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 in our communities and organization-wide.
Shout-Out to Our HR Team
COVID-19: The Vaccine Advantage
Visitor Guidelines
Outings and Overnight Stay Guide
Get Boosted!
Recreation Calendars
Great Opportunities for Caring People
We hope these weekly updates are helpful. Thank you all for your continued support.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare system faced many challenges, including workplace shortages and rapidly changing protocols aimed at keeping the virus at bay. These challenges affected not only front-line workers but also our unsung heroes in the Human Resources (HR) department.
From the onset, AgeCare’s HR department was called on to rise above their proven skills and chart a whole new course of tasks and processes to keep all our communities on track. The intent was to smooth the way so our employees could continue to do what they do best – provide high-quality, person-centered care and services.
With a commitment to keep communication flowing between their department and employees, the HR team immediately set up and operated a dedicated email and phone line where staff could reach out to ask questions related to COVID-19.
From there, their behind-the-scenes efforts to ensure the safety of both staff and residents was paramount. Here are just some of the work they undertook:
Developed tools and charts to guide site leaders on dealing with employee illness and return to work protocols.
Review orders as they were released to ensure HR-related processes aligned with provincial mandates.
Supported the unprecedented process of streamlining staff to a ‘single sites’ designate when the government determined it was too risky to have continuing care home staff working at multiple sites. This involved having conversations with hundreds of employees to determine their preferences, drafting all the new schedules, and finding staff to fill the subsequent vacancies.
Recruited (and continue to recruit) new staff to top up shortages due to absences, illness and quarantine.
Meticulously monitored ,and continue to monitor, every community to ensure we have sufficient staff in place to provide the high quality of care that is AgeCare’s mission and trademark.
These are just some of the reasons we want to shine a light on our HR team and offer a heartful thanks for their focus, guidance, and stellar work!
COVID-19: The Vaccine Advantage
A recent AHS report indicated that COVID-19 vaccines are providing added protection against serious outcomes and hospitalizations in the province. The report showed that over the past four months, unvaccinated individuals were:
3.2 times more likely to end up in hospital with COVID-19,
7 times more likely to end up in ICU, and
4.3 times more likely to die from COVID-19, than others in the same age category who had two doses of the vaccine.
Visitor Guide
As per the latest order from the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), our continuous masking and current Visitor Guidelines remain in effect until further notice.
Remember! Help us limit potential exposure to COVID by only visiting with your loved one – not in group settings.
As per the latest CMOH order, our Outings and Overnight Stay Guide has been updated.
Fully Vaccinated Residents
If the absence is greater than 24 hours, fully vaccinated residents will be:
screened for symptoms for 10 days.
If the resident develops symptoms, the resident will be immediately be placed on contact and droplet isolation and their family will be notified.
Not Fully Vaccinated Residents
If the absence is greater than 24 hours, residents who are not fully vaccinated will need to wear a mask for 10 days in common areas, except when eating or drinking. Medical masks will be provided.
In addition, the resident will be:
screened for symptoms for 10 days, and
rapid antigen screened on days 1, 3 and 7.
Note: Residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 21 days will not be required to be rapid antigen screened to prevent false positives.
If any rapid antigen screening result returns as positive for COVID-19 or the resident develops symptoms, the resident will be placed on contact and droplet isolation and their family will be notified.
Need another reason to get your booster? There is sufficient evidence that boosters are important for increasing vaccine effectiveness and protecting against immunity decreasing over time. A recent report indicates that unvaccinated Albertans are 15.7 times more likely to be admitted to ICU than people with three doses of the vaccine.
Who can book?
Anyone over the age of 18, five months after your second dose.
Our recreation team works hard to create engaging activities that enrich the mind, body and spirit. We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the risk of transmission while having the least impact on our residents’ well-being.
For our NEW AgeCare communities from Revera, your Family Portal is still available to you to access your loved one’s activitypro page. You can login with your usual username and password at online.activitypro.net/users/login/agecare.
All photos, calendars, and reports are available to you at this new link. We look forward to supporting residents’ recreational needs by delivering the best quality of life experience for residents with the support of families.
View the Recreation Calendar for your AgeCare Community:
Did you know AgeCare is hiring? Great opportunities for caring people. From health care aides to food services to recreation to administration and more, we are looking for dedicated and caring individuals.
If you or someone you know is looking for an exciting new opportunity, check out our careers page at www.agecare.ca/careers
AgeCare, 19655 Walden Blvd SE, Calgary, Alberta T2X 0N7, Canada, 403-873-3200
