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Dear Friends and Family of Peace Portal Seniors Village Residents;

Happy Halloween!

As of today, we have no Covid-19 cases remaining at Peace Portal Seniors Village. This morning we were able to clear our last positive resident. Fraser Health Authority has recommended the resident remain in isolation and on droplet precaution for the next 14 days as an extra measure of safety.

At this time, there are no new staff or residents with symptoms. We want to thank our families for their kind words and patience getting to this point. While we are cleared of active cases in the building, we are still under strict Outbreak Precautions to ensure no new cases arise.

Point prevalence swabbing has been discontinued as the Medical Health Officer directed, and we will only be swabbing residents on site if they become symptomatic.

All residents remain isolated in their rooms where meals are delivered, and they are monitored closely. We had our Mid-Outbreak Audit yesterday with the Fraser Health’s Covid-19 Response Lead for our site, and we’re excited to announce that we had no outstanding action items from our Audit. This means we have entered Step Down Phase as of today.

The Step Down Phase doesn’t mean our Outbreak is over, but it means that Fraser Health Authority allows us to remove the droplet precautions from all our residents who tested negative. Our one recently cleared positive case will remain on droplet precautions for an additional 14 days out of an abundance of caution, as previously mentioned. Residents will continue to isolate in their suites for another 2 weeks, as long as there are no more symptomatic residents, until the Outbreak is declared over by Fraser Health Authority.

As directed by Fraser Health Authority, our residents will be allowed a gradual return to common area usage where they will be interacting in cohorts.  Within a 4-8 week period post Covid Outbreak, we will return to pre-Outbreak Pandemic Practices.  In an effort to prevent another Outbreak at Peace Portal, we will increase our infection control practices and revisit how our staff interact with residents in cohorts.  Families will be informed once the Outbreak is declared over, at which point family window and in-person visits can be resumed, with precautions. Over the next 2 weeks, we will retrain our team on Covid-19 Protocols frequently to ensure that they are aware of all procedures to be followed should a resident become symptomatic.

If your loved one becomes symptomatic or needs to be swabbed, we will call the family and inform them of what’s transpired.

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 ther 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.

Our dining room remains closed, family visitations are cancelled – including window visits – and all group activities are paused. Unfortunately, we will not be able to permit window or family visits during step down. After the outbreak is declared over in 14 days, we will resume these visits with precautions.

For those inquiring about essential services, we are now resuming Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy visits in the building. The Dietitian has also resumed in person services as of today. Dental, Foot Care and Hair Care will be resuming after the Outbreak is declared over by Fraser Health.

For those inquiring, Flu shots cannot commence until after the Outbreak has been declared over. Please be assured that intense safety precautions will be implemented to keep everyone safe and healthy.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to staff, residents and families for their continuing calm, support and daily encouragement. It is truly appreciated. Staff morale is high, and their positive attitude is passed on to our residents.

Fraser Health Authority Advice:

Fraser Health is onsite daily to advise Peace Portal Seniors Village on all protocols and operations, which include:

1.  Education of each shift of staff on hand hygiene and safety protocols, including those related to personal protective gear – putting it on, taking it off and performing job functions while wearing it – and we also audit staff to ensure compliance, as does Fraser Health.

2.  Staff is assigned into cohorts designated to a specific floor or area.  Staff does not work beyond their area, and this reduces the opportunities for Covid-19 spread.

Activities:

Caring for the Peace Portal Seniors Village Community is our top priority, and our team is dedicated to ensuring consistent, loving and supportive care at all times.

Thank you to everyone sending (emailing) us “two thumbs up” photos!  Please feel free to email us a photo!

Communication:

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.  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 lived ones will be notified immediately.

At this time, Face Time or virtual visits are not available for positive residents due to Fraser Health Authority protocols that must be followed.

Protocols:

Peace Portal Seniors Village follows protocols established by Fraser Health Authority as well as the Office of the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Center for Disease Control.

We will continue to act upon the latest advice of those who regulate us, and will adapt our operations as necessary and as recommended.

The Outbreak Period is re-evaluated on a daily basis following additional new positive test results.  We will advise families of a definitive Outbreak conclusion date once Fraser Health Authority informs us of it.

Deliveries:

All deliveries will be happily received at the lobby entrance vestibule.  This includes medication deliveries from pharmacies, as well as gifts and mail from friends and family.  All items will be sanitized and delivered directly to resident suites. Please no fresh fruits or vegetables for delivery as Fraser Health has advised against this at this time.

Dropping items off:

We ask that families please follow these guidelines to ensure loved ones receive 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.           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.

Acknowledgements:

We wish to thank families and loved ones for their continuing patience and cooperation.

Please join us in extending our sincere appreciation to the Peace Portal Seniors Village staff, who are dedicated to keeping your loved ones safe and in good spirits.

Thanks again to all of you for your continuing support of Peace Portal Seniors Village.