COVID-19: B.C. care providers fear 10 per cent staff exodus over mandatory vaccinations

Dear visitors of residents at Menno Home, Menno Hospital and Terrace East: EFFECTIVE MONDAY JULY 19, 2021

July 8^th, 2021, marked an important and exciting change for residents and visitors of long-term Care and Seniors Assisted Living homes with the announcement of changes in visiting programs for British Columbia.

As of July 19, 2021, Social Visits will follow these guidelines:

• Visits no longer need to be pre-booked (except for evening visits in order to arrange screening)
• Indoor social visits will no longer be limited to two adults and one child
• Visitors will be asked to show proof of vaccination status. Menno Place will retain this information to provide to public health if needed
• Visitors will continue to be screened for signs of illness, including a temperature check on arrival
• Visitors will still need to provide contact tracing information
• No Social visits will be allowed if the care home is on “outbreak” or “enhanced monitoring”
• Visits will still take place primarily in the resident room or apartment suite
• Visitors will continue to socially distance (6ft from others) and use effective hand hygiene
• “Outings” (where the resident leaves the enclosed unit/building) must be arranged with the nurse and use the sign-out/sign-in protocol
• Assisted Living outings – use the sign-out/sign-in book when going on an outing
• Outdoor group gatherings (7 days per week) can be booked for Home and Hospital by calling Reception.
• Visitors will wear a medical grade mask (supplied by Menno Place) while moving through the building and common areas
  • Fully vaccinated visitors may remove their masks once in direct contact with the resident they are visiting or when outdoors
  • A visitor will be considered fully vaccinated when at least 14 days passed since receiving their 2^nd dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • Non-fully vaccinated visitors, or those unable to provide vaccination status, are required to wear a mask throughout their visit, both indoors and outdoors

What are the best hours for visiting?

• 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (7 DAYS A WEEK – A VISITATION HOST WILL GREET AND SCREEN YOU)
• 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (7 DAYS A WEEK – PLEASE CALL AHEAD TO RECEPTION IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT A STAFF MEMBER IS AVAILABLE TO GREET YOU)
• If you would like to book prior to 10am, please call the nurse.

We are pleased to let you know that the Menno Place Team has facilitated:

• 2,560 Messages of Love (March 2020 – July 2021)
• 4,575 Zoom Calls (March 2020 – July 14, 2021)
• 2,369 Safe Visits (August 1, 2020 – April 1, 2021)
• 6,356 Booked Social Visits (April 1 – July 14, 2021)

15,860 TOTAL facilitated connections during COVID pandemic

We are committed to continuing to provide meaningful and safe visiting opportunities for each resident; however, each resident will have different needs for length of visits or number of visitors at one time. Please be mindful of resident’s preferences when planning your visit and length of stay.

As we adjust to the new processes, and the anticipated influx of visitors, we ask for your patience. In particular, our Visitation Hosts will need extra time to screen visitors and to confirm vaccination status. During peak visiting times, line-ups may be expected. Thank you for your understanding.

For questions or comments, please contact Garry Janzen, Life Enrichment Coordinator – 604.851.1332 during regular office hours, Monday-Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm.

Please note: The Visitation Policy is subject to change in conjunction with the Fraser Health Authority and Ministry of Health Guidelines.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Can I visit with all of the members of my congregation / clients? No. You may visit with one resident only per screening. You cannot go from unit to unit or from apartment suite to apartment suite.
2. What precautions should I take if I’m visiting someone who has not been vaccinated? Consider visiting via Zoom. You should wear a mask to keep them as safe as possible. Practice social distancing and hand hygiene.
3. Can I visit my loved one in their room and then take them out for a walk? In order to leave the unit / apartment building, you need to speak with the nurse and follow all sign-out/sign-in protocol.
4. What about the variant? There may be additional infection prevention protocols needed as Public Health assesses the risks for the most vulnerable population, the elderly.
5. What if I don’t want to report or provide evidence of my vaccination status to you? You will follow the same guidelines as visitors who are not fully vaccinated.
6. What kind of evidence do you need of my vaccination status? Bring your vaccination card or your online BC Mobile Card – CLICK HERE
7. Will the staff be wearing masks? The staff continue with the infection control protocols that have been in place throughout the COVID pandemic, including wearing masks and goggles in resident spaces.
8. What changes for essential visitors? There is no change to the essential visitor program.

Phone Numbers:

Menno Home Reception: 604.853.2411

Menno Hospital Reception: 604.859.7631

Terrace East Reception: 604.851.4004

Garry Janzen, Life Enrichment Coordinator: 604.851.1332