Hello Everyone!
We hope you are all staying safe and healthy! It is so important to follow the directions to keep yourself and everyone else safe. We are happy to report today we have no new resident or staff displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 here at Rosemary Heights Seniors Village.
With the extreme weather warning that has been announced for the Lower Mainland, it’s more important than ever to stay hydrated! A great reminder read below from our own dietician, Nilou.
Seniors are more at risk for dehydration; partly because older adults have reduced thirst signals. By the time seniors are thirsty, that’s already an indication of early dehydration! Also, because of how the body composition changes with age, older adults have less water in their bodies to start with that younger adults or children. But it’s more important for seniors to stay hydrated because dehydration can lead to dizziness; this can lead to fainting and increase seniors chance for falls.
Why do we even need fluids? – water is necessary for almost every body function! It lubricates our joints, regulated our body temperature, helps keep blood pressure normal, and moves nutrients and waste through the body – so not getting enough can have serious health consequences!
Signs of dehydration are thirst, dry lips and dry mouth, flushed skin, headache, dizziness and fainting, dark yellow urine, low blood pressure and increased heart rate. How do I know if I am getting enough? If your urine is clear, you are most likely well hydrated. Being dehydrated for a long time can cause difficulty walking, confusion, fast heart rate, etc.
The best way to prevent this – drink, drink, drink! Water is best, but sparkling water, mineral water, milk even soup count towards your fluid intakes too! If you are drinking coffee and tea, try to limit to maximum two cups per day. Try half juice and half water, maybe some herbal teas, soy milk or almond milk or any other alternative milk you haven’t tried, add lemon or lime to your water, slice different fruits in your water to infuse it (ie cucumber and mint, or oranges and lemons) or use a nice colorful water jug to make it easier to get those fluids in! Some people find putting an alarm on their cell phone helps them remember – do whatever helps you! Some vegetables are also very high in water and will contribute to your fluid needs; for example, cucumber is 96% water, and zucchini is 95% water!
Also try to limit high sugar drinks like pop etc. Juice is ok if its 100% fruit juice, but keep in mind if you are diabetic to drink a diet juice or stick to water.
If you need more creative ideas at home to drink more – make popsicles! You can mix one-part vanilla Greek yogurt with one-part fruit (a high water fruit like melon or berries) make a delicious homemade popsicle!
| If drinking water fills you up and causes bloating, drink little sips throughout the day. The amount of fluid you need depends on age, gender, how active you are. A young child might need 3-5 cups water, but older adults need a few cups more – aim for 6! | |
| If you are visiting a loved one at Rosemary Heights, try to encourage them to drink some water while you have some yourself – let’s all try to keep well hydrated this summer. |
BC’s Restart Plan
As outlined in the BC Centre for Disease Control’s (BCCDC) Restart Plan, the Step 2 milestone of June 15th will be kept and the easing of restrictions and new guidelines for a number of public activities will be put in place. Please click the below link to see the specific guidelines that build on the steps implemented in We are in Step 2 of the Restart Plan:
BC’s Restart: A plan to bring us back together – Province of British Columbia
CHANGES IN LONG TERM CARE
We have submitted our health & safety plan to Fraser Health for review and are awaiting approval before we can proceed with this change in our community to transition to the Special Care Dementia Unit for responsive behavior residents; Behavior Support Transition Neighborhood (BSTN).
The unit is intended to meet the special needs of our residents with more specialized recreation programs, clinical programing and increased staffing again to support the needs of this specific client population.
Once we get the clear go ahead we will let you know before the changes take place.
Father’s Day
We want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that kindly donated to Canadian Cancer Society’s Plaid for Dad campaign. Our team, Rosemary Heights Seniors Village (RHSVstrong), raised over $300.
A big thank you to our recreation team and culinary departments for making Fathers Day BBQ so much more special.
Dining
Our Spring-Summer Menu has now launched and our residents will be enjoying seasonal produce and delicious new Entrée items such as BBQ options, Chicken Caprese, Arugula salad, & Moroccan Fish just to name a few!
Summary of the “In Building” social visitation guidelines:
We will continue to have a Screener/Greeter at the front doors which all visitors must come to and be pre-screened, temperature taken and sign in. You will also be provided a sanitization kit that contains a medical graded cleaning wipe and ask that help do your part & clean high touch areas before you leave from your visit. If you do not have a medical grade mask one will be provided for you. The guidelines state you can have 2 adults and 1 child (18yrs or younger) at a time in your suite following all guidelines. When the visit is over, they must sign out and go directly out. Please remind your family and friends that in order to keep everyone safe, we will continue to keep track of all visitors in the building.
For the safety of all of our residents & staff, and to minimize the possible risk of exposure we are requesting that visits occur in your loved one’s suite/room only, please do not access common areas, any patio areas, dining areas or walk hallways. No food or beverage are to be consumed by any visitor during the in person visit within Rosemary Heights (however residents can).
As a reminder, the vaccine is not 100% effective, and there are new variants going around that may not be prevented by current vaccines. Please remind your loved ones not to relax the practices of hand hygiene, physical distancing, and other safety measures that will keep them safe and healthy.
HOW TO BOOK A VISIT:
To request visit times/dates email this address rhsv-familyvisits@retirementconcepts.com for visitation.
DO
DO NOT
X Remove your mask at any time
X Please do not touch your mask (sanitize hands if so)
X Do not drink or eat during your visit
X Drop in without an appointment
Our team members first & main priority is the wellbeing & care of our residents that reside at Rosemary Heights.
Family/friends can bring in food/beverage only for the resident you are visiting and visitors are advised not to partake in consuming any food or beverage during your visit, keep your mask on at all times. This is also printed on the sign in waiver form a visitor signs every time you come in for a visit, if you are unable to adhere to appropriate precautions, you will be excluded from visiting.
Outings
Long term Care: If you would like to take a resident out, you must still schedule this in advance. Please give the Nurses on the floor as much notice as possible, preferably 24hrs prior, so they can ensure your loved one is ready.
Independent/Assisted Living: You do not need to schedule an outing for our IL/AL residents because they are able to meet you out front or at the door. Please arrange this directly with the resident. If you need to come up to the suite to assist the resident prior to the outing, then a scheduled visit is required.
We strongly recommend all residents follow the current Public Health Officer (PHO) order on gatherings and events.
Essential Visitors: Please know that if you are already an essential visitor you will continue to be at the request of your family member. Please note that all visitors are required to wear a medical mask when coming to visit their loved one. Cloth masks are no longer acceptable.
NO visitors will be permitted at Rosemary Heights if an active outbreak is in progress.
Recreation Program
We are happy to assist with virtual visits via FaceTime, Skype, and zoom, and we can arrange for phone calls with your loved ones.
The recreation team has been doing an amazing job keeping our residents engaged with gardening, darts, shuffle board, music therapy, and almost everyone’s favorite BINGO! Scenic bus trips have been a popular program not just for the drive but because ice cream is involved. A big welcome to new recreation team members Cassidy and Shama, we are thrilled to have you part of our team!
We will continue to offer scheduled video calls for those families who live out of town or are unable to come in for any reason. Please connect with Jaylene Smillie in our recreation department by emailing jsmillie@retirementconcepts.com or by calling 778-545-5000 ext. 1007.
Hair Salon
The hair salon is open! Please contact Rhonda to set an appointment, phone number is 604-626-5449 and her email address is pace_rhonda@hotmail.com.
Deliveries
**Delivery hours are between 9am- 3pm, 7 days a week**
All deliveries 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.
Please do not drop off items after hours, it may be left outside until the designated time listed, if you do, you will be taking your chances & we will not be responsible for anything that is left after hours
We ask that families share this information with all parties you believe will be in contact with your loved one. We have all worked so hard together over the last year, please remain diligent in your current practice to help keep our home a safe place.
If you have any questions or general inquiries, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact Maggie, General Manager at mamirani@retirementconcetps.com or call 778-545-5001.
Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and patience as we travel this journey of the new normal together providing a safe and healthy environment for both you and your loved one.
– Your team at Rosemary Heights Seniors Village (RHSV)