Designated Social Visitor – Menno Home / Menno Hospital (Long-Term Care)

Designated Social Visitors

Every resident in Menno Home and Menno Hospital is permitted ONE designated social visitor. This is in addition to any essential visitors who have been previously notified.

Some residents have a designated social visitor on record from a previous visiting time during the pandemic. For these residents, we have re-contacted the previous designated social visitor.

Others have joined our community in a time when this was not required, for these residents we have contacted the primary emergency contact as designated social visitor.

Questions? Please contact Garry Janzen, Life Enrichment Coordinator – 604.851.1332 | Garry.Janzen@MennoPlace.ca

  • If you are an essential visitor and wish to add a social visitor
  • If you are a primary contact and wish to know who the designated social visitor is for your loved one
  • If you wish to change the individual who is currently the designated social visitor (primary contact makes the change)

When can you visit?

Visitation Hosts are welcoming visitors at all entrances from 10am – 6pm every day of the week.

If you arrive outside of these hours, please anticipate a wait as the care team comes to screen and let you in.

Screening for Visitors:

Visitation Hosts have a current list of designated social visitors to permit for visits.

You must be fully vaccinated to enter a long-term care home (2 vaccination doses) and provide proof of vaccination.

You will be screened for symptoms of COVID, have your temperature taken and be given a rapid test (inventory permitting).

The rapid test is pain-free and takes 15 minutes for the results.

Please allow for this time prior to when your visit begins.

When you pass the screening with a negative rapid test will be permitted to enjoy a visit with your loved one.

You will be asked to use hand sanitizer and are required to wear a mask at all times during your visit.

FAQ:

How often can we change the designated social visitor?
Please call Garry Janzen to discuss any changes to the designated social visitor. At this time, with the high prevalence of COVID in the community, the protocols are intended to minimize the number of people who enter long-term care homes, reducing the opportunity for COVID to enter or be transmitted. As a result, changes to the designated social visitor will be made in the case of special circumstances.

How is the designated social visitor different than an essential visitor? 
An essential visitor has a role that is outlined in the resident’s care plan.

How do we know if our loved one has an essential visitor?
The essential visitor has been identified by the nursing team and notified of their designation.

How many designated social visitors can each resident have?
ONE designated social visitor per resident.

What if my loved one is palliative?
When a resident is palliative, all visitors are deemed essential and are permitted to visit.

Can we take our loved one on an outing?
At this time, we ask you to call the nurse to discuss any outings. The prevalence of COVID in our community is at a record-high and makes it much easier for an elderly senior to contract COVID and bring it into the Menno Place community. We do not recommend outings at this time.

Can we eat together on our visit? 
The resident does not have to wear a mask, so they may enjoy food and drink. The visitor must remain masked at all times with mask covering nose, mouth and chin. This does not allow for eating or drinking for the visitor.

Can a social visitor visit with multiple residents?
No. You may only visit with your loved one. Remain 6ft apart from all other residents and staff.

How long are these guidelines in effect?
Dr. Bonnie Henry, Public Health Officer will reassess these guidelines for essential and designated social visitors on January 18, 2022.

Visits to Menno Home and Menno Hospital – What changes January 1, 2022?

January 1 – 18 (date of reassessment) – Essential Visitors Only in long-term care – Menno Home and Menno Hospital

Only Essential visitors may enter long-term care homes effective January 1, 2022. This order from Dr. Bonnie Henry will be reassessed on January 18th.

Essential visitors are only set up with the nursing team in conjunction with the resident’s care plan. Essential visitors are being contacted by our nursing team – these visitors are based on the current resident care plan. Screening and rapid testing (2x per week) will be required for all essential visitors.

Assisted Living: Social visits permitted with negative rapid test
Independent Living: Self-Screening for visitors. Rapid tests not available at this time due to limited inventory.
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What is an essential visit? (Fraser Health definition): Essential visits are necessarily linked with an essential need identified in the care plan that could not be met in the absence of the essential visit. Essential visits are those that include, but are not limited to2:
• Visits for compassionate care, including critical illness, palliative care, hospice care, end of life
• Visits paramount to the resident’s physical care and mental well-being, including:
o Assistance with feeding
o Assistance with mobility
o Assistance with personal care
o Communication assistance for persons with hearing, visual, speech, cognitive, intellectual or memory impairments
o Assistance by designated representatives for persons with disabilities, including provision of emotional support
• Visits for supported decision making
• Visits required to move belongings in or out of resident’s room
• Police, correctional officers and peace officers accompanying a resident for security reasons

It’s Time to Get Your Flu Shot

It’s that time of year again. Flu season runs from Dec 1 – April 1, 2021. All staff are encouraged to get a flu shot. Shots will be available at flu clinics on campus on the following days:

Menno Home Staff Flu Clinic
Dec 9 14:15 – 16: 15 in the E2 Ed room.

Menno Hospital and Apartments Flu Clinic
Dec 10 14:15 – 16:15 in the Hospital Chapel.

Please bring your care card number with you! Don’t forget to wear short sleeves.

Please don’t walk through any units that are not the unit you work in.

Menno Place Parking for Staff

Staff may only park in STAFF or FLEX parking spots.
VISITOR parking is for VISITORS only.
Please be particularly aware in the parking spots off of Brundige Ave at Entrance A, Menno Home.

You can park at no-cost at the Lutheran Church on the corner of Ware and Marshall (2 blocks from Menno Place) as long as you have a pass. Passes are issued from HR. Cars that park at the church without a pass will be towed.

Christmas Crossword Puzzle

For an easy-to-print version, download the crossword here. Answers will be posted next week.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Week Dec 19 – 25

Congratulations to Asia Geier – Future LPN!

Congratulations to Asia Geier – Future LPN!

Menno Place recognizes the importance of providing learning opportunities and funding to maximize the potential of our team members, through the Education Assistance Program. This program is funded by the Mennonite Benevolent Society. Asia has successfully applied and been granted funding through the Education Assistance Benefit to attend the Licensed Practical Nurse program. She starts January 2022 and we look forward to having her join our LPN team in 2024!

More information on the Education Assistance funding is found on Sharepoint under Policies: AP2.12 Continuing Education of Managers and Employees.

Congratulations to Asia on starting this exciting program!

Coping Through a Natural Disaster Emergency

The rain and flooding over the past week has been devastating for many of our team members at Menno Place. Coping through a natural disaster can be very difficult. People are dealing with their own losses and may also be supporting other people such as their children, neighbours and friends. This Information sheet from the Canadian Mental Health Association has tips for sustaining your own mental health and helping others. You can download the sheet by clicking on the preview below.

Please remember to call our FSEAP if you need immediate support and/or counselling to help you through this time. They are available 24/7/365 by calling 1.800.667.0993.

Dress Up Day Fun!

Thanks to all those who dressed up on Oct. 29th! There was great creativity and team spirit shown, even during these difficult days. Enjoy the costumes of those who took part.

And the Winners are:

  • Group Costumes – Social Workers – Dan Janzen and Kim Wiebe
  • Individual Costume – Tonya Neufeld

Congratulations to all!