Two constants during these strange times have been a High School bus going past at two minutes to eight 5 days of the week (some students are still having face to face lessons) and bin day for us on Monday! If those were happening it was almost as if all was well with the world.
Out here in the east we’ve been ‘lucky’..if that’s the right word…to have very few cases in our LGA (Yarra Ranges council/shire). With this 2nd wave we’ve followed the guidelines, accepted restrictions (willingly or otherwise), exercised locally, donned our masks, knowing all the ‘action’ has been on the other side of the city.
Just up the road from us (about 10 min walk) is a retirement/aged care village complex that’s been there for a very long time. With a very long waiting list for an independent unit plus same for accomodation in the attached nursing home it’s like trying to get a membership to the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club)…….you’re going to be waiting a long time for one to become available.
Sadly (as has been the way with all the aged care clusters) an undiagnosed staff member has infected residents (as well as other staff) with more and more becoming casualties as the week has gone by. The case numbers have soared resulting in all the nursing home residents being ‘evacuated’ to local hospitals set aside for this purpose.
You know, after all these months it’s difficult to comprehend that even with the best of hygiene practices as well all the precautions necessary it still happens.
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With all that on my mind seeing this on fb today had me in tears. I know this rotten virus doesn’t discriminate where age is concerned but so many of the deaths have been older people who once in hospital could have no visitors. ‘Saying goodbye’ is an important part in life…..and death…..for everyone.
Bin day for the street across the way is Wednesday…….I heard someone dragging a wheelie bin up a drive earlier on. The high school is still open for yr12 VCE students (at the moment)…..the bus will trundle past just before 8am tomorrow so I take it life will go on….just not quite as it was before because IT has found it’s way out east.
Stay Home – Stay Safe – Stay Well – Tell them you love ‘em
Still Waters 
Yes the nursing homes had quite an outbreak in NS also. I am praying we don’t have more this winter.
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We’re hoping as our weather changes the virus will move on – somehow I doubt it.
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2 such villages in NZ, had similar happening, one they still have no idea where the virus came from and 1/2 of our deaths through that arena…a week or two back, the manager of the facility allowed a documentary to be made, it was heart wrenching because many of the older people had lived within the walls for decades, and when they were placed in local hospital they lost their usual carers. The carers too were upset that they couldn’t assist, all had to go into self-isolation at home. By the time the next home/village was identified there was more PPE in place…but like some of the news we have seen, the workers who bought in the virus had no choice due to financial commitments to go to into work.
some of these care places are still in lockdown – one of my friends has a family member with dementia in one such place – no visiting and no outings either…
As to bin day, that happened here as well…but the “label$” were not collected, there were probably many who use the same label over and over…And when schools returned, we adults were still required on buses to be at a distance, you sat only on a window seat BUT apparently you packed the buses to the gunnels with kids!
Take good care Cathy and family…Keep safe everyone else, wherever you are in the world…
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Same with the deaths here Cathy. Majority are from nursing residents. There’s been more moving out today- apart from getting hospital care as opposed to care in their rooms it wont benefit those infected, they are too frail to cope. Hopefully it will curtail anymore infections
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The painting brought tears to my eyes. So sad, but so real.
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The figures are very lifelike are they Joan. Tugged at m6 heartstrings making me quite emotional
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It seems a dreadful thing to say, but I am glad that mum died, peacefully, before all this happened. She lived at home, had a good support network of carers and friends, but it would only have taken one person to have given her a lonely and miserable end.
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I can understand your feeling that way Helen. We wouldn’t wish this on any elderly person. Not on anyone especially the elderly
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Thanks Cathy.
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Just too awful. These casual staff flitting from one nursing home to another has worked really well, not. Most would like proper full time employment in one place.
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It’s brought to light an anomaly in the system not many were aware of Andrew. Particularly me. All the nursing homes I’ve been ‘involved’ with had their own bank of staff, yes they would use agency if there was no other option but that was very very rare. Usually someone not rostered would step up and take on extra shifts if they were asked
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That painting is hauntingly beautiful…stunningly emotive.
The ignorance of some people…their disrespect and lack of concern for their fellowman is most disturbing. The behaviour of some among us angers me…and it is not their right to do so. The “Me-Me” society…way of thinking surely has been brought to notice throughout these past few months.
Keep taking good care of yourself…and your loved ones, Cathy. 🙂
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We certainly are seeing the worse of people aren’t we Lee.
I wondered how the painting would be received- it brings out a range of emotions. There’s that initial sadness the artist had in mind, the lack of contact of the dying with their families especially the youngest generation, Tenderness for the children who will never know their grandparents- grief for the loss of life – anger because‘it’s just not fair’. Hauntingly beautiful definitely
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The painting is beautiful. Thanks for posting it.
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That painting is so lovely, thank you for sharing it. The care home situation is terrible- profits first for them. I would like a review into how well the owners prepare for infection control- they were the ones who should employ permanent staff, not casuals. provide the PPE and maintain hygiene, shame on them.
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This crisis has certainly brought to light ‘the other side of life’ in our city. One of the clusters was in some high rise public housing where the tenants were mainly migrants – all the blocks were put into a hard lockdown at very short notice, everybody tested, no leaving their flats for any reason. Close contact large families lots of related family groups many positive cases. Social services of all sorts were involved now there will be working parties into pros & cons of high rise commission flats.
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I am not surprised. If the complex is occupied by retired old people, it is but natural that the pandemic spread fast as seniors are very vulnerable. Just one tradesman has to transmit it to one resident and it can spread very fast as it has happened in some places here where I live.
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That painting had me in tears, too. Very touching.
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Yes, tell them you love them. COVID or no COVID you never know when it might have been the last time you would speak to them.
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