A home away from home: RVs to house self-isolating front-line workers
Natalia Goodwin | CBC News | Posted: April 4, 2020 8:00 AM | Last Updated: April 4, 2020
Osgoode Care Centre's 3 RVs will be able to hold up to 5 people
Some creative thinking, combined with the generosity of a local RV sales centre, has given front-line workers at one Ottawa long-term care home a way to protect their own families from COVID-19.
The Osgoode Care Centre, near the rural community of Metcalfe, doesn't have any cases of COVID-19 yet.
Residents have been moved from total communal living to smaller quarters in the home, and there are no visitors permitted at this time.
But that hasn't stopped the home's administration from thinking about how to best protect their employees — and when they were recently asked what they needed to feel more safe, they requested a place nearby to self-isolate from their loved ones if an outbreak occurred.
"They're all afraid," said Lori Norris-Dudley, the home's president and CEO.
'We just wanted to help'
Since there are no hotels in the vicinity, Norris-Dudley came up with the idea of acquiring RVs that could be parked onsite.
Norris-Dudley initially planned to rent the RVs, but RV Canada, after a request from the local councillor George Darouze, said they could do better than that.
The local dealership has lent three used vehicles to the home, until the pandemic ends.
"I have a nurse in the family, and you know, we just want to protect their families," said Mike Garrick, general manager of the dealership.
"They're on the front lines, risking their lives and their family's lives. And we just wanted to help."
Will fit about 5 employees
For the non-profit care home, the donation means a lot.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for us," said David Eggett, chair of the home's board of directors.
"Budgets are tight, but this is an activity that's really, really going to help us."
The three RVs will provide sleeping quarters for about five employees who are following physical distancing rules. Norris-Dudley said about four staff have approached her so far about using them if an outbreak occurs.
"It brought tears to all of our eyes," she said.
"[We neeeded to] provide a safe place for our staff when we do reach an outbreak, so they don't have to go home if they can't." she said
Garrick said he hopes other RV centres step up to the plate to donate what they can to help front-line workers.