SEPTEMBER 2020
Update from ARBI Executive Director, Luanne Whitmarsh

Hello to you all! We really hope you are all staying safe and healthy during this challenging time. I thought it was time to update you on how ARBI is continuing to provide services and programming.

I am delighted to let you know that ARBI has continued to reach to our clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We have talked a lot on the phone, delivered care and activity packages, and we have really zoomed a lot for connections and therapies. We were able to provide several people with a laptop to help with their communication options.

Throughout the closure, the Leadership team worked very hard on continuing to communicate with our clients and team members. We spent hours looking at various models of support for when the clients would be allowed back at ARBI. We developed the procedures for all safety measures that were outlined by Alberta Health Services. We are happy that the team members and clients tell us they feel the protocols and additional equipment have made them feel safe.

We now have our team back in the building. They are providing a combination of virtual and face-to-face therapy. We now know that virtual programming and services will continue. We have adapted the way we provide supports and have found them successful for most people.

We are continuing to increase the number of face-to-face sessions with clients in ARBI. We are grateful for everyone’s patience while we learned a new way of providing programs and services.

Our dear volunteers are still waiting for their calls to become fully re-engaged onsite. We are going to start introducing a few select volunteers when it is safe to do so, but our full contingent of volunteers won’t be back in the building for some time. A big ‘thank you’ to the volunteers who wrote letters and cards to the clients!

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at luanne@arbi.com or call 403-217-4228.