Cold Lake long-term care residents breathe easier

August 27, 2020

John Dahlseide, a resident at Cold Lake Long-Term Care Centre, enjoys using the new portable oxygen concentrator that was recently donated by the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre Auxiliary.

John Dahlseide, a resident at Cold Lake Long-Term Care Centre, enjoys using the new portable oxygen concentrator that was recently donated by the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre Auxiliary.

Patients enjoy greater mobility thanks to portable oxygen device donated by auxiliary

Story by Lisa Laferriere | Photo by Adele Richardson

Some residents at Cold Lake Long-Term Care Centre are enjoying new-found freedom and increased mobility thanks to the donation of a new portable oxygen concentrator valued at nearly $4,000.

The Cold Lake Healthcare Centre Auxiliary donated funds to the facility to buy the equipment earlier this year.

Now, with the device at their disposal, residents like John Dahlseide (pictured) are benefiting daily.

“Having a machine that runs on a battery, as opposed to needing to be plugged into a wall, gives residents who need this type of care a bit more freedom,” says Adele Richardson, area manager for senior health for the Bonnyville, Cold Lake & St. Paul region with Alberta Health Services.

“This donation will allow some residents to be able to leave their room more often and, for example, join others in the garden area here at the centre. And when residents are able to go out on trips in the community again, this machine will help make that possible for them.”

An oxygen concentrator purifies and concentrates the surrounding air as it delivers oxygen to the person who needs it. While some machines need to be plugged in to a dedicated wall attachment to work, this portable device runs on rechargeable batteries. On wheels, it’s easily moved about by residents and lasts five hours on a full charge.

“We are thrilled to have been able to purchase this for the Centre,” says Sue Carter, president of the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre Auxiliary. “Our Auxiliary members have such a nice relationship with Alberta Health Services.”

Richardson adds: “The staff and residents at the Cold Lake Long-Term Care Centre are extremely grateful to the auxiliary and their commitment to healthcare in our community. They are a remarkable group of people.”

Other recent auxiliary donations include: a low-rise bed, a sit-stand lift, new curtains for the palliative care room and a tono pen (a device used to measure the fluid pressure in a patient’s eye) for the emergency department.

To encourage more young people to pursue careers in healthcare, the auxiliary also offers a $1,000 bursary for students entering the medical field.

As well, to support patients and their families during these unprecedented times, the auxiliary has been generously donating television and phone services in all the patient rooms at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre.

If you would like to learn more about the Auxiliary or how you can be involved, contact Sue Carter directly at 780-815-1963, or email: Clauxiliary1986@gmail.com. For more information about healthcare services in Cold Lake, visit AHS.