Information about visits:
LONG TERM CARE: At this time the Medical Health Orders for Long Term Care (Menno Home and Menno Hospital) do not include physical visits with residents unless they are palliative, in which case there can be a visit with one person at a time wearing full PPE (personal protective equipment). There are no in-person visitors otherwise in Long Term Care.
WHAT KIND OF VISITS IN LONG TERM CARE: Other types of visits in Long Term Care (Home and Hospital), include visiting from a balcony or through a window at an arranged time. Our nursing teams have been creating these possibilities for families. Call the nursing station on your loved one’s unit to make an arrangement.We also offer Zoom call meet-ups which are booked online through www.MennoPlaceLife.com. These are only available for residents in Home and Hospital.
ASSISTED LIVING / INDEPENDENT LIVING: For Assisted Living (Terrace East) the Medical Health Orders are no visitors but the residents are allowed to walk around the campus. Families have had socially distanced visits with their loved one outside, all wearing masks and following the parameters (below). For Independent Living (Primrose Gardens, Terrace West and Pavilion) we have created a Registered Visitor program that allows one person to connect for essential services and grocery delivery. Loved ones have visited outside with masks on, socially distancing.
PARAMETERS FOR AL/IL OUTDOOR DISTANCED VISITS: For socially distanced visits with residents in Assisted or Independent Living, there are parameters to the outdoor visits. The parameters are: you must all wear masks (covering nose and mouth), you must be 6 feet apart at all times, you may not come in groups, you may not enter the apartment building for any reason unless you are the Registered Visitor for IL. You must practice hand hygiene (washing with soap and water OR hand sanitizer) and respiratory etiquette (coughing or sneezing into the elbow). You may not come if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 including sore throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, chills, headache or unexplained fatigue. Every one of our staff are asked about these symptoms TWICE during their shift as a safety measure. Visitors must also exercise this vigilance.
LIVING WATERS GARDEN – This is a lovely space that has been a good location for appropriate social distance visits. Unfortunately, we have had groups of 20+ come for visits. We have also witnessed lack of social distancing. It is under consideration how we can monitor this space in order to continue to leave it open for residents to enjoy. We have security monitoring on weekends. We do not want to close this space.
Remember that every socially distanced visit you have is an opportunity for your loved one to be exposed to a virus that can take their life.
VIGILANCE: There is COVID-19 that has taken the lives of seniors in care homes within walking distance of Menno Place. Yesterday’s news announced a COVID-19 outbreak across the street at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. We are vigilantly testing as symptoms are identified (both staff and residents) and continue to receive negative test results. This week, the Fraser Health COVID-19 Prevention and Protocl Auditor did an audit of all of our buildings and was pleased with the level of communication and infection control protocols that we exercise throughout all six of our buildings. Menno Place does not have COVID-19 and for this we continue to be grateful.
