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.
Thank you for speaking our LOV language. Over 100 WOW tickets were submitted online.
COVID Updates from the Alberta Government
Preparing for the Omicron Variant including:
What AgeCare is Doing
What You Can Do at Home
Recreation Calendars – Staying active, intellectually stimulated, and socially connected.
We’re Hiring – Did you know AgeCare is hiring? Great opportunities for caring people.
We hope these weekly updates are helpful. Thank you all for your continued support.
It is impossible to overlook the extraordinary goodness of our AgeCare staff, who are incessantly spreading our 'LOV (Living Our Values) language,' in the form of kind gestures, caring actions, and heartfelt devotion to our residents and their families. To our amazing A-Team – we offer our deepest thanks! We sincerely appreciate you! And we hope you know that your positive efforts are touching and enriching the lives of all those who are fortunate to be in our AgeCare family circle.
Before the Holidays, we asked residents and families to share the gift of praise and recognition for the staff they value at their AgeCare community. Their response WOWed us! Here are just a few things we heard:
"I appreciate all that the staff does for me, and I like the food too."
– Jean, Family Member
"I am constantly amazed at the kindness and cooperation we receive from your 2nd floor staff, .thanks so much for your industry and your help always."
– Madelene, Resident
"We are always happy to see Rashmi at the front table when we are arriving or leaving. She is very kind and always has time to talk to us. Her patience with people is admirable and shows respect for others. Rashmi, you deserve a BIG WOW. We appreciate you and your dedication to residents and their families."
- Jean & Bonnie, Family Members
"Shanon is so good to me, cheerful and a hard worker." – Susan, Resident
"Natasha has done numerous things to enrich my parent's life, share photos, facilitate face time with out of town family, helped my Dad write a birthday greeting for my Mum (both reside on 2nd floor), dances with my Mum, these are recent items, has done many things over the past year."
– Alison, Family Member
"They are all, without exception, caring and respectful of my mother."
– Carol, Family Member
With over 100 WOW tickets received, we wanted to share the most commonly used phrases/ words with you. To show you just how much you are appreciated!
COVID Updates from the Alberta Government
To help curb the spread of the Omicron variant, the Alberta Government has introduced additional province-wide restrictions. They are taking action to protect Albertans against the highly transmissible Omicron variant by ramping up health system capacity, providing free rapid test kits, expanding vaccine boosters, clarifying indoor social gathering limits, and decreasing capacity in large venues.
Albertans are asked to reduce their number of contacts by half, limit unrestricted activities where there is a high risk of transmission, and observe all public health measures over the holidays to help slow the spread.
Businesses participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program can operate with fewer restrictions if they require patrons 12 and over to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result. New measures come into effect on December 24 at 12:01 am.
Please take the time to read Dr. Hinshaw's tips for
One thing we know for sure is that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads and infects people much more effectively than any other variant. In just a couple of weeks since the first Omicron cases were detected in Canada, case numbers have skyrocketed.
Initial reports show that Omicron produces less severe illness than previous strains. While we are all hoping this is the case, it is too early to know for sure.
What AgeCare is Doing
The AgeCare COVID Operations and site leadership have met and implemented precautions to help prevent the spread of the virus within our communities.
1. Additional Dining Times
Residents can continue to enjoy their meals in the dining room. Additional dining times have been made available to ensure appropriate physical distancing while residents enjoy their meals. Safe food handling and enhanced cleaning protocols continue to be followed.
2. Enhanced Cleaning
Enhanced cleaning in all our communities, including high-touch surfaces (examples: doorknobs, faucets, etc.), at least 3 times per day following our outbreak protocols.
3. Visitor Screening & Guidelines
Our visitor guidelines with continuous masking remain in place for both Designated Family/Support Persons (DFSP) and Social Visitors.
All visitors continue to be screened upon entry to the building. As per the latest CMOH order, we have added additional questions to the screening tool, including:
Have you traveled outside Canada in the last 14 days AND have you been directed to quarantine?
Have you had any known close contact with a lab-confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
If you answer “Yes” to either of these questions, you will not be able to enter the site for 14 days from the last day of exposure, regardless of your immunization status.
Coming for a visit?
Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines.
Our outings and overnight stay guidelines remain in effect. Please ensure that all of the current provincial guidelines are being followed.
Before getting together, it is strongly recommended that Rapid Antigen Test Kits are used to test attendees – especially if they are unvaccinated. Test yourself immediately before gatherings, and if the results are positive, stay home, and follow up with a PCR test. Learn more at alberta.ca/rapidtesting
All AgeCare staff and volunteers are fully vaccinated with two (or more) vaccine doses. They will continue to be screened before every shift and self-screen during their working hours.
During their shift, staff continue to practice physical distancing and wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) following the guidance from AHS, the MOH and AgeCare.
8. Resident & Staff 3rd Dose
All eligible and consenting AgeCare residents received their 3rd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine starting in September. Newer AgeCare residents are also offered their 3rd dose as they become eligible.
Since November, AgeCare staff have been encouraged to book their 3rd dose of the vaccine. All Health Care Workers are eligible to receive their 3rd dose if six months have passed since their 2nd dose. To book, staff may visit bookvaccine.alberta.ca or call 811.
What You Can Do at Home
1. Gathering with Care
When planning a gathering, keep the number of guests small, and yes, just like last winter, consider socializing in the great outdoors.
Before getting together, it is strongly recommended that Rapid Antigen Test Kits are used to test attendees – especially if they are unvaccinated. Test yourself immediately before gatherings, and if the results are positive, stay home, and follow up with a PCR test. Learn more at alberta.ca/rapidtesting
A third dose can help keep you, your family, your community, and your loved ones safe. Albertan’s over the age of 18 who are 5 months past their second dose.
Many of the symptoms for COVID-19 and Influenza are similar. So to help keep yourself and our residents safe and healthy, we encourage you to book your free flu shot this year.
Our recreation team is working 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 resident well-being.
Please note that communities on outbreak may have different recreation restrictions in effect. Contact your community or sign up for email updates to stay informed on the latest information.
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
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