15/04/20 – Apartments Update – Groceries and More

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15/04/20

The safety of our residents is our highest priority.

There are three principles that we follow in making decisions about what protocols and processes we put into place as we seek to protect the residents who call Menno Apartments their home:

We follow the Public Health Officer and Medical Health Officer orders.

The Medical Health Officer (MHO) gives orders that are specific to Assisted Living, the Terrace East building.
All residents within the Terrace East building are under these MHO orders:

  • NEW: Residents in Terrace East are not allowed to be off the Menno Place campus. This means NO driving, no walking to Mill Lake. Essential medical appointments may be kept. Call Cheryl Dawes if you need clarification: 604.851.4020
  • NEW: All staff wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in resident spaces – goggles and mask.
  • NO Visitors. Nobody is allowed to be in or walk through the Terrace East building who doesn’t work in the building. Pharmacy delivery is allowed.

We seek to limit the number of people or objects that enter our apartment buildings – and all who do are following infection control protocols.

  • NEW: Grocery Delivery ONLY to the apartment building front entrance between 9am – 12pm seven days per week. Details below.
  • Terrace East has NO VISITORS. Only Grocery Delivery.
  • NO Grocery Delivery directly to resident suite unless you are providing another key service: medication delivery, housekeeping or laundry. All groceries MUST be disinfected thoroughly.

We seek to have limited reasons for a resident to exit their apartment suite.

  • NEW: Mail delivery to resident apartment suite

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Grocery Delivery – ALL apartments – Groceries can be dropped off 9am – 12pm seven days a week – Monday to Sunday

Primrose Gardens

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Primrose Gardens

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4000

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.7398

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Terrace East

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Terrace East

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4004

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.4011

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Terrace West

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Terrace East

Monday – Friday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Reception to receive groceries: 604.851.4004

Saturday and Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.851.4011

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Pavilion

9am – 12pm | 7 days a week | Main Entrance Pavilion

Monday – Sunday: Bring groceries during this time frame to Main Entrance and call Kitchen to receive groceries: 604.870.2926

Groceries disinfected and Delivered to suite by Dietary team.

Grocery Tuck Cart

Do not depend on the Grocery Tuck Cart to provide your loved one with essential groceries. Those who have NO support will be served FIRST by this service.

Update for Menno Home & Hospital – 10/04/20

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Update – 10/04/20

How will you know if Menno Place has COVID-19?

We will tell you. It will be tweeted on Twitter.com/MennoPlaceAlert which will be visible on multiple websites, including the Family and Friends website – MennoPlaceLife.com/Coronavirus

We are committed to telling you the location of COVID-19 if we have a positive case – building and unit.

Visiting:

  • We continue the No Visitor policy which is very hard on families and loved ones. You may see your loved one through the window or ask for them to be brought onto a balcony. Phone the nursing station if this is something that you would like. Be kind to the staff – they continue to provide care and may not be able to meet your request. Be assured that they want to assist as they know the benefit for both resident and family member to see each other in these times.

Menno TV:

We have a complete television channel! Wow! Three weeks ago this did not exist. This channel is streamed directly through Channel 10 (Apartments) and Channel 59 (Home/Hospital). It is a combination of live programming, including devotions each morning as well as exercises, bingo, riddles and fun! We are so proud of our amazing Recreation Team (Timea and Rebecca) and Chaplains (John, Ingrid and Ingrid) for creating the schedule and all of the programming!

Here is the TV Guide – Click Here – Devotions on Wednesday morning has been changed from 11:30 to 11:00am. We are also streaming multiple local church services now. Thank you to Central Heights, Emmanuel Mennonite, Bakerview and Clearbrook MB! What a blessing!

Mail:

  • Mail is being delivered in a bag to our Apartments by Canada Post every Friday.
  • We are sitting that mail in a secure office for 48 hours.
  • We are delivering wiped down mail to residents throughout the week.

Essential Deliveries:

  • Something that we can’t offer that is essential to the life of

Active Screening:

Residents and Staff are screened for symptoms of COVID-19 every day. These are the 5 Active Screening Questions:

  1. Do you have a fever?
  2. Do you have a new or worsening cough?
  3. Do you have a new or worsening sore throat?
  4. Do you have a new or worsening sneezing?
  5. Do you have a new or worsening shortness of breath?

Our staff are actively screened 2x per day – at the beginning and the end of their shift.

PPE:

  • Staff are wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) at all times.
  • PPE at this time (no COVID-19 outbreak) is goggles and a mask.
  • In the event of an outbreak, staff will also wear gowns.
  • We asked the community for goggles and they have been GENEROUS! Over 450 goggles donated!

Zoom Calls:

We have been working on a system that allows you to book a Zoom call (video call) with your loved one. We hope to roll this out on Tuesday. All of the testing was done by our staff last week and it is working! We will send Home and Hospital loved ones an email when this is launched. It will appear on www.MennoPlaceLife.com as a button you can click to book online.

Messages of Love:

Send a message of love – Click Here

Single Site for the Staff:

Our staff have chosen to work at Menno Place as their only place to work. We consider Menno Place as a single site, so they may work at Home, Hospital and Assisted Living or a combination of the three. They are required to shower and change scrubs between shifts.

 

Update for Easter Weekend – The Apartments – 10/04/20

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Update – 10/04/20

How will you know if Menno Place has COVID-19?

We will tell you. It will be tweeted on Twitter.com/MennoPlaceAlert which will be visible on multiple websites, including the Family and Friends website – MennoPlaceLife.com/Coronavirus

We are committed to telling you the location of COVID-19 if we have a positive case – building and unit.

Visiting:

  • Now is the time to be careful – very careful. Do not tempt your loved one to get close to you in a visit, even on this beautiful Easter Weekend where you are used to having family gather together.

Dropping your groceries off:

  • Beginning on Tuesday, April 14, all groceries dropped off at Reception or Kitchen.
  • Menno Place will wipe down and deliver to your loved one.

Tuck Cart:

The priority for the tuck cart will be for the residents who do not have a registered visitor. Recreation staff are doing a one-on-one survey with residents to find out their need of the Grocery Tuck Cart. Orders for supplies are being made through our central purchasing. Billing is direct to the resident’s monthly billing statement (no money exchanged at purchase).

Menno TV:

We have a complete television channel! Wow! Three weeks ago this did not exist. This channel is streamed directly through Channel 10 (Apartments) and Channel 59 (Home/Hospital). It is a combination of live programming, including devotions each morning as well as exercises, bingo, riddles and fun! We are so proud of our amazing Recreation Team (Timea and Rebecca) and Chaplains (John, Ingrid and Ingrid) for creating the schedule and all of the programming!

Here is the TV Guide – Click Here – Devotions on Wednesday morning has been changed from 11:30 to 11:00am. We are also streaming multiple local church services now. Thank you to Central Heights, Emmanuel Mennonite, Bakerview and Clearbrook MB! What a blessing!

Mail:

  • Mail is being delivered in a bag to our Apartments by Canada Post every Friday.
  • We are sitting that mail in a secure office for 48 hours.
  • We are delivering mail door-to-door.
  • Grocery and mail delivery will happen between 1:30-3:30pm each day in every apartment building.

Active Screening:

We are asking the 5 Active Screening for COVID-19 questions every day to every person who lives in the apartments. We have organized someone to go along with the dietary team and ask these questions at every lunch service. Residents who live in Terrace East will be screened twice a day (minimum) at meal service. Those who receive support through Fraser Health are also asked these five questions before their personal care giver will enter their suite.

  1. Do you have a fever?
  2. Do you have a new or worsening cough?
  3. Do you have a new or worsening sore throat?
  4. Do you have a new or worsening sneezing?
  5. Do you have a new or worsening shortness of breath?

If there is a “yes”, the primary contact for that individual will be notified.

Our staff are actively screened 2x per day – at the beginning and the end of their shift.

This is the poster that is on each apartment suite door.

Masks:

  • We are asking that you wear a mask and provide a mask to your loved one when you come to provide key services.
  • We have asked the community for mask donations so that we can supply masks to residents.
  • Staff are wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) at all times.
  • PPE at this time (no COVID-19 outbreak) is goggles and

Focus of Support:

We have over 170 Registered Visitors (click here to register)

Our focus of support at this time is for the 51 seniors who do not have a Registered Visitor to support them. They will receive masks first and will have the tuck cart as a priority. Our goal is to register a visitor for each of our residents. Life Enrichment Coordinators, Nik Van Egdom and Garry Janzen are working on this by phoning each of the primary contacts to encourage registration. Rebecca and Timea (Recreation) are doing a survey with the residents asking them if they need support. They are focusing on this group of 51 to see if we can find a way to support them.

Zoom Calls:

These are going to be available first to Home, Hospital and Terrace East where there is a No Visitor policy and the residents are less able to use the phone to connect. We may be able to roll this out in the apartments if we have the staff to do so.

 

 

Essential Deliveries Only

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Terrace East – Assisted Living

Hearing Aids, Medical Supplies, Incontinence Products

Milk, Bread, Eggs, Breakfast Cereal, Fruit, Special food for restricted diet

We will not accept: 

Personal packages, Flowers, Special Gifts

If you have a question about an item, please call 604.851.4004

Home and Hospital

Essential Deliveries are:

Hearing Aids, Medical Supplies, Incontinence Products

04/07/20 – Menno Place COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan

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April 7, 2020

Menno Place COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan is created by the COVID-19 Emergency Response Team:

COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

Karen Baillie, CEO; Kathrin McMath, EDFO; Cyndy Gabriel, DOC; Kim Cantwell, Mgr. Care, Infection Control Lead; Smitha Varghese, Mgr. Care; Jeanette Lee, Dir. HR; Sharon Simpson, Dir. Community Enrichment; Pearl Nucich, Executive Assistant. The COVID-19 Emergency Response Team has been in weekly consultation and planning with the Leadership Team.

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Team has been meeting to review the Menno Place Pandemic Plan and make adjustments to it for this COVID-19 Pandemic. To view the Menno Place Emergency Response – Pandemic Plan, go to Sharepoint and search “pandemic plan” – CLICK HERE

COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Signage across campus – coordinated by Director, Community Enrichment
  • Update staff via managers, email newsletter, MennoPlaceStaff.com, Twitter.com/MennoPlaceAlert and posters at hand scanners
  • Update residents via Menno TV, email and memos
  • Physician communication – coordinated by Director of Care and Director, Community Enrichment
  • Leadership Team – communication through COVID-19 Response Team
  • Family Members & Friends – Family Members website, Family Members Facebook Page
  • Volunteers – Public website
  • All audiences will be notified by Twitter.com/MennoPlaceAlert if there is a positive COVID-19 case at Menno Place

STAFF

  • Currently all staff are screened on beginning and end of their shift, as well as self-screening throughout, asking the questions:
    1. Do you have a fever?
    2. Do you have a new or worse cough?
    3. Do you have new or worse sneezing?
    4. Do you have new or worse shortness of breath?
    5. Do you have a new or worse sore throat?
      If yes to any of these, if after 4pm, RN does swab for COVID-19.
      If between 10 & 4pm, they are directed to the testing site to have swab for COVID-19 done.
  • Reception desks & hand scanners, have 6 ft markings for social distancing at shift change.
  • Reducing cross campus travel. Re: mail deliveries/stores deliveries, leadership movement.
  • Reducing inter-building travel – staff limited to one building per shift when working at Apts
  • Staff taking breaks with only those on their units – furniture removed so staff can practice 6ft social distancing
  • Signage indicating immediate hand sanitizing or handwashing upon entrance at all staff entrances
  • Effective week of 4/4/20, all staff to wear masks and goggles.
  • Week of 03/04/20, staff limited to one-site only. Menno Apts, Home and Hospital considered one site.
  • Staff to shower and change uniforms between Menno sites.
  • To limit movement of staffing providing documents to RN on evenings. Staffing will do sick call-outs from home.
  • Music Therapist to one unit/day.
  • Decrease in personal meetings. Use of ZOOM or other virtual methods.
  • More staff working from home. (Finance/SWs, etc)
  • Staff permitted to cancel pre-arranged vacations in order to keep coverage
  • No new vacations/LOAs at this time.
  • Staffing guideline for International Travel – staff travelled internationally self-isolate and stay away from workplace for at least 14 days
  • Living in same household with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate for at least 14 days

STAFF EDUCATION

  • What is COVID-19?
  • Hand-Hygiene – Posters, Huddle, Signage at Entrance, biometric hand-scanner
  • SafeWork Procedure – WorkStation Cleaning Instructions
  • Safework Procedure – Disinfecting Contaminated Equipment – Sharepoint
  • Safework Procedure – Contaminated Laundry – Sharepoint
  • PPE Usage
  • Point of Care Assessment

Staff who tests Positive:

  • ALL units go into outbreak mode isolation.
  • Follow Public Health/MHO directions.
  • Monitoring of residents and staff ongoing, including taking the temp using touchless thermometer.
  • Communication – inform everyone: staff/families/residents, including the unit affected.
  • Twitter.com/MennoplaceAlert for real-time updates
  • SWAT clean to unit to do thorough cleaning. (all housekeeping staff on duty at the time)

RESIDENTS

  • All residents are screened twice daily in Home/Hospital/AL
  • All residents screend once / day in IL Apts
  • Anyone returning from ARH are pre-screened and screened twice daily ongoing, including temp taking.
  • Any new move-ins (none from community, only acute) are pre-screened and screened BID ongoing.
  • Group residents activities stopped, smaller groups (providing they can maintain the 6 ft distance)
  • Newspapers cancelled.
  • All volunteers cancelled.
  • No inter-facility transfers.
  • Dining rooms are separated, residents as close as possible to 6 ft apart.
  • Apartments residents meals served to their suite.
  • Canada Post deliveries to be held 48 hours before delivering to residents.

Resident who tests Positive:

  • As above plus:
  • Needs to be managed in a private room.
  • Triangle ‘ALERT’ signage on door.
  • Enhanced cleaning with PPE.
  • Full PPE when entering room (as per our norm)
  • Caution tape on outside of door to unit.
  • Dining carts wiped down after use on the unit.
  • Maintenance/If essential work required, PPE on unit. All non-essential work postponed.
  • Pastoral care – no access to isolated resident
  • Palliative res in isolation – no family visits (a difficult decision!)
  • Pick up at door to unit – laundry/stores supplies/garbage)
  • No movement of staff between buildings

SUPPLIES

  • Supplies and inventory being reviewed daily.
  • Supplies centralized in stores as much as possible. Masks kept in nursing stations.
  • Isolation carts being inspected for contents numbered and moved to central location – Menno Hospital chapel.
  • Donations of goggles being received daily.
  • Plan to also discuss with pharmacy at ARH
  • LPNs at the Apartments to be educated on swab collection.
  • Tuck cart for Apartments residents – Tena products, toilet paper, etc.

VISITORS

  • Home, Hospital, Assisted Living: Visitation limited to palliative only. Families must wear PPO and be screened upon entrance and exit of buildings.
  • Independent Living: Registered Visitor Program

BUILDINGS/SITE

  • One primary entrance to each building.
  • Increase of signage
  • Hospital Conference Room – designated command post.
  • Enhanced cleaning of all surfaces twice/day.
  • Maintenance to wear booties at entrance and exit of unit. Garbage cans placed at entrances.

Some Encouragement – Good News

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Words of encouragement from a daughter:

Hi all,

I would like to offer heartfelt thanks for the care and planning that has been taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents of Primrose Gardens and Menno Place.  This must be an incredibly difficult time to be working in elder care, and I am sincerely grateful for all you do.

I talk to my mother every day, and she would also like to express her thanks for the measures that have been put in place to keep her and my dad safe.  In some ways, the new regime is actually helpful for them because of their mobility issues.  They love having the bistro morning fare and the noon meal delivered to their door, and my mother really loves the programming on the Menno TV channel.  She is enjoying John Dyck’s hymn singing (she sings along) and encouraging words, and the armchair exercise class.  They are looking forward to a time when they can all be together at the noon meal again, but in the meantime they are content to live life in their apartment.

Thanks again!

———-

To the Staff at Menno Place

Our dad is a resident in Menno Home. Late last week he sustained a fractured hip followed by surgery at the hospital across the street. He is now back home, in your care for which we are extremely grateful.

Our dad never wanted to go to the “home” but as he suffered increasingly from dementia we knew it was the best place for him. It has not been easy releasing him to this awful disease.  Dementia is not kind to anyone – not to dad, not to us and not to you who look after him. For the past two years you have cared for him compassionately and helped mom on so many occasions as she had to leave him again and again when it was time to say goodby for the day.

Now, as dad is possibly facing his last days on earth, we are not able to be with him. This grieves us and we are not quite sure how to navigate this reality. Was it not for Covid, we would be with him there right now!  Perhaps it is fitting that you who have cared for him, looked after his needs, monitored his health and comforted him on our behalf are now also tasked with this final act of grace and mercy.  May you do so knowing that we honor you and are grateful for your kindness, attentiveness and competence.

Dad did not want to linger – he has wanted to go to his heavenly home for a long time. As a family we are praying that it may be soon so that he can see Jesus face to face and “know his purpose” again.

With gratitude and appreciation, his family

————–

Here’s an encouraging text from another daughter:

Essential Deliveries only – Menno Home, Menno Hospital, Terrace East

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Essential Deliveries only to Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East

Delivereis must be essential for the resident’s survival. There will be few items that fit this category as we supply most of their needs, particularly in Home and Hospital. The list will be a bit different for Assisted Living, Terrace East. Essential items may be hearing aids, medical supplies, dentures, incontinence products.

We are NOT accepting (and this is really hard to do) flowers, personal packages, coffees, special gifts, cards, etc.

Thankyou for your understanding. We are working as hard as we can to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

 

For those in Independent Living (Pavilion, Terrace West, Primrose Gardens) – the Registered Visitor / Family member may bring groceries, laundry, medicine.

Seniors with Cars – Apartments – Letter

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We will deliver the following letter to every windshield of every car in the Terrace and Primrose Gardens parkades:

MEMO

Date:               March 25, 2020
To:                   Drivers of Cars parked in Terrace or Primrose Gardens Parkade
Re:                   COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS – SOCIAL DISTANCING

________________________________________________________________________

Dear Driver,

This is a notice to strongly caution you about going out in your car during this time of social distancing and COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS.

The Public Health Officer is ordering ALL citizens to practice social distancing. This means being 6ft or further from other people at all times. We know that the most vulnerable citizens to this illness are the elderly whom we love and serve here at Menno Place. We care about you and want you to get through this safely.

The Public Health Officer has warned us ALL to stay in our homes. For you, this means your apartment suite. We are here to help you organize alternatives for grocery shopping and pharmacy delivery. You no longer need to go to your doctor to renew a prescription. Phone your pharmacy.

If you go out, you are exposing yourself and ALL of those who live and work here to COVID-19.

If you need help organizing essential services such as grocery delivery, please call Nik (604.851.4006) to help you. We have volunteers from churches and within Menno Place who would love to serve you and help protect you.

Please know that this notice is written with your safety as our top priority. We love you and love the seniors who call Menno Place their home.

Respectfully,

Sharon Simpson, Director, Community Enrichment

COVID-19 PROTECTION: Independent Living: Pavilion, Terrace West, Primrose Gardens

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In order to follow the Public Health Officer’s Order to practice social distancing (6 ft away from each other), Menno Apartments is putting into place:

  1. Lunch meal will be served at your Apartment suite door beginning Thursday, March 26th. Dining room will be closed to all. This is in place until further notice.
  2. Only one door will be open for you to use to enter and exit the building – the front door. This is so that we can monitor who is coming and going through our buildings.
  3. You will be permitted ONE Registered Visitor/Family Member in addition to any healthcare services you receive from Fraser Health Home Health and medication deliveries from the Pharmacy. You will need to choose who will be your Registered Visitor / Family Member. This means that only ONE person will be entering your apartment besides the Home Health care aide.
  4. If you have a private housekeeper, you will need to decide if that person is going to be your Registered Visitor / Family Member. If not, they will not be permitted in the building.
  5. If you have a privately paid care giver, you need to connect with Nik to explain your situation – 604.851.4006
  6. To register the ONE Visitor/Family Member, they will need to go to this website: MennoPlaceLife.com/Register
  7. Practice Social Distancing. It will help you to figure this out if you imagine yourself already being infected. You don’t want to infect others, so you stay 6 feet away from them.
  8. Lounges, bistro and wellness areas are closed until further notice
  9. Recreation and Chaplains are going to do a survey to see what you need and what you’d like to keep you going through this strange time when you are asked to stay in your apartment suite most of the time.
  10. Recreation will be providing fun stuff to do in your Apartment suite. Tune in on channel 10 next week. We are creating programs for you to enjoy.
  11. Recreation will be bringing a library and puzzle cart around for you to get new books and puzzles each week.
  12. The chaplains will be providing spiritual care on channel 10 and you can also ask them to come to your apartment door to connect with you.
  13. You can go for walks. Stay 6 feet away from anyone, including your friend who is walking with you. You can take your scooter out and drive around. When you go out, don’t touch anything.
  14. DO NOT go to Abbotsford Regional Hospital unless you have an appointment there.
  15. We encourage you to get your medication delivered from a pharmacy. Rexall in Pavilion is closed. Please arrange medication delivery by pharmacy to your suite.
  16. One person in the elevator at a time – a couple may travel together.
  17. The best thing you can do for your own safety and the safety of everyone else in this building is to stay in your own apartment suite. Do not venture out. Phone your children and grandchildren. Do not go to their homes or let them come to your apartment.
  18. Are you driving? Driving around to get out is a good idea. Do not get out of your car. If you need gas, sanitize your hands after touching the pump.
  19. How do you get groceries and supplies? Recreation will bring a tuck cart to each floor every week with basic groceries such as milk, eggs, toilet paper, bread. If you need other groceries your Registered Visitor / Family member can bring those to you. Billing will be direct to your monthly billing statement. No cash or credit.
  20. Soap kills this COVID-19 virus. Wash your hands OFTEN – before and after using the bathroom, eating, going out of your apartment for an appointment and when you get into your Apartment building (before you go to your own suite).
  21. Recreation is starting a Buddy Phone System where you can pair up with somebody else in your apartment building to chat every once in a while.