APARTMENTS – Social Leave Memo – Rapid Test required if going away overnight

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MEMO delivered in Menno Apartments

Date:         December 16, 2021
To:             All Menno Apartments Residents
Re:             Overnight trips and rapid tests
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Residents,

As we get closer to Christmas you may be planning an overnight trip to visit friends and family. If you are away from home overnight or longer you need to do a COVID rapid test when you get home.

This is NOT the same as a full COVID swab test. The rapid test is an easy test that you can do yourself right here on campus. Rapid tests are painless, far less invasive and the results are available in 15 minutes.

If you are going to be away overnight:

  1. Get a rapid test kit before you go. Kits are available at reception, in the dining room, from the visitation hosts and from Tamara, Life Enrichment Associate, in Pavilion. Each kit contains the test along with an instruction card that shows you how to do it.
  2. When you get home, go directly your apartment and take the rapid test. Stay in your apartment until you have your test results. This will take 15 minutes.

If the test is negative, call reception to report your negative result. Then throw the test away and there’s nothing else you need to do. Welcome home!

If the test is positive call reception to report your positive result.  On the weekend, call the kitchen to let them know you need your meal(s) delivered. You will need to the COVID testing site at 32470 Haida Drive for a swab or gargle test. Isolate and follow the instructions from the testing site.

Enjoy your visits and thank you for working with us to keep everyone safe.

Merry Christmas!

We welcome Christmas Decorations on the campus – we could use the cheer

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As we near Christmas Day, we invite all members of our community to once again come with Christmas decorations to brighten every corner of our Menno Place campus. For 12 weeks, our staff were battling COVID (August 20 – November 12) and then were deeply impacted for an additional 3 weeks by the Sumas Prairie flood with many staff caught on the east side of the prairie. This included our Maintenance team who normally put up Christmas decorations everywhere on the campus. This year, it has just been too much.

Would you, the community that loves seniors and the staff who serve them, come once again and bring Christmas cheer? It meant SO MUCH to us last year.

We are inviting you to Deck our Halls! to Spread Christmas Joy! to Brighten the Hearts of the Frontline Workers! to Show Your Heart is With Us!

Please come any day between today and December 31st with decorations.

You can put them ANYWHERE around our campus. If you need access to the secure inner courtyard, please all Garry Janzen, Life Enrichment Coordinator at 604.851.1332 for access (this is for families of Menno Home and Hospital residents only).

Bless you as you bless us.

Honestly, we could use the cheering on. Thank you.

Letting your guard down could be dangerous – what to do about Omicron

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As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is now transmitting in the community in British Columbia, we are reminded to be VIGILANT in our layers of protection for the sake of the Menno Place resident that you love, their neighbours and the staff.

Omicron is a new variant and a highly transmittable virus. Dr. Bonnie Henry, our Provincial Health Officer reminds us that we need to do the measures that we know work in reducing the spread of the virus and keeping ourselves safe. Although the initial perspective on this virus is that it is milder, Dr. Henry says that “milder” still means very, very sick – just not hospitalized at this point.

At this point, safe visits continue for residents in long-term care and assisted living in the Fraser Health region. We see on the news that visits to residents in long-term care are again being restricted in Ontario and Quebec where cases of COVID are increasing rapidly. We know how devastating these lockdowns are to the residents, so we are reminding all visitors of the need to be safe not only during your visit, but throughout your daily activities that lead up to your visit and are where you are most likely to be exposed to this virus.

It is important to keep yourself safe from this virus if you plan to visit a loved one at Menno Place. Here’s what you can do:

  1. Physical Distancing – it’s still 6 feet – this means that you remain 6 feet from others, even when everyone is wearing a mask. This includes during your visit and when you are out and about living your life. Stay 6 feet away from other residents and from the staff in the building.  Practice this in public places like stores and restaurants. This is not happening in most stores or churches, so you’ll stand out. Be ok with this. Be as vigilant as you can with this. Be aware and make the choice to avoid large groups during this time, if possible. Shop online, get takeout, watch church online. Stay 6 feet apart from each others in your workplace, especially when masks are off for eating or drinking. Do this for your loved one who is vulnerable.
  2. Wearing your mask – always and properly – Menno Place provides medical masks for visits- please use them as you’ve been instructed: pinch tight on the top of your nose, do not wear them under your chin, get a new mask when dirty or after you’ve taken them off, ask to take a medical mask home to wear when you are in public (we know that they are better than cloth). In the Terrace East outbreak we saw no transmission to the staff – this includes the dietary staff who were serving the COVID positive index case several meals. It also includes the housekeeping and care staff who provided care and services to the COVID positive residents. We know that mask wearing and hand hygiene were key to this success. Masks work! If you are visiting a loved one at Menno Place, wear your mask vigilantly in your own life. If your workplace does not have mandatory masking, make it your own practice anyway. Omicron is so contagious that you really do need EVERY layer of protection. Wearing a mask may not fit the culture of your workplace and you may be counter-cultural. Do it for your loved one who is vulnerable.
  3. Hand hygiene – very often – Be very conscientious about this. Sanitize often and when you don’t even think you need to. Sanitize at the entrance to any building (including stores and churches) and again when you leave the building. Carry sanitizer with you. Sanitize before touching your loved one at your visit. Wash hands for the full 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday twice) with soap and warm water after using the toilet. Take your time to sanitize. Encourage everyone in your family to practice hand hygiene. Put sanitizer at your home entrance and use it. Encourage your family members and guests to be in the habit of sanitizing before touching anything in your home. Do it for your loved one who is vulnerable.
  4. Rapid Testing – an added layer of detection – the rapid tests are available through Visitation Hosts and Receptionists. They are key to preventing transmission among our residents and the staff. They are simple and painless. You simply run a Q-tip around the interior of your nostrils and follow a few steps to test the fluids. They take a full 10 minutes to get the results. Come early for your visit and take the time. It will save your loved one and many others the hardship of droplet precautions, enhanced monitoring or outbreak if we catch a COVID positive BEFORE a visitor enters the area where residents live. This Omicron is HIGHLY contagious. You may be doing everything safely and STILL get COVID. Do this test for your loved one, their community and the staff.
  5. Vaccination – get every shot – We know that vaccination protects us from this virus. Get all the shots as soon as you can. Booster shots will be available mid-January 2022 in pharmacies across BC. Go right away to get your booster! https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021HLTH0226-002396
  6. Symptom Monitoring – key to keeping others safe – if you have ANY symptoms of COVID, head to your COVID testing location and have a PCR test done. You need to be certain that you do not have COVID before entering Menno Place. It could be that you have the flu, but you HAVE TO KNOW for sure before coming for a visit.
  7. Get your flu shot – it’s available at many pharmacies – The flu shot will not protect against COVID-19, but it will help reduce your risk of getting the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Having both illnesses at the same time could put you at a higher risk for severe complications.

Exhaustion: We are all exhausted, both mentally and physically, from this pandemic. Our hearts sank to hear of a COVID positive and Enhanced Monitoring in Menno Hospital E1. Here we go… again…

We each have tools to fight this virus: We fight this virus with our vigilance and layers of protection. We each do our part. We can do it. We have done it. We can do it again.

Let’s keep Menno Place safe: Public Health experts are telling us that January 2022 could be the worst wave of this pandemic. We need to dig deep to find the motivation and resolve to do all that we can, each one of us, to keep January 2022 from being the worst at Menno Place.

You are amazing: Thank you for all you HAVE done and all you ARE doing. Your presence as loved ones and visitors is SO APPRECIATED! We need you, we love you, we know you are central to the happiness of the residents we love and serve.

Blessings to you on this day and in this season as you prepare your hearts and homes for Christmas.

The Executive Team at Menno Place

HOSPITAL E1 – December 16, 2021- ENHANCED MONITORING – COVID POSITIVE STAFF = 1

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COVID UPDATE – December 16, 2021 – E1 Hospital Enhanced Monitoring

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 staff

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (0 residents | 1 staff)

MOST RECENT COVID CASE = December 16, 2021

All day staff who worked in E1 HOSPITAL who worked on December 10th and 11th are required to get a COVID PCR test immediately.

1 resident is on droplet precaution / 6 residents have been swabbed for COVID.

For the unit on Enhanced Monitoring:

  • Communal dining will continue
  • Recreation activities will continue
  • Social visits continue – masks worn at ALL times – they are not permitted to be taken off when visitors are alone with residents
  • Unvaccinated visitors may not take residents off of the unit
  • Visits may not take place in the Fireside Cafe as it is the cohorted staff break room
  • Medical masks only

E1 Staff – Follow all of these requirements:

  • All day staff who worked Dec 10 or 11 must get COVID swabbed
  • Lunchroom is the Fireside Cafe for E1 cohorted staff ONLY
  • No access to Fireside Cafe takeout for E1 cohorted staff
  • E1 staff enter and exit the unit through the patio door ONLY
  • Manual sign in/out for E1 staff ONLY – located at patio entrance
  • Goggles are required at all times for staff
  • Change your mask after every break and when it becomes wet or dirty

The Omicron variant is VERY contagious and ALL staff and visitors MUST be vigilant in all the infection control protocols including:

  • six feet of distance in the lunch rooms
  • masks off ONLY when eating or drinking AND six feet away from others
  • rapid testing REQUIRED for staff and STRONGLY RECOMMENDED for all visitors
  • masks worn properly – NEVER under the nose – tightly pinched and shaped tight to your nose – no exceptions

PRIMROSE GARDENS DINING ROOM – DECEMBER 16, 2021 – REOPENING MEMO

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MEMO DISTRIBUTED TO ALL PRIMROSE GARDENS RESIDENTS

Date:                December 15, 2021
To:                   All Primrose Gardens Residents
Re:                   In-Person Dining Room 7 Days a Week!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Primrose Gardens Residents,

We are delighted to announce that starting Monday, December 20th all Primrose Gardens residents can eat together in the dining room, seven days a week.

  • The dining room will open for residents at 11:30 with lunch served at 12:00.
  • Sanitize your hands before you sit down and again after you’ve eaten.
  • Go directly to your table without visiting at other tables. Keep your mask on.
  • Your spot to sit is arranged with others from your floor. You will remain in this spot for contact tracing purposes.

To do our best to keep the dining room open, we need to work together to do our part to stay safe. This means:

  • Wear a mask to the dining room and keep it on until you start to eat or drink.
  • Put your mask back on immediately after you finish your meal.
  • Please do not visit other tables. This will reduce possibility of COVID transmission.
  • If you feel unwell (see COVID symptoms on back) call reception 604-851-4000 and your meal will be delivered at no charge. On the weekend, call the kitchen to make arrangements 604-851-7398.
  • Wear a mask at all times when outside of your apartment – in the hallways,when you are running errands and while at church. These are public health orders. Wear a mask if you visit or drive with any unvaccinated friends or family.
  • If you are concerned about joining the communal dining, please contact Leonard Klassen 604-851-4006 to arrange to have your meals delivered at no charge.

You can read more about the safety measures Menno Place is using to protect residents in the dining rooms during the pandemic on the back of this memo.

If you have any questions about the new guidelines for dining please contact Lynn at Reception 604-851-4000 or Leonard, Life Enrichment Coordinator, 604-851-4006.

Menno Place Dining Room Safety Procedures

We are hopeful that the decision to open the dining rooms will continue for the duration of the winter season. If the new COVID variant is prevalent in our community OR the public health orders change OR we have a COVID exposure, we may be required to close the dining room once again.

Why is it possible now to open the dining rooms?

  • CASPR air scrubbers have been installed in all dining rooms in the Apartments (99.96% kill rate on surfaces: bacteria, viruses and mold). This was recommended by Fraser Health out of an abundance of caution. (https://casprgroup.com/healthcare/)
  • Most residents in your building are fully vaccinated and have also had a third booster shot. All staff have been double vaccinated and many have had their booster.
  • The few residents who have not been vaccinated will be seated together.
  • Residents who have received one or two vaccine shots will be contacted to help them complete their vaccinations.
  • Church services are safer now that masks are mandatory by public health order. When everyone wears their mask (over nose and mouth), it reduces risk of becoming infected at church and bringing it home to your neighbors in this building.

If you have questions or concerns about these safety protocols please contact Leonard 604-851-4006.

Monitor yourself for any of these symptoms – if you have any symptoms, do not come to the dining room. Go to the COVID testing site at 32470 Haida Drive for a COVID test.

Fever                                  Sore throat                                                   Body aches

Cough                                 Loss of sense of smell                                Loss of sense of taste

Nausea                               Vomiting                                                       Difficulty breathing

Headache                          Loss of appetite                                          Diarrhea

Chills                                   Extreme fatigue or tiredness

 

 

TERRACE EAST DINING ROOM – DECEMBER 16, 2021 – REOPENING MEMO

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MEMO DISTRIBUTED TO ALL TERRACE EAST RESIDENTS

Date:                December 15, 2021
To:                   All Terrace East Residents
Re:                   In-Person Dining Room 7 Days a Week!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Terrace East Residents,

We are delighted to announce that starting Monday, December 20th Terrace East residents can eat together in the dining room, seven days a week.

  • The dining room will open for residents at 12:00 with lunch served at 12:20.
  • Sanitize your hands before you sit down and again after you’ve eaten.
  • Go directly to your table without visiting at other tables. Keep your mask on.
  • Your spot to sit is arranged with others from your floor. You will remain in this spot for contact tracing purposes.
  • The dining room will open for supper at 4:30 with the meal served at 4:45.

To do our best to keep the dining room open, we need to work together to do our part to stay safe. This means:

  • Wear a mask to the dining room and keep it on until you start to eat or drink.
  • Put your mask back on immediately after you finish your meal.
  • Please do not visit other tables. This will reduce possibility of COVID transmission.
  • If you feel unwell (see COVID symptoms on back) call reception 604-851-4004 and your meal will be delivered at no charge. On the weekend, call the kitchen to make arrangements 604-851-4011.
  • Wear a mask at all times when outside of your apartment – in the hallways,when you are running errands and while at church. These are public health orders. Wear a mask if you visit or drive with any unvaccinated friends or family.
  • If you are concerned about joining the communal dining, please contact Leonard Klassen 604-851-4006 to arrange to have your meals delivered at no charge.

You can read more about the safety measures Menno Place is using to protect residents in the dining rooms during the pandemic on the back of this memo.

If you have any questions about the new guidelines for dining please contact Claire at Reception 604-851-4004 or Leonard, Life Enrichment Coordinator, 604-851-4006.

Menno Place Dining Room Safety Procedures

We are hopeful that the decision to open the dining rooms will continue for the duration of the winter season. If the new COVID variant is prevalent in our community OR the public health orders change OR we have a COVID exposure, we may be required to close the dining room once again.

Why is it possible now to open the dining rooms?

  • CASPR air scrubbers have been installed in all dining rooms in the Apartments (99.96% kill rate on surfaces: bacteria, viruses and mold). This was recommended by Fraser Health of out an abundance of caution.
  • Most residents in your building are fully vaccinated and have also had a third booster shot. All staff have been double vaccinated and many have had their booster.
  • The few residents who have not been vaccinated will be seated together.
  • Residents who have received one or two vaccine shots will be contacted to help them complete their vaccinations.
  • Church services are safer now that masks are mandatory by public health order. When everyone wears their mask (over nose and mouth), it reduces risk of becoming infected at church and bringing it home to your neighbors in this building.

If you have questions or concerns about these safety protocols please contact
Leonard 604-851-4006.

Monitor yourself for any of these symptoms – if you have any symptoms, do not come to the dining room. Go to the COVID testing site at 32470 Haida Drive for a COVID test.

Fever                                  Sore throat                                                   Body aches

Cough                                 Loss of sense of smell                                Loss of sense of taste

Nausea                               Vomiting                                                       Difficulty breathing

Headache                          Loss of appetite                                          Diarrhea

Chills                                   Extreme fatigue or tiredness

 

 

TERRACE WEST DINING ROOM – DECEMBER 16, 2021 – REOPENING MEMO

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MEMO PROVIDED TO ALL TERRACE WEST RESIDENTS

Date:                December 15, 2021
To:                   All Terrace West Residents
Re:                   In-Person Dining Room 7 Days a Week!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Terrace West Residents,

We are delighted to announce that starting Monday, December 20th Terrace West residents can eat together in the dining room, seven days a week.

  • The dining room will open for residents at 11:00 with lunch served at 11:20.
  • Sanitize your hands before you sit down and again after you’ve eaten.
  • Go directly to your table without visiting at other tables. Keep your mask on.
  • Your spot to sit is arranged with others from your floor. You will remain in this spot for contact tracing purposes.
  • Residents who are on the supper plan: your evening meal will be delivered.

To do our best to keep the dining room open, we need to work together to do our part to stay safe. This means:

  • Wear a mask to the dining room and keep it on until you start to eat or drink.
  • Put your mask back on immediately after you finish your meal.
  • Please do not visit other tables. This will reduce possibility of COVID transmission.
  • If you feel unwell (see COVID symptoms on back) call reception 604-851-4004 and your meal will be delivered at no charge. On the weekend, call the kitchen to make arrangements 604-851-4011.
  • Wear a mask at all times when outside of your apartment – in the hallways,when you are running errands and while at church. These are public health orders. Wear a mask if you visit or drive with any unvaccinated friends or family.
  • If you are concerned about joining the communal dining, please contact Leonard Klassen 604-851-4006 to arrange to have your meals delivered at no charge.

You can read more about the safety measures Menno Place is using to protect residents in the dining rooms during the pandemic on the back of this memo.

If you have any questions about the new guidelines for dining please contact Claire at Reception 604-851-4004 or Leonard, Life Enrichment Coordinator, 604-851-4006.

Menno Place Dining Room Safety Procedures

We are hopeful that the decision to open the dining rooms will continue for the duration of the winter season. If the new COVID variant is prevalent in our community OR the public health orders change OR we have a COVID exposure, we may be required to close the dining room once again.

Why is it possible now to open the dining rooms?

  • CASPR air scrubbers have been installed in all dining rooms in the Apartments (99.96% kill rate on surfaces: bacteria, viruses and mold). This was recommended by Fraser Health out of an abundance of caution. (https://casprgroup.com/healthcare/)
  • Most residents in your building are fully vaccinated and have also had a third booster shot. All staff have been double vaccinated and many have had their booster.
  • The few residents who have not been vaccinated will be seated together.
  • Residents who have received one or two vaccine shots will be contacted to help them complete their vaccinations.
  • Church services are safer now that masks are mandatory by public health order. When everyone wears their mask (over nose and mouth), it reduces risk of becoming infected at church and bringing it home to your neighbors in this building.

If you have questions or concerns about these safety protocols please contact Leonard 604-851-4006.

Monitor yourself for any of these symptoms – if you have any symptoms, do not come to the dining room. Go to the COVID testing site at 32470 Haida Drive for a COVID test.

Fever                                  Sore throat                                                   Body aches

Cough                                 Loss of sense of smell                                Loss of sense of taste

Nausea                               Vomiting                                                       Difficulty breathing

Headache                          Loss of appetite                                          Diarrhea

Chills                                   Extreme fatigue or tiredness

 

 

PAVILION DINING ROOM – DECEMBER 16, 2021 – REOPENING MEMO

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MEMO PROVIDED TO ALL PAVILION RESIDENTS

Date:                December 15, 2021
To:                   All Pavilion Residents
Re:                   In-Person Dining Room 7 Days a Week!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Pavilion Residents,

We are delighted to announce that starting Monday, December 20th all Pavilion residents can eat together in the dining room, seven days a week.

  • The dining room will open for residents at 11:30 with lunch served at 12:00.
  • Sanitize your hands before you sit down and again after you’ve eaten.
  • Go directly to your table without visiting at other tables. Keep your mask on.
  • Your spot to sit is arranged with others from your floor. You will remain in this spot for contact tracing purposes.

To do our best to keep the dining room open, we need to work together to do our part to stay safe. This means:

  • Wear a mask to the dining room and keep it on until you start to eat or drink.
  • Put your mask back on immediately after you finish your meal.
  • Please do not visit other tables. This will reduce possibility of COVID transmission.
  • If you feel unwell (see COVID symptoms on back) call reception 604-851-4000 and your meal will be delivered at no charge. On the weekend, call the kitchen to make arrangements 604-870-2926.
  • Wear a mask at all times when outside of your apartment – in the hallways, when you are running errands and while at church. These are public health orders. Wear a mask if you visit or drive with any unvaccinated friends or family.
  • If you are concerned about joining the communal dining, please contact Leonard Klassen 604-851-4006 to arrange to have your meals delivered at no charge.

You can read more about the safety measures Menno Place is using to protect residents in the dining rooms during the pandemic on the back of this memo.

If you have any questions about the new guidelines for dining please contact Lynn at Reception 604-851-4000 or Leonard, Life Enrichment Coordinator, 604-851-4006.

 

 

Menno Place Dining Room Safety Procedures

We are hopeful that the decision to open the dining rooms will continue for the duration of the winter season. If the new COVID variant is prevalent in our community OR the public health orders change OR we have a COVID exposure, we may be required to close the dining room once again.

Why is it possible now to open the dining rooms?

  • CASPR air scrubbers have been installed in all dining rooms in the Apartments (99.96% kill rate on surfaces: bacteria, viruses and mold). This was recommended by Fraser Health out of an abundance of caution. (https://casprgroup.com/healthcare/)
  • Most residents in your building are fully vaccinated and have also had a third booster shot. All staff have been double vaccinated and many have had their booster.
  • The few residents who have not been vaccinated will be seated together.
  • Residents who have received one or two vaccine shots will be contacted to help them complete their vaccinations.
  • Church services are safer now that masks are mandatory by public health order. When everyone wears their mask (over nose and mouth), it reduces risk of becoming infected at church and bringing it home to your neighbors in this building.

If you have questions or concerns about these safety protocols please contact Leonard 604-851-4006.

Monitor yourself for any of these symptoms – if you have any symptoms, do not come to the dining room. Go to the COVID testing site at 32470 Haida Drive for a COVID test.

Fever                                  Sore throat                                                   Body aches

Cough                                 Loss of sense of smell                                Loss of sense of taste

Nausea                               Vomiting                                                       Difficulty breathing

Headache                          Loss of appetite                                          Diarrhea

Chills                                   Extreme fatigue or tiredness

 

 

TERRACE WEST DINING TO RE-OPEN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29

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MEMO

Date:                November 26, 2021
To:                   All Terrace West Residents
Re:                   Welcome Back to the Dining Room!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Terrace West Residents,

We are re-opening in-person dining starting on Monday, November 29th! We’re so excited to see you back downstairs for some of your meals.

In order to ensure COVID safety we need to have smaller groups of residents eating together. To accommodate this Terrace West residents will be eating in the bistro. The following schedule will be in place until further notice:

  1. Residents who live on the 1st floor will come to the bistro on MONDAYS.
  2. Residents who live on the 2nd floor will come on TUESDAYS.
  3. Residents who live on the 3rd floor will come on WEDNESDAYS.
  4. Residents who live on the 4th floor will come on THURSDAYS.

All residents will be served their lunch in their apartment on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Thank you for working with us through these challenging times. We appreciate your efforts and your patience as we sorted through the best ways to reopen safely.

If you have any questions please contact Claire at Reception: 604-851-4004.

PAVILION DINING ROOM TO RE-OPEN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29

/in , ,

MEMO

Date:                November 26, 2021
To:                   All Pavilion Residents
Re:                   Welcome Back to the Dining Room!
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Pavilion Residents,

We are re-opening the Pavilion dining room starting on Monday, November 29th! We’re so excited to see you back downstairs for some of your meals.

In order to ensure COVID safety we need to have fewer people in the dining room at one time. The following schedule will be in place until further notice.

  1. Residents who live on the 1st and 2nd floors will come to the dining room on:
    1. Mondays
    2. Wednesdays
    3. Fridays
  2. Residents who live on the 3rd floor will come to the dining room on:
    1. Tuesdays
    2. Thursdays
  3. All residents will be served their lunch in their apartment on Sundays.

Thank you for working with us through these challenging times. We appreciate your efforts and your patience as we sorted through the best ways to reopen safely.

If you have any questions please contact Lynn Tetrault, Primrose Gardens & Pavilion Receptionist, at 604-851-4000.