Safe Visits Begin Today – July 29, 2020 – Please read for details

We are excited to tell you that the first safe visits with residents will begin today, July 29, 2020. We have three Visitor Centers set up and two staff will be trained today to welcome and facilitate the visits. We have a schedule for the month of August with visiting opportunities between Sunday and Thursday each day. Visits will happen between 11:30am and 6:15pm on these days. First priority visits are spouses being reunited. This will be difficult as these are no-touch, socially distanced, supervised visits.

We look forward to the promised funding from the Provincial Government that would allow us to triple the number of visit opportunities by hiring two additional staff per building. We have not received this funding.

Here are some answers to the questions that we have been receiving. We hope that this helps.

  1. How do I know when I can visit?
    You will receive a phone call from us inviting you to choose a time to visit.
  2. What times are available to visit?
    Visit times will be Sunday – Thursday between 11:30am and 6:15pm (start of last visit).
  3. Who can visit?
    There will be one designated visitor per resident. If the resident is able to choose a designated visitor, they will choose the person. If they are not able to choose, we will phone their Health Care Decision Maker (or Power of Attorney if they don’t have one) to identify the designated visitor.
  4. How many times can I visit my loved one?
    We have enough visit opportunities for every resident in Menno Home and Menno Hospital to visit once in the month of August. Everyone will get an invitation before we begin the second set of visits.
  5. Where can I visit my loved one?
    We have three visitor centers that will be the location for all visits.
  6. Can we visit outdoors?
    Not at this time.
  7. How long will my visit be?
    30 minutes.
  8. Does the visit need to be supervised?
    Yes. This is a Provincial Health Order. Our Visitation Assistant will be a respectful distance from you.
  9. What if my loved one is not able to be transported to the Visitor Center?
    We will work with the nursing team to find an individual solution for visiting your loved one.
  10. What about safe-visits with Terrace East Assisted Living residents?
    These have not started. Terrace East Assisted Living residents may visit outdoors in socially distanced visits.

Menno Place – Staff Shortage – Karen Biggs, CEO on CityNews TV

Karen Biggs, Menno Place CEO speaks to Ashley Burr of City News Vancouver about the staff shortage that we face since the Single Site order in March, 2020. Click to go to the Twitter page with the CityNews video.

Summary:

  • Care homes in BC are suffering major staff shortage
  • 675 staff at Menno Place – lost 39 casuals when we went Single Site only – Menno Place has vacant positions
  • The single site order ensures that staff do not work at other care homes and thereby increase the risk of infection throughout the care home sector
  • Menno Place, like all care homes, is working “short” every week and this is a risk as there is nobody to cover a shift for staff who are sick or on vacation

“When you don’t have staff available (and there is a COVID-19 positive case), care can deteriorate very quickly.” – Karen Biggs

  • The highest risk is that care can deteriorate rapidly if there aren’t enough staff available and a positive case of COVID-19 occurs in a care home.
  • Care homes are looking to the hospitality industry to hire housekeepers and dietary staff – finding ways of taking out-of-work Canadians and putting them into valuable employment

 

Visitor Update – July 22, 2020

Visitor Update – July 22, 2020

  1. We are submitting our Safe Visiting Plan to Fraser Health today
  2. We are setting up our Visitor Centers
    • Visitor Centers will minimize traffic through the units so that residents and staff are as safe as possible
    • Visitor Centers will be a private and dedicated space for visitors
  3. Visits to begin July 27 in Menno Hospital for spouses – we will call you to make an appointment

Visitor Policy Update – July 10, 2020 – Video

Family and Friends Visits Survey

Thank you to everyone (192 people) who has filled out the Family and Friends Visits Survey. We are so appreciative of your input as we put together the safe visits process for visits to begin at Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East Assisted Living. Take a look at the results of the questions – CLICK HERE

Visit Update Video (scroll down for video)

Sharon Simpson has done a video (scroll down) explaining the process and answering the questions that you asked in that survey. At this time, we are awaiting the funding to hire three full-time equivalent positions to assist with the visits. We are planning to have spouses / partners as first priority to visit their loved one. There will only be one designated visitor in our first phase of visits. Each visitor will have infection control protocols to follow. Those are some of the same protocols that we require of our staff, including wearing a mask. Our staff, by the way, also change their clothing each shift to wear freshly laundered clothing when they arrive at work. They wear goggles, masks and gowns. They are doing an incredible job of staying safe and keeping your loved ones safe!

As you wait for the in-person, no-touch visits to begin, please take full advantage of the Zoom calls and the Messages of Love programs that we’ve set up to communicate with your loved one. Some of you commented that you just want to see your loved one to know that they are doing okay. You can use Zoom for this, even if your loved one is non-verbal or unable to communicate, you can see how they are in their room on that day. This has worked for others to help ease the anxiety of not knowing how they are doing.

Here are the links:

Book a Zoom Call with Menno Home resident

Book a Zoom Call with Menno Hospital resident

Send a Message of Love (will be printed and delivered – you may include photos)

Smile Masks

On the mask-front, we have exciting news that 20 “smile masks” are en-route to Menno Place. They have vinyl where the mouthpiece is so that lips can be seen. They are $10 per mask, non-medical grade and hand-washable – created by a speech therapist who knows the importance of lips being seen when communicating. They fog up, so there’s instructions to minimize fogging that come with the mask. Call Terrace East Reception to order a mask: 604.851.4004 (Claire Colvin). We have also ordered 50 medical-grade smile masks, but don’t anticpate that they will arrive until late summer.

A Cautious and Phased Approach

We are saddened to see that there are outbreaks at two long-term care homes in BC (Vancouver Holy Family Hospital and Maple Hill) and, once again, deaths of residents who live in those homes. This is sobering and we are reminded how grateful we are that we are COVID-19 free – a tremendous feat with over 700 seniors on the same campus. Let’s continue to be vigilant and thank you for your patience as we await the promised funding and hire staff to do our best to ensure that we will continue to be COVID-19 free. Menno Place is committed to a cautious and phased approach to re-opening visits.

July 10 – Visitor Policy Update

Family and Friends Visits Survey Results

On June 30, 2020, we sent Families and Friends a survey to give us input into their experience and thoughts. Here are the survey results of the 192 respondents – CLICK HERE

Since many of the respondents comments were confidential (names included), Sharon Simpson made a video and read most of their comments. You can watch the video here: FAMILY COMMENTS ABOUT VISITS RE-OPENING

 

Family and Social Visits – Frequently Asked Questions for Long-Term Care and Assisted Living – July 10, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions – Long Term Care Visits at Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East Assisted Living

What are the requirements for me to have social visits with my family member or friend who lives at Menno Home, Menno Hospital or Terrace East Assisted Living apartment?

Family/social visits are limited to a maximum of one family member or friend. In the initial phase of visiting, residents will be able to visit with one designated family member or friend. This guideline does not allow for alternate designated visitors at this time.

What will I be required to do in order to visit?

  1. Be verified as the one designated visitor for your loved one for the initial phase of visits. This will be a resident’s spouse/partner if applicable. Otherwise, it will be the primary contact identified in the resident’s medical record. A spouse/partner will be prioritized for the first visits when we open the safe visitation program.
  2. Book your visit in advance. Menno Place will have an online booking calendar that will allow you to choose a date and time that is suitable for you. If you are not able to go online, you will call our Reception desk to book your visit.
  3. Follow all infection control protocols and processes:
  • Do not visit if you are sick. This includes respiratory infection or gastrointestinal infection or symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Identify yourself as the one designated visitor for this resident. You may be asked for photo ID and may have your photo taken.
  • Participate in the active screening process. This involves a staff member asking you questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. They may take your temperature. These are the Active Screening Questions:
    1. Do you have a fever?
    2. Do you have a new or worsening cough?
    3. New or worsening sneezing?
    4. New or worsening sore throat?
    5. New or worsening shortness of breath?
    6. New or worsening fatigue?
    7. New or worsening aches and pains?
    8. New or worsening headaches?
    9. New or worsening vomiting?
    10. New or worsening diarrhea?
    11. Have you travelled outside the Fraser Valley?
  • Bring your own mask for the visit.
  • Receive instruction on how to wear your mask and any other required personal protective equipment during your visit.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water prior to your visit.
  • Use respiratory etiquette for any coughing or sneezing (into your elbow).
  • Do not touch your face.
  • Enjoy your visit in the designated area only.
  • A staff member will supervise your visit from a respectful distance to ensure compliance takes place and that no objects are passed between resident and visitor.
  • Maintain a distance of at least 2 meters from your loved one and staff at all times. This is a no-touch visit.
  • Comply with the visit ending at the agreed upon duration (30 minutes).
  • Wash your hands after your visit.
  • Book your next visit!
  1. What details do you know about the visits?
    • Length: At this time, we are planning 45 minute blocks of time for visits. Visits will be 30 minutes long, allowing for the visiting location to be disinfected between visits.
    • Number of Visitors: One designated visitor only. There will not be an opportunity in this initial phase to alternate or have multiple visitors.
    • Frequency of Visits: This is to be determined based upon demand and staff capacity to facilitate visits. We are taking a cautious and phased approach in order to
    • Location: Visits will take place both indoors and outdoors.
    • Weekend/Evening Visits: This will be determined by the staff capacity to facilitate visits. We consider this important to enable visits for those visitors who are unable to visit during the week or daytime.
    • Items/Gifts/Objects: No items can be brought into the care homes or passed between resident and visitor. The essential deliveries only policy remains in place.
    • Mobility: If a resident has mobility challenges, the visit will be assessed individually and a visit will be accommodated.
    • Plexiglass/Barrier: This is still to be determined as we plan the visiting locations.
    • Cancelling a Visit: Through the online booking calendar, you may cancel a visit if you are not able to attend. You may also cancel by phoning the Receptionist. Menno Place may cancel visits due to poor weather, staffing needs or non-compliance with protocols.
  2. How does COVID-19 impact social visits?
    • COVID-19 Symptoms or Exposure: Visitors who have COVID-19 symptoms, are in social isolation or have recently travelled will not be permitted to visit.
    • COVID-19 Outbreak: Social visits will only be allowed if there is no COVID-19 outbreak at the care home.
    • COVID-19 Second Wave: If there is a second wave of COVID-19, it is possible that visits will, once again, be restricted.

Visitor Policy – Long Term Care (Menno Home and Menno Hospital) and Assisted Living (Terrace East) – from BCCDC.ca

Visitor Policy – Long Term Care (Menno Home and Menno Hospital) and Assisted Living (Terrace East) – July 8, 2020

On June 30, 2020, Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Public Health Officer announced that visits for residents in long term care and assisted living will resume.

These visits will be according to the guidelines provided by the BC Public Health Officer and the Regional Health Authorities. Visits will begin in July and guidelines will be reassessed in August.

* General visitor protocols will include:

  • Do not visit if you are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19 or you are self-isolating because you may have been exposed or recently travelled.
  • Only one designated person is allowed to visit.
  • Visits must be booked in advance.
  • Visitors will be screened for signs and symptoms of illness, including COVID-19, prior to every visit.
  • All visitors are required to bring and wear their own mask.
  • Visitors must clean hands before and after visit.
  • Cough or sneeze into your elbow and do not touch your face.
  • Visits will take place in specific “visiting areas,” which will be organized by each residence.
  • Visits with seniors who have mobility challenges will be assessed individually.
  • Visitors should maintain a distance of two meters or two arm lengths from others.
  • Visits are not allowed if there is an active COVID-19 outbreak at the residence.

We await the funding to ensure safe visits.
We await communication from Fraser Health to receive the additional funds promised June 30th by Adrian Dix, BC Minister of Health to hire three full-time equivalent staff in each Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East. These additional staff will:

  • schedule visits
  • transport residents to and from the designated visitation area
  • be dedicated to ensuring infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19 are followed to support safe visitation
  • screen visitors to make sure visitors do not enter the building if they are sick,
  • ensure visitors wash their hands before and after the visit and practice respiratory (cough, sneeze) etiquette
  • ensure visitors maintain a safe physical distance of at least two meters from residents and staff, and
  • support monitoring the heightened cleaning protocols that will need to be followed between visits

Menno Place is working on the specific instructions for spouses, family members and friends for visiting at Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East. Our first priority will be for spouses to visit their husband/wife. There are 63 spouses of residents in our care homes, eight of whom live on the campus-of-care in Menno Apartments. It is imperative that all visitors understand that these are no-touch visits with a social distance of at least two meters between the resident and visitor at all times. In order to protect our vulnerable residents and staff, we are taking a cautious and phased approach to resuming social visits.

*Source: BCCDC.ca  | BC Centre for Disease Control | Ministry of Health, British Columbia

FROM THE BC CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL WEBSITE – CLICK HERE

15/04/20 – Memo to Assisted Living Residents – Terrace East

This memo was delivered to the Assisted Living Residents (Terrace East) on 15/04/20:

Assisted Living Resident Memo 15/04/20 – CLICK HERE

15/04/20 – Memo to Independent Living Residents

This memo was delivered to the Independent Residents (Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Pavilion) on 15/04/20:

Independent Living Resident Memo 15/04/20 – CLICK HERE

15/04/20 – Apartments Update – Groceries and More

15/04/20

The safety of our residents is our highest priority.

There are three principles that we follow in making decisions about what protocols and processes we put into place as we seek to protect the residents who call Menno Apartments their home:

We follow the Public Health Officer and Medical Health Officer orders.

The Medical Health Officer (MHO) gives orders that are specific to Assisted Living, the Terrace East building.
All residents within the Terrace East building are under these MHO orders:

  • NEW: Residents in Terrace East are not allowed to be off the Menno Place campus. This means NO driving, no walking to Mill Lake. Essential medical appointments may be kept. Call Cheryl Dawes if you need clarification: 604.851.4020
  • NEW: All staff wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in resident spaces – goggles and mask.
  • NO Visitors. Nobody is allowed to be in or walk through the Terrace East building who doesn’t work in the building. Pharmacy delivery is allowed.

We seek to limit the number of people or objects that enter our apartment buildings – and all who do are following infection control protocols.

  • NEW: Grocery Delivery ONLY to the apartment building front entrance between 9am – 12pm seven days per week. Details below.
  • Terrace East has NO VISITORS. Only Grocery Delivery.
  • NO Grocery Delivery directly to resident suite unless you are providing another key service: medication delivery, housekeeping or laundry. All groceries MUST be disinfected thoroughly.

We seek to have limited reasons for a resident to exit their apartment suite.

  • NEW: Mail delivery to resident apartment suite

Grocery Delivery – ALL apartments – Groceries can be dropped off 9am – 12pm seven days a week – Monday to Sunday

Primrose Gardens

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Primrose Gardens

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4000

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.7398

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Terrace East

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Terrace East

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4004

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.4011

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Terrace West

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Terrace East

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4004

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.4011

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Pavilion

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Pavilion

Monday – Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.870.2926

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Grocery Tuck Cart

Do not depend on the Grocery Tuck Cart to provide your loved one with essential groceries. Those who have NO support will be served FIRST by this service.