Prayer for the Light of God’s Presence at Menno Place

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From Menno Home Chaplain, Ingrid Schultz (written while on isolation):

PRAYER FOR THE LIGHT OF GOD’S PRESENCE AT MENNO PLACE

The news of COVID 19 at Menno Home came in the midst of Diwali, the 5 day festival of lights, celebrated by many of our staff.  Diwali signifies light overcoming darkness.  Next Sunday, November 29, is the beginning of Advent, the 4 weeks before Christmas, when we remember God’s light coming into the world in Jesus, whose arrival is foreshadowed by these words:

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

We need that light and peace at Menno Place right now.  As we pray for Menno Home East 2 residents and staff and for our whole campus of care, let us pray for God’s healing light overcoming COVID 19.  Let us also pray that we can be bearers of God’s light and peace as we care for residents, their families and fellow staff.

Please join me in this prayer for Menno Place (adapted from a prayer by Carol Penner):

Great God, you are our light and our peace, an ever-present help in times of trouble, and that’s why we’re praying now.

We are troubled by COVID 19 coming to Menno Home East 2 and we’re worried things are going to get more troubling as cases of the virus are increasing in care homes across BC.

We pray the light of your presence with our front line staff who care for residents on East 2, and across our campus of care.

Protect them and grant them the peace, wisdom and courage to do their work.

Keep them safe.  

Be with our leadership team and Fraser Health officials, with Dr. Bonnie Henry and Adrian Dix as they make decisions for the common good.

We pray for your healing light, comfort and peace for our residents and their families in this worrying time.

Help us all to be kind to one another and to be calm as anxious times can make us snappy.

Thank you that your love is also contagious and stronger than any virus.

Thank you that in this Advent season we remember that Jesus came to bring us the light of your love in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair and peace in the midst of anxious and unsetting times.

Help us all to be bearers of your light, love, hope and peace at Menno Place.

Amen.

Update – Visits at Menno Place

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Update: VISITS

We are very sad that we’ve had to make some changes to the visits in Menno Home – we know how important these are to family.
You may wish to use the Send a Message of Love. We will print and deliver to any resident: CLICK HERE

Menno Home E2 – COVID positive unit (outbreak) – Long Term Care

  • All visits are cancelled during the outbreak
  • Actively dying (COVID related or not), nursing will call the family to be with their loved one
  • Essential deliveries only with the exception of cards

Menno Home W1, W2, E1 – Long Term Care

  • Zoom Calls – continue as normal
  • Essential Visits – temporarily suspended while we are on full droplet precaution
  • Window Visits – temporarily suspended while we are on full droplet precaution
  • Actively dying – nursing will call the family to be with their loved one
  • Safe Visits – cancelled for 2 weeks, we will keep you informed
  • Essential deliveries only with the exception of cards

Menno Hospital – Long Term Care

  • All visits continue
  • Deliveries continue, including “extras” (eg: snacks)

Terrace East – Assisted Living

  • All Safe Visits continue
  • Deliveries continue, including “extras” (eg: snacks)
  • Residents have been advised to stay in their suites and limit outings to essential outings only

Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion – Independent Living

  • Registered Visitor program continues
  • Residents have been advised to stay in their suites and limit outings to essential outings only

MEMO: Apartment Update For Residents & Loved Ones

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The following Memo will be delivered to apartment suite doors in the afternoon on Wednesday, Nov 18. 

Menno Place Memo

To:             Residents, Families & Friends: Apartments
Re:             2 Positive COVID-19 Case in Menno Home East 2
Date:         Wednesday, November 18, 2020

We are sad to share with you that in spite of all the hard work we have done for the past 8 months, we now have 2 COVID positive residents at Menno Home E2. All of the Menno Home E2 staff and residents have been swabbed for COVID-19 and we await all the test results. Families of E2 Home residents have been notified. Our COVID-19 Response Plan is in place and Fraser Health will be onsite in Menno Home today. NO staff from Menno Home E2 work in any other location at Menno Place.

There are NO COVID positive residents or staff in Menno Place Apartments (Primrose Gardens, Terrace East, Terrace West or Pavilion).

What does this mean for you, a resident of a Menno Place Apartment?
The situation in nearby Tabor Home is concerning. As of Monday, 42 staff members and 59 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. In light of how COVID-19 is spreading quickly throughout our community and in healthcare facilities in Abbotsford, please follow these recommendations:

  1. Don’t go out. We strongly recommend that you only leave the building for essential outings such as medical appointments. Stop going to your church, stores, family dinners, restaurants or gatherings.
  2. Stay in your own apartment suite. Do not gather in hallways or lobbies with other residents.
  3. Follow the best practices to keep yourself safe. Always wear your mask if you must go outside of your own suite. Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer frequently. Use the screening questions to monitor yourself for any symptoms.

For Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Pavilion:
Registered Visitors (including housekeepers) may still enter your suite as before, following all previous protocols. They are to continue screening themselves for symptoms, wearing masks, cleaning or sanitizing their hands, and signing in and out of the apartment building. Dining in the dining room continues.

For Terrace East, all suites:
Designated Visitors may still have booked socially-distanced safe visits with you in the Terrace East lounge. Grocery delivery continues in the mornings at Reception. Dining in the dining room continues.

We will continue to keep you informed through memos delivered to your door, Channel 10 TV noon announcements during the week and emails.

We recommend that you use a delivery service for your groceries or continue to have your Registered Visitors bring you groceries and other essentials.

If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Dawes, 604.851.4020

Would you buy medical grade masks from Menno Place?

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If Menno Place supplied Level 1 Medical Grade Mask Boxes (50 per box) for $20/box, would you purchase a box (or more than one) for yourself and/or your loved one? There is a current poll asking this question on the Menno Place Facebook – CLICK HERE
This poll is primarily for Registered Visitors and Residents in the Apartments.
You will need a Facebook profile in order to gain access to the poll. Don’t have FB? Send a message directly to Sharon.Simpson@MennoPlace.ca

These masks would be made available at Reception and would be billed to residents directly.

Orders would be delivered to residents.

Medical Grade Masks – What are they and how do I get them?

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Medical Grade Masks

Definition from Fraser Health is below.

What you are looking for is ASTM Level 1 or Level 2 barrier.
The Level 2 barrier provides more protection than Level 1.
These are Level 1 ASTM Masks: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B088K9GDN5/
You can search Amazon for “Level 1 ASTM” to find the price-point that suits you.
Question: Should you wear a mask with a vent?
Answer: No. CDC does not recommend using masks with exhalation valves or vents because this type of mask may not prevent you from spreading COVID-19 to others. The hole in the material may allow your respiratory droplets to escape and reach others.
Medical mask definition from Fraser Health: A medical grade face mask that meets the ASTM International and ISO (or equivalent) performance requirements for bacterial filtration efficiency, particulate filtration efficiency, fluid resistance, pressure differential, flame spread, skin sensitivity and cytotoxic testing.
These photos are of a box of ASTM Level 1 masks that we had out for our staff today.
CDC Recommendations on Masks: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
Note: The new Fraser Health Order requires the use of MEDICAL GRADE MASKS inside all buildings at Menno Place.

Change to Assisted Living Grocery Delivery on Fridays

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Dear Friends and Families of Terrace East Residents,

On Fridays only, grocery drop off will begin at 9:30am.

Canada Post has notified Menno Place that they will not deliver mail if there are people at the entrance of the building. This is for the protection of their staff members. Canada Post has very strict rules in place to keep their delivery staff safe. If we are not able to keep the doorway clear they will not deliver the mail.

Terrace East Grocery Drop-Off:
Fridays: 9:30am – 11:30am
All other days of the week grocery hours remain 9:00 – 11:30am.

Thank you for working with us to keep Menno Place safe during these challenging times

Lest We Forget – Remembrance Day 2020

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Today we pause to remember and lament the horrors of war.

We remember Canadian soldiers who died in wars past:
The First World War, Second World War, Korean War,
Afghanistan War.
We remember the young men – and also women – who never returned home.

We remember their families, their friends and their communities.
We grieve with them.
We remember those who were disabled or traumatized,
We acknowledge their pain.

We also remember all people who suffered the devastation of past wars,
both soldiers and civilians:
Those who were wounded and disabled,
Those whose loved ones were killed,
Those who were separated from family members,
Those who had to flee their homes,
Those who witnessed unimaginable horrors.
We remember the suffering of allies and enemies alike.

We remember all people who continue to suffer the scourge of violent
conflict:
Those who are hungry and thirsty,
Those who are on the run, without shelter and comfort,
Those who are sick or injured and need care,
Those who live with the sound of guns and bombs around
them,
Those who are caught in cycles of violence they can’t escape,
Those who are paralyzed with fear.
We remember the suffering of allies and enemies alike.

We lament the horror of war, but we also name our hopes for a world
of peace.

And so we remember people who bind up the wounds of war:
Those who work to end hostility,
Those who provide aid in war zones,
Those who care for the sick and the dying,
Those who defend human rights,
Those who welcome refugees.

We remember people who actively build peace:
Those who say No to killing and bombing,
Those who work to resolve conflicts through dialogue and
diplomacy,
Those who seek to address the root causes of violence,
Those who practice nonviolent resistance in the face of injustice,
Those who build bridges of friendship and reconciliation with
their enemies.

We remember those who demonstrate that another way IS possible.
May we also show that another way IS possible.

From: MCC Canada, Written by Christine Bar
Remembrance Day Resources For Teachers

Medical Grade masks required for all who enter Menno Place buildings

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Yesterday, we heard that there are 425 new cases of COVID-19 in BC since Nov. 2 and 36 long-term care and assisted living care homes with COVID outbreaks. Fraser Health has provided a new directive for mask wearing inside these buildings. ALL masks worn must be medical grade masks.

Medical grade masks are now required for all who enter Menno Place buildings.

This includes designated visitors (Home, Hospital, Terrace East), registered visitors (Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion), all staff, contractors and emergency responders.
Question: Can you wear the clear mask that you purchased from Menno Place? No.
Question: Can you wear a cloth mask? No.
Question: Where do you get medical masks? For safe visitors and essential visitors, Menno Place provides medical grade masks. For registered visitors in the Apartments, some masks are available at the entrance to the building. You may also purchase medical grade masks at drugstores or Costco.

SAFE VISITS – Book as frequently as you would like

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We are pleased to open up the SAFE VISIT bookings in Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East for the Designated Visitor to book as frequently as you would like.

We have 9 Visitation Hosts who are facilitating these safe visits 7 days a week and they are eager to welcome you to a visit!

Diana Bae, our Visitation Host LEAD informs me that there are appointments that are available nearly every day for visits from loved ones.

If you are a Designated Visitor in Menno Home, Hospital or Terrace East, please book visits with your loved one as often as you would like.

The Safe Visit calendar is open until Dec. 30th. We will open it for January to March by the beginning of December.

Flu Shots – Menno Place residents

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Flu shots will be provided for residents of Menno Home on November 2, 3, 4th

Flu shots will be provided for residents of Menno Hospital on November 5th and 6th

Flu shots will be provided in the Apartments the week of October 26th