MEMO: 1st and 2nd Choice Vacation Requests

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To: All Menno Place Staff
Date: October 9, 2026
From: The Staffing Office
Re: Change regarding 1st and 2nd choice vacation requests on GoldCare employee portal

First and second choice vacation requests in the portal have been disabled and will only be active during vacation selection time.

The first choice vacation request form will be active only from October 1st – November 1st
This is your timeline for your first-choice vacation requests to be in. On November 2nd the first choice vacation request will no longer be available, and first choice vacations will no longer be accepted. Vacation requests will go into the queue with the second and subsequent choice vacations that are booked in seniority order.

Second choice vacation request will be available November 1st to December 1st.
This is where you will submit all other vacation hours. Please make sure to book ALL your vacation hours (excluding 37.5 hours if you prefer to wait and book those by Aug 1st)

On December 2nd first and second choice vacations request forms will be inactivated, and you will need to book all vacation requests through the LOA form on the GoldCare employee Portal. These requests will be approved based on first come first serve basis.

World Mental Health Day – October 10, 2026

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Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being. We all experience times when life feels overwhelming, stressful, or emotionally challenging. During those moments, connection, support, and self-compassion matter.

This World Mental Health Day, we encourage everyone to take a moment to check in with themselves and with one another. A simple conversation, a small act of kindness, or reaching out for support can make a meaningful difference.

Our October Wellness Hub Newsletter includes a dedicated section on Psychological Wellness, featuring practical strategies to help challenge all-or-nothing thinking, practice self-compassion, and find balance during busy seasons. The newsletter is designed to support wellness across all dimensions of health, with ideas and reflections you can use throughout the month.

Let’s continue to create a workplace where people feel supported, valued, and able to talk openly about mental health without judgment.

We think mental health matters every day, not just on October 10.

If you need support:

You can find a full list of available mental health supports here: Mental Health at Menno Place

FSEAP – Confidential Counselling Services

FSEAP (Employee & Family Assistance Programs) offers Caring and professional assistance for personal, family and work-related concerns. Services are free and confidential.

Contact: 1.800.667.0993

 

Accreditation Quiz #2

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Fill out my online form.

Accreditation Countdown: 2 Weeks to go!

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There are two weeks left until Accreditation begins on October 26th. We will be ready!

🏡 This Week’s Focus: Resident & Environmental Safety

As we prepare for Accreditation, let’s focus on the practices that help keep our residents safe every day:

✅ Medication Safety
✅ Resident Rights
✅ Reporting Safety Concerns

📌 Where can you find information to help you prepare?

The winner of last week’s accreditation quiz is:
Shawn Chaudhry! Congratulations Shawn! Anu will be in touch to get your prize to you.

Cybersecurity Week 2: Strengthen Your Defences

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Make life easier and your accounts safer. Discover why password managers are essential cyber security tools. One stolen password can unlock multiple accounts. A password manager helps protect you with strong, unique passwords for every account. One extra step can make a big difference. Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.

Strong passwords, password managers and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are powerful tools for protecting your accounts. This week, discover how these habits can help strengthen your defences and make staying secure easier.

Earthquake Drill – October 15, 2026

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On Thursday, October 15 at 10:15am, Menno Place will be participating in the annual Great British Columbia Shake Out.

This will be a 10 minute Code Orange Earthquake Drill.

A 2 min audio/video announcement will broadcast via the overhead PA system, desk speaker phones and live streamed on Ch59 (Home/Hospital Menno TV) and Ch10 (PG/TE/TW)

Instructions for Staff

When you hear the Drill announcement (2min):

•  Drop, Cover and Hold On where ever you are.
•  Here’s a how-to video if there’s a desk or table nearby.
•  Here’s a how-to video if there’s NO table or desk nearby.

After the drill (5min):

• Sign Attendance sheet at the nearest nurse station or with the Leadership Observers in your area.

Debrief

•  Look around and think about what could fall or move in the event of an earthquake.
•  What utilities/services could fail?
•  What to do if you a caring for a resident?
•  Are you prepared? Your family? More resources can be found at The Great British Columbia Shake Out

Instructions for Leadership Team:

Leadership Team will be assigned to various locations as Observers and document participation of staff. All documentation should be forwarded to David Janzen.

Resources:
For information about any of the Menno Place Code policies log into Surge Learning and search for “Code” in Courses Library.
Earthquake actions for Healthcare Providers and Patients
Earthquake actions for People with Disabilities

Announcing the Fireside Café Pop-up!

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For four weeks starting Oct 15th hot lunch will be available on Thursdays at a pop-up Fireside Café from 11am to 2pm. The menu will feature a main dish, soup and dessert and will change each week. Pre-order your lunch and skip the line. Order the combo and save! Meals will also be available for walk-ins on the day. Debit or credit card only for in person orders (no cash option).

Go to https://mennoplace.square.site/ to place your order.

Accreditation Countdown: 4 Weeks to Go

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There are four weeks left until Accreditation begins on October 26th. We will be ready!

Let’s take a moment to celebrate the tremendous work everyone has done to meet the Accreditation Standards and continue providing safe, high-quality care and services to our residents. Watch for a quiz (with a prize!) each Friday and an update every Tuesday until the survey begins.

Where Can You Find Accreditation Information?

✅ Menno Place staff website
Accreditation has its own page on the site: https://mennoplacestaff.com/accreditation2026/

✅ Accreditation bulletins posted on your unit

✅ Team huddles

✅ Unit visits from the educators

Thank you for your care and support in making this Accreditation Survey another successful one!

Curious about the answers to last week’s quiz?

Quiz 1

  1. A resident’s family member asks where they can find information about residents’ rights. What is the best response?
    B. The Resident Bill of Rights is included in the Resident Handbook and posted at Menno Place front entrance
  2. According to Menno Place’s Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, staff are supported through:
    A. Regular risk assessments, mandatory onboarding training, and ongoing education
  3. What is the purpose of informing families of resident safety incidents?
    B. To ensure residents and families receive information about safety incidents according to policy
  4. What is included in Menno Place’s Resident Safety Plan?
    A. Monitoring quality indicators such as falls, medications, pain, and restraints
  5. How does Menno Place support pressure ulcer prevention?
    A. By assessing risk and implementing preventive interventions
  6. What should be done if a resident expresses suicidal thoughts?
    B. Refer the resident for professional assessment, provide close monitoring, and develop an appropriate care plan
  7. Which statement is true regarding high-alert medications?
    A. They require special safety processes because of the risk of significant harm if used incorrectly
  8. Why is it important to double-check medication orders?
    B. To help ensure medications are accurate and reduce the risk of medication errors
  9.  What measures are included in Menno Place’s Falls Prevention Strategy to help reduce the risk of falls and injury?
    A. Fall risk assessments, individualized prevention strategies and devices, Care plans and ongoing evaluation

  10. Why is Near Miss reporting important?
    A. It helps identify safety concerns early and improve resident care

 

October Wellness Hub Newsletter

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This monthly resource brings together practical tools, reflection prompts, and meaningful guidance to help staff invest in their health, finances, relationships, and personal growth. The October 2026 issue is online now.

Read more