The Pines Resident & Family Portal

We are pleased to update you with regards to the physio assistant positions at the Home. Please see below.

PTA Chilka Chaudhari will join the Pines team in a casual part-time position. The full-time PTA replacement has been offered to PTA Lindsay Dalrymple. It will take a few weeks for her to complete the notice period and in the meantime, PTA Chilka will support the team.

In collaboration with Public Health, the Respiratory Outbreak in the Cedar Home area has been declared over as of today, April 5, 2023.

• Cedar remains in Respiratory Outbreak at this time.

Family members of those affected residents have been notified. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Masks must remain on in the resident's rooms at this time.

No General Visitors to the Cedar Home Area at this time. Essential Caregivers may visit a maximum of two (2) at a time.

• Cedar Home Area: Currently no residents with respiratory symptoms.

Enhanced Infection Control Measures within the Cedar home area include:

• Increased hand hygiene for staff and residents prior to meals
• Increased cleaning on affected units by housekeeping
• Increased PPE audits and hand hygiene audits
• Twice daily symptom screening
• Staff cohorting where possible
• All individuals are to be masked throughout the home in common areas.
• Mandatory N95 masks and Eye protection at all times on Oak.
• Residents in affected areas avoid group activities.

Please reach out to Melissa Muir-Clark (IPAC Lead) if you have any questions. Ext. 4752

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare is working through Stage 1.3 of the Ministry of Health's capital planning process to build a new hospital in Huntsville on the existing property, and a new hospital in Bracebridge at a new location.

One Redevelopment Project, Two New Sites - April 2023

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is looking forward to hosting a second series of community information sessions across our region, both in-person and virtually starting April 17, 2023 to update the community on our capital redevelopment project.

As MAHC moves closer to completing the site selection component, the second round of community engagement will include an update on the site selection process for SMMH and present the preferred property in Bracebridge.

Since engaging our communities in January and seeking feedback through an online survey in February, community input has been helpful to identifying two additional properties for review in Bracebridge. Feedback has also informed the criteria being used to evaluate the properties and we appreciate everyone’s engagement and involvement in our site selection process for the south campus.

Community Information Sessions are coming up to learn more. Please visit their website for more information. www.mahc.ca/infosessions

• Cedar remains in Respiratory Outbreak at this time.

Family members of those affected residents have been notified. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Masks must remain on in the resident's rooms at this time.

No General Visitors to the Cedar Home Area at this time. Essential Caregivers may visit a maximum of two (2) at a time.

• Cedar Home Area: Currently no residents with respiratory symptoms.

Enhanced Infection Control Measures within the Cedar home area include:

• Increased hand hygiene for staff and residents prior to meals
• Increased cleaning on affected units by housekeeping
• Increased PPE audits and hand hygiene audits
• Twice daily symptom screening
• Staff cohorting where possible
• All individuals are to be masked throughout the home in common areas.
• Mandatory N95 masks and Eye protection at all times on Oak.
• Residents in affected areas avoid group activities.

Please reach out to Melissa Muir-Clark (IPAC Lead) if you have any questions. Ext. 4752

• Cedar remains in Respiratory Outbreak at this time.

Family members of those affected residents have been notified. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Masks must remain on in the resident's rooms at this time.

No General Visitors to the Cedar Home Area at this time. Essential Caregivers may visit a maximum of two (2) at a time.

• Cedar Home Area: Currently two (2) residents with respiratory symptoms.

Enhanced Infection Control Measures within the Cedar home area include:

• Increased hand hygiene for staff and residents prior to meals
• Increased cleaning on affected units by housekeeping
• Increased PPE audits and hand hygiene audits
• Twice daily symptom screening
• Staff cohorting where possible
• All individuals are to be masked throughout the home in common areas.
• Mandatory N95 masks and Eye protection at all times on Oak.
• Residents in affected areas avoid group activities.

Please reach out to Melissa Muir-Clark (IPAC Lead) if you have any questions. Ext. 4752

• Cedar remains in Respiratory Outbreak at this time.

Family members of those affected residents have been notified. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Masks must remain on in the resident's rooms at this time.

No General Visitors to the Cedar Home Area at this time. Essential Caregivers may visit a maximum of two (2) at a time.

• Cedar Home Area: Currently two (2) residents with respiratory symptoms.

Enhanced Infection Control Measures within the Cedar home area include:

• Increased hand hygiene for staff and residents prior to meals
• Increased cleaning on affected units by housekeeping
• Increased PPE audits and hand hygiene audits
• Twice daily symptom screening
• Staff cohorting where possible
• All individuals are to be masked throughout the home in common areas.
• Mandatory N95 masks and Eye protection at all times on Oak.
• Residents in affected areas avoid group activities.

Please reach out to Melissa Muir-Clark (IPAC Lead) if you have any questions. Ext. 4752

Below are the updated policies and procedures related to the changes above.

General Visitor Policy- March 30, 2023

Essential Caregiver Policy- March 30, 2023

Essential Caregiver Form Updated March 30, 2023

We have received notification from the Ministry regarding some significant changes that will be taking place starting the morning of Friday, March 31, 2023.

• I would like to take this opportunity to thank the screeners that have stuck with us through the last few years.
• Visitors must continue to sign in using the iPads when entering the home and out, as per legislative. In accordance with section 267(2) of O. Reg. 246/22, homes must maintain visitor logs of all visits to the home. The visitor log must include, at a minimum:
• The name and contact information of the visitor
• Time and date of the visit
• The purpose of the visit (example, name of the resident visited);
• We will have the screeners here to assist with guiding everyone with this new process over the next week or so.

Below is the information from the Ministry:

The first phase involves winding down measures for those living or working in LTC that are no longer appropriate or necessary. To give LTC homes time to communicate and implement these changes, the following changes will come into effect on March 31, 2023:

• Asymptomatic Screen Testing: With the widespread availability of vaccines and antivirals, adherence to the new Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Standard, and the high levels of immunity in the general community, there is no evidence to support the need for ongoing asymptomatic screen-testing requirements. As such, the ministry will no longer require asymptomatic screen testing for staff, students, volunteers, support workers, caregivers, and visitors. In addition, the ministry will no longer require homes to collect and maintain statistical information of asymptomatic screen testing. While LTC homes still have the option to implement their own asymptomatic screen-testing policies, it is not recommended at this time. Free rapid antigen tests will remain available until June 2023.
• Outdoor Masking: The ministry is removing the recommendation for residents, caregivers, and visitors to mask outdoors. Masking will remain in place for staff outdoors when in close proximity to a resident for the time being and all indoor masking requirements will remain in place at this time.
• Resident Screening and Daily Temperature Checks: LTC homes will continue to be required to monitor residents daily to detect the presence of infection, including COVID-19, per section 3 of the IPAC Standard. However, measures which go beyond what is required under the IPAC Standard, including daily temperature checks for COVID-19, will no longer be required. Please refer to the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance: Long-Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes, and Other Congregate Living Settings for Public Health Units for any additional screening practices, including temperature checks for any resident who is symptomatic, has tested positive or has been exposed to COVID-19. Further, homes will no longer be required to actively screen residents returning from an absence.
• Visitor Screening: While passive screening requirements for staff, visitors, and caregivers continue, the active screening recommendation for visitors and caregivers will be removed. LTC homes should continue to promote self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 and other respiratory or infectious diseases to prevent the spread of illness in LTC homes and ensure appropriate signage is in place.
• Visitors During Outbreaks: The limit of one caregiver at a time during a COVID-19 outbreak, or when a resident is symptomatic or isolating under Additional Precautions, will be removed. During an outbreak, LTC homes continue to be subject to public health unit (PHU) direction per the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance: Long-Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes, and Other Congregate Living Settings for Public Health Units.
• Activities / Physical Distancing: As continuity of social and physical activities is essential to the mental health and well-being of residents, LTC homes will be able to hold activities without adjusting to optimize for physical distancing. LTC homes, with guidance from PHUs, are best positioned to structure activities based on staff capacity and their individual LTC home and resident populations.
• COVID-19 Vaccination: Thanks to the sector’s collaborative efforts, as of March 14, 2023, 78.4% of eligible residents have received the fall bivalent COVID-19 booster. The risk of severe outcomes to residents has significantly decreased due to the high level of vaccine uptake, the availability of safe and effective antivirals, and high immunity in the general community. LTC homes that have retained their proof-of-vaccination requirements are strongly recommended to revisit their policies, with consideration to the current context of the pandemic and the Residents’ Bill of Rights, including the residents’ right to receive visitors of their choice. Specifically, while continuing to promote the uptake of boosters, homes are encouraged to consider permitting entry to visitors and qualified staff, regardless of their vaccination status. Licensees should engage with their residents’ council, family council, and local PHU to inform the review of their policies.
• COVID-19 Daily Outbreak Reporting: To reduce the reporting burden on long-term care homes, homes will no longer be required to submit daily COVID-19 outbreak data to the ministry. Homes continue to be required to report confirmed outbreaks using the Critical Incident System, as well as to report suspected or confirmed cases of diseases of public health significance or communicable diseases to their PHU as required under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
• COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes (EN)
• Pandemic Response FAQs (EN)
• What Residents Can Expect (EN)

The Ministry was in for a visit January 9-13, 2023 and we have received the report.

• We did receive 11 written notifications, 2 Compliance orders, and 1 monetary fine with this report.
• We have fallen behind on some programs and will be looking to get those in place to support the core program in the home.
• Ensuring that we are responding to resident pain needs to ensure comfort and a focus on a palliative approach to care.
• To ensure that all care team members are aware of the most recent interventions and needs of residents, care plans need to be updated as resident needs change.
• We need to ensure that moving forward we are diligent with infection control practices, such as hand hygiene and wearing the appropriate PPE at the appropriate time.
• Responding and supporting residents through responsive behaviours, including trialing interventions, coming together as an interdisciplinary team to re-evaluate, and working together to ensure the quality of care for all residents.
• We will be looking to complete education with all staff related to sexual abuse and targeted education for care planning team members. The education is mandatory to meet Ministry requirements and must be completed by April 21^st.

The report can be found here: The Pines LTC Inspection Report