OCTOBER 2020
IN THIS ISSUE
Thankfulness & Mindfulness
As we approach thanksgiving, we can't help but reflect on what we have to be thankful for in the nursing home sector. 2020 to date has been an extremely difficult year. Beyond the nursing homes in Canada being the front line of the COVID battle and all that has occurred with that, leadership in homes have also carried a significant emotional burden. NBANH has shared a number of resources to support mindfulness and mental health that we hope everyone will take advantage of. In addition, we are doing significant advocacy work regarding funding and resources for homes, which we understand is a major stress issue for many. Progress has been slow, especially with the recent election slowing decision making, but work is moving forward to address these issues.
 
My reflection of thankfulness is for a sector of leaders who support one another, have done all that can be done to ensure resident and employee safety during a pandemic, and openly share successes and failures for everyone's learning. As we are directly facing the potential of a second wave, these attributes will continue to strengthen us all. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with so many skilled leaders during such a difficult season. 
 
We will get beyond this time, and we can be thankful that we can all do this together. 

Happy reading, 

 
Jodi Hall
Executive Director
NBANH
YOUR SUCCESS STORIES

A new recruit at Westford Nursing Home
Meet Ryan MacDonald, DON

We are proud to welcome home from Alberta, Westford's new Director of Nursing Ryan MacDonald!
 
"Hello, my name is Ryan MacDonald and on July 27th, 2020 I became the new Director of Nursing at the Westford Nursing Home. I'd like to thank Patricia Harrington and Westford's board for bestowing on me this opportunity, which could not have come at a better time as my wife, Paige, and I welcomed our first child, Emmitt, to the world on March 9, 2020 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. Everything changed with his arrival and we had a strong desire to move back to our home province so he could know and would grow up around his family. I am originally from Miramichi, New Brunswick and lived there for most of my life." Click here to continue reading Ryan's story. 
 
Keep an eye out for our upcoming Recruitment and Retention memo with important information, including new funding opportunities!

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Shannex keeps staff connected in COVID-19 response
 
"It was imperative that every employee received correct information," explains Catherine MacPherson, Senior Vice President of Operations at Shannex. "We had to consider every detail: what was happening inside the building, how to serve meals, where employees take breaks. We recognized that restrictions and new measures would be difficult on residents, families and employees." 
In response to COVID-19, Shannex stood up a pandemic response team and an emergency communication team, each implementing new protocols such as daily site check-ins and a daily bulletin. Employee communication and training for PPE protocols, hand hygiene and new processes for designated care areas were conducted over the community's employee-facing app and software, Shannex Connects, which is powered by iTacit.

"We set the expectation that iTacit would be the primary channel for employees to check each day before coming to work," says MacPherson "The use of iTacit was a critical component of our COVID-19 response." Click here to view the video.
 
Clear, honest and timely communication keeps Shannex's more than 4,500 team members informed and engaged as they work on the front lines to protect more than 4,000 residents in retirement living and long-term care communities across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario in response to COVID-19. Click here to read more.
PROJECTS & INITIATIVES

Resource Library: NBANH Website members section
Mélanie Martin, Assistant Director, NBANH
 
In order to help us expand our resource library which is located in the members section of our website, we are asking for your help.

If you would like to share  your implementation plan for the Designated Support Person directive or other sample of your internal policies (attendance, social media, MAID, etc.) with your colleagues, please send them to Mélanie Eva to be added to the according section. We hope that this exercise will be useful for members. 

Feel free to communicate with us if you have questions.
EVENTS

Nursing Home Administration Group
Fall Meeting: October 21st and 22nd, 2020

Please see few items from the Nursing Home Administration Group.
 
Save the Date: The Fall meeting will be hosted on October 21st virtually using the Zoom platform. We anticipate the meeting to start at 8:30 am and last most of the day. Social Development will be presenting Thursday, October 22nd morning. Simultaneous translation will be available. Stay tuned for the agenda and the registration link in the coming weeks.
 
Call for Nominations: The President, George Cormier, and Vice-President, Angela Acott-Smith, are no longer working in the Nursing home Sector. We are opening a Call for Nominations for President and Vice-President positions. Please submit your name to Mélanie Eva by email at meva@nbanh.com no later than Friday, October 16th. The vote for these two positions will be hosted virtually during the Fall Meeting. Please click here for the Terms of Reference.
 
For now, if you have any questions, please direct your questions to either myself, or Terry O'Neill, (Treasurer for the Administration Group / Administrator at Dr. V. A. Snow Centre at toneill@snownursing.com).
 
Sincerely,
 
Linda Boudreau
Secretary, Nursing Home Administration Group
Administrator, Tabusintac Nursing Home
UPCOMING EDUCATION
 
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
For all inquires: education@cihi.ca

CIHI's fall courses are now open for registration! Log in to CIHI Client Services, then select the Learning Centre to browse the catalogues or use the search function to find an upcoming session. You can also look in the New sub-catalogue to find a list of recent releases.

Converting workshops to web conferences

Your needs are evolving . . . and we're listening! You told us it's important to be able to access learning content in a virtual format, so we've been busy converting some of our workshop content into web conferences.

Featured course: 1081E-Using Case Mix to Support LTC Funding

Discover how you can apply case-mix systems in the development of long-term care policies and funding formulae for your jurisdiction, and how doing so can create incentives in long-term care. Join us in our next LIVE web conference:
  • October 20, 2020 - 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. (ET)
This course is offered at no charge to Core Plan subscribers. Register today! Log in and select Learning CentreDon't have an account? No worries, it's easy to create one!
FROM OUR PARTNERS

Collaborative for Healthy Aging and Care
Fall Newsletter - Covid Edition

The Fall edition of the Collaborative's quarterly newsletter is now ready for reading New Brunswick's healthy aging stories. Click here to view the special Covid edition. 

Happy reading!


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Changes to injury reporting and application for benefits process
WorkSafeNB
 
WorkSafeNB is offering a new, improved way for employers to report injuries and illnesses and for workers to apply for benefits.

As part of its long-term plan to make the application for workers' compensation benefits process faster and simpler, workers may have their own application and employers may have their own reporting process rather than a joint form. Only information relevant to each group is required, and they can each submit their information separately rather than at once.

This move is the first of many steps aimed at improving efficiency: More phases under this project will lead to further improving tools and processes to enable timelier decisions and provide faster access to treatment and benefits, resulting in better outcomes for workers and employers.

While this process is currently available and is the preferred method for most New Brunswick workers and employers, you may continue to use the Service New Brunswick reporting method with NO CHANGE to your process. Youcancontinue to file the Form 67 - Report of Accident or Occupational Disease, electronically as usual.

Please visit worksafenb.ca or call 1.800.999.9775 to learn more about the new process.
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Election NB Survey
Paul Harpelle: paul.harpelle@gnb.ca

Election NB would like to hear from you!
 
In the recent provincial election Elections New Brunswick used a modified vote-by-mail process to accommodate electors in long-term care facilities. This may have required more support than typically is done in assisting some residents during elections where officials would conduct the vote in-person.  
 

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Survey from Valley Flaxflour Ltd.
Ashley Axford, Dietetic intern, Mount Saint Vincent

We Want Your Feedback!

My name is Ashley and I am contacting you on behalf of Valley Flaxflour Ltd, a privately-owned flax processing company located in Middleton Nova Scotia. I am currently completing my dietetic internship placement and would greatly appreciate your participation in this quick survey to help with my research project!

The purpose of this survey is to gain a better understanding of the types of bowel care management protocols currently being used in a variety of healthcare organizations including long term care, private practice, and community settings. The data collected will help to identify what sources are currently being used to maintain bowel health, along with the methods used to implement them. We understand your time is valuable, thus the survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Click here to complete the survey and click here to view the confidentiality form.
IN THE NEWS

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you have any stories you would like to share with the sector, please communicate with Melanie Eva by email

If you have any questions, comments, or submission ideas, please forward them to Melanie Eva by e-mail or by phone (460-6262).
 
Sincerely, 
 
Jodi and the NBANH Team


New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes Inc.
(506) 460-6262 | meva@nbanh.com | 1133 Regent Street, Suite 206 | Fredericton, E3B 3Z2