B.C. COVID-19 temporary pandemic pay

Yesterday, the provincial government announced it will provide “hero pay” to essential workers in health care, social services, and corrections, as part of a cost-shared program with the federal government.

The $4 per hour wage increase will be provided in addition to increases due to wage leveling in the long-term care and assisted living sector.

Front-line workers will receive temporary pandemic pay, a lump-sum payment of $4 per hour for a 16-week period, starting on March 15, 2020. Eligible workers will receive the payment directly through their employer and do not need to apply.

The government has outlined that the pandemic pay will apply to the long-term care, assisted living, and publicly-funded home and community care sectors. BCCPA has requested clarification from the Ministry on whether the hero pay is applicable to the independent living and private-pay long-term care operators.

Eligible employees will only receive pandemic pay for straight-time hours worked starting on March 15th, 2020, and continuing over a 16-week period. It does not apply to the time when employees were not in the workplace due to vacation or authorized paid leaves (such as sick leave).

Occupations eligible for wage leveling will include direct nursing care, direct allied care, and administration/clerical positions, as well as non-clinical support services. Management staff, fee-for-service providers, and employees on leave are not eligible.

With the provincial focus on implementing single-site orders and wage leveling, more information about pandemic pay is expected from the government later in the summer.

We will keep you informed as we find out more about this lump sum payment.

Karen L. Baillie, RN, BScN, MHA, CHE, FCCHL

Chief Executive Officer

MENNO PLACE

We’ve asked those who are “Zooming” to fill in a Satisfaction Survey at the end of each call. This has been EXTREMELY helpful as we continually try to improve this experience. We thought that our staff would appreciate the words of thanks and enccouragement that were given to you by the families who are deeply appreciative.

Satisfaction Surveys Received:

119 Surveys received

Number of Calls: 307

April 22 – May 16

Would you like to send a message of thanks or encouragement to our staff?

Thanks for setting this up. I was thrilled to talk to my gran!!!

We appreciate you taking the time to arrange this so we could visit with our Mom .

Thank you for all you do!

All the staff at menno home are so very much appreciated for taking care of our parents and for making the zoom visits possible.

Again thanks from all of us for your dedicated work.

We live in Kamloops, so we get down when we can, it so nice to be able to see my dad on zoom, many thanks to the staff at Meno homes.

I am so grateful to everyone at Menno Home!!. I see how hard they work and care for the residents. Being able to see my husband with Zoom and phone calls, has been wonderful. I appreciate all of you. Thank you Sharon D

This was the first time that my mom saw my dad since St. Patrick’s Day. She was so excited, that I had to encourage her to sit quietly. It was wonderful when the helper used the call to show a bit of my dad’s room and the view from his window. This was also done last week when my siblings and I were able to be there for my dad’s first Zoom call. I am hoping that my dad will be able to talk to his sister in Prince George if they get some help from my cousins. Thank you very much. It certainly helps to at least see him via computer. Sonja Z

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you are doing!  Your dedication and hard work eases my mind knowing my mother is so well taken care of.

This is the first time I was able to get my kids on zoom to see their Grandpa.  It was so nice to have the family there together.   I can’t thank Menno home enough for arranging this method of seeing Dad.   It’s wonderful to have Debbie there as well as I know she cares for my Dad so well.    Having the wonderful staff at Menno home and knowing you’re all taking good care of Dad is such a blessing for us.   Many thanks from The Tourands

Yes the persons on both occasions were very good with my mom and including all the participants…thank you!

It was sooooo good to see my Mom and to talk with her! Thank you so much for making this happen.

Wonderful to chat face to face and it was so cute to see auntie Kay’s reaction- she was so thrilled and amazed. Thank you for setting this up and all the care everyone gives to our beloved Aunt

Thank you! I work in long term care and am usually the one helping to facilitate these types of video calls.  I know how difficult it can be working during these times but what you do is SO appreciated. Being on the other side, as a family member getting to connect with their loved one – this means a lot. It is a great gift you are giving to help families stay “together”.  Thank you.

Doing a great job. Thanks

Thank you SO MUCH for coordinating the Zoom calls! We were delighted to be able to virtually visit with George on his birthday. He always talks about how wonderful the staff are to him, which is so incredibly comforting during this unprecedented time. Thank to you all the staff at Menno. We truly appreciate the love and care you’re giving to George and the other residents.

To say “Thank-you” is  totally insufficient to express the gratitude of out hearts for that which you have done. Naturally we were all concerend about mum but as the children intimated to me “mum is looking so well and for my part she also is quite contented. She knows she is loved and while we “bug” her it makes her happy for we have always enjoyed each other’s company.   I do appreciate the lady’s with jean who asist her in where to look and tell her what is being said.  As I say “Thank you to all who have put this together” is a totally pathetic way to says “thanks”

Thanks for taking the time to set up zoom calls.  Not nearly the same as in person visits but better than no visits.

I can’t say thank you enough – but I say it again – THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!  And especially for making this kind of visit possible 🙂

Thanks so much for making this possible. It was also really nice to see you and see how comfortable Elias has been made there. You have all truly gone above and beyond for him!

Thanks so much for enabling us to ZOOM with Mom. Not nearly as good as in person but best we can expect right now.  Keep up the great work.

Thank you for making this possible and arranging the meeting so we could see our lived one and the hand jesters he uses to communicate. We are truly grateful

Thanks to all the wonderful staff taking care of our loved ones!!

thanks again for your dedicated service to my Mom

I’m extremely thankful to everyone that works at east 1 helping my dad!  You are all exceptional! Thank you !!

Yes.  Thank you so much for all that you do.  We are so thankful God placed our mom with you in Menno hospital. We all feel the love that you give to her.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.   The Pelz family.???❤️

Menno’s staff is amazing – full stop.  And this includes the management.  I was SUPER impressed with the setting up of the Zoom system.

the team did a very good job setting up the zoom event and I THANK THEM VERY MUCH .

Greatly appreciating all you all are doing with many thanks

Yes, thank you for setting this up

Thanks so much for all you are doing during this difficult time.  I appreciate you all, especially Debbie B.  You are all going above and beyond the call of duty and I love you for it.

Thank you Garry and Rebecca for your help and responsiveness.

Thank you to all of the staff doing such a great job under very trying circumstances.  Your kindness and caring for the seniors in your care is very much appreciated by family.

You are so appreciated!! Thank you for loving on our isolated family members.

Thank you so much. So nice to be able to wish Susie Happy Mothers Day

Thanks again to Debi at the Menno home for taking care of my father

Yes.  I did thank the person on the meeting call.  However I would like to thank everyone at the Home for taking good care of Maria and being supportive of her loved ones.

YES THIS IS GREAT THAT WE GET TO SEE MOM AND TALKED TO HER. Staff have this all setup on time and a number of our family have been able to join in – THANK YOU VERY MUCH

we so appreciate that we can do this, appreciate the staff time taken to hook us up.  while today was miserable re the lack of audio, we are truly so pleased we can do this.

The joy it brings my grandma to see my face is so pure and I am so grateful that you all have set this up so that I can experience it!  I have missed her so much and this really does help. Thank you so much

I can’t even say enough how much love and respect I feel for the staff at Menno – from management right through to the cleaning staff and everyone in between.  Your care for the residents was already exceptional before any of the lock down started, which is exactly why the level of excellence has not suffered!  I try and pray for all of you on a daily basis – thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Thank you for this opportunity  to ser my husband and thank you for your lovely demeanor.

Thank you to everyone working to keep my mother and everyone else safe.

Thank you for taking such good care of our Mum….she looks fabulous.  We very much appreciate all the hard work and sacrifice of all the staff at Menno place….an extra shout out to Krista too who helps my Mum Thelma on the calls!

Yes!  This is such a good idea!  Thank you so, so much! for organizing all this!  Honestly, your efforts are so appreciated; thank you so much!  I appreciate too, the activities you organize, the bus trips (well, in former, healthier times), the music (mom loves those) and the many other activities you provide that Mom and Dad sometimes attend. A big shout out to the nursing and care aid staff – I hear care aids in the background when I call and the nurses patiently deal with me when I call 🙂 Thank you so much  to all of you for looking after Mom and Dad! (and all the other Mom’s and Dads!). Here’s also hoping you were able to score a raise! 🙂  Stay safe and best to all.

Although the connections didn’t run very smoothly I very much appreciate the staff for  doing this. I haven’t seen my mom for almost 2 months so it was so nice and emotional to see her.

I appreciate your patience

thanks so much for all the care you give these folks

Yes!  Thank you so much for allowing us these zoom calls, for keeping everybody safe!!! And for all you do you!  Honestly, I appreciate you all – truly!

Thank you so very much for going over and beyond your usual work tasks. My mom appreciates you and is happy. I am thankful for all of you and praying you will all have God’s peace during this difficult time.

Thank you!

I really liked how everything was set up, that staff took the time to make sure  my mom could hear,  and then checking in through the call to made sure everything was still good.  Heartfelt appreciation especially with it being 2+ months since I’ve seen my mom!

Thanks for all you do.  I know this work is especially taxing in this season, and so we appreciate your care and compassion.

Krista Thank you  for creating time in your recreation schedule to connect resident,  my mom Elsie with her family over Zoom. It was especially great to give grandchildren a chance to connect with grandmother Carolyn K

Thank you, Thank you for doing such a great job

Thank you for keeping mom and the others safe and for doing your best in caring for them.

Thanks so much for this connecting option. It was wonderful!!

It has been so reassuring to be able to see her, and hopefully equally reassuring for her to see us. It so unfortunate that people at the end of their lives have to be so isolated and alone

Your zoom call Staff have done a wonderful  job! I greatly appreciate their time and great effort!

Thank you!

I really appreciate the time and effort it takes to do this  for friends and families Thanks for everything you do, Susan F

very helpful for me and a great job well done

Thanks so much. It was really special to connect with mom. She was able to talk to 2 of her children, 2 spouses, 1 grandchild and 6 great grandchildren ?

Thank you, Carmen, for all the work you do to help us connect with our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  We appreciate it more than words can express.

Thank you everyone!  It was great to see Teri. She is a much happier person with your attentive care. Thank you for all you’re doing to keep everyone safe??

We are so happy to be able to connect with my husband’s brother via Zoom. Thank you to the staff for setting it up and taking care of it all on your end. I hope you see a difference, too, in the well-being of your residents. God bless you!

Thank you all for the assistance in seeing our father

Thank you for setting this up it was the next best thing to being there.

Thanks for your excellent facilitating of our call. You were great!

Thanks again for this connection. We hope to get another family member to join in soon, whom he hasn’t seen in years. That would be amazing.

Thanks so much for making this possible!  ?

Thank you so much for setting this up for us. It’s amazing to be able to connect with mom this way.

Sorry….just sent you a survey and forgot the very person I wanted to thank so much and that is Krista (not sure if I’m spelling that right) who helps my Mum, Thelma on the zoom calls….she is very good at helping my Mum to understand what is being said – sort of an interpreter LOL because she doesn’t hear so well…she is very professional and caring and she’s wonderful on the calls – thank-you!  (This is an addendum to my other survey!). Cheers Jane H

We would like to thank you all the Menno home staff For their hard work and it was excellent of Menno home to offer a zoom meet so we can see our loved one.

This is a wonderful work-around. My brother and I were feeding our mother two meals a day in Mission Hospital and we lost access when she came to Menno, but this is a great alternative considering the circumstances.

Absolutely.  we appreciate how much work it is to set up zoom calls for that many residents and that many families!  so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving us the chance to “see” Valerie this way.  we also appreciate that the facility was locked down so quickly to keep the residents safe.  and we sincerely appreciate all the staff at Menno who are going to work daily knowing the risks involved.  we are so very grateful to you all

thanks again for the opportunity to speak with my friend. This must be extra work for you to organize and I and my friend appreciate the effort.

Thanks Julie for enabling me to interact with my dad in this time of isolation. You represent dad well as he is unable to voice his thoughts effectively. You bring much joy to our family and am sure many others. It has brought immeasurable peace of mind and I am so very grateful!

I would love to thank everyone who has put this zoom program together to help us see our loved ones during this time.  It has been very difficult not being able to come and visit and I have found this solution using our zoom visits has helped me a great deal.  Although my mom has dementia and I’m sure rather confused on what is happening and very seldom converses this at least gives me the opportunity To see her.  I thank you all very much and the dear sweet lady whom I’ve yet to meet (Jennifer’s replacement ) that holds the I pad and gets mom all set up to try and participate. Thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

Thank you all for all you are doing. It brings our family so much peace knowing My great aunt is being so well cared for and safe!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this zoom call possible.  We do miss seeing and visiting our Dad and we really appreciated you giving us a chance to reconnect with my Dad.  Thank you again so very much!  May God bless you:)

I would like to extend a warm thank you to Vera for her assistance for helping my mother with sorting out who was on the call.  I’m sure there are other staff involved in making this virtual interaction possible and I want to thank them as well. God Bless Allen

Thank you so much for setting up the zoom calls for us families. It is greatly appreciated.

Yes.  Thanks for setting it up.  We had a good visit.

Definitely. The staff member who sat with my mom and helped her respond was wonderful. She also told us a story of how she gets Mom to call out “BINGO” every Friday. I was very impressed with the attention and care that was shown in the call. Thank you so much!

We are very pleased with all the care given by the staff. It is amazing that there has been no infection in Menno Place. Everyone is very friendly and respectful. Mary seems to be very happy living there and so are we.

Thank you so much for having this available.

Absolutely!!  Thank you so very much for the kind, compassionate care that you continue to give our mother.  We are very thankful that she can live out her days with you at Menno, in a place that values the importance of the faith community … not only values it, but lives it out in the daily interaction with residents.  I miss visiting Mom daily, but know that she is in a secure, happy place.  Thank you also to Tammy, who took the time this last week to arrange an unexpected, surprise call with my Mom.  I must admit that it brought tears to my eyes.  Thank you, Tammy, for that kindness.  Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts.  Jane & Gerry

Sure!  Thank you so much for all you do for our mom.  She is well taken care of.  Keep safe and healthy!

Our family is so grateful for such an outstanding team at Menno from individual staff on West 2 to laundry to everywhere staff are responsive and amazing

Appreciate your efforts during the current health issues. Thank you!!!!

The staff member, whose name I neglected to get, was great. Really did a fantastic job.

From the bottom of our hearts, please send huge thanks to the two care workers who facilitated our call. Please email back with their first names, if possible.

Thank you so much. It’s so important to see Dad Smile.!!!

Thanks for making it possible to see my dad. It means so much and helps myself and my kids feel connected to him in these tough times. Thank you!

YES.  Thank you all so much for all that you are doing, and thanks particularly to those that set up this Zoom system.  Our family from around the world really appreciate the opportunity to visit together with Janice.  It means so very much to us and we really appreciate it.  Thank you!

My family is very grateful for making zoom calls available to our Mum Thelma- my brother is in the USA and even though I’ve been by and standing outside a zoom call is much better.  It has been difficult for me as my Mum went into care on Feb 28th and I was unable to get her really settled before the the coronavirus struck.  All the staff have been amazing, the social worker has been in contact to set up a conference call and the nurses and caregivers were splendid at bringing my mum to the phone before zoom calls started.  The nurses have always been available to give updates and never made me feel like a nuisance when I called for an update.  This must be a very trying time for all staff and I have talked to them about all the extra steps that must take place for the safety of staff and patients alike.  We are very grateful to all the staff at Menno for making what ordinarily would have been a challenging time – and is much more so now as we deal with a pandemic.  Please know that we are banging our pots and pans every night at 7pm – even though we’re in Chilliwack – it’s for you all at Menno too!  The care which you have provided to our Mum is fantastic and we appreciate that there must be difficult times, and personal and family sacrifices that the staff are making to keep our loved ones safe.  We thank everyone, the caregivers, the cleaners, the nurses, the doctors, the social workers, the administration staff, the kitchen staff and management and pharmacists, and OT’s and physios and chaplains…(sorry if I’ve missed anyone!) but you are all recognized for your deep commitment and special place in our hearts….thank you so much!  Jane, Nicholas and Ingrid

Yes!! We are ever so grateful for the love and compassion you (the staff) have shown to Dad and us.

Again, the woman helping Mom with this call was kind, helpful and thorough.  We greatly appreciated her facilitating this call.  Mom looked calm and not anxious at all.  Thank you!!

Thanks so much!! It means so much to see dad and I know staff already have many important duties in addition to the usual, so it is so appreciated!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT YOU STARTED OFFERING THIS OPTION. My mom has a had time communicating over the phone but this has been awesome. Thanks so very much

Thanks for all your care on our behalf.

Yes, absolutely.  They did what they could.  Thanks a bunch!

Thanks for making this happen!!!  We are soooo thankful of the care for my mother-in-law  and consideration to make our family meeting together a highlight.  As we can’t be there right now, the burden is lessened knowing she is cared for and happy. Thank you thank you!

You are very much appreciated.  Thanks for all you do.  God bless and keep you all safe.

Keep up the great job.  Much appreciated

I would like to thank everyone for everything they’re doing to keep us in touch and our loved ones safe. You guys are awesome

Thanks so much for making this time possible with Mom. It was and still is hard to not be able to see her daily, but it’s for the best. Stay Safe…..to all the staff and volunteers.

Absolutely,  zoom is a fantastic idea,  we love being able to see our mom and getting a chance to talk to her.  I know mom appreciates seeing all her family Thank you so much to the staff for doing an fantastic job, much appreciated

Good job – thanks for being there to try to get mom to figure out what was happening!

Thank you so, so much , for all your efforts with our elderly and loved family members in this very long and difficult time

I spoke with one member of staff on the call itself explaining that Linda had her eye appointment and arranging another call for this Thursday. Very thoughtful and kind. I am reassured of the care my sister is receiving at the Menno. I want to thank everyone there at the Menno for your care, kindness and professionalism, from the bottom of my heart

Thank you so much. It was so nice to see Joe every one at Menno home are so kind and caring , this was truly kind

Keep up the great work! You are greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much for the opportunity to see and speak with my Mom. Myself, my husband and two of our three children were able to participate, and she recognized us all. It was very much appreciated! ❤️

A huge thank you for providing the opportunity for Zoom calls with my mother.  It is wonderful to be able to see her, and hopefully for her to be able to see us as well.  And many thanks in general for everything all of you at Menno are doing to look after my mother and all the other residents there!!  I think of everyone at Menno when I go out and ring my bells at 7:00 every evening!

Please thank the staff and Vera, Rec Coordinator, for assisting dad and us during our call.  She is kind, courteous and patient and we appreciate how she cares about the patients and family. Thanks to the  tech staff for getting Zoom set up and keeping the Menno website up to date with current information.

Definitely! Huge thanks to Lorraine, Sarah, Joanne and Rebecca! Dad’s spirits were lifted as he was able to see all of our faces from Saskatchewan to Texas to Squamish to Kamloops and the Lower Mainland. It was awesome!

Your staff have been SO great through this whole situation. From the Facebook updates, emails, zoom calls, flower and mail deliveries. We can’t thank you enough!!!

Additional Comments:

Questions answered or forwarded by our Zoom Team

BLESS YOU ALL.

Can we and mom’s other son have individual zoom meetings or is it only one meeting per resident?

Dad is on a no chew diet. His favourite food is ice cream. Can that not be included within his diet?

Even if he didn’t connect with me I saw him and that was helpful.

Grateful that the Covid virus has kept away from your facilities.  Thank God for his mercy.

Hang in there!

Harold would drive to Vancouver Island at least once a year.

Hope to be able to visit again soon, but not very likely??. Stay safe everyone!

Hoping at least my mom can come in person again very soon. Willing to wear whatever PPE needed. Please help us.

I enjoyed seeing jean but I am not too was sure if she got much out of it as she said it was not me who was speaking to her. .I appreciate that she is getting a lot more confused now than six months ago and that her condition will continue to decline.  I can assure you the coming event is not one that I think of with much pleasure.

I live 600 miles away so twice a year is about how often we make it up.

I live in the UK so visits are not possible. Therefore zoom calls are a God-send. I want to thank the Menno staff for their care of my sister, Linda. And for setting yup the zoom call system, which is working,overall, very well.

I was not aware that window visits were possible,  this would have been nice knowing sooner

I will investigate the audio issue before next time and hopefully we can get it working 🙂

I would like any feedback as to what the problem might have been.

my concern is that if her physical health deteriorates, she might have to die alone. She is ready , but it shouldn’t have to happen without someone at her side

My Mom visited my Dad at least 3 to 4 times a week.  I usually came on Sunday and sometimes during the week.

N/a

Please allow us to visit. One person per time. Not in his room maybe in the recreation room? Or out in the patio areas.

Please keep in touch with us if any change in Dads health.

She was in the hospital prior and during  Covid19 and her sons were feeding her everyday lunch and supper.

So looking forward to this crisis being over!!  Thank you again to each and every one of the Menno staff who help keep the Menno and all its residents safe during this very difficult time!

So thankful to you all

Still call them everyday – but its not the same as seeing them.

Thank you again for all you do.

Thank you all for taking such good care of my brother

Thank you for all you do!

Thank you for arranging this service.

Thank you for taking such good care of my dad.

Thank you thank you.

Thank you to the staff of East 1 for helping us call my Mom (Ruby) every day in the phone. She was placed just as the Covid-19 issues escalated and does not fully understand why we can’t visit her. Calling is her connection to the family. Thank you to the staff of East 1 for taking care of Mom!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Charlene, and everyone else involved!

Thanks again for this appreciated service – and for all that everyone at Menno is doing.

The experience was excellent and clearly my mother was happy. I will be booking more visits like this and recommending that my siblings do the same. This would have been very useful for me before COVID-19 as I live a significant distance from Menno home and visiting takes a minimum of 4 hours.

The pandemic restrictions have really shone a light on how much we value things we previously took for granted – like being able to visit Janice “whenever”, but in practice didn’t do it nearly as often as we wished.

These are difficult times for everyone and we very much appreciate the work being done there.

This should definitely be continued when visits aren’t possible! It will enhance quality of life!!

Very grateful for the opportunity to see my mom ❤❤❤❤❤❤

We live in Kamloops, so we get down when we can, it so nice to be able to see my dad on zoom, many thanks to the staff at Meno homes.

We would take turns visiting her.  She normally would have 3-4 visits from family and/or friends a week.

Zoom phone service is an excellent way for my wife and I to visit with mom and dad. Thank you again.

Update 04/23/2020

Random Audits

Fraser Health is conducting random safety audits to ensure that staff in all long-term care and Assisted Living are wearing PPE, practicing social distancing and following the guidelines for safety that have been outlined in the Fraser Health LTC/AL/IL COVID Binder. You are aware of these protocols, including hand hygiene, hand sanitization, self-monitoring and active screening. Be vigilant – this is not the time to let up in your commitment to all protocols. We are so grateful that we do not have COVID-19 at Menno Place. Keep up the great work!

Staff Food

These audits are also look at best practices for staff food within the resident unit. No staff food is permitted within the resident unit. Staff may only bring in their own personal lunch and it must be stored in the staff rooms. There is NO food permitted at the nursing station or anywhere else within the unit.

Bringing Food into Menno Place

No “outside” food allowed within the Menno Place buildings. This includes doughnuts and coffees. You may not bring in doughnuts to share with your co-workers (even though we know how nice that is!). Nor can you bring in a coffee from Tim Horton’s, Starbucks or McDonalds. Your coffee must be in your own cup that has been sanitized.

Clutter

The auditor is looking at Nursing Stations. They are looking for clutter that takes up space, needs to be moved, is touched by multiple people. Clear off the nursing stations and other prime locations for clutter. Everything should be wipeable, cleanable and readily sanitized.

Social Distancing

Make every effort to keep your distance! Even if you are wearing your PPE, you cannot loosen up on the social distancing. There are times when it feels “normal” to huddle around the nursing station, your computers or for your break. When you work together to accomplish a task and it’s necessary to have two people involved, you must work together. If you are not working on a task together (lifting, bathing, etc), you MUST remain 6 ft away from each other. Thank you for making these efforts both at work and when you go home or go to get groceries. Our infection control protocols have limited the opportunities for COVID-19  to enter Menno Place. Any who enter our buildings remain the greatest risk of carrying the coronavirus in. This can feel like a huge burden to bear. The best way to relieve that burden of responsibility is to practice vigilant infection control protocols, including hand washing and showering / changing clothing between shifts in different buildings or units and getting a COVID-19 swab test if you say yes to any of the Active Screening Questions:

1. Do you have a fever?
2. Do you have a new or worsening cough?
3. Do you have new or worsening sneezing?
4. Do you have new or worsening runny nose?
5. Do you have new or worsening shortness of breath?
6. Do you have new or worsening gastrointestinal symptoms?

Wearing PPE

Masks

Fraser Health provided a COVID-19 Response Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Framework that outlines the guidelines for wearing PPE.

We have solidified our supplies and are satisfied that our supply chain can continue to provide Menno Place with PPE that will allow us to follow these guidelines moving forward.

Action points for staff:

• No more use of homemade masks. Effective 4/27/2020, you will be wearing a Surgical / Procedure Mask. Thank you to all who made our fabric masks – thank you to all who donated them! Thank you to all who have been carefully using them, washing them and ensuring that we preserve our mask supplies. Please wash your mask and put it away for a future date if required.
• In the resident care units, the following guidelines will direct your use of masks:
  • Put on surgical mask at the beginning of your shift
  • Put on a new mask after coffee and lunch breaks and return to the unit (dispose of previous mask in regular garbage)
  • Change mask if it becomes damp, damaged, visibly soiled or difficult to breathe through
  • Wear continuously as much as possible
  • Avoid touching the mask
  • Immediately clean hands if mask is adjusted or touched during the shift
  • Remove surgical mask when it becomes damp/damaged/visibly soiled/difficult to breathe through, before going for breaks or at end of shift
• N95’s – We are grateful for the donations and the supply we have of N95’s. There are very specific situations in which to wear an N95 mask, primarily Aerosol Generating Procedures. They are not standard for daily use. Our supply of N95’s is strong. Your supervisor will advise you should you need to wear one.

Goggles

Eye Protection

• In the resident care units, the following guidelines will direct your use of goggles:

• • Put on eye protection at the beginning of the shift
  • Put on cleaned eye protection (clean with soap and water) after coffee, lunch breaks and return to the unit
  • Clean eye protection if it becomes damp, damaged, visibly soiled or difficult to see through – WE HAVE A SOLUTION FOR FOGGING UP! You can rub shaving cream in the interior of your glasses and rinse. Tip from Assisted Living staff who have tried this and say it works!
  • Wear continuously as much as possible.
  • Avoid touching the eye protection.
  • Immediately clean hands if eye protection is adjusted or touched during shift.

The PPE Procurement Team (Bas Kervel, Renate Steffan and Kathrin McMath) have done an incredible job ensuring the consistent delivery of PPE as required. They have done a thorough audit of the current levels of PPE and they are confident that we have a steady flow of supply. GREAT JOB, TEAM!

Face Shields

We are VERY grateful for the donated Face Shields that we have received, primarily through the generosity of the Eugene Reimer Middle School, Doerksen Construction and Abby Glass. Thank you! These laser-cut face shields are what Menno Place may need if we are facing a COVID-19 outbreak. They will not be deployed for any other purpose.

Swabs/Testing

The COVID-19 Testing site has moved from the MSA Arena to 2692 Clearbrook Rd.

If you are feeling sick at work or home:

• Self-Isolate
• Inform your Supervisor
• Do the online self-assessment – www.AbbotsfordCovidResponse.com
• Get an appointment (you will need to wait 24 hours after symptoms appear to ensure greater accuracy in the swab testing)
• Go to the Testing Site – 2692 Clearbrook Road for your appointment. There is no longer a drive-through. You will enter for an appointment.

You are SO Appreciated!

Now that you’ve read all of these items in this update, you deserve some encouragement: Click Here to Read the 94 Words of Encouragement for YOU, the Frontline Workers