JMPC Newsletter for the week of April 14, 2022

Updated for the week of April 14, 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Hello Everyone,

We continue to plod along during this pandemic. I can tell you that we are tired and fed up with masks, eye protection, and swabbing etc but also very thankful and appreciative of all the support that we have received from you over the past 2 years. We are enjoying seeing so many people in the Home having some great visits with residents. However, we are also finding that we are experiencing our most significant staffing situations since the pandemic started due to an ever increasing number of close contacts screening out, and then while out, becoming positive themselves. Additionally, we are also seeing a rising number of essential caregivers and general visitors testing positive during the rapid testing process.

Our outbreak in Lilac Knoll continues to go along as well as can be expected. We currently have 3 active cases with our most recent case becoming positive on April 12. That means that we went back to day 0 towards our 10 days of isolation. It is really important that all essential caregivers entering into Lilac Knoll, don all PPE and keep it on the entire time they are in the Home. It is very difficult to control the spread of COVID given the resident population in Lilac Knoll so this requires us to enhance all other opportunities for us to reduce the spread. It is a partnership for sure and we value all of our important roles that will help us to get through this outbreak.

We have had new direction that impacts residents who go out for social or overnight absences. No longer will residents have a rapid antigen test on Day 2, but they will continue to have a PCR test on Day 5 following the absence.

On Monday April 11, the Fixing Long Term Care Act, which is the new Act and Legislation governing LTC Homes across Ontario took effect. We are still learning about everything that this entails given that we just received the document April 6. As we gain a better understanding we will begin featuring elements of this with you through this newsletter platform.

On April 13, Residents were excited to have a special Easter treat cart featuring

Unicorn pudding topped with whipped cream and sprinkles

Cheesiest carrot bags were a hit!

Rainbow cupcakes and Strawberry daiquiri and margarita mix punch!

Please keep reading to see what will be happening over the Easter weekend at the Home.

Finally, we thought we were getting our new coffee bar set up in the 2^nd floor Library area today. Unfortunately the wrong coffee maker was delivered. We are waiting to hear from the company as to when we can expect the correct coffee maker. This has taken much longer then first planned, but this seems to be the case with so many things during a pandemic.

If this is your first time reading our newsletter, I would encourage you to go to this link where you will find the previous newsletters should you wish to view them. Should you ever not want to receive these newsletters, please follow the prompts on the newsletter at the bottom to unsubscribe. Also, if you ever feel that you would prefer to not have a picture of your loved one included in our Family Newsletter, please reach out to Bobbie-Joe at bblackburn@lennox-addington.on.ca or by calling at ext 7224.

Chat with you in our next newsletter which will be in your inbox on April 29^th 2022. If there are substantial changes prior to that, we will certainly send out a special update prior to our regular newsletter.

Have a great week,

Angela Malcolm

Director

Designated Essential Caregivers Booster Dose

All Designated Essential Caregivers who are now eligible must provide proof of having their 3^rd Booster Dose in order to maintain continuity of your visiting schedule at the Home.

For designated essential caregivers who are currently not eligible for their 3^rd booster dose, you will have until May 23, 2022 to obtain and provide proof of your 3^rd booster dose in order to maintain continuity of your visiting schedule at the Home.

Designated Essential Caregivers

Designated Essential Caregivers not fully vaccinated (2 doses only):

Your visit is confined to the resident's room for your visit.
For those not yet eligible, you have until May 23 2022 to have your third dose in order to continue to be permitted into the Home with no disruption to your visiting schedule.
Rapid antigen testing is required every day you enter inclusive of the 15 min wait time for the results. Screening questions must be answered each time as well.
Medical grade masks must be worn at all times whether visiting indoors or outdoors.
No consumption of food or drink on the premises. (ongoing Ministry Directive)

Fully Vaccinated (3 doses) Designated Essential Caregivers:

There is a maximum of 4 essential caregivers that can be designated by the resident/POA, and a total of 4 per resident can visit at one time for indoor visits. Posted room occupancy limits still apply. (ie residents rooms have a capacity of 3 plus the resident)
There is no limit to the number of people per resident at one time for outdoor visits.
A rapid antigen test is required for indoor visits only.
Rapid antigen testing is required every day you enter inclusive of the 15 min wait time for the results.
The screening questions must be answered each time you enter including taking your temperature.
Medical Grade Masks must be worn at all times whether visiting indoors or outdoors.
No consumption of food /drink on the premises. (ongoing Ministry Directive)

Changes for those Not Yet a Designated Essential Caregiver:

All requests to be a designated essential caregiver must already be fully vaccinated (3 doses) and provide proof before they will be approved.
All residents/POA may select a maximum of four designated essential caregivers. (For residents who already have more than 4 designated essential caregivers prior to Dec 15 2021, they can remain in place)

Changing Designated Essential Caregivers:

These changes in essential caregivers will be considered by the Home in very limited circumstances.

Window /Outdoor Visits: We do support window/outdoor visits for those not wanting to enter the Home. These window/outdoor visits will occur in one of the MacDonald Hall non-opening front windows or under the covered patio at the front of the building only. The RSA staff will be available during visiting hours (from 2:30pm-4:30pm and 6:00-7:00pm) to assist residents in getting to/from their pre-booked window or outside visit. This visit will need to be pre-booked using our online booking platform that you can find here. https://www.picktime.com/JMPC

Please note that there is a maximum of 4 individuals that can visit indoors with a resident at a time and all persons must have a mask on for the entire duration of their visit. No eating, drinking, smoking by non-residents at any time while on the JMPC property.

NOTE: Individuals coming for an outdoor visit must still go through the screening process (not rapid antigen test) prior to the visit.

General Visitors

General Visitors:

All General Visitors must have at least 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and provide proof to the screeners to gain entrance.

General Visitors will be required to take their temperature using the wall mount facial recognition system in JMPC vestibule and answer the screening questions.

General Visitors will then be required to put the provided mask on and have a rapid antigen test. The test requires individuals to wait 15 min before they can proceed further.

Once a negative test result has been obtained, the general visitor will head to MacDonald Hall where they can have a visit with the resident.

General Visitor visits are confined to MacDonald Hall and tea room only on our main floor.

There is no eating or drinking at any time while on the premises.

Visiting Hours are from 2:30-4:30pm and 6:00pm - 7:00pm seven seven days a week but do require pre-booking using our online booking platform accessible here.

Saturday, Sunday and statutory holidays must be pre-booked prior to 2pm on Friday’s before the weekend visit.

Our Resident Support Aides will assist resident to / from the visit.

There is a maximum number of visiting times available each day and the total number of visitors / essential caregiver per resident is 4.

Covid-1 Vaccinations

Here are 2 links that you can use to book your booster dose:

https://www.kflaph.ca/en/healthy-living/covid-19-vaccine.aspx

https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/docs/vaccine/COVID-19_vaccine_third_dose_recommendations.pdf

Designated Essential Caregivers

Rapid Antigen Testing

Rapid Antigen test every day that you enter the building AND must wait the 15 min in the testing area prior to going to see your person.

Available times for this testing are as follows:

Seven Days a Week

9:15am – 12pm

1:15 – 4:30pm

5:45-7:00pm

What's New at JMPC

Here is the week’s menu for April 11 - 17.

Program

Here is the week’s program schedule from April 10 - 16 for across the Home.

Please note: This link to the program calendar is updated each week and will take you to the current weeks calendar so you will have access to the two weeks of program calendars.

Need to do some Adaptive / Accessible Clothes Shopping?

Here are some Canadian Options for your shopping enjoyment:

Where Dragons Fly

https://www.wheredragonsflyperth.ca/

Perth, Ontario

(613) 466-0215

Geri Fashions

1-800-361-4374

https://gerifashions.com/

help@gerifashions.com

EasyWear Adaptive Clothing Inc.

Cambridge, ON

1-888-908-7177

easywear20@rogers.com

Important Reminder

This includes in the residents room, and in the tea room area.

This is a Ministry Directive that we must enforce.

JMPC Fundraiser

for our Outdoor Community Garden

Our fundraiser is making great progress and we are looking forward to the Spring when we can begin installing this music garden piece by piece.

Did you know?

Absences from the Home

All residents, regardless of their vaccination status can now go on social, day and overnight absences. Residents are strongly encouraged to wear a mask while they are out, use hand sanitizer, limit the number of people they interact with and try to interact with only fully vaccinated individuals.

No isolation is required unless a positive result is received. A PCR test will be done on residents who participate in these absences on day 5 following the absence or earlier if they present with symptoms.

Residents that go on absences on a daily or frequent basis will have a PCR test and rapid antigen test, on the same day, two times per week (for example, PCR and rapid test on Tuesday; and PCR and rapid antigen test on Friday).

If a resident has a known exposure to a case while on their absence, please inform the Home ASAP. This timely notification will help us ensure the safety of all residents that may be affected (ie tablemates, roommates, etc)

Social Absence Consideration:

For those who may consider taking a resident out on an absence, please be very aware of your own health symptoms and if you are feeling at all unwell, or were not feeling well the day before, please postpone your outing.

Resident Home Areas -

Who to call when you have Questions?

These Resident Home area extensions below will take you to the Charge Nurse who is the RPN on your persons floor.

The RPN is a great person to connect with if you have questions related to medications, health status updates, or general resident centered information.

This is the best person to start with.

If they are unable to answer your question, they will be able to direct you as to

where to go next.

The RN Team Leader extension is an option if you are having difficulty accessing your respective home area or have further concerns.

If following speaking with the RN Team Leader, you continue to have questions or concerns, please reach out to

Emily Sarley RN who is the Assistant Manager of Nursing (ext 7227) or Carol Corcoran RN who is the Manager of Nursing (ext 7226).

Manager Point of Contact

For general inquiries related to COVID restrictions, overnight absences or to send your vaccination information:

(For absences please contact the charge nurse as outlined above)

External Healthcare Services

We have had a number of enquiries from families regarding trying to access various external services for their loved one.

Dental Hygiene Services:

Roving Dental Hygiene – Karen De Luca RDH – 613-770-3801

Hearing Services:

Miracle Ear - Scott Laidman, Reg AHIP – 613-354-7223

Foot Care Services:

Donna Chandu-Lall – 613-329-4914

Jennifer Morris – 613-329-0271

Gerrie Plaizier – 613-329-3182

These are privately based on a fee for service .

Feel free to reach out to them if this is something of interest to you.

Mandatory Training Videos

Training videos are mandatory for you to watch prior to entering the building

This training needs to be completed prior to your first visit and then monthly thereafter.

LTC Homes are to ensure that Essential Caregivers coming into the Home receive training on putting on and taking off PPE as well as training on effective hand washing. Below are the 2 video clips for you to view. You will be asked to confirm at the screening table that you have watched these 2 videos prior to entering.

Here are short video clips to resources that will help you to understand how to use PPE properly and how to effectively hand wash.

How to put on PPE - https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/videos/ipac-fullppe-on

How to Handwash - https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/videos/ipac-handwash

Infection Control from the desk of Emily Sarley

Many LTC Homes are struggling to stay on top of close contacts and those becoming COVID +. We are doing everything we can to keep things under control in our current outbreak in Lilac Knoll.

Please really pause and self reflect regarding your own health before proceeding to come into the Home. Think about where you have been recently, the individuals you have been around etc. Did you know that you are contagious 48 hours prior to developing symptoms? After thinking about these things, it may be best that you postpone your visit for another day.

Essential Caregiver Designation

We have a form that you can open electronically and fill in the blanks. There are a couple of options to return the form to us via email or fax. Alternatively, we will have hard copies of this document available with the screeners at JMPC where you can complete and drop off to them.

Essential Caregivers (who are designated by the resident/POA) must submit this form and be fully vaccinated (3 doses) to be approved as an essential caregiver. In the event that COVID restrictions are changed, it will be important to have this essential caregiver designation in place in advance as it is difficult to predict the restrictions that we may be directed to implement.

On a go forward basis residents are permitted to designate a maximum of 4 essential caregivers.

Changing Designated Essential Caregivers:

Changes in essential caregivers would be considered by the Home in very limited circumstances.

Should the resident/POA wish to change/add an essential caregiver, a new form will need to be submitted and await the approval process.

ZOOM Visits

Zoom is a great way to connect with your loved one.

It allows you to see each other while talking together.

Book your Zoom Visits online using Picktime!

We ask that visits be scheduled a day ahead, and that weekend requests are completed by Friday at 2pm. For zoom visits, you will receive a confirmation email first. Then, 1 day prior to your zoom visit you will receive the zoom link emailed to you from the Home.

Please book your Zoom visit using this link: https://www.picktime.com/JMPC

If you have any questions or unable to access this online tool, please call 613-354-3306 and someone will help you Mon-Fri during business hours.

Need to Cancel your ZOOM?

The booking site doesn’t have that feature to cancel yourself online unfortunately. So to cancel an appointment: Please contact Colleen. Please email her at cyork@lennox-addington.on.ca or call her at reception during business hours(main line)

Message from the Chair of Family Council

Family Council, a time for sharing, caring and supporting.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have concerns or simply need a listening ear.

Take Care

Gwen

Gwen Babcock

gbabcock@mycando.ca

Alzheimer's Society

The Napanee Alzheimer’s Society has many resources that can help you. The link to their website is here. It includes some very helpful resources and articles if you are interested.

Our contact person for our local Alzheimer’s Society

Lesley Deshane, First Link Care Coordinator

613 – 544- 3078 ext 208

LDeshane@alzking.com

Around the Home

Easter Crafts

Bible Study with Krista Cozier

Charades

Boxing

Per therapy with Wray and Whisper

Connect with us on your socials

Things to Do across Lennox & Addington County

Below are some interesting opportunities if you are looking for something to do in the area. Click HERE and it will take you directly to the items below:

Forms That You May Require

Paper Copies of the Weekly Newsletter – Available at the Resource Centre right behind the screeners.
Essential Caregiver Designation Form – Click here
Overnight Absence Request Form – Click here