Nakusp community service agency adapts to pandemic

How does a human-services agency care for people in a time of pandemic?

Very carefully, says its executive director.

“We’ve really had to adjust, it’s something new for us,” says Tim Payne, head of the Arrow & Slocan Lakes Community Services and Halcyon Assisted Living Society.

The sister agencies, which provide housing, employment support, counselling services and supported living, began adjusting its service models as the pandemic came roaring into British Columbian lives a month ago.

“We’re built on human connection, and have always had an emotional and physical involvement with the people we serve. Now that’s all of a sudden cut off,” he says. “Now we have to adjust to that and make sure folks get what they need. We still need to find a way to make things happen.”

Counselling from a distance

One of the biggest impacts has been to its counselling services.

“Counsellors have had to work from afar, adjust with their clients to access them,” he says. “That’s been a bit of a challenge for them.”

It has staff wondering if they can do their jobs properly, he says. They’ve been using video conferencing software and the telephone to contact clients.

“It just didn’t seem to them to have connection to their clients, the physical connection,” he says. “One of the big gaps was with clients with diverse abilities, helping to serve them.

“For our counsellor who specializes in this area, it’s a whole different ball game. They can’t necessarily get on the phone or communicate through Zoom. They’ve had to do things differently.”

Women’s counsellors and peace counsellors are also adjusting to the changes. Some techniques now are just unavailable, like art therapy.

Diverse needs 

ASLCS is a diverse agency, employing everyone from counsellors to bus drivers, meaning there’s a dozen different methods needed for making sure staff and clients are safe.

The people who drive the medical buses have had an especially hard time adapting their very hands-on, public jobs to the new reality.

“It was hard especially at the beginning, when equipment, sanitizers, and gowns and masks were really hard to come buy,” he says. “It’s still a big one, but we’re starting to catch up now though.”

Some drivers have decided not to work for the duration, Payne says.

Other essential service workers like home care workers are also putting themselves at risk, he says.

ASLCS has cut its ‘Better at Home’ housekeeping services for safety reasons – both at the request of the staff and of some of the people receiving care, he says. The friendly visits have been replaced by phone calls, or helping with food preparation and delivery when possible.

The food bank has also been receiving steady donations, said Payne, and earlier this month the organization launched an Easter food basket campaign that was almost as big as the annual Christmas hamper program.

“We had 95 baskets to give out,” he says. “That’s full baskets, hams and stuff. It was pretty good for the first time out.

Technology bottlenecks

One of the big challenges has been technology, getting both staff and clients up to speed with software, hardware and internet connections. 

Staff are working from home, but many clients don’t have a computer laptop or mobile device.

Twenty different programs, many with very different needs and requirements, make moving the service online a challenge.

“We are so lucky because we live in an area with Columbia Basin Trust. They contributed a significant amount of funds for helping agencies cope with the extra burdens created by COVID-19.

The Trust has handed out $11.7 million dollars in funding to support communities and individuals at this unprecedented time, including ASLCLS.

“It will allow us to upgrade some technology, put some technology in place we didn’t have before to help us work from home; there’s supporting families in school where technology will play a big part too,” he says. “We’re in the process for rolling this out.”

Essential services

The Halcyon Assisted Living Society has a whole other set of demands and procedures to ensure people receiving supported living are safe. Those regulations are set by Interior Health, and strict, says Payne.

“It’s an essential service,” he says. “They are on lock-down. They have no visits from family or friends, so the folks that are in there, are in there. They have lost a lot of means to communicate.

“So we are trying to make that better by introducing tablets to Facetime, or phone.”

That means not only do care-aides have to help protect the tenants from the virus, but dealing with depression and loss of physical contact that people crave.

Housing project

If one project of ASLCS hasn’t been dramatically affected by the pandemic, it’s the ongoing construction of the new affordable housing units in the village.

Payne says physical distancing rules are in place, and work seems to be getting done despite the restrictions.

“BC Housing has some pretty strong standards on what they can do, and handling tools and equipment,” he says. “There’s times in construction when two people have to work together, but for the most part, when they do that, they are masked and stuff. They are maintaining as best as they can the six-foot rule, and cleanliness around their tools. They’re following the rules and there’s regular inspections coming out weekly.

“So that program is good, we’re on schedule now.”

Setting the tempo 

Payne says despite the challenges, roadblocks and aggravations, his organization is continuing to be able to serve residents. And he says from his point of view, the community isn’t doing too badly.

“I think Nakusp is doing great, I think they’re doing wonderfully,” he says. “I think people have embraced this and caught on to trying to ensure we don’t have a huge outbreak. Most people are taking it fairly seriously and people are conscious around distancing.”

He says businesses have especially worked hard to keep clients safe.

“I think that sets the tempo for other people as well,” he says.