facebook

Monday Nov 16th

Hello Family and Friends of Rosemary Heights:

The good news was short lived as we have had a staff member become ill over the weekend and out of extreme caution the staff member will be getting tested for COVID 19. This staff member is currently home in self-isolation, and we will notify you once we learn of the results.   No residents here at Rosemary Heights have displayed any symptoms related to Covid-19 at this time.  We continue to monitor all residents & staff daily for any symptoms.

Even though we have been notified that the outbreak of COVID-19 that was declared over on our Long term care unit, and with the recent new staff member becoming ill on the Independent/Assisted Living building, out of extreme caution, we will continue to have all residents remain self-isolated in their rooms until we receive the test results for the staff member.  All recreation programs have been paused, and meals will be served via room service until further notice.  We have encouraged all residents to call the staff with any concerns or needs should they need anything 24/7. With the changes to meals being delivered via room service, times may be slightly delayed.

Please continue to communicate positively with your loved one daily. For privacy and confidentiality, we will ask that residents not question staff members as to who this team member could be, this places our staff in an uncomfortable position and we are respecting the privacy of everyone.

We have commenced and will continue the Step Down Phase in Long Term Care, as long as no further residents or staff show symptoms related to Covid-19.

In long term care we will be slowly opening our dining rooms and Assisted Living will remain closed, family visitations are cancelled, and all group activities are paused.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to permit family visits during this time.

Today, we will commence zoom, skype, & FaceTime calls for all resident’s in Long term care, sadly IL/AL will be on hold.  Calls will resume Monday, and some changes will occur.   Please allow the team to get this restarted, and we will let you know when you can reach out to the team for booking timed slots.

Flu shots cannot commence until after the Outbreak has been declared over.  We do have the vaccines already at the community, and will administer the flu shots to all residents once we get the approval to do so.  Please be assured that intense safety precautions will be implemented to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Communication

We will continue to communicate with all families via email on a daily basis, until further notice.

In the event of a positive Covid-19 test result for a staff member or resident, we will provide all families of residents with a daily email update that will also be posted under Retirement Concepts Covid-19 Updates on our website.  We also phone the families of residents if their loved one has tested positive.  Should the condition of any specific resident change, their family and loved ones will be notified immediately.

For your knowledge, here is an example of what would happen if a resident becomes symptomatic over the next two weeks:

1) Resident will be isolated to their suite and placed on droplet precautions.

2) Resident will be swabbed for Covid-19 as well as the Flu, and family will be informed.

3) Resident will have cohorted care.

4) If the results are negative, the resident will be lifted off droplet precautions, as long as their symptoms resolve.

5) If the results are positive, we will begin our 28-day Outbreak Protocol and follow the directives of Public Health in order to minimize and contain the spread.

Deliveries

Monday – Friday 10am-2pm, and Saturday 1-3pm only, closed to all Sunday deliveries

All deliveries for all resident floors will be received at the lobby entrance vestibule.  This includes medication deliveries from pharmacies, other gifts, and mail.  All items will be sanitized and delivered directly to the residents’ suite.  Deliveries for all areas including Long term care 1st & 2nd floors along with Independent/Assisted Living can now be delivered.

When dropping items off, we would ask that families please follow the following guidelines to ensure loved ones will receive their deliveries in a timely manner:

  1. Please use plastic bags, not reusable bags;
  2. Please label all bags with the resident’s name and suite number.
  3. In consideration of staff-to-resident priorities as well as infection control, please try to limit drop offs to essential items; and.
  4. If possible, please sanitize the items before dropping off. We will re-sanitize as well to be safe.
We are trusting that you and your families are following the Provincial Health order in a cumulative effort to flatten the curve.  Below is what the order has stated.
 

The order is in effect from November 7, 2020 at 10:00 pm to November 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm.

Social interactions and gatherings

Socialize only with those in your immediate household. No gatherings of any size.

Do not invite friends or family to your household.  Funerals and weddings may proceed with your immediate household only. Funeral or wedding receptions at any location are not allowed, including reception events held at community-based venues.  This includes events of fewer than 50 people

Group physical activities

Businesses, recreation centers or other organizations that organize or operate indoor group physical activities must suspend these activities. This includes:

Spin classes, Yoga, Group fitness, dance classes, any other group indoor activity that increases the respiratory rate.  Indoor sports where physical distancing cannot be maintained are suspended. This includes activities like; boxing, martial arts, hockey, volleyball, basketball

These activities can be replaced with individual exercise or practice that allows everyone to maintains a safe physical distance.  Indoor group physical activities can only resume when the business has updated their COVID-19 safety plan and received plan approval from their local Medical Health Officer.

Workplace safety

All businesses and worksites must conduct active daily in-person screening of all onsite workers using the COVID-19 symptom check list that is part of every business restart safety plan. Workplaces must ensure that all workers and customers maintain appropriate physical distance and wear masks when appropriate. Extra care should be taken in small office spaces, break rooms and kitchens

Party-buses and limousines

Party-buses and group limousines must stop operations immediately. Resuming operations is at the discretion of the PHO and may extend beyond November 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm.

Travel

From November 7, 2020 at 10:00 pm to November 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm travel into and out of the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley should be limited to essential travel only.

Enforcement

During a public health emergency under the Public Health Act, the PHO can make orders as needed. You must follow the orders.  Orders can be enforced by police or other compliance and enforcement officials. People who don’t follow the order could be fined.

Acknowledgements

We know that this is a stressful time and we want to ensure we keep everyone healthy, and we will continue with the safety protocols even if some feel they are extreme, this is what we need to do right now.

We wish to thank the families who continue to send us positive, thoughtful kind words of encouragement and we thank you in advance for their anticipated patience and understanding, we do know how stressful this situation can be for you & especially for our residents.

A huge thank you to everyone on our team at Rosemary Heights for your hard work, grace, and persistence!

Wishing each of you continued safety and excellent health.

Stay safe, stay calm, and stay kind.

– Your team at Rosemary Heights Seniors Village (RHSV)