Dear Tabor Village Community:
I am writing to provide an update on the Outbreak of COVID-19 at Valhaven Care Home.
Unfortunately, an additional staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member has mild symptoms and is self-isolating at home. Please join me in praying for her speedy and complete recovery. A new case means that the outbreak of COVID-19 that was declared on April 25 at Valhaven continues.
An outbreak is declared when at least one staff member or resident tests positive for COVID-19. To ensure the greatest level of safety for vulnerable older adults, an outbreak is typically declared over, in consultation with the medical health officer, after 28 days with no new COVID-19 cases. You will be contacted when this outbreak is declared over.
The health and safety of older adults and staff is the first priority and a responsibility we take very seriously. Tabor Village continues to work with Fraser Health to ensure the following measures are in place to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 at Valhaven:
- ensuring that staff wear a procedure mask that covers their mouth and nose, eye protection and other personal protective equipment as recommended;
- enhancing our daily cleaning practices;
- maintenance of 2m of physical distance in dining rooms, staggered meal times, tray service or other strategies
- cancellation of group activities and client gatherings, while providing one-to-one activity as appropriate;
- visitor access restrictions and screening measures for essential visitors visiting an actively dying resident;
- continuing active staff screeners to screen all staff;
- continuing ongoing staff education;
- priority access to necessary supplies such as masks, eye protection and gowns;
- grouping of staff and residents to prevent cross over between well and sick individuals
Staying away from your loved one is very difficult and you are thanked for cooperating with this request with the goal of keeping older adults and staff healthy. Please continue to reach out to your loved one through closed window visits, teleconferencing and phone calls.
Tabor Village staff will continue to provide care and services to all older adults living at Valhaven and at the Clearbrook campus to ensure their safety and well-being while maintaining routines where it is safe to do so. Should there be changes related to a loved one in care you will receive an update from the care team directly.
Victoria Day Long Weekend
As we go into the Victoria Day Long Weekend, please continue to follow the safety measures that you have embedded into your daily routines. Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Medical Health Officer, this week provided examples of how beginning on Tuesday, May 19 you might expand your social contacts. She encourages you to keep your social circle small and your visits shorter, and outside where possible, not to share food and drink and to continue sitting six feet or greater apart. When expanding your social bubble, do so with others that you trust will limit their size of their social circle just as you also limit the size of your social circles.
Remember that every time you include someone outside your household, you are also connecting with everybody in their household, their parents, their brothers and sisters, and others who may be in their expanded circle. That can be a lot of people.
Maintain Safety Measures to Support Tabor Village’s
Health Care Heroes!
For these reasons, Tabor Village is asking you to continue to shelter in place as much as possible and to go out as minimally as possible. This is the best way you can support health care workers at Tabor Village who are regarded with the highest esteem by the entire community for their personal sacrifices in choosing to care for vulnerable older adults throughout the pandemic. For their sake, please continue to follow the safety measures to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 remains controlled.
Together as a community, continue to pray for the protection of all of the Tabor Village community and that the outbreak is declared over in the new future at Valhaven.
Open Door Communication
Our goal throughout the pandemic is to ensure that communication channels remain open. You are encouraged to reach out to myself or your loved ones care team with any questions or support you need as you continue to ensure the safety and wellness of vulnerable older adults and the health care workers who selflessly provide them with ‘Care from the Heart’.
TONIGHT ON GLOBAL NEWS HOUR AT 6PM!
One of our very own health care heroes from Tabor Village will be featured.
Tune in from 6:45pm - 7pm to catch this special superhero and get that popcorn ready!
Check it out at the link below:
Yours sincerely,
Dan Levitt, MSc., CHE
Executive Director
604-859-8715 ext. 102
