Update – Independent Living Visits – March 27, 2021

/in , , , ,

Update – Independent Living Visits – March 27, 2021 – Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion

The Registered Visitor program will continue for residents living in Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Pavilion. This decision will be re-visited after residents receive their 2nd dose of vaccine.
Dining together in the dining room will begin again on April 1st, 2021.
The Public Health Officer orders for all British Columbians apply to the residents of these apartments – you may visit with your bubble (up to 10, socially distanced) outdoors, you may attend church services that are following the PHO guidelines, you may walk outside and go to stores and medical appointments that are essential.
You may not have social visits in your own home. This is by order of the Public Health Officer for all British Columbians. You do have the privilege of having the support of two registered visitors and that program has been extremely successful – thank you to all of you for keeping yourselves and the residents safe! In contrast, Terrace East Assisted Living has been without visitors for a year. The new visit rules are bringing them more inline with what Independent Living visitors have been experiencing throughout this pandemic.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, Public Health Officer has expressed great concern at the increased numbers of COVID cases in British Columbia. She continues to remind us to use all the layers of protection including frequent hand hygiene, social distancing and mask-wearing.
Please be safe. We know that you are eager to return to life as it was pre-COVID. We are closer every day as the vaccine is given to more and more British Columbians.
)
If you did not receive a COVID vaccination, please contact Cheryl Ann Dawes (604.851.4020) for information on how to get your vaccine.

Update – Social Visits – Menno Home, Menno Hospital, Terrace East Assisted Living

/in , , ,

Update – Social Visits – March 27, 2021 – Menno Home, Menno Hospital, Terrace East Assisted Living

Our teams did some great work to move forward with the practical steps needed to put in place the social visit changes, effective April 1, 2021.
We plan to open the new booking calendar on Tuesday, March 30th. We will announce it on our Family and Friends Facebook Page and to families through www.MennoPlaceLife.com
You can read a summary of new changes to the social visits on this webpage: https://mennoplacelife.com/social-visit/

A big change is that residents will be dining together in the dining rooms effective April 1, 2021.

You can also register on this web page to indicate that you want an email when the new booking calendar opens. We expect that it will be available on Tuesday, March 30th. Send this link (above) to anyone who wants to visit who is not currently a designated visitor.

We are excited to offer over 300 bookings per week per building in this new system. Bookings are available 7 days/week. We are recruiting to hire 2 more Visitation Hosts – more information is available on https://www.mennoplace.ca/careers/

The booking calendar will give you an entry-time when you will be screened to enter the building. You will then go to your loved one’s room or apartment to visit unsupervised, following infection control protocols.

There will be more communication coming about specific questions that you have, such as bringing in food, pets or joining your loved one in a meal.

An immediate change for Terrace East residents is that the grocery delivery to Reception will not continue after April 1, 2021. Groceries will be delivered directly to residents in their apartments by their social visitor.

There are many family members who are concerned about the safety of their loved one under these new guidelines. The staff are concerned about COVID as well. Please remember that this is a huge transition, particularly for those who have been frontline workers who have see first-hand the devastating effect of COVID and COVID isolation. Although this announcement is good news to some, it is difficult news for others.

Some of you are wondering what will happen with your current safe visit bookings – we plan to move bookings from April 1 – 8 into the new booking calendar at the same time as you are currently booked. After April 8, you’ll need to book your social visits again in the new booking calendar (opening next week).

Menno Place continues to be committed to the vigilant practice of infection control protocols within our buildings and among our residents. We are eager for residents to have this meaningful connection in a way that keeps everyone safe. It is a short time ago that we faced COVID head-on and that is something that we never want to face again. We are grateful for the respectful way you’ve connected with us throughout the past year of lockdown and COVID protocols.

Thank you, again, for how you continue to work with us for the good of your loved one. We pray that this next season of visits will be a time of immeasurable blessing for your loved one, for you and for our staff.

We are excited for you and your loved ones that you can be together, again, in this way. For many of you and our residents, it has been nearly unbearable. We look forward to seeing you next week!

COVID UPDATE – MARCH 16 – MENNO HOSPITAL W2 & E2

/in ,
COVID-19 EXPOSURE – MARCH 16 – MENNO HOSPITAL W2 & E2
The staff and residents of Menno Hospital W2 and E2 were swabbed for COVID-19 on March 15th. All but 2 results are back and all the returned results are negative.
Public Health continues to require enhanced monitoring for the residents until a reassessment on March 20th. .
This includes:
  • Tray service in the resident rooms
  • Recreation in group activities is halted for now
  • Social visits and Essential visits are cancelled
  • Enhanced cleaning and COVID screening continues
  • Zoom visits continue for the residents of W2 and E2.
  • Safe visits are cancelled until enhanced monitoring is completed
We are very hopeful that enhanced monitoring will be complete after the 20th, but this is yet to be determined.

COVID UPDATE – MARCH 8 – MENNO HOSPITAL COVID EXPOSURE

/in ,

COVID-19 EXPOSURE – MENNO HOSPITAL E2 & W2 – March 8, 2021

We have been notified by Public Health that someone at Menno Hospital was diagnosed with COVID-19.
Safe and Essential visits have been cancelled and all who were exposed were swabbed for COVID. Under the direction from Public Health, this was only staff who received a COVID swab.
When we receive the results of those swabs, we expect to hear from Public Health to provide us with further direction. At this time, E2 Hospital and W2 Hospital are under “enhanced monitoring”.
This includes:
  • Tray service in the resident rooms
  • Recreation in group activities is halted for now
  • Social visits and Essential visits are cancelled
  • Enhanced cleaning and COVID screening continues
We will keep you posted about other aspects of enhanced monitoring as we become aware through Public Health.
E1 Menno Hospital will continue to have safe visits, dining in the dining room and group recreational activities.
Here is a letter from Fraser Health to the families and residents of Menno Hospital E2 and W2:
March 8, 2021
Dear Residents and Families of Menno Hospital,
We are writing to notify you that someone at Menno Hospital was diagnosed with COVID-19. The Fraser Health enhanced monitoring team is working with the staff and medical staff at the home to identify anyone who may have been exposed and to take steps to protect the health of all residents, staff and medical staff. Our Medical Health Officer has not declared a COVID-19 outbreak at this time.
This exposure does not mean that your family member is sick with COVID-19. Residents, staff and medical staff will be screened twice-daily for any signs of illness. Those who develop symptoms will be isolated, tested for COVID-19 and provided the care they need.
The health and safety of residents, staff and medical staff is our first priority and a responsibility we take very seriously. To date, as part of our proactive management, Fraser Health has worked to ensure enhanced measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this home.
We know that staying away from your loved one is very difficult and we appreciate that you are cooperating with this request with the goal of keeping residents, staff and medical staff healthy.
Staff and medical staff at this home will continue to provide care and services to our residents to enhance their safety and well-being while maintaining routines where it is safe to do so. We will also keep you up-to-date on any changes related to your family member’s health status.
For general information about COVID-19, call 8-1-1, or visit HealthLinkBC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-covid-19
If you have further questions, please contact Smitha Varghese, Director of Care, (604) 851-1337, Smitha.Varghese@MennoPlace.ca

COVID UPDATE – MARCH 7, 2021 – PAVILION

/in , , ,

COVID Update – Pavilion 3rd floor isolation lifted tonight – March 7, 2021

Effective midnight March 7, 2021, quarantine is lifted. Residents may return to COVID precautions:
  • Registered Visitors may resume visits
  • Continue to practice hand hygiene, social distancing, wearing masks
  • Essential outings only

COVID UPDATE – MARCH 7, 2021 – SAFE VISIT UPDATE

/in , , ,

COVID-19 Update – March 7, 2021 – Safe Visits

Menno Home – We are pleased to announce that all Designated Visitors of Menno Home residents in E1, E2 and W1 received a phone call last week informing them that the safe visit program is once again available.

Last week was the first week of safe visits for the residents of Menno Home E2, survivors of the COVID outbreak in their unit. This was an emotional time for both families and residents with three days of visits focused on this unit.

The Safe Visit program is a government-funded program whose funding was guaranteed until March 31, 2021. Although we have not had written confirmation of continued funding, we are continuing to provide the safe visits, hiring new staff to carry on where previous Visitation Hosts are not able.

The new Visitation Hosts will begin their work April 1st. Until that time, we are grateful to three casual Visitation Hosts who are picking up shifts enabling us to offer safe visits to all of the Menno Home units in March.

The Safe Visit program continues with the same protocols and guidelines as it had prior to the outbreak and prior to vaccination. We have not heard that there will be any changes to the program.

You can read about the Safe Visit program here: https://mennoplacelife.com/safe-visits/

Menno Hospital – We are operating the Safe Visit program at capacity with many happy residents eager to visit their loved one. Menno Hospital has been using a microphone/speaker system that enables residents to more easily hear their visitor. This is such a success, we have ordered one for Menno Home as well.

Terrace East – We continue to have one Visitation Host providing Safe Visits for the Assisted Living residents in Terrace East. The demand for these visits does not fill the booking calendar, so there is opportunity for Terrace East visitors to book more visits if you would like.

Vaccination Update – Menno Home and Independent Living Apartments

/in , ,

Vaccination Updates – Menno Place – February 23, 2021

Menno Home – We have been informed that the 2nd doses of Pfizer-BioNTech will take place for Menno Home residents TOMORROW, February 24th!
Independent Living – Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion
Menno Place has been contacted for preparation for upcoming vaccinations for Independent Living residents. There is a new consent form that will need to be filled out. We will provide more information this week on this. The date for vaccination is not confirmed, but we have been required to supply Fraser Health with the number of residents who will require their 1st dose of vaccine.

COVID UPDATE – FEBRUARY 22 – PAVILION

/in , ,

COVID-19 Update, Feb. 22, 2021 – PAVILION

Memo to Residents in Pavilion – 3rd floor – distributed this evening:
Good afternoon:
I received a call from Public health last evening stating there is a Covid Positive resident who lives on the 3rd floor of Pavilion Apartments. This resident is currently in hospital but was infectious prior.
The Medical Health officer has ordered that ONLY all of the tenants on the 3rd floor be placed on isolation until further notice. All tenants on the 3rd floor will be swabbed for Covid as soon as it can be arranged by Home Health. Once I have the date and time of the swabs, I will contact you and provide information to you. All Fraser Health Home Support workers will also be swabbed.
Effective today February 22, 2021 all meals and snacks will be served in your suites. We will get through this, thank you for your understanding.
Blessings to you all,
Cheryl Ann Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment, 604.851.4020

COVID UPDATE – FEBRUARY 16 – PAVILION

/in ,

Hello Pavilion Tenants:

Public Health (PH) has communicated with Menno Place that there is NO ISOLATION PERIOD required for tenants of Pavilion! Registered Visitor visits may resume.

Public Health recommendations:

  • As there was no identified exposure to COVID for the other tenants and staff in the facility, no PH follow up is required for this group.
  • PH will follow up the home health workers as per their guidelines.
  • Pavilion tenants should call 811 and speak to a nurse if they are symptomatic for COVID (fever, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, etc.)
  • Continue to implement all infection protocols, including masks, social distancing and hand hygiene. Continue enhanced cleaning.
  • The 18 residents cared for by the Home Health staff would be considered contacts of contacts and not require PH follow up.

With this information, effective immediately the isolation period is complete. Registered Visitors may return to Pavilion.

If you have any symptoms of Covid, please call 811 and speak to a Nurse, let them know your symptoms. The Nurse will let you know if you need to have a Covid swab test or not.  Please ask your Registered Visitor to take you to the swabbing site. If you are unable to get to the swabbing site please let the 811 nurse know and she will arrange a swab for you in your apartment.

Blessings to you,

Cheryl Dawes, Manager of Community Enrichment – 604.851.4020