Words of Encouragement Across Campus
Thank you to these two wonderful dietary staff at Menno Apartments, Monica Neufeld (left) and Rhonda Yager (right) for sharing words of encouragement on the Menno campus!
UPDATE: Isolation Period for Primrose Gardens, Terrace West & Terrace East
Menno Place Memo
To: All Residents, Staff & Families of Menno Place
Re: UPDATE: COVID-19 Exposure in Primrose Gardens & Terrace West Independent Living Apartments
Date: Monday, August 24th, 2020 1:30pm
On Friday, August 21st, Menno Place notified residents, family, and friends of a COVID-19 exposure in Primrose Gardens and Terrace West Independent Living Apartments. Read the Aug. 21 Memo here.
The exposed residents and their families have all been contacted and advised. Residents were swabbed on Saturday and all results have come back negative for COVID-19. We are cautiously optimistic as false negatives are possible among the elderly. We are monitoring symptoms and the situation closely.
Thank you for your prayerful support and for honouring our request to halt visits and deliveries on the Menno Place campus over the weekend.
At this time, we are asking ALL residents of Primrose Gardens, Terrace West AND Terrace East to abide by an isolation period until the morning of August 30th.
This means:
- Staying in your apartment.
- Meals will be delivered to your apartment.
- All hair appointments have been cancelled.
As Terrace East Assisted Living Apartments are connected to Terrace West Independent Living Apartments, we are asking those residents to also abide by this isolation period out of an abundance of caution.
Residents of Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, and Terrace East may continue to go to important medical appointments off-campus.
Registered Visitors of Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, and Terrace East must refrain from visiting or making deliveries to the campus until the morning of August 30th unless absolutely necessary.
Families and friends of residents in these facilities must wait until the morning of August 30th to resume outdoor visits.
To make arrangements for essential medical appointments, please contact Manager of Community Enrichment for Menno Place Apartments, Cheryl Dawes, at cheryl.dawes@mennoplace.ca or 604-851-4020. Essential grocery deliveries can be made with the receptionists.
Pavilion Independent Living residents may continue to have registered visitors and outdoor visits. Menno Home and Hospital Safe Social Visits will also continue as before.
We are grateful for the many messages of encouragement (like this one) that we received over the weekend:
“Thank you so much for all your careful work during these challenging times. I am praying for you. I have complete confidence that you are doing everything possible to keep the residents safe.”
Thank you for your cooperation and love for the residents and staff of Menno Place. We will continue to send necessary updates to the situation.
Karen Biggs
CEO, Menno Place
Have you found our Family & Friends website? For information and updates, go to: www.MennoPlaceLife.com
For information and discussion with others whose loved one lives at Menno Place, please ask to join the Menno Place Family & Friends Facebook Group.
FAQ’s:
How do I make essential grocery deliveries to my loved one until August 30th?
Essential grocery deliveries can be made 9am to 11:30am 7 days a week (on weekends, a phone number for dietary staff is posted on the outside door. Call and the dietary team will come to receive the groceries from you). Please remember to keep groceries “essential” until August 30th as to not overrun the receptionists. Primrose Garden grocery deliveries can be made at the main door with Brenda. Terrace East and Terrace West deliveries can be made at the Terrace East main door with Claire. If you use Save On or another grocery delivery service, deliveries also need to be during the hours mentioned above. Deliveries for Terrace East & West have to be made at the Terrace East main entrance.
My loved one lives in the Terrace East Assisted Living Apartments. If there was no COVID-19 exposure in Terrace East, why are they being asked to abide by the isolation period until the morning of August 30th?
Out of an abundance of caution. The Terrace East building is connected to Terrace West.
When will the rotating dining room schedule resume in Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Terrace East?
Meals in the dining rooms in these buildings will resume after August 30th if there is no change to the situation. Residents will receive their invitations as before.
I have a Safe Social Visit booked with my loved one in Menno Home or Hospital. Should I reschedule my visit until after August 30th?
There has been no exposure to residents in Menno Home or Hospital. The Safe Social Visit sites are also in separate buildings from the exposure. You may keep your appointment if you are comfortable doing so.
If it is more than 24 hours before your appointment, you can reschedule quickly and easily by clicking on the ‘Change/Cancel’ button at the bottom of your appointment confirmation email. Please keep in mind that Safe Social Visits are on a rotating schedule through our units, and it may be several weeks until a time slot for your loved one’s unit becomes available again.
If you would like to cancel or reschedule and it is less than 24 hours before your appointment, please contact Life Enrichment Coordinator, Garry Janzen at garry.janzen@mennoplace.ca or 604-851-1332.
My loved one does not live in the exposed buildings. Why are you notifying me?
Out of an abundance of caution. It is important to us that you are aware of all COVID-19 related news.
MEMO: Fraser Health Home Support Worker Tests Positive for COVID-19
Menno Place Memo
To: All Residents, Staff & Families of Menno Place
Re: Use an Abundance of Caution on Campus — Fraser Health Home Support Worker Tests Positive for COVID-19
Date: Friday, August 21, 2020 6:30pm
On Friday, August 21st, 2020 Menno Place was notified that a Fraser Health Home Support Worker tested positive for COVID-19.
The individual has worked in both Primrose Gardens and Terrace West Independent Living Apartments within the last two weeks. Public Health has NOT declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Menno Place.
There is no cause for alarm at this time. We are informing you out of an abundance of caution. NO Menno Place staff or residents have tested positive for COVID-19 at this time.
Over the weekend, we encourage residents of Primrose Gardens and Terrace West to stay in their suites as much as possible, to wear masks whenever they are in indoor or outdoor public spaces, and to continue to wash or sanitize their hands regularly.
Meals will go back to being served in the apartment suites, and all hair appointments will be cancelled.
We ask that Registered Visitors of Primrose Gardens and Terrace West refrain from visiting or making deliveries to the campus this weekend unless absolutely necessary. Security will be on the premises to remind visitors.
We hope to have an update for you on Monday, August 24 or if Public Health advises us differently. Let’s continue to do as Dr. Henry asks and be kind, be calm, and be safe.
Karen Biggs
CEO, Menno Place
Have you found our Family & Friends website? For information and updates, go to: www.MennoPlaceLife.com
For information and discussion with others whose loved one lives at Menno Place, please ask to join the Menno Place Family & Friends Facebook Group.
*UPDATE* The residents who may have been exposed (and their families) have already been notified.
APARTMENTS UPDATE: Outdoor Masks & 14-Day Isolation – August 20, 2020
Independent Living (Pavilion, Terrace West, Primrose Gardens) Apartments Memo: August 20, 2020 – Please read in full
Residents in Pavilion, Terrace West & Primrose Gardens will receive this memo copy at their suite door August, 20, 2020 in the afternoon.
OUTDOOR MASKS UPDATE
Physical distancing of six feet is required on the Menno Place campus and is key to your safety.
If you are more than six feet away from another person OR by yourself OUTSIDE, you are no longer required to wear a mask OUTDOORS on the Menno Place campus.
If you aren’t able to physically distance, you are safest wearing your mask.
Inside the buildings, we continue to ask you, staff, and any visitors to wear masks.
Protect yourself: wearing a mask within 6 feet of anyone is the safest thing for you to do.
FAQs
1. Do I need to wear a mask inside?
Yes. Menno Place is asking all who are in the public areas of Menno Place buildings to wear a mask.
2. Does my Registered Visitor need to wear a mask inside?
Yes. Your Registered Visitor should continue to wear a mask while inside Menno Place buildings.
3. Do I need to wear a mask if I am visiting with my loved ones outside?
No, not if you are six feet apart from them. If you need to be closer to hear, you can purchase a clear mask from Reception to keep you and your loved ones safe.
14-DAY ISOLATION UPDATE
If you are returning from an overnight visit, hospitalization, or are moving into the Independent Living Apartments, you are no longer required to isolate for 14 days.
Continue to screen yourself for any new onset symptoms of COVID-19.
Self-Screening Questions
Do you have new onset of any of these symptoms:
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Fever |
Sore throat or painful swallowing |
Muscle aches |
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Cough |
Loss of sense of smell |
Fatigue |
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Shortness of breath |
Loss of sense of taste |
Nausea and/or vomiting |
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Headache |
Loss of appetite |
Diarrhea |
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Chills |
Runny nose |
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Do you have any of these risk factors?
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Been in close contact with anyone diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19? |
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Been advised to self-isolate or quarantine at home by public health or a medical doctor/nurse? |
Assisted Living (Terrace East Apartments) Memo: August 20, 2020 – Please read in full
Residents in Terrace East will receive this memo copy at their suite door August, 20, 2020 in the afternoon.
PLEASE NOTE: ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENTS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO SELF-ISOLATE FOR 14-DAYS AFTER MOVING IN OR RETURNING FROM HOSPITALIZATION.
OUTDOOR MASKS UPDATE
Physical distancing of six feet is required on the Menno Place campus and is key to your safety.
If you are more than six feet away from another person OR by yourself OUTSIDE, you are no longer required to wear a mask OUTDOORS on the Menno Place campus.
If you aren’t able to physically distance, you are safest wearing your mask.
Inside the buildings, we continue to ask you and staff to wear masks.
Protect yourself: wearing a mask within 6 feet of anyone is the safest thing for you to do.
FAQs
1. Do I need to wear a mask inside?
Yes. Menno Place is asking all who are in the public areas of Menno Place buildings to wear a mask.
2. Do I need to wear a mask if I am visiting with my loved ones outside?
No, not if you are six feet apart from them. If you need to be closer to hear, you can purchase a clear mask from Reception to keep you and your loved ones safe.
New Outdoor Mask Policy on Menno Place Campus
Thank you so much to all the family members and friends who are safely social distancing when you visit on our campus outside with your loved ones. We feel confident that we can relax our request for wearing masks while outside as people are getting more used to distancing and we are altering our signage.
As Dr. Bonnie Henry says, if you are unable to distance, please wear a mask.
We realize how difficult the summer heat is on frail elderly especially behind masks. We also know that it is challenging to hear without seeing lips and facial expressions. We continue to pray that the Lord keeps our seniors and staff safe from this horrid disease.
Independent and Assisted Living residents are still required to wear a mask in public indoor areas. Registered Visitors of Independent Living residents are still required to wear a mask while indoors.
We are also looking at plexiglass barriers which can be installed to make indoor Home and Hospital visits easier. More details to come.
Thank you for your patience while we work through the ever changing processes of balancing safety and quality of life. If you see seniors forgetting to distance on campus, please be kind and calm while gently reminding them. This is difficult for many to understand.
Karen Biggs BScN, RN, CHE, FCCHL
CEO, Menno Place
Social-Distanced Outdoor Visits – Independent and Assisted Living
About Safe Social Distanced Outdoor Visits
Menno Place allows safe socially distanced outdoor visits for residents of Pavilion, Terrace West, Terrace East and Primrose Gardens.
What is a safe social distanced outdoor visit?
This is a visit with a resident that takes place outside and all visitors are 6 feet apart from each other.
No-Touch Visit
Your safe social distanced outdoor visit is a no-touch visit. No holding hands, shaking hands, rubbing back, hugging, kissing or touching. This will not be possible if you are six feet apart.
What if there is a group of visitors who are a bubble with each other?
If there is a group of visitors who live under the same roof and are a bubble, they may sit together closer than 6 feet apart. An example is a husband, wife and their children in their household. On the Menno Place campus, we ask that you use the MOST conservative definition of “bubble”. This means that siblings living in multiple households should exercise social distancing.
What if we are all related to each other – doesn’t that make us a bubble?
No. The coronavirus does not care if you are relatives or not. Some of the most unfortunate “hot-spots” of COVID-19 spreading has happened at family gatherings. Be extremely cautious. You do not want your family to be impacted this way. See: Family Gathering COVID-19
Should you wear a mask while socially distanced visiting? YES.
Yes. It is required. This is because it is NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to stay 6 feet away while having a conversation. Six feet is a HUGE distance for normal social interaction. We have marked the distance with red duct tape on the ground and notice that these marks are regularly ignored. They seem TOO far apart. The mask is REQUIRED at all times on the Menno Place campus.
What if I don’t think a mask makes any difference to the safety of myself or the visitor?
Menno Place is not seeking to change your mind. You do not have to agree, but you must comply if you are on the Menno Place campus.
What will you do if I don’t wear a mask?
We will ask you to wear a mask. We may provide you with a mask. We will ask you to leave if you continue not to comply. Disprespect and aggression are not tolerated on the Menno Place campus.
Will you evict a resident if they do not comply?
No. We will ask the resident to comply with the infection control protocols. Most residents are concerned about their own safety and the safety of others should they bring COVID-19 to our campus.
How can we communicate with a mask on if our loved one is hard of hearing?
Menno Place has clear masks available for purchase – CLICK HERE and we suggest an assistive hearing device – CLICK HERE.
Can I use the restroom inside the apartment building when I come for a socially distanced visit?
No. You may not enter the apartment building unless you are the registered visitor for a loved one in Pavilion, Terrace West or Primrose Gardens. You must wear your ID badge to enter. There are NO visitors inside Terrace East.
A porta-potty is available near Terrace East at the Living Waters Garden. You must hand-sanitize after use.
Hand hygiene
Every visitor is expected to practice hand-hygiene. You should bring your own hand sanitizer with you so that you can clean your hands before and after your visit with your loved one.
How to: HAND WASHING HYGIENE | HAND SANITIZER HYGIENE
How often can I visit outdoors with my loved one?
There is no limit to the frequency of your visits.
What should I do if the Living Waters Gazebo or Patio is getting crowded?
Bring extra folding chairs and pick another spot. Crowding is one of the risks of COVID-19 spread.
Can our whole family come to visit with our loved one on a special occasion like a birthday?
The Public Health Officer guidelines for groups says that no more than 50 may attend and all must be socially distanced in a gathering. There is not enough space on the Menno Place campus (by the apartments) for this many people to gather safely. Your group must be smaller and practice social distancing. All must wear masks. A safer idea is to have a “drive-by” visit where your loved one is located where cars can safely drive by and wish them a happy birthday or anniversary, etc.
Can we bring our small children to visit?
Yes. They bring a lot of joy to the elders. All must wear masks.
Can we play golf on the putting green?
Yes. As long as you are all in the same bubble and you are wearing masks. You must stay socially distanced from your loved one. This would be a fun idea for your loved one to watch from a distance.
Safe Visit Update – August 9. 2020
The Safe Visits continue to be a joy for residents, family members and our Visitation Hosts. We now have online booking open for both Home and Hospital. The link to book was emailed to the primary contact for each resident. On Monday and Tuesday, we will call all of those who do not have an email registered with us so that you know how to book through Reception.
You can read more about Safe Visits – Lots of Frequently Asked Questions answered in the links below.
Safe Visit Protocols – includes how the ONE designated visitor is chosen
Here’s some more information about the Safe Visits:
Cancellation Short-List: After you have your safe visit with your loved one, we will email you a survey to give us feedback on how it went. In that survey, there will be an opportunity for the ONE designated visitor to sign up for the “last minute” visit opportunities. These will happen if someone cancels – like the dentist office. You’ll get a phone call the day-of or the day prior to come and see your loved one. We want all the visits filled each day – no empty spots. This is only for the ONE designated visitor to visit, but it may get them a 2nd visit.
Tips to make the visit even better:This tip comes from Cheryl Ann Dawes, Manager of Community Enrichment who had a safe social visit with her mom in another care home – Tip: ask your family to send you videos and show those videos to your loved one. There are times for those with dementia that conversation can be challenging. These videos help keep the conversation going. If you don’t have videos, bring photos. Some visitors are showing photos on their phone. This is a bit small for the distance. If you have a tablet, bring that to show the photos or video.
Smile Mask:The Visitation Host has a supply of clear masks for the visit. They cost $5 and will be billed directly to the resident’s trust account. Well worth it if you are concerned about them recognizing you or not being able to lip read.
Here’s Kathrin, our Executive Director of Finance and Operations showing off how the smile mask works. This is not a medical grade mask, so our staff aren’t able to use it. They sure wish they could!
Dining Room for Primrose Gardens and Terrace West AND Grocery Delivery Time Change
Hi all,
On Monday, August 10th, the Apartments residents safe dining in the dining room will begin in both Primrose Gardens and Terrace West.
The Pavilion Apartments will begin safe dining in the dining room after August 19th as new furniture is being installed in the dining room on that day (exciting!). We were able to donate most of the tables to the Cascade Manor in Chilliwack. We are looking forward to this dining room re-fresh! Start date for dining room lunches in Pavilion to be determined.
In order to ensure safe distancing while going to and from the lunch hour, we are shortening the times for grocery delivery. Effective Monday, August 10th, groceries will be received between 9am and 11:30am. There will be no exceptions as the Receptionists will be escorting your loved ones in a safe way to the dining room for lunch. We have planned to have one floor at a time in the dining room to give all residents a once per week dining room experience.
We look forward to the happiness that we’ve seen in Terrace East as the residents enjoy their weekly outing to the dining room.
Thank you for your cooperation in this and for keeping your loved ones safe!
Sharon Simpson
Director, Community Enrichment
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
