Hello Everyone!

Welcome to our latest updates at Kamloops Seniors Village! The 12 Days of Christmas are upon us! The holiday spirit looks a bit different this year, but staff, tenants, and residents are enjoying the safe festivities we have been enjoying so far this month!

With the continuing increase in COVID-19 numbers, especially in the Lower Mainland and other health authorities, restrictions will remain in effect for our tenants and residents and families.  We will be continuing to follow the direction and recommendations of our provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and our general NO VISITOR policy remains in place.

Please check out our most recent updates/changes:

• All visitors, staff, tenants and residents will be required to wear a medical grade mask while in Kamloops Seniors Village. The mask MUST be worn at all times and for the duration of your visit to the building, as well as the entirety of the 30 minute visits.
• The Provincial Health Officer directive further states persons living in the Fraser Health and/or Coastal Health regions are required to remain in their home area, and not to travel in or out of their Health Authority. This has resulted in visits from out-of-town areas such as the Lower Mainland and Alberta being cancelled until at least January 8, 2021.
• The December 2020 Visit Schedule is underway and visits can still be scheduled every 7-10 days depending on availability. The January 2021 Visit Schedule commenced on December 15, 2020.  Please submit designated visitor requests to Carollyn Anderson at canderson@retirementconcepts.com.  This person will be changed ONLY in cases of extreme emergency, or in the event that the family member lives in one of the restricted areas.
• Email Carollyn with requested date(s) for visitation which are filled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and allow 72 hours for reply. A waitlist will be set up for cancellations.
• We ask that our resident/tenant families give your very best effort in reducing community outings 14 days prior to your scheduled visit and be mindful & aware of your immediate bubble to keep your loved ones safe
• AND PLEASE NOTE: Should the community have any type of outbreak, visits will cease immediately

You, as family members play a key role in the continuing success of this Visitation Plan.  As we all work together to closely follow Health Authority protocols, should any family member not adhere to the safety parameters that we have in place, they will be asked to leave.

Window Visits are continuing with the same following guidelines:

1. Please plan visits with a limit of up to 6 people (window Visits only)
2. No open windows, please use telephones
3. For all residents in Complex Care, window visits can still be safely scheduled and supported through the care staff.

 Recreation Program

The KSV Team is working hard to bring some Christmas spirit to our residents and tenants. We have been incorporating Christmas decorating, music, carolling, crafts, baking, movies, and stories all throughout the month and will continue to do this up until Christmas Day. We have also had a total of 8 Christmas Light drives over the past 2 weeks for both Residential Care and Assisted Living in replace of the annual Seniors Light Tour.

On Residential Care, we will be delivering some small presents to all residents in the 2 days before Christmas. On Christmas morning, all residents will have a present to open from their staff “Secret Santa”. They will also be offered a special treat with their morning coffee! We are also offering Skype/Facetime visits on the days leading up to and including Christmas morning (December 21, 22, 23, 24, 25).

If you would like to book a Skype or Facetime visit with your loved one please email Erica at ebuckingham@retirementconcepts.com. At this point, there are only 3 10-minute time slots left available for Skype/Facetime visits on Christmas morning, so please get in touch with Erica as soon as possible if you are interested in booking a time.

On Assisted/Independent Living we will be doing a Wine and Cheese delivery on Christmas Eve along with a small gift from Kamloops Seniors Village. On Christmas Day, brunch will be served with delicious waffles, strawberries, & whipped cream, along with a special treat for their coffee! A traditional Christmas Dinner will be served in the evening. We are also offering Skype/Facetime visits on the days leading up to Christmas (unfortunately, not including Christmas day). If you would like to book a Skype or Facetime visit with your loved one please email Erica at ebuckingham@retirementconcepts.com.

Deliveries and Drop-offs:

All deliveries will continue to be received at the front desk and will be sanitized, bagged and we will call the tenants to come and pick up their items right away.  Please ensure you label all items with name and room number to ensure all packages are received as quickly as possible.

Reminders for your loved one to Stay Safe:

Please help us by reminding each resident daily of the following four items:

1. Practice social/physical distancing (6 feet apart)
2. Perform proper Hand Hygiene (Wash hands frequently for 20 seconds with the alcohol-based sanitizer or soap and hot water) 20 seconds or greater is so important.
3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
4. If exhibiting any symptoms (fever, cough and difficulty breathing) please alert staff immediately.

 We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience during these ever-changing circumstances.  We wish you all a safe and healthy Christmas and Holiday Season!