JMPC Newsletter for the week of January 21, 2022

Updated for the week of January 21, 2022

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Hello Everyone,

I am very happy to share with you that our COVID suspect in the Home area I shared with you in the last newsletter has ended with no further transmission across staff or residents! It is absolutely not easy working with an N95 mask on for your whole shift and it is equally difficult for residents to hear what is being said to them, see our non-verbal communication and understand what is happening in their home environment. Everyone’s support was really appreciated!

Unfortunately, I do have to share again in this newsletter, that another Home area is in COVID suspect as of January 15 2022. Residents and Families impacted were notified on Saturday and swabs were collected and sent for analysis that morning. All of the first swabs taken came back negative late Saturday night which is fabulous. Residents will not be able to leave their Home area for 10 days. A repeat PCR swab will be taken on all residents/staff impacted on day 7 (Jan 22). Staff will be wearing fitted N95 masks. Programs will continue to occur on this Home area.

Will I be notified if my loved ones Home area is impacted by COVID?

I thought it would be helpful to share our process as to steps involved in situations such as COVID suspect/outbreak Home areas. As soon as a rapid antigen test turns positive the individual (staff / essential caregiver) leaves the building and we obtain a PCR swab before they are sent home to isolate. We then determine the potential close contacts involved by looking back 48 hours previous to the positive results and get a PCR swab from those contacts as well. We try very hard to get all swabs collected prior to 10:30am. If this is not possible, we will work collaboratively to get our swabs to Kingston ASAP for testing. It is not until after the resident swabs have been collected that we will reach out to the POA’s to advise them of the situation and next steps. During the phone call you will be encouraged to substantially reduce the number of times you enter the Home. We will advise that only one essential caregiver/resident can enter the building at a time. We will let the POA know that we would only call back after the first swab results are obtained if the results were positive. We will then follow up with the POA after we receive the results of the Day 7 swab. This follow up will not occur until Day 8 given the time of evening the results generally come back to us.

Initially when all of this is happening there are a lot of moving parts and focus needs to be on the priority task at hand which is to get the swabs collected ASAP and off to the lab. It is very helpful if you could hold your phone calls into the Home and let us reach out to you instead. We absolutely will connect with the POA’s. As POA’s, it is up to you to disseminate the information as you choose.

3^rd Booster Dose for All Essential Caregivers:

As shared in the last newsletter, the province announced on Dec 30 2021 that all designated essential caregivers who are eligible by Dec 31 2021 to receive a booster dose will be required to show proof of their 3^rd booster dose by January 28 2022. (eligibility = received your 2^nd dose prior to Oct 8 2021). As of today, 48% have provided their 3^rd dose documentation. Please provide this proof to your manager contact via email or hand in at reception as you have done previously. We would like to thank those designated essential caregivers who have already provided us with a copy of your third dose. Please note later in the newsletter the locations that are available to you to obtain your third dose. Many of the clinics are a walk-in.

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.

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 February 4th 2022. If there are substantial changes prior to that, we will certainly send out a special update prior to our regular newsletter.

As always, we appreciate your kind words, patience and understanding,

Angela Malcolm

Director

Important Reminder

We are having to remind a number of essential caregivers that they are not to be consuming food or drink while at JMPC. This includes in the residents room, and in the tea room area. This is a Ministry Directive that we must enforce.

Designated Essential Caregivers Booster Dose

All Designated Essential Caregivers who are eligible must provide proof of having their 3^rd Booster Dose by January 28 2022 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

Non-vaccinated Designated Essential Caregivers:

For those pre-existing (prior to Dec 15 2021), non vaccinated essential caregivers, you are required to provide proof of your first dose before you will be permitted back into the Home. (This is a Ministry Directive)
Once you have shown proof of your first dose, you are only permitted to go directly to the resident's room and must confine your visit to the resident's room only. Once your visit is finished, you must leave the building. (this does not apply to fully vaccinated essential caregivers)
You will then have until February 21 2022 to submit proof of your second dose (plus 14 days) in order to continue to be permitted into the Home with no disruption to your visiting schedule.
You will then 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.
Once you are fully vaccinated, you are no longer confined to the resident's room for your visit. (This is a Ministry Directive)
Rapid antigen testing is required every day you enter inclusive of the 15 min wait time for the results. (NOTE: this would not start until you have received at least your first dose)
Medical grade masks must be worn at all times whether visiting indoors or outdoors.
No consumption of food or drink on the premises at any time.

Fully Vaccinated Designated Essential Caregivers:

There is a maximum of 2 essential caregivers per resident at one time for indoor visits.
There is a maximum of 4 essential caregivers per resident at one time for outdoor visits.
Regardless of whether the visit is indoors or outdoors, a rapid antigen test is required.
Rapid antigen testing is required every day you enter inclusive of the 15 min wait time for the results.
Medical Grade Masks must be worn at all times whether visiting indoors or outdoors.
No consumption of food or drink on the premises at any time.

Changes for those Not Yet a Designated Essential Caregiver:

All requests to be a designated essential caregiver must already be fully vaccinated and provide proof before they will be approved.
All residents may only have a maximum of two designated essential caregivers moving forward. (For residents who already have more than 2 designated essential caregivers prior to Dec 15 2021, they can remain in place)

Changing Designated Essential Caregivers:

Within the COVID 19 guidance document the Ministry has stated that residents and/or their substitute decision-makers may not continuously change a designation in order to increase the number of people able to enter the Home. These changes in essential caregivers would be considered by the Home in very limited circumstances.

Window Visits: We will not be bringing residents to windows at this point in time due to our staffing levels. Should a person wish to see a resident (and they are not permitted into the Home), the other Designated Essential Caregiver will need to bring their resident to a window that doesn’t open in MacDonald Hall on the main level at the front of the building (picture below) where they can enjoy a window visit. I would suggest bringing a cell phone to aid in the communication during the visit. Please be mindful of the gathering limits that are currently set at 10 for outdoors when coming to the Home for a window visit. Please also keep in mind that we still do offer zoom visits if this is something that would be of interest to you.

There are many icy patches, and dips no longer visible due to snow coverage etc around the building, so please keep your visits to the designated windows at the front of the building.

Resident Changes

The Ministry has suspended All social absences at this time. (this includes drives, restaurants, short outings)
Residents are strongly encouraged to wear a mask along with everyone they are around when they are out of the Home for medical appointments.
The Ministry has suspended all social overnight absences at this time.
Residents can continue to leave the Home for medical or compassionate reasons. Those going out for these reasons will have a Rapid Antigen test 24 hours after their return and a PCR test on Day 3 and again on Day 7 following their outing.
All residents are currently being offered a fourth dose of vaccine.

General Visitors

No General Visitors are permitted inside the Home.

In keeping with Provincial gathering restrictions, a window visit can occur at one of the MacDonald Hall non-opening windows at the front of the building.

However, staff are unable to bring a resident to the window, so will need to be coordinated with the residents fully vaccinated designated essential caregiver.

Booster Doses

Essential Caregivers are required to get their 3^rd booster dose by January 28 2022 in order to maintain their continuity of entrance into the Home.

For those individuals who are able to obtain their booster dose (must be 84 days since their second dose), you are strongly encouraged to do so. This can be done at your physicians office, local area pharmacies, etc.

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

In addition, there are several locations for walk-in clinics for the booster dose including:

1) Cataraqui Mall

2) Portsmouth Olympic Harbour

3) Selby Community Hall

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

10am – 12pm

1:15 – 4:15pm

5:45-6:00pm

In Addition Tuesday and Thursday

7:00pm – 7:45pm

What's New at JMPC

Here is the week’s menu for January 24-30. The only change for next week is on Wednesday. Residents will be enjoying BBQ Ribs instead of Baked Cod for their monthly Birthday Dinner.

Program

Here is the week’s program schedule from January 23 - 29 for across the Home and Lilac Knoll specifically.

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

JMPC Fundraiser

for our Outdoor Community Garden

Did you know?

We are experiencing supply shortages (as is many other sectors). We have received notice of shortages on the variety of cold cereal that we can access at the present time along with other menu items that we are having to switch out.

Food costs are definitely on the rise as all of us can no doubt attest to on a personal basis. All LTC Homes are provided with a Raw food funding per diem of $9.54 per resident. This funding must encompass three meals, 2 food snacks and 3 fluid snacks per day at a minimum. Our association, AdvantAge Ontario is advocating to have this per diem increased to at least $10.77 per resident.

We have a new Bath Team that is starting at JMPC commencing Saturday. This involves 2 PSW staff per day who will solely be focussed on providing baths for the residents. You may have heard on the news regarding the governments commitment towards improving LTC Homes staffing to 4 hours of care. This 4 hours of care target includes PSW’s, RPN’s and RN’s only. This PSW staffing addition, helps us as we move along to the 4 hours of care that the Ministry has targeted for all LTC Homes to achieve by 2025. For JMPC, the additional hours put us just over 3 hours of care which is above the current LTC average hours of care.

Absences from the Home

Short Term Social Outings – On Hold for all residents by the Ministry. This includes, day trips, out for coffee, drives etc.

Temporary Outing – On Hold for all residents by the Ministry

Medical Appointments - Residents who have medical appointments booked continue to be permitted to leave the building for this reason. They will be required to have a Rapid Antigen test 24 hours after their return and a PCR test 3 days following and again 7 days following the appointment.

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.

A component of the Directives that the Ministry released includes a mandatory requirement for Homes 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

As of today, 57% of LTC homes across Ontario are in a COVID outbreak. This is a group effort keeping COVID out of JMPC and everyone’s efforts are genuinely appreciated!

Essential Caregiver Designation

The Ministry of Long Term Care updated visiting policy requires written documentation that supports the essential caregiver designation. As a result, we have created a PDF 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 must submit this form and be fully vaccinated 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.

Should the resident/POA wish to change/add an essential caregiver, a new form will need to be submitted. There is no limit to the number of essential caregivers that a resident/POA can designate.

Essential Caregivers must submit this form and be fully vaccinated to be approved as an essential caregiver. On a go forward basis residents are permitted to have a maximum of 2 designated essential caregivers only.

Changing Designated Essential Caregivers:

Within the COVID 19 guidance document the Ministry has stated that residents and/or their substitute decision-makers may not continuously change a designation in order to increase the number of people able to enter the Home. These 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

Have you seen the magic that is taking shape in MacDonald Hall?

The activation department is creating an interactive Canadian Winter Wonderland interactive experience for residents to enjoy. It is looking fabulous and residents are enjoying contributing to this setting!

Working on our Winter Wonderland

Orchard Trail and Cedar Grove Window Art

Maple Lane Window Art

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