The Pines Resident & Family Portal

July 22^nd – 2:00 p.m. - Family and Resident Paint Event in the Main Courtyard – Please contact, Lisa Friesen at ext. 4873 or lisa.friesen@muskoka.on.ca in Activities if you wish to join with your loved one.

July 23^rd at 12:00 p.m. - Couples Club Hawaiian-themed Steak and Chicken BBQ. Please contact, Lisa Friesen at ext. 4873 or lisa.friesen@muskoka.on.ca. The cost is $20 per person.

The activities Team is also trying to organize a weekly bridge game for residents. Please let a team member know if your loved one plays bridge and family members are welcome to join. We are extending an invitation to residents of McVittie Place and hope to get some extra players.

The Exit for the Home is now through the Front Door. The keypad has been updated on the side door and is no longer accessible to exit the home.

Thank you to those that were able to attend the meeting. Below is a copy of the recording and the May minutes that were approved at the meeting.

Family Council will take a summer break and resume meetings in September. There will be a Family Update during the time slot that the Family Council Meeting occurs typically for the months of July and August. We hope to see you there.

June Family Council Meeting Recording

Passcode: +gELq*9d

May 2023 Family Council Minutes

May 2023 Family Update

Ministry May 2023 Inspection Report

Continuous Quality Improvement Fact Sheet from The Ministry

May 2023 Verbal Compliance Plan

Power of Family Council According to the Fixing Long Term Care Act

The June 2023 Family Update has also been included here.

The risk of heat-related illnesses occurs when the environmental temperature exceeds the normal body temperature for several hours or days.

The environment includes any area where the individual resident resides and as such, the risk is identified by measuring the temperature of the indoor air for residents who remain inside the building. Our home has internal monitoring thermometers installed with alerts to staff if the temperature becomes too high.

For residents who plan to spend a significant amount of time outside the building during times when the temperatures are high (26 degrees Celsius or above), then preventive measures need to be implemented for these residents. Prevention and early intervention for heat-related illnesses should be aimed at cooling and rehydrating affected individuals.

All staff are trained in monitoring, identifying, and providing appropriate intervention related to heat-related illness. Please encourage your loved one to remain inside the home with their window closed as much as possible when the weather is hot. This is just a small intervention that you can assist with to keep your loved one safe.

Here is an article related to Heat Stress in the Elderly

In collaboration with Public Health, the Enhanced Surveillance has been declared over for the Maple home area.

In collaboration with Public Health, the Cedar Outbreak has been declared over as of July 2, 2023. The Maple Home Area remains in Enhanced Surviellance with enteric symptoms. Currently, there are no isolated residents.

Please review the changes below:

NEW CHANGES – June 30^th, 2023

Masking requirements

For caregivers and visitors:

Masks are recommended, but not required, in all areas of the home. This means that caregivers and visitors may now join in for dining and sharing a meal or beverage in communal areas. Visitors and caregivers may join residents for group activities, including enjoying food and beverages during group activities. IPAC practices should continue to be followed in communal spaces to promote safety and well-being. Co-horting of units is no longer required for group activities unless there is an active outbreak, at which time co-horting will be adhered to.

In outbreak situations, or if a resident is on Additional Precautions, all individuals are required to comply with masking and other personal protective equipment requirements as directed by the outbreak management team and the local public health unit.

Resident Isolation

Residents with COVID-19 remain under isolation and under additional precautions for 10 days.

• If they are able to independently and consistently wear a mask, they may leave their room to participate in activities and join others in communal areas provided they meet the following criteria:

• It has been a minimum of 5 days from symptom onset or positive test; and no fever is present; They must wear a mask at all times outside of their room, they do not join in communal dining (since they cannot remove their mask around others) and they continue to follow additional precautions for 10 days after their symptom onset or positive test. Other respiratory guidance and enteric guidance remains the same.

STAYING THE SAME:

• Outbreak guidance remains the same (this includes masking during outbreaks)
• Daily symptom screening for residents remains the same
• Self screening and hand hygiene before entering home
• Staying home if you are ill-following up with IPAC for guidance

Please reach out with any questions Melissa Muir-Clark, IPAC lead or your managers if you have any questions.

Thank you.

In collaboration with Public Health, the Maple home area has been placed in Heightened Surveillance for Gastroenteritis with 2 isolated residents. Symptoms include diarrhea and or vomiting. Family members of those affected residents have been notified. We will continue to provide updates.

Measures in place include:

• Staff cohorting, where possible.
• Twice daily screening for all residents in Maple
• Social distancing, where possible.
• Resident hand hygiene before meals and snacks, and whenever possible.
• We have enhanced environmental cleaning on Maple and in shared spaces in the home.

Cedar Home remains in a respiratory outbreak with one (1) resident currently isolated with symptoms of cough and hoarseness. We have received the pathogen at this time and it is Rhinovirus. Resident symptoms are mild and resolving fairly quickly at this time. Family members of those affected residents are aware. No General Visitors at this time to Cedar Home Area; essential caregiver at a maximum of two (2) at a time.

We will send updates regularly as we work through this most recent outbreak.

Measures at this time include:

• Eye Protection for all on Cedar at all times. Please disinfect when leaving the unit.
• On-unit activities for Cedar residents only
• twice daily symptom screening for residents
• Prompt isolation of any symptomatic residents
• Staff Cohorting where possible
• Social distancing where possible
• Resident hand hygiene before meals and snacks and whenever possible
• Enhanced Environmental Cleaning on Cedar and in shared spaces in the home

If you have any questions, please connect with Melissa Muir-Clark at ext. 4752