Crown in a nursing home: – This is my second war

The sun shines on the thin ice that covers the asphalt on the outskirts of Bekkelagshjemmet in Oslo. Elisabeth Noomi Fjelstad, 101, holds on tightly to the walker and receives constant help from Miriam Hasle, who is the manager of the nursing home. They are on their way to the opening of the holiday season in the sensory garden.

– I am a girl from Oslo and I have always lived here in the city. I have had a good life here and I live a good life as a young lady. I don’t even take painkillers, says Fjelstad.

Honored by the king

Her vision is not as good as before, but it is not as dangerous, because Fjelstad is an eternal optimist. He expects most things and explains that he uses other senses to bring with him “everything that God has created in this world.”

– It’s so nice that we can be singing Christmas. We’re doing well here, says the 101-year-old.

Covid-19 rules mean that we cannot join his room to see the photo of Fjelstad and King Harald, who was then Crown Prince, in 1960. Nor the letter he received from him on his 100th birthday, which was in last year.

– We have a very nice king, she says.

– Heavy weather

Fjelstad remembers the war well, when she, her brothers and parents hid in the basement when the bomb alarm sounded. You are now experiencing a new kind of war, on covid-19.

– The closing was a very difficult moment, where we found ourselves with long coats, blue plastic gloves, masks and masks. We were isolated in the room for eight weeks. A difficult moment in which even I got a little depressed, says Fjelstad and continues:

– Luckily, then we had room service. And we have delicious food in our rooms. The staff was very present and we had a great time despite a difficult time. I would like to congratulate the staff for their ingenuity and for having managed to limit the infection.

Smile, caress and wave

Once in the sensory garden, Miss Fjelstad is greeted with a smile, a soft pillow, and a warm blanket. Ten other neighbors come out on the balconies, in addition to nurses. They smile, clap, wave and sing as the Christmas tree is lit, while music blasts through a speaker. Local culture and environment leader Ellen Kirkaas plays the trumpet.

– Now we will enjoy during Advent. We will not cancel anything, we will only announce, Kirkaas tells the residents above.

They clap, salute, and shout in soft voices. Leader Hasle wipes a tear. Covid-19 presents many limitations and challenges. Then it gets even hotter when they manage to bring experiences to the 48 residents of Bekkelagshjemmet.

– We brought the covid-19 infection home when Norway closed. Ten residents were infected and six survived. He still felt like he had failed as a leader. I felt guilty when the infection hit us, he says today.

– Invisible enemy

Hasle and his team believe that covid-19 is “like fighting an invisible enemy in a war.”

– Leading in peacetime is demanding and fun, but leading a war where the enemy is invisible has been excruciating at times. We work minute by minute, says Hasle.

Now everyone knows more how Covid-19 is contagious and nursing homes may be open to family members, although there is at least as much contagion in Oslo now as this spring.

– Close contact is a new concept that comes with covid-19. In addition to good coughing, hand hygiene, and distance habits, we must work in a new way, he says.

At Bekkelagshjemmet, they also take care that employees remain in the department in which they work. It is also not possible to call more people who work elsewhere.

– Then there will be more work for each employee here. They do a wonderful job in tough times. We have always cared about the little moments, and we appreciate the little things even more, like a smile with the eyes that gives warmth, Hasle says.

Guilt

Bekkelagshjemmet is led by Kirkens Bymisjon on behalf of the Oslo municipality, which has reviewed infection control routines during the pandemic.

– The audit showed that we had a good infection control regime here, even before the crown. But the important thing now is that we should not look for who is to blame. I experienced it myself, when the infection came to us, says Hasle and continues:

– People struggle with guilt and are afraid of infecting others. Therefore, you have to be careful and not blame anyone. This is a social problem, so we should be happy to solve it, he says.

Kirkens Bymisjon has created a psychosocial team that is open to all employees who need a talk regarding the challenges that arose due to the pandemic.

– In the first pandemic phase, we had the feeling of being completely alone in the world. What had we done wrong? Why did this happen to us? Many people need an interrogation now. There are many emotions and experiences that people have been through that can be difficult to cope with, Hasle says.

Clear politicians

In Bekkelagshjemmet, they managed to keep the covid-19 infection isolated in a room this spring. Since then, they have prevented new infections. On the way forward, Hasle wants brave politicians.

– Politicians must dare to be clear about the rules, so that health professionals do not have to get in the way due to too many interpretations of the rules. It is important that politicians understand where we are, he says and continues:

– Health personnel have never had more challenges than now. The fear of bringing the infection to work is almost unbearable, says the manager of the nursing home..