There have been many positive stories where folk have found care and friends, joy and laughter, freedom from loneliness, and a place they can call home.
The negative press can sometimes overshadow positive experiences.
Mistakes, bad events and complaints, of course, must be dealt with thoroughly as they happen in any elder care facility, hospital or home.
Dunblane, or any facility, should not be defined by its past challenges but by its ongoing commitment to quality care, and learning and growing from these experiences.
The current regime has been transparent in addressing concerns and implementing protocols for high standards of care, despite times of staff shortages and negative influences.
There is much love and bonding between staff and residents to be seen around the facility.
When I was asked by the Gisborne Herald if I would provide a comment about the lockdown, I wrote one but it was over by that stage.
Then I was asked to perhaps make it a column discussing these matters. This I was happy to do, as what affects Dunblane affects so many of us.
This place is where I will leave the Earth and journey on to my Maker. My last memories will be of this place and the love of all I have loved and lived with.
I pray this will be the same for all who are in care, and the people who have been given the great privilege of caring for our loved ones, that they will in turn find a place where they will be given the love I have been given.
This is what I wrote to try to give you a view that perhaps you have known, seen or even not cared to know.
Kia Ora Jeremy,
I’m not sure why you would want my comment. I live in the village and the way we are involved is when we visit, join in happy hour, join the resthome residents in special events or have our meals over there.
When they lock down, they bring the meals to us. One of our villagers is our main go-between from the management and the village, which works well.
If we have Covid we isolate ourselves and try to help the others as best we can, with the help of families and friends and the concern of our manager. She is very aware of the need to lock down because of the way Covid spreads so quickly among the vulnerable residents. She and the staff do all they can to keep the whole complex safe.
Resthomes would be one of the most difficult places to manage during these times – with residents not understanding; people coming in and out, not realising the danger before the start of the virus spreading, that they didn’t know they had; and the closed spaces that occur when side doors cannot be opened. I’m sure Dunblane is not the only place that has to be ready at all times to have to lock down suddenly to stop the virus spreading.
Most of us in the village haven’t had Covid and are thankful for the care taken to keep us away from it. In the end, though, it is up to all of us to make sure we are honest about any symptoms which occur and keep away from others until we are sure we are not infected.
Hope this helps - but still not sure why we are being highlighted when others have also had to lock down.
Things are difficult in all resthomes at the moment, with staff shortages and waiting lists, but I can tell you that even with all the known and perceived problems in New Zealand, there is no other place I would rather be.
This place has given Bill and I, and now just me, a place to love and be content in my cosy little villa. I can get on with my busy life, greet my neighbours and enjoy my 80s knowing I am with people who understand the vagaries of old age.
Nothing is ever just as well as we think it should be, but being here among these villagers is pretty near what I would have wanted when I got to this stage in life.
May God in His wonderful grace and mercy bless us all as we live out our last years on Earth and look forward to each day in our little village.
Arohanui, Nona
