Visits Update – Home and Hospital – August 5, 2020

We are having a great time with the safe visits for residents and their family members. A few updates:

  • We are booking visits on ONE unit at a time – for example, ALL visits in Menno Home yesterday were with E1 residents and their loved ones. All visits in Menno Hospital yesterday were with E1 residents and their loved ones. We had 12 visits yesterday, facilitated by our amazing Visitation Hosts, Nikki and Isaiah.
  • We are phoning spouses for first opportunity for visits but not all are available, so we have had many visits with children and loved ones who are not spouses. This has been a privilege to facilitate!
  • There is some incorrect information floating around that we are only allowing visits for residents with spouses. This is NOT correct. We did prioritize those visits as the first ones, recognizing the unique distress that a spouse is experiencing in not seeing their spouse for this length of time.
  • We will do the testing on the online booking calendar today and will give you an update about this shortly. This is the same kind of calendar that you are currently using to book your Zoom visits. There will be a confirmation of your booking AND you must be the ONE designated visitor to have your booking confirmed. This idea of ONE designated visitor (for all visits) is an order from Fraser Health and the Public Health Officer.
  • Thank you for your support and patience in all of this. We are excited that our visits have been safe and meaningful for families and residents.

If you haven’t already found it, please join the Family, Friends and Residents Facebook Group – you have to make a request to join and must have a Facebook profile. There is a lot of information and conversation that you will find helpful in this group – here is the link – CLICK HERE

Apartments UPDATE: Going Off Campus – July 29,2020

Menno Apartments Memo: July 29, 2020 – Please read in full

Residents in Menno Apartments will receive a memo copy at their suite door July 29th afternoon.

Going Off the Menno Place Campus

You may now leave the Menno Place Campus, following Public Health Guidelines
The Assisted Living Registrar has advised us that residents living in Terrace East Assisted Living are now able to go on outings if they adhere to the BC Center for Disease Control parameters. Independent Living residents may also go on outings that adhere to the BC Center for Disease Control parameters.

Public Health Guidelines include social distancing (6 feet), washing hands frequently and staying home if feeling unwell. Gatherings may not be larger than 50 people and must be socially distanced.

Your risks are all of our risks: Every risk you take in going out can impact the others who share your Apartment building – your neighbours, friends and the staff. If you get infected with COVID-19, you could be the one who brings it home to your Apartment building where it can spread rapidly. COVID-19 is highly contagious. Be VIGILANT and CAUTIOUS in your outings so that you keep YOURSELF and EVERYONE at Menno Place safe.

Going Off the Menno Place Campus:

  1. Walking to Mill Lake Park –LOWER RISK – wear a mask around others, stay 6ft apart
  2. Visiting in the outdoors such as Living Waters Gardens – LOWER RISK – wear a mask at all times, stay 6ft apart, use hand sanitizer – risk increases as it gets crowded
  3. Going to a church service – HIGHER RISK – follow all instructions, 50 people or less, wear mask and 6ft apart, use hand sanitizer.
  4. Going to a wedding or funeral – HIGHEST RISK – as there is no organization enforcing infection control protocols. Wear a mask, stay 6ft apart to protect yourself, use hand sanitizer.
  5. Going to a restaurant – HIGHER RISK – server should be wearing a mask, they will ask for your phone number for tracing purposes, use hand sanitizer
  6. Going to an appointment with a service provider – LOWER RISK – (hair salon, barber, pedicure, doctor, dentist, physiotherapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, etc.) – follow all instructions, wear a mask at all times, use hand sanitizer
  7. Going to a family’s home for dinner – HIGHER RISK – don’t hug, kiss or touch. You must wear a mask and stay 6ft apart, use hand sanitizer – LOWER RISK if the gathering is outside
  8. Going to a public location with strangers (store, mall, public transit, Handy Dart) – HIGHER RISK – wear a mask at all times, stay 6ft apart, use hand sanitizer

This is a time for Caution – Stay in or start with LOWER RISK activities

Menno Place recommends that residents of Terrace East Assisted Living USE AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION to “open-up” outings as we are now seeing an increase in COVID-19 positive cases in our province.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s Public Health Officer is warning that there could be “explosive growth” in COVID-19 infections as the number of positive cases surges (July 20, 2020). She also said that 20% of COVID-19 patients in long-term care homes have died of their illness. Key factors contributing to these deaths include: being over 80 years old; having an illness that compromises your immune system and living in congregate housing where you more readily meet up with others.

 

If you are going off campus, you MUST follow these guidelines

For all residents living in Assisted Living and Independent Living (Pavilion, Terrace East, Terrace West, Primrose Gardens), you MUST do the following.

  • Practice social distancing at all times – remain 6ft away from all others. No hugging or touching.
  • Wear a mask as much as possible. Examples: at the hair salon, doctor’s office, driving in a car, at the store. Your mask MUST cover both your nose and mouth.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water as frequently as you can. Use hand sanitizer when you can’t.
  • Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it when you touch any object that others may have touched (door knob, car handle, shopping cart, chair arm, PIN pad for paying)
  • Immediately hand sanitize when you return to your apartment building (before you get on the elevator)
  • Immediately wash your hands with soap and water when you enter your own apartment suite
  • Avoid touching your face so that you don’t bring the virus from your hand to your mouth, nose or eyes
  • Self-monitor your own symptoms and health, using Self-Screening Questions
  • Report your symptoms to Reception or Care Staff if you have any new symptoms
  • Keep track of the people you contact and the places you go during each time you go out so that Public Health can trace any COVID-19 infections and warn you if you have come into contact with the virus
  • Do not participate in events that have more than 50 people in attendance. If you attend an event with 50 people, you MUST practice social distancing. Bring your mask and hand sanitizer.


How to Stay Safe when you go out:

  • Create a Safe Bubble (Group): Create a “bubble” of safe people with whom you visit. Your bubble should be a small group, no more than 6 people who are also following safe infection control practices such as social distancing (6ft apart) and wearing masks. Your bubble will likely be your children and very best friends only. Ask your family to meet outdoors for socially distanced visits as it is safer and the weather is good now in the summer. No matter how difficult it is, do NOT hug or touch others.
  • Protect Yourself from Strangers: ALWAYS wear a mask if you are indoors with people who are not in your bubble, for example those in a grocery store. Strangers may come within 6 feet of you and put you at risk (example: in a grocery store lineup or in the aisle). Your mask and hand sanitizer are your protection. Use them often.
  • Minimize Indoor Events: Minimize the number of indoor events you go to each week. Once per week is a reasonable number. This includes going to stores, church, family dinner’s in a home, grocery shopping or beauty appointments. Menno Place continues to accept grocery deliveries to ensure that you do not NEED to go out for essential grocery items. The highest risk places are where others are not practicing infection control – places where they are not wearing masks or staying 6ft apart from each other.
  • Maximize Outdoor Events: Walking to Mill Lake is a low risk outing because it is outdoors. Take a mask and hand sanitizer with you. If it is crowded or you have a walking partner, wear your mask.
  • Use Your MASK AND HAND SANITIZER: Carry a personal hand sanitizer with you and use it OFTEN. Always carry a mask and use it if you can’t be 6feet apart from others. Change your clothing when you arrive home from your outing if you can do so safely.

 

When to stop going out:

  • If someone you know has COVID-19 symptoms – Stop going out if you hear of anyone in your circles/bubble (church, friends, family) who has COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms.
  • If someone at Menno Place is COVID-19 positive – The safest place for you is IN your own apartment suite. We will inform you if there is a COVID-19 positive at Menno Place.
  • If YOU feel ill with symptoms of COVID-19 (see Self-Screening Questions)
  • If the number of COVID-19 positive cases continues to increase in the Fraser Health Region.

Self-Screening Questions

Do you have new onset of any of these symptoms:

Fever Sore throat or painful swallowing Muscle aches
Cough Loss of sense of smell Fatigue
Shortness of breath Loss of sense of taste Nausea and/or vomiting
Headache Loss of appetite Diarrhea
Chills Runny nose

 

Do you have any of these risk factors?

Been in close contact with anyone diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19?
Been advised to self-isolate or quarantine at home by public health or a medical doctor/nurse?
Been in hospital for more than 12 hours?

 

Safe Social Distance Outdoor Visits at Menno Place

Menno Place has encouraged outdoor, socially distanced visits on the Menno Place campus. This has been a great opportunity for apartment residents to enjoy their families and friends. To ensure your visit is safe outdoors, you MUST follow these actions:

  • Social Distancing: You must stay 6 feet apart from others. Don’t park your walker close to someone. There are signs and red duct tape markers to show you how far away you need to be in order to keep yourself and your visitor/friend safe. Six feet apart is VERY far from each other and will feel “too far”. Resist the urge to get closer. Remember, all of the tables are only 4 feet across, so you will need to sit back from them in order to make the 6 foot required safe distance work.
  • Masks: Wearing a mask protects you from others’ spit droplets. You need to wear it over your nose and mouth if you want to stay safe. It also protects others from your spit droplets.
  • Crowding: Avoid being in a crowd. There are many residents who use the Living Waters Gazebo to visit. If it is full, find another place to sit and enjoy the outdoors. Menno Place monitors the crowding in the Gazebo. We do not want to shut it down. Please follow the marks on the ground (red tape) to know if there is a place for you in the gazebo.
  • Smile masks: You can now purchase a vinyl clear mask that allows others to see your lips. This is good if you or others are hard of hearing. We ordered 20 masks and they are $10 each. Call Reception to place an order for you or your family member.

Returning from Hospitalization

  • A COVID-19 Swab Test is required BEFORE you return to Menno Apartments from the hospital.
  • You must isolate for 14 days after returning from hospital in order to ensure that you are not COVID-19 positive and to ensure that you don’t inadvertently spread COVID-19 if you are asymptomatic (without any symptoms).

 

First Visit at Menno Hospital

Here is a photo of the first visitor coming to see her husband at Menno Hospital. Our amazing team of Visitation Hosts is asking her the Active Screening Questions about COVID-19 symptoms outside the building before the visit begins.

After our Orientation traning for our Visitation Hosts, we facilitated three visits yesterday for spouses in Menno Hospital E1 and will facilitate 7 visits in Menno Home today for spouses in E2.

We know that you are all waiting eagerly for your turn and we are grateful for your love and patience. This was an exciting start to our visits. It was emotional for visitor, resident and our staff. It is very meaningful for us to reunite you with your loved one. We look forward to calling you and setting your visit up.

At this time, we will have one visit opportunity per resident in Menno Home and Hospital in the month of August. This will be with the designated visitor. Please read the other posts on this website for additional information about the visits, including Frequently Asked Questions.

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