Hello Everyone:
We hope you are all staying safe and healthy!
NO RESIDENTS are presenting COVID-19 signs or symptoms at Monterey Seniors Village. However, we recognize that this is an anxious time for you and your families, and we hope that by sending out bi-weekly updates, we can provide some reassurance to you on the care of your loved-one.
Should the status change in any respect, please know that we will immediately contact families.
Protocols
We are following the direction of our public health officials to the letter, and have full infection prevention and control precautions in place. Staff continue to monitor residents closely and are ensuring the following protocols are being adhered to:
• restricting ALL visitors from the premises
• ensuring no staff member is working in multiple facilities
• staff are working strictly within an assigned unit and not multiple units
• staff are removing outside clothing and footwear before entering the premises
• staff are screened for their temperature upon entrance to the building, and midway through their shift
• social distancing is occurring among residents in each facility, including during mealtimes
• appropriate application and removal of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the use of individual slings (cloth component of a personal lift).
• ensuring ongoing, environmental cleaning and increased frequency of high touch surfaces in order to break the chain of infection
• staff and residents are committed to regular/proper hand hygiene to break the chain of infection, by washing their hands with soap and water and applying hand sanitizer.
Recreation Program
The Recreation staff are conducting one on one activities while using physical distancing practices. The Recreation staff are also going room-to-room each day to check on each resident and to drop off activities to keep resident minds sharp. Again, please remind and motivate your loved ones to participate in these different activities. To the extent staff are able to facilitate Facetime and Skype for residents they are doing so, amidst their other duties. Please reach out to Recreation team by e-mail at montereylifestyles@retirementconcepts.com or call the team at 403-568-3105 to set up a schedule. We will be happy to confirm a date and time to connect you with your loved-one.
Dining Room:
We have set up socially distance friendly dining rooms. A temporary dining room has been set up on the third floor that accommodates 20 residents with priority to those with mobility issues (i.e. wheel chair bound, walker user). The main dining room has been modified to comply with the physical distancing guidelines as well.
Deliveries and Drop Offs:
All deliveries will be received at the front screening desk. This includes groceries, medications, gifts. All will be sanitized and delivered directly to the resident’s suites.
Dropping items off: We would ask that families please follow these guidelines as we know families want their loved ones to receive items in a timely fashion:
1. Please use plastic bags, no reusable bags.
2. Make sure to label all bags with resident name and room number.
3. Try to limit drop offs to essential items – as we are inundated with drop-offs
4. Please sanitize, if possible, the items before dropping off. We will re-sanitize as well, out of an abundance of caution.
Reminders for your loved one:
• The “No Visitor Policy” mandate by the Alberta MOH on April 03, 2020 is still in effect in Monterey Senior’s Village.
• Exceptions:
• For residents at the end of life
• Sites (Monterey) may in rare situations make an exception and allow One Essential Visitor where the resident’s care needs cannot be met without their assistance.
• No Visitor Policy means:
• Family/Friend socializing in the smoking area with residents is NOT allowed. One visitor may visit outside the fence of the smoking area. Smoking area is for residents only at this time; also, to help with social distancing.
• Family/Friend picnic/sharing food outside the building in/outside Monterey premises is NOT allowed as this is a non-essential visit.
• Family/Friend socializing at the front door is NOT allowed – despite the visitor using Full PPE and socially distanced as this is a non-essential visit.
• Resident personal business (i.e. accounting/tax work) is not allowed at this time. External clients are still non-essential visitors even if they do not come inside the building, they do come into Monterey’s premises.
• An essential visitor, designated by the resident or guardian (or alternate decision maker), may be a family member or friend over 18 years of age.
• No visiting pets
• Additional conditions from Monterey for Essential Visitors:
• Must submit to and pass the pre-screening at the door every time.
• Must wear full PPE and will keep it on throughout the duration of the visit inside the building. They must also stay in the room of the resident and not go to common areas in our building
• Regarding essential items. We will continue to receive food items and other essential items from families for our residents with some conditions:
• No flowers allowed.
• All items received at the front door must be disinfected by the receiving staff.
• Items must go directly to resident’s room.
• Food items must not be shareable to other residents. Only the resident receiving it will be the one to eat it
NEW: We ask residents to sign out/in when going out the building for smoke or walks. We want to increase monitoring of our residents for their health and safety during this pandemic period.
Thank You
We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience during this difficult period.