Portage la Prairie and area residents with family in care homes now have the opportunity to visit their loved ones.

As part of a provincial mandate, Lions Prairie Manor and Douglas Campbell Lodge are equipped with visitation shelters. Douglas Campbell Lodge lead, Melissa McArthur explains how they work.

"It is a space where visitors can enter directly into the building from outside, so there's no risk to other residents," she says. "It's a nice, bright space, there's a bench, and it's all made with easy-to-clean materials."

Manitoba-based PCL Constructors Canada Inc. was tasked with creating all season visitation spaces, both indoor and outdoor. The outdoor shelters consist of re-purposed shipping containers, but the accommodations in Portage are solely indoors. McArthur talks about some guidelines that make the visits smooth.

"Appointments are 30 minutes in length. Our current visitation hours are 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with some evening visits. At this time, we only can accommodate one visitor at a time," says McArthur. "They all have to do screening questions to ensure that they're safe to visit. Visitors have to wear a mask for the entire (time) and practice the two-meter social distancing requirements."

To schedule a visit, you need to contact your local personal care home and book a time window. The shelters have been open since Jan. 11, and many visitors who have had the opportunity to use the facility have nothing but positive reviews.

"We do ask that visitors are on time because of the 30-minute time limit. At both sites, we're only allowing one visit per resident per week, and we're in the process of reassessing the ability to increase this number based on demand," says McArthur. "We appreciate everyone's patience as we integrate this new space into our daily routine."