The Pines Resident & Family Portal

The Ministry of Long-Term Care announced changes in Ontario Regulation 246/22 under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 which came into effect on April 11, 2023.

The changes relate to the following:

• The way residents safely receive medications.
• Ensuring that residents live comfortably in their home.
• Qualification requirements for some staff positions.

Click on the link below to review the updates:

Amendments to Regulations

NEW: April 11, 2023- Invitations to Information Sessions For Residents, Families and Caregivers

Long-term care residents, families and caregivers are invited to attend an information session to hear important updates from the Ministry of Long-Term Care on changes made to the rules that long-term care homes have to follow. The changes relate to:

• The way residents safely receive medications.
• Ensuring that residents live comfortably in their home.
• Qualification requirements for some staff positions.

As well, the Ministry has created a What Residents Can Expect information sheet on the changes which can be accessed using the link below.

Please share the information below and information sheet with your residents, their families and caregivers.

• What Residents Can Expect

Family and Caregiver Information Session

You can click here to register for the family and caregiver information session that will take place on Monday, April 17 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. When you register you will also be able to submit any questions you may have on the topics to be discussed which will be shared with the speakers before the session so that they can speak about the things that are most important to families and caregivers of long-term care residents.

For emergency management, Ministry requirements, and Public Health requirements. Visitors must continue to sign in and out using the iPads to the left of the front door, 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 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