October 2, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – CALLED OVER BY MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER!

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COVID UPDATE – October 2, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak CALLED OVER!

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

MOST RECENT COVID CASE = September 22, 2021

We are so pleased to tell you that the COVID outbreak in Terrace West has been declared OVER! Visitors may resume to visit with residents in their apartments. You must sign-in for contact tracing in the event of another COVID exposure. Masks are mandatory in common areas. Unvaccinated individuals must wear a mask for the full duration of their time in the building. Fully vaccinated visitors are encouraged to keep their masks on for their visit as a layer of protection for their elderly loved one. There are no unvaccinated service providers permitted in the building. This includes housekeepers, foot care, personal care or companionship. This is by order of the Provincial Health Officer.

We have lost 3 residents in Terrace East to COVID during the Terrace East outbreak (which continues). This reminds us that, although full vaccination is the best protection for the elderly, there is still a vulnerability for our elders, particularly when they have other health considerations. Please encourage your loved one to follow all safety protocols, including wearing a mask, keeping a six foot distance from others and practicing hand hygiene. Those who attend church are encouraged to wear a mask for the whole service. There are increased protocols by the Provincial Health Officer for the eastern part of the Fraser Valley, including Abbotsford. This is due to some of the lowest vaccination rates in the province as well as increasing cases of COVID. Now is the time to be cautious, particularly for the elderly. We appreciate your support in encouraging safety measures for your loved one. As you know, if one resident in the building is COVID positive, it can put all residents in isolation which is very challenging for both residents and families.

October 1, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – New COVID positive = 0 (T=1)

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COVID UPDATE – October 1, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

MOST RECENT COVID CASE = September 22, 2021

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. Terrace West outbreak protocols continue – no social visitors. Only essential visitors permitted in the resident apartments. Please connect with Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment (604.851.4020) if you would like to speak about a concern with your loved one and their specific circumstances.

There have been several symptomatic residents who have been swabbed in the past week and are being monitored. The Medical Health Officer considers all the factors when making a decision to call the outbreak off.

September 29, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – New COVID positive = 0 (T=1)

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COVID UPDATE – September 29, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

MOST RECENT COVID CASE = September 22, 2021

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. Terrace West outbreak protocols continue – no social visitors. Only essential visitors permitted in the resident apartments. Please connect with Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment (604.851.4020) if you would like to speak about a concern with your loved one and their specific circumstances.

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The residents who were swabbed and put on isolation as a result of contact tracing from the Terrace West index case are no longer on isolation!! Families have been contacted.

NOTE – Some residents remain on isolation. Residents on isolation due to a return from Hospital or due to COVID symptoms are not released from isolation in this announcement. You will receive individual information that pertains to your loved one.

We continue with the Outbreak orders by the Medical Health Officer including no social visitors, lunch served to each apartment suite and no gathering of residents. Essential deliveries can be brought into the foyer of Terrace West and the resident may meet you in the foyer to pick up deliveries.

If you were (in the past) a Registered Visitor, please note that this program is no longer active. There are no social visitors allowed in Terrace West.

September 28, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – New COVID positive = 0 (T=1)

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COVID UPDATE – September 28, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

MOST RECENT COVID CASE = September 22, 2021

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. Residents swabbed and put on isolation as a result of contact tracing from the Terrace West index case are no longer on isolation!! Families have been contacted.

NOTE – Some residents remain on isolation. Residents on isolation due to a return from Hospital or due to COVID symptoms are not released from isolation in this announcement. You will receive individual information that pertains to your loved one.

We continue with the Outbreak orders by the Medical Health Officer including no social visitors, lunch served to each apartment suite and no gathering of residents. Essential deliveries can be brought into the foyer of Terrace West and the resident may meet you in the foyer to pick up deliveries.

If you were (in the past) a Registered Visitor, please note that this program is no longer active. There are no social visitors allowed in Terrace West.

September 27, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – New COVID positive = 0 (T=1)

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COVID UPDATE – September 27, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. Residents on isolation remain on isolation. Residents who have returned from hospital or who are symptomatic are tested for COVID and put on isolation. We continue with the Outbreak orders by the Medical Health Officer including no social visitors, lunch served to each apartment suite and no gathering of residents. Essential deliveries can be brought into the foyer of Terrace West and the resident (not on isolation) may meet you in the foyer to pick up deliveries.

If you were (in the past) a Registered Visitor, please note that this program is no longer active. There are no social visitors allowed in Terrace West.

September 24, 2021 – TERRACE WEST (IL) OUTBREAK – New COVID positive = 0 (T=1)

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COVID UPDATE – September 24, 2021 – Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 (1 residents TW | 0 staff)

There are no new cases of COVID to report today in Terrace West. All of the residents who were put on isolation by Public Health due to contact tracing have been swabbed and all tests have returned negative. These residents remain on isolation and await further instruction from the Medical Health Officer as they have been directly exposed to a COVID positive individual.

Here is the memo that will be delivered to Terrace West residents today. It will answer many of the questions that you may have about how you can support your loved one living in Terrace West.

MEMO
Date:             September 24, 2021
To:                  Terrace West (IL) Residents re: Terrace West on Outbreak
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We are sorry to inform you that a resident of Terrace West was diagnosed with COVID-19. The Terrace West apartment building has been declared on Outbreak. This means that there are specific enhanced infection control protocols that need to be followed to ensure that COVID does not spread further.

What does it mean for those on isolation? All residents who were in contact with the COVID positive resident have already been placed on isolation have all tested negative for COVID. They must continue to isolate and wait for direction from the Medical Health Officer. They have a cart outside their apartment door and anyone entering must wear full personal protective equipment.

What about those who are not on isolation? If you are not on isolation, you are asked to follow all enhanced infection control protocols wearing a mask when you are with anyone else, practicing hand hygiene, staying in your suite as much as possible and staying 6 feet apart from others. Don’t visit in each other’s apartment suites. This also means answering a Fraser Health nurse who will ask you twice a day if you have any COVID symptoms. Your noon meal will be delivered to your apartment suite.

What about visitors? Only essential visitors may enter this apartment building or your suite. The Medical Health Officer has to approve anyone to be an essential visitor. The process for application and approval is to phone Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment to explain your situation – 604.851.4020. Anyone who doesn’t live with you is considered a visitor including housekeepers, family, friend. Loved ones can enter the foyer to drop-off essential items such as groceries to you.

Home Support Services: If you receive home support services to assist you with activities of daily living (getting ready in the morning or night, showering, medicine) from Fraser Health, carry on as usual. If another organization provides you services, please notify Reception (604.851.4004) to ensure they are permitted entry as an essential service.

Can residents who are not isolated go out? Yes. You may leave the apartment building. This includes walks or going out with a loved one. It also includes medical appointments. This is a time to be cautious about going where there are large groups (stores, restaurants or church). This virus is very contagious and the elderly are still the most vulnerable to it. Use all your layers of protection: mask, hand washing, 6 feet distance.

Memo from Fraser Health – Terrace West (IL) Outbreak

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September 23, 2021

Dear Families of Menno Terrace West – IL,

We are writing to notify you that someone at Menno Terrace West – IL was diagnosed with COVID-19. The Fraser Health COVID -19 team is working with the staff at the facility to identify anyone who may have been exposed and to take steps to protect the health of all residents and staff.

This exposure does not mean that your family member is sick with COVID-19. Residents and staff will be screened twice-daily for any signs of illness. Those who develop symptoms will be isolated, tested for COVID-19 and provided the care they need.

The health and safety of our residents and staff is our first priority and a responsibility we take very seriously. To date, as part of our proactive management, Fraser Health has worked to ensure the following measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this care home:

  • ensuring that staff wear a procedure mask that covers their mouth and nose, eye protection and other personal protective equipment as recommended;
  • enhancing our daily cleaning practices;
  • maintenance of 2m of physical distance in dining rooms, staggered meal times, tray service or other strategies
  • cancellation of group activites and client gatherings, while providing one-to-one activity as appropriate;
  • visitor access restrictions and screening measures for essential visitors.

Additional measures being taken now that there has been a positive case identified include:

  • providing active staff screeners deployed by Fraser Health to support site to screen all staff
  • providing ongoing staff education by Fraser Health and facility based staff
  • priority access to necessary supplies such as masks, eye protection and gowns
  • grouping of staff and residents to prevent cross over between well and sick individuals

Your loved one may be required to isolate based on their exposure and COVID-19 vaccination status. We know that staying away form your loved one is very difficult and we appreciate your cooperation with the goal of keeping residents, staff and medical staff healthy.

Our staff will continue to provide care and services to our residents to enhance their safety and well-being while maintaining routines where it is safe to do so. We will also keep you up-to-date on any changes related to your family member’s health status.

For general information about COVID-19, call 811, or visit HealthLinkBC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-covid-19.

If you have further questions, please contact Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment, 604.851.4020

September 23, 2021 – TERRACE EAST OUTBREAK/ TERRACE WEST EXPOSURE – New COVID positive = 0 (T=9)

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COVID UPDATE – September 23, 2021 – Terrace East Outbreak / Terrace West Outbreak

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 0

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 9 (8 residents TE / 1 resident TW | 0 staff)

PASSED AWAY TODAY: 0 (T=1 resident TE)

We are sorry to report that Terrace West is now on OUTBREAK. As per the Medical Health Officer’s recommendation, Public Health has now placed Menno Terrace West (Independent Living) on outbreak. We will know more tomorrow how families can support their loved one while on outbreak. Fraser Health will be providing staff for additional support in the apartment building. Please pray for the residents of Terrace East who are on their 11th day of isolation. Please pray for the residents of Terrace West as they, too, begin their time on isolation. Please pray for the staff as they navigate not only the infection control protocols at work, but also in their own homes and lives.

We are waiting for four resident’s swabs to come back from the PPT testing that was done in Terrace East on Sept. 21st. All received so far are negative! The same is true for the staff PPT results. These come more slowly as the results are reported through a different process. So far, also all negative!

What do Outbreak precautions entail?

No social visitors in Terrace West

Enhanced cleaning throughout

Meals provided to the tenants apartment suites

No gathering together, no dining together, no group activities

2 meter distancing to be maintained as much as possible

Staff cohorted to one building or one floor if possible

Restricted movement of staff and residents

Daily symptom checks for all residents

Signage placed at entrance to indicate Outbreak

Symptomatic residents will be tested and isolated – twice daily COVID symptom checks

Isolation carts with PPE outside symptomatic, COVID positive or isolation resident’s apartment suites

Staff actively symptom monitoring at start of shift by screener and self-monitoring

Symptomatic staff remain at home until tests results are received and they are cleared to return to work

Follow up guidance daily by Public Health and the Medical Health Officer. Additional liaison supports provided to Menno Place.

 

 

 

September 22, 2021 – TERRACE EAST OUTBREAK/ TERRACE WEST EXPOSURE – New COVID positive = 1 (T=9)

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COVID UPDATE – September 22, 2021 – Terrace East Outbreak / Terrace West Exposure

NEW COVID POSITIVE CASES = 1 – TERRACE WEST 

TOTAL COVID POSITIVE CASES = 9 (8 residents TE / 1 resident TW | 0 staff)

PASSED AWAY TODAY: 1 (T=1 resident TE)

We are sorry to report that one resident from Terrace East(TE) has succumbed to COVID-19. Our condolences are with the family who will miss their loved one. In addition, we are sad to report that there is 1 positive COVID resident in Terrace West (TW). We have connected with the Public Health Officer who has ordered that the meals be delivered to residents in Terrace West. Several residents who were identified in contact tracing were tested for COVID. Families have been informed.

Yesterday, all residents and staff  in Terrace East were swabbed in our 2nd point prevalence testing. CLICK HERE to learn more about what Point Prevalence Testing is and why it is used in a health care facility. There are no positive COVID results from the ones that have being reported to us. Not all results are in.

There are several residents who are still in hospital as the disease has progressed. Please pray for these residents that they would feel the presence of God as they are living with the impact of COVID.

We will have more information about visits to Terrace West tomorrow after we speak with Public Health.

If you are supporting a loved one in Terrace West or one of our other apartment buildings, please raise the level of protection for your loved one by using all layers of protection –  hand hygiene, fewer visitors, mask wearing at all times, vaccination. Please ask your own loved ones about any mild symptoms they may be experiencing – CLICK HERE FOR SYMPTOM LIST.

September 14, 2021 – MEMO for Independent Living Residents: Primrose Gardens, Terrace West, Pavilion

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This memo was distributed on September 12, 2021 to residents living in Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Pavilion

There are 2 COVID positive residents in Terrace East. As a result, new Public Health Orders are in place for Terrace East that include droplet precautions for residents on the 5th and 6th floors (as well as COVID testing) and no social visits or outings for any residents in Terrace East.

One COVID positive resident was returned from Abbotsford Regional Hospital after receiving a COVID swab but BEFORE they received the results. They found out later that they are COVID positive. This created risk for others (residents and staff) to contract COVID.

As a result, we have created a poster that we will put on every apartment door that tells your loved ones who to call if you need to go to hospital or are discharged from hospital. This includes a short visit to the Emergency Room. We can only ensure COVID protocols are in place if we know that you are returning to your home at Menno Apartments.

The risk of getting COVID in the community has now increased as COVID is spreading in Abbotsford. We strongly recommend that you do not go out unless it is essential for you to do so – like seeing your doctor. This includes re-thinking whether or not you will attend church. If others aren’t wearing masks at church, the risk of contracting COVID increases.

If you do go out, wear a mask at all times. Cover your nose and mouth. Stay 6 feet away from others. Sanitize your hands frequently. The medical masks in the foyer are the best safeguard masks for you and are the best protection for those around you as well. Don’t come to the dining room for meals if you don’t feel well. Call Reception to arrange your meal.

It is also mandatory for you to wear a mask within your apartment building and in your apartment suite if you are with someone else. This is an added layer of protection for you from this very contagious Delta variant of COVID. Vaccine is not 100% protection, but it is the BEST protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. There are still fully vaccinated individuals contracting COVID and going to intensive care. Of the fully vaccinated in ICU, the majority of them are over 70 years old. This is still a dangerous illness for the elderly, especially for those who have multiple health issues.

We are pleased to remind you that we have a very high percentage of fully vaccinated residents and staff. We are finding in the Menno Home outbreak that the severity of the symptoms is significantly less for those vaccinated than for the unvaccinated. This is very good news. It reminds us, however, that it is essential to report even the mildest of symptoms to the nursing team or to Reception. See below for list of symptoms.

If you are unvaccinated, your risk of contracting COVID is 11 times greater than the vaccinated. Menno Place residents and staff were vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which is 88% effective against symptomatic disease and 96% effective against hospitalization. We did get our vaccine some time ago, so the efficacy of it has decreased. Use ALL your layers of protection! Get vaccinated if you are able to!

If you have any symptoms (below) that are new to you or getting worse, call 604.587.3936 and book a COVID swab test for yourself at 32470 Haida Drive, Abbotsford, BC.

If you are unsure if you should be tested, call the Fraser Health Virtual Care Team at 1-800-314-0999 between 10am and 10pm seven days a week to talk about your situation. Be sure to tell the Receptionist (604.851.4000) or myself if you are going for a COVID swab test.

If you have any questions, please call me,

Cheryl Dawes, Manager, Community Enrichment – 604.851.4020

 

Do you have any of these COVID symptoms – even mildly? Get tested!

 

Fever or chills? Cough? Unproductive cough?
Sore throat? Extreme fatigue or tiredness?
Body aches? Muscle aches? Diarrhea?
Difficulty breathing? Loss of sense of smell or taste?
Loss of appetite? Headache?
Nausea or vomiting?  

Poster: