Important Updates – Menno Place Life – For Residents and Families

Do You Know What To Do In An Emergency?

May 3, 2026/in Apartments, Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates

Natural hazards may be beyond our control, but there are ways to reduce the risk and the impact of whatever emergency we might face.

Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3-9, 2026) encourages people in Canada to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their household during emergencies. This special week is a national effort lead by Public Safety Canada, provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector.

By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. It is important to:

Know the risks – Although the consequences of disasters can be similar, knowing the risks specific to our community and our region can help you better prepare
Make a plan – It will help you and your family know what to do
Get an emergency kit – During an emergency, we will all need some basic supplies. We may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency

Visit Canada.ca (or your EMO or local website – the Abbotsford site is here) for more resources to help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies.

This week, take concrete actions to be better prepared. Please do your part! Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to help people cope better – both during and after a major disaster. Get an emergency kit now – it can make a world of difference.

Emergency Resources

The following pages go to canada.ca where you’ll find specific instructions and helpful links to help you get prepared and stay prepared. Click on the type of disaster below to go to the safety information.

LTC: Meet the Social Worker

May 1, 2026/in Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Families and Caregivers of Long-Term Care Residents are warmly invited to drop in and connect.

Family & Friends Caregiver Support Group: Spring 2026

May 1, 2026/in Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Family, friends and caregivers from Menno Home and Menno Hospital are invited to our Spring /Summer Caregiver Support Group.

As family and friends you share similar experiences, and you are not alone. Many emotions can arise by having your loved in long term care. Our support group will meet to share stories and support each other through the difficult moments.

Our Caregiver Support Group is about having a safe place to talk about your emotions, connect with other family, friends and caregivers, learn how to support your loved one in care, and gain tools to assist you in taking care of yourself. Our hope is that you will feel encouraged, supported and strengthened to continue this ongoing journey.

How it works:

The Family and Friends Support Group will be a closed group with a maximum of 10 members, and a minimum of 5 members. This is to create a safe and familiar space where you can build trust with other members over time and feel comfortable sharing with one another. Registration will be on a first come first serve basis. There will be a total of 5 sessions in this series with dates as follows:

Dates: May 21, June 4, 11, 25, and July 2
Time: 2:30 -3:30 pm
Location: Menno Home Chapel

Topics include:

Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Secondary Stress Syndrome
Ambiguous Loss and Grief
Understanding behaviors
Coping with difficult emotions
Communication (how to have a good visit, effective communication)

After this group has completed, another group will be started in Fall of 2026. Members who have completed a Family & Friends Caregiver Support Group series can register again for another group in the future.

The group will be facilitated by Menno Home Social Workers Kim Wiebe and Melina Maarhuis, and Menno Hospital Social Worker Dan Janzen.

For more information and to register please contact Menno Home Social Worker kim.wiebe[at]mennoplace.ca (604)851-1361

Thank You Volunteers!

April 19, 2026/in Apartments, Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Ignite Volunteerism is a year‑long, international initiative that celebrates the power of civic participation and the meaningful impact volunteers have in our community. In recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 19–25, 2026, we proudly celebrate the generosity of our volunteers who dedicate their time, skills, and energy to serving the residents of Menno Place.

Our 150 volunteers support our recreation, rehabilitation, and pastoral care programs, and their commitment enriches lives every day. We extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every volunteer for their dedication, compassion, and unwavering service.

“I’m so thankful for our volunteers, whose heart and compassion are evident every time they engage with and support our residents. I’m always inspired by their commitment and care for our community” – Audrey Mazzei, Volunteer Coordinator

If you would like more information about how to volunteer at Menno Place please go to: mennoplace.ca/volunteers/

Fire Equipment Safety Testing Apr 13-17, 2026

April 8, 2026/in Apartments, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Fraser Valley Fire Protection will be on our campus April 13 – 17 to conduct our annual fire equipment inspection as required by code. For residents in the apartments a technician will need to enter each apartment. The technician will be wearing a uniform shirt with the Fraser Valley Fire Protection logo on it. Residents do not need to do anything during the test and can stay in their apartment while the test takes place. The test is brief but it can be loud. Residents are asked to remain seated during the test and keep out of the way of the technician.

Please note these tests will cause the fire alarms to sound briefly. They may also cause the fire panels to beep. The bells will turn on and off quickly. In the event of an actual fire alarm the bells would sound and keep ringing.

Announcements will be made in each apartment building at lunch to remind the residents. Each day that the technicians are here they will begin around 8am and work their way through each building floor by floor. We are not able to predict when they will reach each room. For the apartments the testing usually lasts most of the day.

The schedule for 2026 is:

Monday, April 13, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. – Menno Hospital
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. – Pavilion
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. – Terrace East and West
Thursday, April 16, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. – Primrose Gardens
Friday, April 17, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. – Menno Home

If you have any questions for Menno Home and Menno Hospital please contact Garry Janzen. For the apartments please contact Leonard Klassen.

Fraser Health Resident Satisfaction Survey – Menno Home

April 7, 2026/in Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates, Menno Home

MEMO

Date: March 30, 2026
To: All Residents of Menno Home, Their Families & Friends
Re: Fraser Health Resident Satisfaction Survey – Menno Home

Dear Residents and Families of Menno Home,

At Menno Place, the comfort, care and connection of our residents are top priorities. In support of this work, beginning this month, we will be partnering with Fraser Health on a resident satisfaction survey for our residents in Menno Home.

This short survey will be made available to both residents and families and will cover a variety of program areas. Feedback received will help inform future updates or changes to services to improve residents’ experiences in our care community.

A Fraser health staff member will be on site administering surveys on April 16^th from 9am- 5 pm. You are invited to attend and participate on behalf of your family member.

You may also help your family member to complete the survey using this link by the scheduled survey date, at a time that works for you.

Survey link: https://tinyurl.com/LTCMenno

The survey link is also available on posters with QR codes located throughout our care community. The survey will be closed after the scheduled survey date.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Smitha Varghese,
Director of Care
604 851 1337

LTC: E-Signature for Spring COVID Booster Consent

April 2, 2026/in Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Menno Home and Hospital are excited to launch an electronic signature system for our electronic medical records that enables primary contacts for residents in long-term care to easily provide consents regarding their loved one. Using an electronic signature (E-Signature) is a quick, easy and secure way for primary contacts to provide consents regarding their loved one. You’ll be able to respond to requests for consent through email and can easily print copies of any documents for your own records. At this time the system is for primary contacts of residents in Menno Home and Menno Hospital only.

Note: Emails requesting consent will come from OneSpan signers@e-signlive.ca . The system refers to documents as “packages” so you will see language like “Menno Place has added you as a Signer to the e-Sign Package “Covid Immunization Consent” for example.

Instructions for how to use an e-signature can be found here: How to Use an E-Signature for Medical Consent Forms

Request for Consent coming April 7 -10

Primary contacts will be emailed between April 7 – 10 with a request for consent for the Spring COVID booster. If you do not receive an email please check your junk folder.

The email will look something like this:

If you have any questions please contact the nurse on your loved one’s unit.

LTC Family Council Meeting: April 27, 2026

April 1, 2026/in Family and Friends - Stay in Touch, Family Council, Important Updates, Menno Home, Menno-Hospital

Menno Place Long Term Care (LTC) Family Council invites you to join our next meeting on Monday, April 27 from 12pm – 1pm.

Join us in-person or online to be a voice in decision-making that affects our loved ones and all long-term care residents. Lend your observations, experiences, ideas, and work together to improve the resident experience at Menno Home & Menno Hospital.

DATE: Monday, April 27
TIME: 12pm – 1pm PDT
LOCATION: Menno Place Conference room in Menno Hospital OR join online

To find the conference room come into Menno Hospital through the main entrance and sign in at the visitor table. You’ll find a short hallway off to the left just past the reception desk. (This is the same hallway where the restrooms are located.) Go through the door at the end of the hall and the conference room will be on your right.

How to join online :

Send an e-mail to the Family Council (mennoplacefamilycouncil[at]gmail.com) to request a meeting invitation. All Family Members and Friends of a long-term care resident at Menno Place are welcome to join and participate in the Family Council.

For more information about the Family Council go to: https://mennoplacelife.com/family-council-home-and-hospital/