Dear Residents and Families,
We remain committed to providing updates to our residents, families, and staff at AgeCare. As such, we are providing weekly updates to keep you all informed on what is happening at our communities and organization-wide.
- Designated Family Support Visits vs. Social Visits – Understanding the differences between these two types of visits.
- Updated Visitation Guidelines – Important information and changes to our visitation guidelines.
- HQCA’s 2021 Patient Experience Award – Thank you HQCA for recognizing our work with a 2021 Patient Experience Award!
- Recreation Calendars - Staying active, intellectually stimulated, and socially connected.
- Weekly Shout-Out – Celebrate the great work and activities happening at our AgeCare communities.
We hope these weekly updates helpful. Thank you all for your continued support.
Sincerely,
AgeCare Communications
Designated Family Support Visits vs. Social Visits
This week the Government of Alberta released a new visitation order. Part of this order was the creation of “Social Visits” to help expand a resident’s bubble and increase opportunities to reconnect with friends and family they have been unable to see since the pandemic started. We wanted to take this time to review the differences between Designated Family Support Visits and Social Visits.
Designated Family Support Person:
A DFSP is a consistent individual identified by the resident as needed support; they are someone the resident wants involved in their care and health matters. They are essential to a resident’s care. They can be a family member, close friend, or an informal/hired caregiver. They must be 14 years of age or older. Under the new visitation order, a resident can now designate up to FOUR DFSP’s. They do not need to be from the same household.
Social Visitor: A Social Visitor is anyone not identified as a designated support person. As they are considered not essential to a resident’s care, Social Visitors may have access restricted if a community is on an outbreak. If visiting a resident at the same time, Social Visitors must be from the same household.
Download our NEW Guides
- Designated Family Support Visits Guide (pdf)
- Indoor Social Visits Guide (pdf)
- Outdoor Visits Guide (pdf)
Remember
- Continuous masking is required for ALL visitors while inside the community. Masks are not required for children under 2 years of age.
- All visitors must understand the risk of unknown exposure for themselves and residents and assess health before visits.
- All visits must be booked in advance and during reception hours to ensure staff can provide a health screening.
- Visitors must be screened if the visit is inside or you need to enter the building to reach the outdoor visit space.
- Rapid Antigen Screening is available for visitors at all sites. All visitors are encouraged to be screened for COVID-19 when possible. View RAS Clinic hours.
- Visitors must follow all safe visiting practices and COVID-19 protocols. Visits may be refused if a visitor is not abiding by their responsibilities.
Virtual Visits
To ensure residents and family can stay connected, we continue to offer scheduled virtual visits. Residents and families can book one virtual technology session per week. All virtual visits will continue as long as the site is staffed appropriately and care needs are met.
- Check out this week's shout-out on our virtual visits below.
To book a virtual visit, contact your AgeCare community:
HQCA’s 2021 Patient Experience Award
Understanding what matters to our residents and their loved ones and striving to meet those needs and preferences is at the core of our Philosophy of Care and Service.
AgeCare knows how important it is to create a peaceful and supportive space where residents can have their end-of-life wishes fulfilled. The medical assistance in dying program provides residents with compassionate end-of-life care, surrounded by the people most important to them.
The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for individuals across the province to access this program. AgeCare has responded to these challenges alongside the Alberta Health Services MAID navigation team. Promptly addressing the changing needs to continue support transfers into this program while ensuring the safety and comfort of all those involved.
Thank you HQCA for recognizing our work with a 2021 Patient Experience Award!
Read more at www.hqca.ca/awards
Recreation Programming
Our recreation team is working hard to create engaging activities that enrich the mind, body and spirit while reducing the risk of transmission and having the least impact on resident well-being.
At this time, recreation activities will be held in individual neighbourhoods where possible and in larger spaces. This is to ensure that all participants can maintain physical distancing.
View the May Recreation Calendar for your AgeCare Community:
- AgeCare Columbia
- AgeCare Glenmore
- AgeCare Midnapore
- AgeCare Orchard Manor
- AgeCare Sagewood
- AgeCare Seton
- AgeCare Skypointe
- AgeCare Sunrise Gardens
- AgeCare Valleyview
- AgeCare Walden Heights
Weekly Shout Out
Last week our communities celebrated Mother’s Day with decorations, activities and special treats!
At AgeCare Valleyview they hosted a “Wear Spring Colors Theme Day” and the Recreation Department made some very special deliveries using a decorated Mother’s Day cart.
They went to each suite room to offer two pieces of freshly cooked KFC (individually wrapped of course!) and delicious mimosas in decorated wine glasses.
We hope all of you were able to honour and celebrate the special moms in your lives!
