October 29th, 2020    UPDATED VISITING POLICY

REOPENING POLICY FOR HERITAGE HEIGHTS AND HERITAGE MANOR 

As the province moves into a second wave of COVID-19, in order to continue to
balance retirement home residents and staff safety with well-being, Ontario has
developed a risk-based response system that includes specific actions based on
community transmission and infection spread within the sector.

THERE ARE 3 ALERT STATUS ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC AREAS AS
IMPOSED BY THE PROVINCE RELATED TO LTC AND RETIREMENT HOMES

1-Non-Alert Status
2-Alert Status
3-High Alert Status

As of October 29, 2020, according to our location/community we are in an
ALERT STATUS. Therefore, the following has been imposed.

  • General Visitors:
    – A maximum of one (1) general visitor at a time may visit in a designated
    area set out by the Home.
  • Caregiver (Essential visitor)
    – A maximum of one (1) caregiver per resident may visit to assist with care
    at a time.
  • Support Workers (Essential Visitor) defined as a worker brought into the
    home when there is gaps in service to preform for the home or for a
    resident.
    – Any number of support workers may visit a resident in a home.
  • Personal Care Service Provider (Non-Essential Visitor)
    Hairdresser/Nail Care
    – NOT PERMITTED
  • Volunteers:
    – Determined by the Licensee
  • Essential Visitors including: Food delivery, maintenance,
    Phlebotomy, or person visiting a terribly ill/palliative resident.
    -The local PHU may recognize additional outcome management
    control measures which may include restriction of essential
    visitors as listed above.
  • Prospective resident taking a tour of the home:
    – NOT PREMITTED

 

  • Absence that does not include an overnight stay at the hospital:
    – Residents may only be permitted to leave the home to meet
    essential needs. E.g., Medical appointments, Filling
    Prescriptions.
    – a single-night emergency room overnight visit does not trigger
    overnight absence requirements.

 

  • Overnight visit excluding emergency room overnight visits.
    – NOT PREMITTED

 

  • Social Activities:
    – NOT PERMITTED

*Please review entire Visiting Home Policy for full details on PPE, IPAC, and other requirements. We will update regularly on the ALERT STATUS of our area.

Sue Crepeau General Manager

October 22nd, 2020    UPDATED VISITING POLICY

REOPENING POLICY FOR HERITAGE HEIGHTS AND HERITAGE MANOR 

As the province moves into a second wave of COVID-19, in order to continue to balance retirement home residents and staff safety with well-being, Ontario has developed a risk-based response system that includes specific actions based on community transmission and infection spread within the sector.

THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF ALERT STATUSES ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC AREAS AS IMPOSED BY THE PROVINCE RELATED TO LTC AND RETIREMENT HOMES 

  1. Non-Alert Status
  2. Alert Status
  3. High Alert Status 

As of October 22nd, 2020, according to our location/community we are in HIGH ALERT STATUS . Therefore, the following has been imposed. 

  • General Visitors: NOT PERMITTED 
  • Caregiver (essential visitor): A maximum of one (1) caregiver per resident may visit to assist with care at a time.
  • Support Workers (essential visitor) are defined as a worker brought into the home when there are gaps in service to perform for the home or for a resident:
  • Any number of support workers may visit a resident in a home. 
  • Personal Care Service Provider (non-essential visitor) Hairdresser/Nail Care: NOT PERMITTED
  • Volunteers: Determined by the licensee AT THIS TIME NOT PERMITTED
  • Essential visitors including food delivery, maintenance, phlebotomy, or persons visiting a terribly ill/palliative resident.
  • The local PHU may recognize additional outcome management control measures which may include a restriction of essential visitors as listed above. 
  • Prospective resident taking a tour of the home: NOT PERMITTED
  • Absences that do not include an overnight stay at the hospital:
  • Residents may only be permitted to leave the home to meet essential needs such as medical appointments and filling prescriptions.
  • Single night emergency room overnight visit does not trigger overnight absence requirements.
  • Overnight visits excluding emergency room overnight visits: NOT PERMITTED
  • Social activities: NOT PERMITTED

Please review entire Visiting Home Policy for full details on PPE, IPAC, and other requirements. We will update regularly on the ALERT STATUS of our area.

Sue Crepeau General Manager

September 2, 2020     UPDATED CHANGES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR VISITS:

REOPENING POLICY FOR HERITAGE HEIGHTS AND HERITAGE MANOR 

The Government has announced that Retirement Homes in Ontario will be opening up to visitors starting June 18th 2020.  We all recognize the importance that families, visitors and loved ones play in providing caregiving and emotional support and the importance of this for the quality of life for our retirement home residents.  I wish to thank all family and loved ones for their support and continued understanding over the last few months and realize how difficult it was for you as loved ones to not be able to visit and entrust in the care that our retirement homes provided through this difficult time to keep your loved ones safe.  

Heritage Heights and Heritage Manor has implemented this policy following the Directives by the Ministry that reflect requirements from the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.  

In implementing this Policy, we must all keep in mind that the reopening needs to be in compliance with the Directives set out by the Ministry of LTC/Retirement. This Policy will concentrate on the MANAGING OF VISITORS. 

This Policy will be based on principles such as safety, emotional well-being and flexibility to address concepts such as compassion, equity, non-maleficence, and level of risk, transparency and reciprocity.

This Policy will only be in effect if the Retirement Homes are NOT IN OUTBREAK FOR COVID-19. 

If at any time you have questions regarding this Policy, please feel free to contact Sue Crepeau, General Manager of both Heritage Heights and Heritage Manor Retirement Homes. 613 932-7786 X 302

HOME REQUIREMENTS FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR VISITATIONS:

Reopening will take place in a gradual, phased manner that meets the health and safety needs of residents, staff, and visitors. The following must be met prior to the either homes being able to accept visitors. 

1-The retirement homes must NOT currently be in outbreak.  Visits cannot occur if a symptomatic staff or resident is awaiting COVID-19 test results, until those tests results are known.  

2-The homes have developed policies /procedures for the resumption of visits. As indicated in this Policy, including to but not limited to Infection control, scheduling, and setting-specific policies. 

  • This policy will include information on IPAC, masking, and other procedures such as limiting movement around the homes and ensuring visitors agree to comply.
  • The homes provide designated areas for both indoor and outdoor visits.
  • Protocols to maintain the highest of IPAC standards prior to and after visits. 
  • The homes create and maintain a list of visitors.
  • The homes provide education about Physical distancing, respiratory etiquette, hand hygiene, infection prevention and control practices (IPAC) and proper use of PPE including donning and doffing 
  • Allowances and limitations regarding indoor and outdoor visiting options. 
  • Criteria for defining the number and types of visitors allowed per resident when the home is not on outbreak. 
  • The homes follow screening protocols for all visitors prior to visit with attestation to not be experiencing any typical and atypical symptoms. 
  • Requirements from the homes that stipulate what visitors must comply with, if in non-compliance with the homes policies could result in a discontinuation of visits.  

 

VISITOR REQUIREMENTS:

1-Prior to each visit, The visitor must:

  • Pass active screening every time they are on the premises of or enter the homes, they must attest that they are not experiencing any of the typical and atypical symptoms of COVID-19.  Visitors will not be allowed to visit if they do not pass the screening. 
  • Visitors that wish to visit indoors or outdoors will no longer need to attest to being tested for COVID. 
  • The visitor will comply with the homes Visitor policy in its ENTIRETY.

VISITOR POLICY FOR HERITAGE HEIGHTS AND HERITAGE MANOR

  • All visitors must schedule visits prior to visit and indicate if an indoor or outdoor visit is requested.  This can be done by calling the homes and directing your call to management for arrangement from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am to 4pm. 
  • Documentation of arrival and exit times should be logged by staff. 
  • Visitors will be limited to one visitor at a time in doors and one visit weekly per resident.  Visits will be ½ hour to a maximum of one hour, as this will allow the homes to accommodate all residents. Visitors are asked to arrive 15mins earlier to go through the screening process by staff.  
  • All visits will take place during business hours of 9:30am to 11:30pm, and 1:30pm to 3:30pm only to ensure that sufficient staff are on to monitor, screening and sanitizing prior to and after visits.
  • Weekend visits will only be allowed outside in designated areas and only from 9am to 2pm. Two visitors at once are now allowed outdoors.  Weekend visits must be pre-booked during business hours Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm. 
  • If visitors are bringing in any items for the resident, they must be given to staff for appropriate disinfection. 
  • All visitors will be actively screened prior to visits this is to include questionnaire, temperature checks, screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Name, Date, and phone number will need to be provided for contact reasons. 
  • Out door visits will now allow 2 visitors at the same time, if social distancing of 2 meters is respected, and masks worn. 
  • Visitors do NOT need to be tested for COVID prior to visits inside or out. 
  • A log will be kept by the Homes for the purpose of contact tracing. 
  • All visits will be in designated areas inside and outside. 
  • HERITAGE HEIGHTS INDOOR VISITS will be allocated to one area that being the Dining room where social distancing can be applied safely, and 

     visit may be monitored to ensure appropriate PPE is being worn and social 

      distancing is followed. We ask that you do not bring food or drink as     

     as masks must be worn at all times.

  • HERITAGE HEIGHTS OUTDOOR VISITS will be only in the designated area on the patio off the dining room at the rear of the home. Social distancing of 2 meters will be applied, masks must be worn. We ask that you do not bring food or drink as your mask must stay on at all times.  The visit must only include the intended resident and no other resident should be present. 2 visitors are now allowed at the same time. 
  • HERITAGE MANOR INDOOR VISITS will be designated to the Activity room at the entrance of the home, where social distancing will be practiced, and proper PPE is being worn the visit will be monitored. We ask that you do not bring food or drink as masks must always be worn . 

HERITAGE MANOR OUTDOOR VISITS will be in a designated area only and must include the visitor and resident only no other resident will be allowed in the designated area at time of visit. 

  • The designated areas in both homes will be sanitized after each visit. Visitors are asked to limit walking in both homes and will only be permitted to visit in designated areas. This is to limit other residents to possible exposure. 
  • All visitors must only visit the resident they are intending to visit and no other resident. 
  • Visitors must wear a face covering for outdoor visits if the visit is indoors a surgical/procedure mask must always be worn and will NOT be provided by the homes.  If the visitor does not have a surgical mask, then the visit will need to be cancelled and rescheduled when the visitor has access to a surgical mask. We ask that you do not bring food/drink as masks must always be worn . 
  • Family visits will not be permitted when: A resident is self-isolating or symptomatic or the home is on outbreak. Only essential visitors will be permitted at this time.  Essential visitors are defined as any person performing essential support services (e.g., food delivery, inspector, maintenance, or health care services, or a person visiting an extremely ill or Palliative resident. 
  • All visitors must demonstrate social distancing of 2 meters (6 feet) use respiratory etiquette, proper hand hygiene prior to and after visit with hand sanitizer.  All visitors must follow infection prevention and control practices of the home.  

This is the updated requirements of Retirement Re- opening and will be subject to change when Directives from the Ministry change for the retirement home. It gives me great pleasure that we are finally able to open for family/friends to visit their loved ones.  In saying this we must all do our part to comply with the policies in place and remain continuously cautious of the COVID virus that remains in our community and the implications that it can have on our aging population.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR SHORT ABSENCES:

Retirement homes residents who wish to go outside of the home (e.g., short absences with friends/family, shopping, medical appointments, etc. Are permitted to do so if the following requirements are met:

THE RETIREMENT HOME MUST NOT BE CURRENTLY IN OUTBREAK.

-In the event that a home allows short absences but enters an outbreak, all short absences must end.  Homes must establish compliance with all CMOH directives for homes in outbreak and follow directions from the local PHU.

-The resident must pass active screening every time they re-enter the home and attest that they are not experiencing any typical and atypical symptoms of COVID-19.  If a resident cannot meet these conditions, the home will follow existing outbreak or isolation policies.

-The resident must wear a surgical mask while outside the home during the entire time of the outing except for when eating/drinking. 

-Education on all required protocols for short absences will be provided by the home.

-Any non-adherence to these rules could be the basis for discontinuation of short absences.

 

-Short absences are no longer limited to 12 hours as of July 24th and can be overnight. If an overnight stay is requested on the residents return the resident MUST be placed on a 14 day of “enhanced” precautions, including 

-Upon return, pass active screening.

-Do not receive indoor visitors during the 14 days.

-Monitor for symptoms.

-Avoid using common areas; however, if a common area cannot be avoided, the resident must use a face covering.

-Limit contact with other residents.

-Do not participate in group activities.

-Wash their hands often (soap and water, or use alcohol-based sanitizer)

-Adhere to respiratory etiquette and follow physical distancing guidelines. 

*The home asks that all family/friends that are taking residents out for short absences be very aware of the risks involved and follow Ministry Mandated Guidelines.  They are asked by the home to use every precaution while out including proper hand sanitizing and ensure the mask is always worn when social distancing cannot be met.  This of course is to prevent the virus from entering the homes on their return to the home.  This will keep all staff and residents in the homes safe which will allow visits and short absences to continue.

I thank you for your cooperation and support and hope you enjoy your visits with your friends and loved ones.  

Sincerely, Sue Crepeau General Manager

Sue Crepeau, General Manager
Cc Dean Rushlow, Owner