal Living are what he aims to bring to individuals looking for care options for themselves or their aging loved ones.
