Being quarantined at home for two weeks is a daunting thought for most, but the restrictions take on a whole other meaning for those with special needs and their loved ones.
One Cloverdale mom whose family is finding ways to cope after returning from a trip to Florida, acknowledged the exercise is important in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, in the event one of them picked up the virus while they were away.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e all symptom-free 91裸聊视频� so far,91裸聊视频� Christine Williamson said Monday, of herself, husband Chad, daughters Jennah and Mikayla and her in-laws. 91裸聊视频淲e just want to make sure we91裸聊视频檙e not a part of the problem, and we want to stay safe.91裸聊视频�
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Still, the impact COVID-19 has had on the routines and therapies that Mikayla needs to help manage daily life as a person with autism and other diagnoses has been severe.
In short, 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 crisis mode,91裸聊视频� said Williamson, noting the sentiment is one shared by many families who have special needs children.
And, the quarantine 91裸聊视频� which, for the Williamsons, ends Monday (April 6) 91裸聊视频� has only exacerbated it.
Usually, workers and therapists are in and out of the Williamson family home every weekday, helping 18-year-old Mikayla with everything from managing her behaviours to schoolwork. But now, 91裸聊视频渟he has none of that,91裸聊视频� her mom said.
91裸聊视频淔or kids on the autism spectrum, routine is everything,91裸聊视频� Williamson said, describing her daughter as 91裸聊视频渜uirky and funny,91裸聊视频� with a love of reptiles and swimming, and a knack for the artistic.
91裸聊视频淓verything that they do is regimented. It91裸聊视频檚 how they have order in their life. And so she has none of that. On top of that, we91裸聊视频檙e now quarantined. We can91裸聊视频檛 go to the park, we can91裸聊视频檛 do anything.91裸聊视频�
To make matters worse, 91裸聊视频渂ecause we don91裸聊视频檛 have answers, we can91裸聊视频檛 calm her fear and anxiety of it.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淗er meltdowns are worse and more frequent. Her level of being able to cope is not there.91裸聊视频�
No stranger to struggles, however 91裸聊视频� the family has weathered everything from layoffs to Williamson91裸聊视频檚 own battles with mental illness over the past two decades 91裸聊视频� Williamson said an important way that she and her family have learned to cope is to focus on what they can control, rather than what they can91裸聊视频檛. Things like the 91裸聊视频渢hermostat91裸聊视频� in their home 91裸聊视频� and not the one that controls the actual temperature.
They91裸聊视频檝e set up 91裸聊视频榥o-judgment zones91裸聊视频� where as a family they can say whatever they need to without fear of judgment or reprisal, and then together, work on coming up with two positives out of whatever was said.
Recognizing the impact of limited space in the home on each occupant has also been important, Williamson said; honouring expressed needs for time to themselves, 91裸聊视频渆ven if we might be put out for a bit.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淛ust a lot of things like that 91裸聊视频� being willing to be vulnerable and to speak what it is that we91裸聊视频檙e feeling in any given moment91裸聊视频� feel what we need to feel and then move on from that.91裸聊视频�
They91裸聊视频檙e skills that can be applied to anybody, she noted, giving credit to Emotions BC Health and Wellness Society, an organization that formed in 2018 91裸聊视频渢o provide and deliver programs and services to families and caregivers of loved ones dealing with emotion dysregulation caused by diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health challenges.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淓motionsBC was created to eliminate barriers and to enhance health and wellness for loved ones struggling with mental health challenges as well as families 91裸聊视频� and therefore, potentially and quite literally, saving lives,91裸聊视频� an introduction on the society91裸聊视频檚 website states.
Williamson said the society helped their family 91裸聊视频渋n some of our darkest moments,91裸聊视频� and a desire to return the favour by being a beacon of hope for others drove her and her husband to become involved not just as program participants but also as facilitators of some of the programs. Williamson also now holds the role of administrative assistant.
In these days of social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine, supports are having to be given and accessed in different ways, many of them online. For Mikayla, that means connecting with her therapy team through such avenues as Zoom, with her mom at her side to guide her 91裸聊视频� though the sessions are a far cry from the support she gained through her one-on-one therapies.
Williamson said it doesn91裸聊视频檛 take a grand gesture to assist families that are struggling 91裸聊视频� it can be as simple as offering to add a couple extra items to their own grocery list. Neighbours can also share a tea 91裸聊视频渄ate91裸聊视频� from the safety of their respective porches, just to check in.
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91裸聊视频淧ractical things like that go a long way to break the isolation,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e used to isolation, but this is different,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淎nd because there91裸聊视频檚 so much more fear and concern, and there91裸聊视频檚 no end in sight, there91裸聊视频檚 no game plan. Everyone91裸聊视频檚 affected on such a deeper, bigger level, that the sense of community, to me, means that you91裸聊视频檙e really checking in on people and giving them a space91裸聊视频� to share how they91裸聊视频檙e really feeling and what they91裸聊视频檙e really thinking.91裸聊视频�
Williamson said she also feels 91裸聊视频渟lightly strongly91裸聊视频� about those who aren91裸聊视频檛 taking social-distancing and other recommended or ordered preventative measures seriously.
Acknowledging that she was among those who initially doubted the seriousness of the pandemic, Williamson said her mind changed when she realized how quickly it was spreading and how vulnerable Mikayla was.
91裸聊视频淏ecause of all the struggles my daughter has, I am concerned for her safety,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淪he puts her hands in her mouth all the time.
91裸聊视频淚 feel that if people could understand that because we don91裸聊视频檛 know what we91裸聊视频檙e dealing with, there isn91裸聊视频檛 a defense for it. If we could just take a step back91裸聊视频� just re-prioritize a little bit, we have a chance to save thousands of lives.91裸聊视频�
Williamson said shifting her own mindset around the quarantine from one of 91裸聊视频渇eeling like the walls are closing in on me,91裸聊视频� to one that looks at abiding by the measures as a gift was an important step for her on Sunday; the halfway point.
As difficult as the journey is and will continue to be for an undetermined time, however, she said she is confident there are brighter days ahead.
91裸聊视频淲hen I look at the virus, in and of itself, I feel that we have a lot of skills and resiliency,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not that there aren91裸聊视频檛 tears and concerns and unknowns. We have already weathered so many storms91裸聊视频� you always find a way to rebuild from the ashes of what you91裸聊视频檝e gone through.91裸聊视频�
Online resources Williamson suggested include the Emotions BC website, at (for families, caregivers and loved ones), and and (for programs, training and supports for individuals as well as families).
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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