Long-term hair: Witless Bay seniors pen protest song over haircut restrictions
Alderwood Estates residents get vocal
Residents of a retirement home in Witless Bay, who haven't been able to get a haircut since pandemic restrictions began, have set their concerns to music in order to pressure the provincial government for a better lockdown exit strategy for seniors.
Frustration is growing among Alderwood Estates residents, said the home's recreation director Rene Houlihan, as they witness the province's borders open, pedestrians pack into downtown St. John's and clubgoers party on George Street.
"They're all watching TV, they're on Facebook, they're following social media and they're watching all this happen. George Street is alive, people are going out to dinner and they don't understand why the rest of Atlantic Canada can move freely and yet they cannot," Houlihan told CBC News Tuesday.
"These procedures have been so challenging for the seniors. Their families weren't allowed in until a couple of weeks ago."
Alderwood's choir rewrote the song Storms Never Last by Jessi Colter and Waylon Jennings, changing it into Haircuts Never Last as a way to voice their concerns.
Houlihan said some of the residents are feeling embarrassed by their unkempt locks, noting pre-pandemic many would have their hair done every week at the retirement home.
"We've had 40 days of no new cases. We've had 20 days of no active cases. They know these numbers, and they're putting this forward to our politicians saying, 'So what is the number that you will allow us to be safe?'" she said.
"Or is the strategy, 'We'll lock them up, they won't get anything and they'll live'? But that's not living, in their mind."
The plan is to present the video to their MHA, Loyola O'Driscoll, in hopes it elicits change in the House of Assembly.
Change in regulations
Government regulations say hairstylists can work in personal-care homes, as long as they don't work in any other setting — a caveat that makes finding someone to style Alderwood residents impossible, said Houlihan.
"We have people who work here and work somewhere else, but we don't have a full-time beautician here," she said.
"We haven't been able to find anybody who can come in here and only work two days a week."
In a statement to CBC News, the Department of Health said effective Tuesday, residents in personal-care homes can venture into the community for essential shopping and family visits.
"Residents are now permitted to go out for drives with their designated visitors, and are encouraged to follow public health guidelines during these outings," the statement reads.
"Some residents may choose to access hairstyling services outside the home, and in some homes, staff are providing haircuts and styling. Discussions are underway on how to improve access to this service for residents."
On Wednesday, Health Minister John Haggie announced residents in long-term care will be granted up to six designated visitors instead of the current one. He also said long-term-care centres have "facility-specific plans now in place" to offer hairstyling services.
With files from Katie Breen