Mother’s Day lunch makes a big difference to Country Terrace residents during a challenging time

Staff members from different departments worked together to prepare and serve a special meal

Although Country Terrace residents stayed in their rooms and couldn’t be with their spouses, children or grandchildren on Mother’s Day (May 10), staff members at the Komoka, Ont. long-term care home worked together to make sure moms had a special day on Sunday.

Country Terrace, along with OMNI Health Care’s other 17 long-term care homes, is closed to everyone but essential visitors to protect residents and team members during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowing how important Mother’s Day is at Country Terrace, the nutritional care team prepared a special lunch that was served to each of the home’s 120 residents by the personal support workers.

In addition to the barbecued pork ribs, parsnips, cornbread muffins, cream of celery soup and dulce de leche cheesecake that was served to all residents, the 55 mothers living at Country Terrace each had a small floral arrangement and Mother’s Day note on their tray.

Prior to their meals being served, the ladies all received Mother’s Day balloons that were delivered to them by the life enrichment team.

“This had a really big impact on the residents,” Country Terrace nutritional care manager Alex Achillini tells The OMNIway. “There were a lot of smiles and comments like ‘you made my day.’ …

“With the residents being in their rooms all the time, something like this makes a big, big difference on a special day,” Alex says.

While the safety protocols in effect have changed the way meals are served, team members have been adapting well and did an “excellent job” ensuring the Mother’s Day lunches were served promptly, Alex says.

“It has been a challenge for us to move from (serving meals) in two dining rooms to going to individual tray service; there has been a lot of adjustment, but we now have that under control.”

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