May 4, 2021
Hello everyone,
I am glad to share that we continue to have zero COVID-19 outbreaks at Seasons Retirement Communities.
While case counts in Ontario remain consistently high, Alberta case counts have escalated rapidly over the last week. As we approach Mother’s Day, I implore all staff, residents and families to consider safe alternatives to gathering with loved ones this weekend. As a daughter and a mother, I know how tired we all are of these restrictions; yet, once again, it seems the best way to show our moms and grandmothers that we love them is to stay apart. Please rest assured that Seasons Communities will mark the occasion and do all we can to make our moms feel loved and appreciated this Mother’s Day.
Rapid testing of Seasons team members is working well, and in some Seasons homes has been extended to Designated Essential Visitors (DEV). You will be informed when your Seasons community will begin to offer this. If you are a DEV who has not yet been fully vaccinated, that is to say, two weeks past your second dose of vaccine, or you are someone who is not planning to get vaccinated, I strongly encourage you to participate in the rapid testing. This dramatically improves our ability to keep COVID-19 out of our homes.
ALBERTA
Effective May 10, the restriction to Designated Essential Visitors is increasing from 2 to 4 per resident. Given the rising case counts, the provincial government advised that restrictions will apply in certain hot spot areas with more than 350 cases per 100,000 population and will be in place for a minimum of two weeks. These areas include Edmonton, Calgary Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Airdrie, St. Albert, the county of Strathcona, Okotoks, Rocky View and Lethbridge. If you are a family member living in one of these areas, and especially if you are not fully vaccinated, please reconsider whether a visit to a Seasons location is essential at this time.
We continue to use the Risk Assessment tool to guide protocols and restrictions in our retirement homes in Alberta. If there is the transmission of COVID-19 in the local community, that will indicate a greater risk to our residents, and therefore we will be firm in enforcing safety protocols. For an update on the status in Alberta, you can visit this link to Alberta Health.
ONTARIO
Provincial directives for screening retirement community visitors are changing, and we will no longer need to take temperatures before entry however all other screening measures remain in place.
Ontario remains in a strict stay-at-home order, which strongly discourages travel outside of one’s region. When considering a visit to Seasons, please review the current provincial guidelines for all Ontarians, as well as the policies and procedures under the ‘Grey (Lockdown) or Shutdown’ column in the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority’s Scenario Matrix, found here.
Thank you to our staff, residents and families for being cautious and for continuing to follow our enhanced infection prevention and control protocols. The collective health of our retirement community members relies on your cooperation. Whether you live or work with us at Seasons, our number one priority is your health and safety. Thank you all for your continued patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
LeighAnne Voll
Chief Operating Officer,
Seasons Retirement Communities
For additional online resources for COVID-19 you can visit the following sites:
Canada Health
Alberta Health
Alberta Health Services
Public Health Ontario
Retirement Home Regulatory Authority