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.

Information Updates – Sharing important updates related to the new order from the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH).
Visitation Guidelines – All the information you need to ensure a safe visit.
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

Important Updates from the new CMOH Order

As more Albertans, including staff and residents at these sites, become vaccinated, there is the desire to ease some restrictions to support quality of life and health and well-being. The latest order, CMOH Order 23-2021, recognizes that vaccinations in these settings have significantly reduced the adverse outcomes related to COVID-19 infections.

While there continues to be a risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID-19, many safety precautions continue to be in place to ensure continued protection for these vulnerable populations. These safety measures include health screening, masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Note: There are no changes in this order relating to visitation, which was the primary focus of the previous order, CMOH Order 16-2021.

Outbreak Phases and Response

Vaccinations have considerably reduced negative outcomes of COVID-19 for residents. Outbreaks are not happening as often and, when they do, are more contained and not as widespread. As such, the outbreak phases and response have been updated.

AHS Medical Officers of Health (MOH) continue to play a key role in outbreak management. MOHs and their designates will continue to lead each outbreak response and direct any additional actions required to be put into place.

Table 1 Outbreak Phases and Response

The impact of high vaccination coverage in both residents and staff strongly reduces the risk of introducing and transmitting COVID-19. As vaccination rates increase and the pandemic continues to evolve, there will eventually be a time when additional restrictions and guidelines are no longer required.

Vaccine DFSP Graphic 28MAY2021

New Approach to Admissions, Transfers and Outings

As the positive impacts of resident vaccination are realized and community immunization rates
increase, it is recognized that residents may want to leave the site to use services that are
open in their community and leave the site for extended stays (overnight off-site).

Table 8 Resident Admissions Returning from Outings or Overnight Stays

8 If the resident was not in close proximity to the unit or area of the health care facility that is on outbreak, then the resident is not required to quarantine.

9 Outbreak definitions for settings may be different, please reference Outbreaks in Alberta or contact the facility directly.

** Fully vaccinated means the resident has received the prescribed number of doses of any vaccine approved by Health Canada and is, at minimum, two weeks after the completion of the recommended vaccine series.

*** Not fully vaccinated means the resident has not completed the recommended vaccine series (e.g. not received the second of two doses) and/or is not two weeks after the completion of the recommended vaccine series.

**** Should a resident who is not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated return from on offsite/overnight outing where they were at a higher risk of potential exposure to COVID-19, it is recommended that they wear a mask when outside of their room for 14 days.

Precautions for new or existing residents have changed for move-ins, transfers, outings and overnight stays.

All new residents will continue to be swabbed for COVID-19 during the move-in or transfer. They will not be required to quarantine unless they are arriving from a facility in an outbreak and are unvaccinated.
All residents will be screened upon return if they leave the property. Residents will be required to isolate or quarantine if they meet the criteria in that process (e.g. symptomatic, travelled outside of Canada, or known close contact).
A nurse will be notified and will discuss the exposure risks and vaccination status with the resident and/or designated persons to determine the appropriate safety precautions.

Outing Safety Reminders

While vaccination offers an additional layer of protection, it is still imperative that residents remain vigilant in their actions when they are on outings to protect themselves and others around them from COVID-19.

Must comply with provincial and municipal requirements while off the property, such as no indoor social gatherings (as per current restrictions), except with their designated family/ support persons.
Maintain good hand hygiene, physical distance and wear a mask.
- Ask your site contact for a medical mask.
Be screened on re-entry.

Resident Daily Health Assessments

Resident daily health assessments (or checks) remain in place to aid in the early detection of COVID-19. These will now occur once per day.

In Continuing Care (Long Term Care and Supportive Living), residents were assessed twice a day for symptoms, including taking their temperature. Residents will now be assessed once per day. These assessments are documented in the resident health record. If a resident is suspected of having new or worsening symptoms, they will be placed on contact and droplet isolation, a swab taken, and the resident’s family notified.
In Retirement Living (Independent Living), residents are to self-screen for symptoms once a day, including taking their temperature. If a resident is suspected of having new or worsening symptoms, they will be placed on contact and droplet isolation and directed to get tested. As these residents are independent seniors, the family will only be notified if the resident has approved this.

Recreation, Activities and Socializing

Our recreation team continues to work hard to create engaging activities that enrich the mind, body and spirit. With our current vaccination rates, we have been able to support more meaningful interactions and group programs with our residents with required safety measures in place. We continue to work together with residents and families to find innovative, accessible and feasible solutions to tackle any potential negative consequences of restrictions due to the pandemic, such as inactivity (physical and cognitive), social isolation and loneliness. See below for our current recreation calendars.

Dining Experience

Over the next couple of weeks, you will see changes to the resident dining experience. While keeping in mind the 2 metres distancing between tables, we will be moving back to pre-pandemic seatings with 4 residents at each table. We are sure residents will enjoy the added opportunity to visit with their neighbours.

In addition, Designated Family / Support Persons (DFSP) can now assist their loved ones at mealtimes. This is not a social visit but rather a way the DFSP can support their loved one’s care needs during mealtimes. Safe food handling and enhanced cleaning protocols continue to be followed.

Hair Salons

We are pleased to share that although the order contains restrictions on services provided at our Hair Salons, as of June 1^st, hair salons will be reopening province-wide. This reopening supersedes that order, which means if your community has a hair salon partner, they will be able to resume their services by appointment on that day.

Education and Training

Education Services continues to provide ongoing training for staff on the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), hand hygiene, and other health and safety protocols. In addition to our current mandatory education for staff – covering a range of areas – we will be adding additional education, in a variety of formats, for all staff on putting on, taking off, and disposing of PPE.

What Will Not Change

In the latest order from the CMOH, there are changes to some of the minimum standards related to the care and services we provide. Upon reviewing this order, we wished to highlight areas that we are already meeting or exceeding the minimum standards. We also wanted to reiterate some of our other outbreak prevention strategies that remain in place.

Screening Upon Entry

All individuals entering the building continue to be screened upon entry. This includes our teams (staff, physicians, students and volunteers) along with any designated family/support persons (DFSP), visitors and contractors. All individuals must participate in this screening and are honest with how they feel and truthful in their responses.

Everyone needs to continue to self-monitor for symptoms during their shift or visit.

If you are a DFSP/visitor and detect symptoms during your visit, you must immediately stop the visit, leave the building, self-isolate and get tested.
If you are a staff member, physician, student, volunteer, or contractor and detect symptoms during your shift, you must immediately stop your work and report to your supervisor or manager. If instructed, you will leave the building, self-isolate and get tested. You will not be able to return to work until you are cleared to do so.

Rapid Antigen Screening Clinics

Our communities continue to offer Rapid Antigen Screening (RAS) to Staff, Volunteers, Contractors, and Designated Family and Support Persons. In short, RAS is available to anyone entering our building. The goal of rapid screening is to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals as early as possible- which helps limit COVID infection and spread in our facilities. While the RAS is optional, we highly encourage all to participate.

If you are a Designated Family and Support person and wish to participate, you can click here for more information and clinic times.

Enhanced Cleaning Procedures

Enhanced cleaning procedures, and the associated staffing, remain in place. This includes high-touch surfaces (examples: doorknobs, faucets, etc.) at least 3 times per day following our outbreak protocols. Visitors will not be asked to assist with cleaning.

Personal Protective Equipment

Our staff continues to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks and eye protection, following the guidance of AHS and the CMOH. They are also required to take the appropriate hygiene measures when applying and removing PPE.

COVID-19 Operations Centre

The AgeCare COVID-19 Operations Centre, a cross-disciplinary leadership team, and site leadership continue to meet multiple times per week to discuss COVID-19 updates and take any actions required.

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 Recreation Calendars for your AgeCare Community:

Weekly Shout Out

This week we’re shouting out our Staff Vaccine Champions!

The biggest factor in the reopening plan is vaccination rates. We want to thank our incredible staff, who have reached an incredible 82% rate of vaccination… that’s over 30% higher than the provincial average!

We know how much our staff care for the well-being of residents and families, and this just shows once again their incredible dedication.

Thank you to our Staff Vaccine Champions. We hope they inspire you to get vaccinated as well!

AgeCare Vaccine Champions 2

Coronavirus COVID-19 Updates

Weekly Update May 28, 2021 - Sharing important updates related to the new order from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and more