Campus Safety Tips for Residents

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On May 4th and 5th we’ll be handing out the below Campus Safety Tips information in a memo to residents in MENNO APARTMENTS.
Please read and support your loved one in the Apartments by going through this information and further explaining any information that might be pertinent to them.

MEMO
Date: May 4, 2021
To:              All Apartments Residents
Re:             Campus Safety Tips

Dear Residents,

Last month, a stranger on a bicycle followed a resident’s car through the Primrose Garden’s parkade gate. He managed to make his way into at least one car that was not secured, and took a few small items. This man spoke with more than one resident. He should not have been there.

In effort to keep everyone, and their belongings safe, we want to remind you of a few important safety tips for apartment buildings and parkades.

  1. Feel free to report anything suspicious to a Menno Place staff member, if available. Staff will evaluate and decide if further investigation is needed. If you are witnessing someone who is actively trying to break in, or cause harm to Menno Place or resident property, you can call the police. Please do not engage with the perpetrator.
  2. If there is a person(s) lurking or loitering on the campus that looks like they don’t belong, please alert a staff member. “I’m waiting for my grandpa (or grandma)” is not an appropriate answer if they are in an area that is resident only, like a parkade.
  3. If you park in the parkades on campus, please watch the gate close when entering and exiting the parkade. Often, a thief will wait till you turn the corner and drive on before they race down to get under the gate before it closes. If you witness this happening, phone the police from your car or a safe distance away from thief. Again, do not engage them. The same applies if you park on the black top outside and notice someone lurking around the cars or looks to be trying to break into a car. Please alert a staff person, or call the police if you witness this.
  4. If you have someone buzz you on the enterphone front door buzzer, and you are not expecting anyone, DO NOT BUZZ THEM IN. Please come down to check the door on who it is, or leave it alone. If they say “Hi Grandma (or Grandpa)” without their name, this is not a sufficient answer and often a tactic unfriendly people will use to gain access to the building.
  5. If you notice anything suspicious, note the date, time and area you saw it so that Menno Place staff can check security cameras or look for witnesses at the correct time. This is very helpful to get more evidence after the fact.

A “suspicious person” could look like someone who is:

  • Covered in black or dark clothing
  • Riding a bike
  • Wearing a hood over their head
  • Wearing sunglasses in the parkade
  • Trying to hide their face from being identified and not answering your call out to them
  • Anyone just loitering and “hanging around” an area that does not look right
  • Makes excuses about visiting a grandparent but doesn’t know their full name or details about them

And MOST IMPORTANTLY:

ALWAYS lock your suite door (whether inside your suite or away) and your patio door (especially ground floor suites)

ALWAYS lock your car, and make sure all windows are closed. DO NOT leave any valuables of any kind in your car like golf clubs, anything expensive looking, purses and wallets (even if empty), and loose change in the console.

DO NOT leave any valuables unsecured in the parkade scooter parking, in your parking stall in front of your car, outside your suite door on the ledge, or unlocked storage locker. Make sure you have a suitable lock on your storage locker that is actually locked.

Emergency Numbers:

  1. Menno Place Building Emergency (no immediate threat) – 604-217-4418

Example: You notice damage done to the property or car like a broken exterior door, or smashed glass/window and there is no perpetrator in sight.

  1. Abbotsford Police Non-Emergency Line (no immediate threat) – 604-859-5225

Example: There has been a confirmed theft but the perpetrator is not around any longer.

  1. Abbotsford Police Emergency – (there IS an immediate threat to your safety or safety of other residents/staff) – 9-1-1

Example: There is a strange individual (possibly someone on drugs or with harmful intent) that is trying to gain access to a building or in the building already. Try to always notify staff as well, if anyone is around.

 

We have a security company patrolling the campus and parkades a few times every night as well, for added security and peace of mind.

Thank you for helping keep everyone and everything on the Menno Place campus safe and sound!

Any questions? Please ask your nearest Reception Desk!

Portable Air Conditioners in Menno Apartments

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Important Notice regarding new air conditioning units purchased for Menno apartment suites.

Read more

MEMO: Family & Friends of Terrace East (Assisted Living) Residents

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MEMO

Date:               April 9, 2021
To:                   All Terrace East Family and Friends
Re:                   All Visits Must Be Scheduled
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Family and Friends of Terrace East Residents (Assisted Living),

We are delighted to be able to welcome you back into the Terrace East building! At this time we wanted to remind you of a couple of guidelines that will help keep the visiting program open and thriving:

  1. All visits must be scheduled. Current Public Health guidelines for Assisted Living require ALL visits to residents to be scheduled. This ensures that we can keep accurate records of who is in the building and properly screen each potential visitor before they enter the building.

    You can schedule your visit online at mennoplacelife.com . If you have special circumstances or want to inquire about an evening visit please phone
    Garry Janzen 604 851-1332.

  2. Wait for the visitation host to let you in. Many of you have keys for the Terrace East building and before COVID were able to come and go as you please. Please do not use your key to open the building at this time. The Visitation Host will come out to you. We are required to screen all visitors before they enter the building.

 

Also, we welcome Scott McKenzie, temporary chaplain, to the office in Terrace West. Leonard Klassen, Life Enrichment Coordinator is now located in Primrose Gardens. When John Dyck returns, he will be working from the Terrace West office.

Thank you for your cooperation. It is lovely to see so many visitors coming to see the residents.

Cheryl Dawes
Manager of Community Enrichment

MEMO TO INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENTS – COVID PROTOCOL UPDATE

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MEMO HANDED TO ALL INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENTS APRIL 1, 2021

(Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion)

**EDIT: Dining Room Times

Lunch :  11:30 – 12:00 – Coffee & Tea Service

12:00: Meal Service Begins

MEMO

Date:              April 1, 2021
To:                   Independent Living
Re:                  Dining Together, Visits, Leonard & Scott

________________________________________________________________________

Dining Together Once Again

Effective today, residents of Pavilion, Terrace West and Primrose Gardens will be dining together once again in the dining room. ** See meal time edit at top of page

Please wear your mask when you are in the hallways, elevator or seated (not yet eating) in the dining room. This will reduce the risk of spreading COVID should it be present.

We acknowledge that this change will increase the risk of a COVID outbreak in Independent Living. However, the consensus is that the benefits of being together will outweigh these risks.

The majority of residents living in the Independent Living Apartments have had one dose of the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine, providing more than 80% protection from COVID.

Should there be a COVID outbreak (one staff or one resident who is COVID positive and has impacted the facility), we will immediately stop dining together and return to delivery of meals to your apartment.

If you have not been vaccinated and wish to continue to have your meals delivered to your apartment, please phone Reception and we will make this provision for you.

What about visits in my apartment – are there changes taking place?

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that visitors are once again allowed in Assisted Living apartments and Long-term Care Homes. As Independent Living Apartment residents, you have been allowed at least one Registered Visitor since March of 2020. This is a program that has proven to provide a great deal of support and protection for you. There has not been a confirmed instance of COVID transmission in Pavilion, Terrace West or Primrose Gardens from a Registered Visitor during this entire pandemic lockdown! This is a GREAT SUCCESS!

With this in mind, we will continue the Registered Visitor program until residents in these apartments have had an opportunity to receive a 2nd dose of vaccine. Following that, we will re-visit this decision to evaluate the next steps for visitors in these apartments.

We continue to caution you about going out into the community. The COVID rates are at an all-time high in our communities. Fraser Health is now offering COVID vaccine to people ages 55-65 years old  – please inform your loved ones in this age group, especially your Registered Visitors that they may get vaccinated immediately.

If you have not been vaccinated and wish to be, please book your vaccination appointment online. If you need assistance, please call your loved one or Brenda at Primrose Gardens Reception @ 604 851 4000

Do you need more support?

Are you thinking that you may want more support in your day-to-day life? We have apartment suites available at Terrace East Assisted Living that no longer require a 14-day isolation if you move where you receive additional nursing care and a 24/7 call bell. Call Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment if you are interested: 604.851.4020

Have you met Leonard Klassen, our new Life Enrichment Coordinator?

Leonard has been with Menno Place for two months and is working with seniors as they choose to move to Menno Apartments. Leonard was previously a pastor at King Road Mennonite Brethren Church. He is full of life and energy. If you see him, say ‘hi’.

Do you have friends who are thinking of moving to a place like this? Now is the time! Leonard has phoned through our waitlist and apartment suites are still available in every one of the apartment buildings. There used to be a 2 year waitlist, but at this time, it is possible to move in within several weeks.

Leonard’s Phone: 604 851 4006   /  Email: Leonard.Klassen@mennoplace.ca

Our “new” chaplain – Scott McKenzie

Scott McKenzie will be our chaplain in The Apartments while John Dyck is off for surgery. Scott pastored at the Vineyard Church and is a finishing carpenter. He loves to play his guitar and will be ministering in The Apartments for the next six weeks until John returns.

Need to arrange a chaplain visit: 604 851 7392

Recreation – Good News!

We are excited that the Recreation team will be bringing you additional activities – in small groups in the next few weeks. More details to come!

 

Cheryl Dawes

Manager of Community Enrichment

604 851 4020

MEMO TO ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS – COVID PROTOCOL UPDATE

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MEMO HANDED TO TERRACE EAST (ASSISTED LIVING) RESIDENTS APRIL 1, 2021

**EDIT: Dining Room Times

Lunch :  11:30 – 12:00 – Coffee & Tea Service

12:00: Meal Service Begins

Dinner: 4:30-5:00 Coffee & Tea Service

5:00 Meal Service Begins

 

Date:              April 1, 2021

To:                   Assisted Living, Terrace East
Re:                  Changes to Social Visits

________________________________________________________________________

Effective Today – Changes to Social Visits

On March 25, 2021, Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s Public Health Officer (PHO) announced significant changes to the way that families and friends can visit residents in Assisted Living and Long-Term Care. For the first time in a year, you will be able to welcome family and friends into your apartment. This will not be the same as it was before the pandemic as there are still very high numbers of COVID cases in the community and we are being urged to be vigilant and careful.

As most of the residents in Assisted Living received 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the PHO has allowed visitors, once again, into your apartment suites.

What is different about how these visits will take place?

  1. Every visitor has to pre-book their visit 48 hours in advance. They will not be able to enter the building if they haven’t booked their visit. Visits can be booked at MennoPlaceLife.com using an online booking calendar. The visitor must do the booking. We will let you know if you have a visit booked. Visits can be booked 7 days a week with a start time between 10am and 5:45pm on weekends and 8:45am – 5:45pm on weekdays.

 

  1. The visitor can ONLY come and go through the main entrance of Terrace East. They will be screened (asked about COVID symptoms and COVID risks) and must pass before they are allowed to enter the building.

 

  1. All visitors MUST wear a medical mask supplied by Menno Place. They must wear it for their ENTIRE visit. They can’t take it off. It must cover their mouth and nose at all times. This mask is a layer of protection for your visitor. It must be worn.
  2. Visitors must sanitize their hands when they enter the building and frequently while they are in the building or visiting you. By practicing hand hygiene, they add another layer of protection for all the people who live and work in the building. Although most are vaccinated, some are not. There are valid reasons (medical and personal) for individuals to not get the COVID vaccine.
  3. Your visitor may NOT buzz up through the enterphone system at the front door. Do not let anyone up through this door buzz system.

 

  1. Visitors can only be in groups from the same household with a maximum of 2 adults + 1 child under 18. You can’t have more than this number of visitors at one time in your apartment.

 

  1. The lounges and common spaces are NOT available for visiting. You can only visit in your apartment suite inside the building.
  2. Visitors can only visit YOU. They must stay 6 feet away from other visitors, residents and staff.
  3. Visitors will bring you deliveries and groceries. There will be no more delivery of these items by the Menno Place team. Your visitor will be responsible to sanitize items to ensure that they are safe for you. Your mail will continue to be delivered to your apartment.
  4. Your visitor can HUG you! They can hold your hand! They do not need to be 6 feet away from you. Your 2 doses of vaccine are a strong defense against COVID-19. If you have not been vaccinated, you will want to be very cautious and wear a medical mask when you are closer than 6 feet from your visitor.
  5. You may not visit with another resident in each other’s apartment suites. This has not changed.

 

  1. As over 90% of you have been vaccinated TWICE, you no longer have to wear a mask inside the Terrace East apartment building. If you haven’t been vaccinated, you will want to be cautious and continue wearing a mask.

 

  1. Dining all together in the dining room will begin today, April 1st! If you are not vaccinated and wish to dine in your apartment, please let nursing staff know your preference. ** SEE EDIT AT TOP OF PAGE WITH DINING ROOM TIMES. We encourage you to help remind your loved one of the time the meal time begins starts as they set a new routine going down to the dining room everyday. Feel free to make them a poster reminder, or anything that will help them remember.

 

  1. There is no limit to the number of visits you can have nor how long they can last.

 

  1. Your visitor may book an outing for you. This must be done through the nursing team.

 

  1. Your visitor can book an outdoor visit with you in the Living Waters Garden or the patio.

 

CHERYL DAWES

MANAGER OF COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT

604 851 4020

MEMO: Primrose Gardens HOT Water Shut off

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This MEMO was delivered to all PRIMROSE GARDENS residents on Friday, March 26, 2021

Date:             March 26, 2021
To:                  All Primrose Residents
Re:                  HOT Water shut down TUESDAY, MARCH 30
________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Residents of Primrose Gardens,

The HOT water will be shut off for a portion of the day, Tuesday, March 30th.

The valves need to be replaced on the hot water boilers so we can continue to enjoy our on demand hot water. This water shut off is scheduled to start at 8:00am and if all goes well, return around 1pm. It may take longer depending on how the work goes.

The cold water will continue to run and your toilets, sinks, etc will continue to have running water, just cold.

If you have a scheduled shower assist with Fraser Health or private caregivers, you may wish to try and reschedule for a day with hot water, if possible.

Thank you for your co-operation!

Cheryl Dawes,
Manager of Community Enrichment

NEW Health Care Support Worker program at Menno Place!

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MEMO

Date:             March 24, 2021

To:                  Menno Place Resident’s Family & Friends

Re:                  New Position at Menno Place:  Health Care Support Worker

________________________________________________________________________

 

Menno Place is pleased to announce that we have been approved for 18 Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) full time positions fully funded by the Government of British Columbia’s Health Career Access Program (HCAP).  This program was developed in response to the urgent staffing needs across long-term care and assisted living sectors in BC.

The HCAP program works like a co-op – successful candidates work at the site and go to school for the HCA program at the same time.  Each candidate goes through the same hiring/onboarding process as all regular staff, requiring a clear criminal record check, immunizations, references, etc.  This is a temporary position when, once completed, the person graduates with their HCA certification.

The HCAP education and training program will take approximately 12-18 months to complete.  It provides an opportunity for individuals to receive paid employer-sponsored training leading to a HCA credential.  The candidate must make a 12 month commitment to the employer to work as a HCA at the site once they have graduated from the program.

Menno Place has received approval for 8 candidates for Menno Home, 6 candidates for Menno Hospital and 4 candidates for Menno Apartments – Assisted Living.

Jeanette Lee

Director, Human Resources

Menno Place

Menno Home & Hospital TV Channel Guide

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The most up to date channel guide for Menno TV in Menno Home & Hospital (Long Term Care).

Please note this channel guide IS NOT for Menno Apartments (Terrace East, Terrace West, Pavilion, Primrose Gardens).

Download your copy here > Menno Home/Hospital TV Channel Guide!

Video: Menno Place Team Appreciation Event

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This week, we held our Menno Place Team Appreciation event over Zoom.

We usually hold this event in our chapel – in fact, it was our last gathering together as a staff team in March 2020. We honour our staff and recognize them for their years of service and excellent attendance. We usually reach out to co-workers, staff, residents, families and friends for individual nominations – Safety Champion, Creative Solutions and Living Our Values.

This year, we decided to honour ALL of the Menno Place Staff as Healthcare Heroes. This has been the toughest year that any of our staff have experienced and they have been AMAZING! We also provided Food Trucks as a way of saying thank you to the amazing team that serves here and is the HEART of Menno Place.

 

Watch the Team Appreciation Event!

The video is 33 minutes in length.

Thank you, families and friends for your unwavering support for our staff during this extraordinarily difficult journey through the pandemic. You are amazing in your advocacy, your unfailing love and your team spirit and we know it! Thank you!

CLICK HERE if you want to share any words of encouragement.

CLICK HERE to see the words of encouragement family & friends have shared with us.