COVID UPDATE – MARCH 7, 2021 – SAFE VISIT UPDATE

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COVID-19 Update – March 7, 2021 – Safe Visits

Menno Home – We are pleased to announce that all Designated Visitors of Menno Home residents in E1, E2 and W1 received a phone call last week informing them that the safe visit program is once again available.

Last week was the first week of safe visits for the residents of Menno Home E2, survivors of the COVID outbreak in their unit. This was an emotional time for both families and residents with three days of visits focused on this unit.

The Safe Visit program is a government-funded program whose funding was guaranteed until March 31, 2021. Although we have not had written confirmation of continued funding, we are continuing to provide the safe visits, hiring new staff to carry on where previous Visitation Hosts are not able.

The new Visitation Hosts will begin their work April 1st. Until that time, we are grateful to three casual Visitation Hosts who are picking up shifts enabling us to offer safe visits to all of the Menno Home units in March.

The Safe Visit program continues with the same protocols and guidelines as it had prior to the outbreak and prior to vaccination. We have not heard that there will be any changes to the program.

You can read about the Safe Visit program here: https://mennoplacelife.com/safe-visits/

Menno Hospital – We are operating the Safe Visit program at capacity with many happy residents eager to visit their loved one. Menno Hospital has been using a microphone/speaker system that enables residents to more easily hear their visitor. This is such a success, we have ordered one for Menno Home as well.

Terrace East – We continue to have one Visitation Host providing Safe Visits for the Assisted Living residents in Terrace East. The demand for these visits does not fill the booking calendar, so there is opportunity for Terrace East visitors to book more visits if you would like.

W1 Home is off droplet precautions!

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We are thrilled to let you know that W1 Menno Home is off droplet precautions!

Residents can come out of their rooms.

This is an exciting day! Way to go Menno Home W1 TEAM!!!

Vaccination Updates – Menno Place

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Vaccination Updates – Menno Place – February 13, 2021

Menno Hospital – 2nd doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were given to the residents today.

Menno Home – We are expecting that 2nd doses of Pfizer-BioNTech will happen mid-March, but have not received confirmation of the date.

Terrace East – Assisted Living – 2nd doses of Pfizer-BioNTech will be given to residents on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. This is only for residents. Staff and any visitors who were vaccinated will need to book their 2nd dose through the Fraser Health online booking. For 2nd dose information, contact connect@mennoplace.ca

Independent Living – Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion

EngAge BC has just received confirmation that independent living residents will receive COVID-19 vaccinations in phase two of the vaccine’s roll out (subject to supply). As such, it is expected that vaccines could begin to roll out in independent living as early as the beginning of March. This timing will coincide with the vaccination of home health employees.

FEBRUARY 1 – HOME W1 – Total new positives = 1 (T=2)

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COVID POSITIVE – February 1 – 2020 – Menno Home W1

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1
TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 2 (0 residents / 2 staff)

We are sorry to report that there is another COVID positive for W1. This is also a staff member.

We will have a round of point-prevalence on February 4th for residents and staff – this is the baseline COVID swab testing. We will need to continue on precautions until Febraury 12th if there are no further positive results.

All residents have tested negative. 100% of the residents have received COVID vaccination on this unit.

 

JANUARY 29 – HOME W1 – Total new positives = 0 (T=1)

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COVID POSITIVE – January 29 – 2020 – Menno Home W1

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0
TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (0 residents / 1 staff)

All residents of W1 were given a COVID swab test. All of their tests have returned negative!

We do not have all the results of the swab from the staff at this time.

JANUARY 28 – HOME W1 – Total new positives = 1 staff (T=1)

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*NEW* COVID POSITIVE – January 28 – 2020 – Menno Home W1

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1
TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (0 residents / 1 staff)

We are very sad to bring you this news today. We were informed yesterday and processes have been put into place today. There is NO impact to the other units in Menno Home at this time.

NOTES:
  • One staff member is COVID positive. This is unrelated to any other cases of COVID in Menno Home. This staff member was asymptomatic, but infectious during their shift on January 23/2021. We believe that this was community transmission to the staff member. After becoming symptomatic, they informed Menno Place and we informed Fraser Health.
  • W1 residents have returned to droplet precautions and continue to co-hort staff.
  • 100% of the residents on W1 have been immunized with the first dose of COVID-19 Pfizer/Biontech vaccine
  • 95% of residents in long-term care (Home, Hospital) and Assisted Living (Terrace East) have been vaccinated. Residents who aren’t vaccinated have a variety of reasons, primarily medical conditions which increase medical risk
  • 94% of our staff have been vaccinated. Staff who aren’t vaccinated have a variety of reasons: unable to take the opportunity to get vaccinated; illness that prevents vaccination; personal convictions. Vaccination for staff is not mandatory, but is encouraged for the protection of the staff and residents.
  • Point-prevalence testing (COVID swab testing) for all residents and staff on W1 is taking place today.

BEST NEWS EVER – HOME E2 OUTBREAK DECLARED OVER!

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COVID Update – January 23, 2021

BEST NEWS EVER!

Menno Home E2 is officially declared OFF of outbreak!!!!
Tell the E2 Staff how much you appreciate them! https://mennoplacelife.com/encourage-frontline/ We are so sorry for the losses brought by this COVID-19 outbreak. The 13 residents who succumbed to COVID are not forgotten. We are grieving. We are also so grateful that the outbreak was contained to only one unit.
We thank God that it is OVER!
We await word from Fraser Health on how the STEP-DOWN process will be rolled out.
Please fill out the above form and thank KAREN BIGGS, CEO and KIM SCOTT, Infection Control Lead and Director of Care.
Thank the whole team – they gave it their all – and it was a battle. We think of the 25 staff and 42 residents who battled this virus in their own bodies – and wish them a complete recovery.
Thank you, families, for your amazing support throughout the outbreak – you have faced the fear of this virus all the while without seeing your loved one. E2 Families – THANK YOU.
And now hug the people you can – and let yourself breathe a little lighter.
We did this together and we did the best we could.
Well done, TEAM!
It is OVER!

Home E2 – What happens after the outbreak is declared over?

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Home E2 – What happens after the outbreak is declared over?

We continue to anticipate that Home E2 will have the outbreak declared over. When this happens, we will enter a Step-Down process that is a phased approach to return to activities, dining together, movement throughout the unit and safe visits.

This Phased approach continues to prioritize the safety of residents, the strict adherence to infection control protocols and the best practices of other care homes that have come off of outbreak. Phases take place over the 8 weeks following the outbreak being declared over.

We are excited that in the first phase, the unit can come off of droplet precautions!

Dining together and safe visits will be part of the 2nd phase of the Step-Down process.

Home E2 will have a Step-Down process in place that is specific to the needs of that location and in consideration of the nature of this outbreak. Fraser Health and the Medical Health Officer provide direction for us in all of these steps. Staff continue to be cohorted to work in only ONE unit.

We do not expect safe visits to begin for at least 4 more weeks depending on how the Step-Down process moves along.

If there is a COVID-19 positive of staff or resident, Home E2 will return immediately to outbreak.

We will keep you posted as we learn more about this process – and hope that this outbreak will be declared over in the next several days!

COVID UPDATE – JANUARY 18 – MENNOPLACE

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COVID UPDATE – JANUARY 18, 2021

MENNO HOME E2

We are working with Fraser Health and the Medical Health Officer to determine when we can come off droplet precautions/isolation and call the outbreak off.  January 19th is another point-prevalence COVID swab test for Home E2. Click for most recent details about Home E2 Outbreak.

INDEPENDENT LIVING – PAVILION

Pavilion is off of isolation. Isolation ended January 17th at midnight as there are no further COVID positive cases in the Pavilion. Please continue to practice all infection protocols – hand hygiene, wearing a mask, social distancing by 6 feet.

INDEPENDENT LIVING – VACCINATION

We continue to anticipate that Independent Living residents will receive vaccination shortly. Please hand in your completed PARIS consents to Reception.

Be prepared for when it is your turn! Follow these steps – CLICK HERE

COVID UPDATE – JANUARY 15 – MENNOPLACE

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We are pleased to let you know that the daily updates will now become less frequent as we anticipate coming off droplet precautions and isolation. If there is news, it will be posted and emailed to you at 5am the following day if you subscribe to our Family and Friends Newsletter.

Menno Place staff will begin receiving their 2nd dose vaccination January 18th, 35 days after their 1st dose. Residents to follow.

COVID UPDATE – JANUARY 15, 2021

MENNO HOME

We are working with Fraser Health and the Medical Health Officer to determine the next steps. Great news – Menno Home E1 and Menno Home W2 are off of droplet precautions!

Next steps are to assess whether or not we can take residents in Menno Home E2 off of droplet precaution – and when we can call the outbreak OVER! Once all the residents are off of droplet precautions, we will work to re-start the Safe Visits program. Residents received their 1st dose of BioNTech Vaccine on January 13th. They will receive their 2nd dose 35 days later, around Feb. 19th. Essential visitors (what are the guidelines?) qualify for vaccination. Please contact Garry.Janzen@MennoPlace.ca for instruction if you are an essential visitor.

MENNO HOME E2 – COVID OUTBREAK

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0
TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 67 (42 residents in Menno Home E2 & 25 staff Home E2)
PASSED AWAY = Total = 13 residents
RECOVERED RESIDENTS = 27

MENNO HOSPITAL

Safe-Visits continue. Residents received their 1st dose of BioNTech Vaccine on December 31st. They will receive their 2nd dose 35 days later, around February 4th. Essential visitors (what are the guidelines?) qualify for vaccination. Please contact Garry.Janzen@MennoPlace.ca for instruction if you are an essential visitor.

ASSISTED LIVING – TERRACE EAST

Terrace East residents were vaccinated on January 2, 2021. They will receive their 2nd dose 35 days later, around

Essential visitors (what are the guidelines?) qualify for vaccination. Please contact Garry.Janzen@MennoPlace.ca for instruction if you are an essential visitor.

INDEPENDENT LIVING – PRIMROSE GARDENS, TERRACE WEST, PAVILION

Pavilion continues to be on isolation. Isolation will end on January 17th at midnight if there are no further COVID positive cases in the Pavilion.

We continue to anticipate that Independent Living residents will receive vaccination shortly. Please hand in your completed PARIS consents to Reception.

Be prepared for when it is your turn! Follow these steps – CLICK HERE