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Hello Everyone,

As we communicated to you yesterday, the B.C. Ministry of Health is now announcing all the COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care, assisted living and independent living homes that have occurred since March 2020. This new process is intended to increase transparency and consistency in the way outbreaks are reported to the public by the province.

 

As you know, our home experienced an outbreak in the past year, which was very difficult for residents, families, staff and management. Specific numbers including COVID-19 cases and numbers of those who died due to the illness will be reported publicly.

 

This news may be difficult for our families and staff members, especially those who’ve lost someone due to the illness. We wanted to make sure you were aware this will now be available.

We have been reporting to you what we have been permitted while following the previous directions on case communications. This information will now be available to all.

 

We are thankful that our residents and staff are starting to recover .

 

We appreciate everyone’s tremendous support.

Should your loved one need to be tested, you will be contacted by phone and kept up to date on any results. General results will be updated in these emails.

If you wish to not receive these daily emails, please let us know. You may still follow the updates on our webpage.

We have now implemented a booking program for phone calls with your loved one. We will be using a cordless phone that a staff member will take to residents which will enable us to ensure proper sanitization between uses. To book your time, Please email Rcc-recreation@retirementconcepts.com or call 604.255.7723 ext 135. Please be patient as we are expecting this to be a busy program. Thank you so much for your understanding and support.

 

Dropping off of gifts is possible with a few requirements:

          -Items must be sanitized and be able to be re-sanitized at Renfrew.

          – Please have in a plastic (not a reusable) bag with the name and room number clearly marked

          – No flowers or perishable food items

          – Please only leave during the hours of 10am-5pm to ensure it is received.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the recreation team at the above email and phone number.

 

We understand the below information may seem repetitive, however we want to ensure we communicate often and that our families have quick and easy access to this information should they need to contact us. These communications are also posted to our website after they are sent out to you. If you have other family or friends that wish to be updated, please feel free to direct them to www.retirementconcepts.com

We thank each and every one of our residents, staff and you, the families and friends, for your continuous support and understanding as we navigate thru this pandemic.

Staff will continue to wear personal protective equipment and we have implemented additional outbreak control measures that aim to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses. This includes placing the second, third, fourth and fifth floors on outbreak precautions and enhanced surveillance to ensure the safety of our residents and staff. We will also limit interactions where necessary, such as meal times (meals will be delivered to resident’s rooms) and visits to Renfrew Care Centre will not be possible at this time.

These measures will continue for the foreseeable future to ensure the safety of your loved ones.

VCH Public Health continues to work closely with Renfrew Care Centre to determine which staff and residents may have been exposed in order to prevent further infections. We assure you that if your family member, or person you are the primary contact for, is diagnosed with COVID-19 you will be contacted directly by phone and they will receive the care they need.

We have heard concerns from some families about possible language barriers. We do have several staff that speak multiple languages and they do communicate in the language most comfortable for the resident whenever possible.

We recognize that this is a challenging time and we appreciate your patience and support. Please know that we will keep you informed about the safety and well-being of your loved ones. We remain committed to the health and safety of residents, families and staff and we are all working diligently to control this outbreak.

For further information on COVID-19 visit the Vancouver Coastal Health information page http://www.vch.ca/covid-19 or call HealthLink BC by dialing 8-1-1.

For families with any outstanding questions, or who require emotional support or assistance navigating the Healthcare System, please contact the PHC/VCH LTC Family Support Line at 1-844-824-2219 or 604-875-4953.  Please note that the PHC/VCH LTC Family Support Line cannot provide specific resident status reports.

For information regarding the status of a resident at Renfrew Care Centre, please contact

Ying Chow, General Manager, Renfrew Care Centre, at: 604-216-2330 (direct line) or 604-255-7723 ext 145

 

Alternatively, you may also contact Simi Sharma, Regional Director of Operations at ssharma@wcshm.com or 1-604-375-0774