June 15, 2020
I am pleased to report that we are free of COVID-19 at all Seasons Retirement Communities again this week. The protection of our staff and residents remains our highest priority. Thank you team members, for your ongoing commitment to keeping our residents safe by continuing to follow all safety protocols. We appreciate the important work you do each day. Thank you to our residents and families for your continued cooperation and understanding. It takes the collective, continued cooperation of residents, staff and family members to keep COVID-19 out of our homes. The risk remains high so let’s continue to be vigilant.
Alberta
As directed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, we are seeing voluntary asymptomatic testing of SL4/4D residents in specific Alberta Health Services regions. This took place at Seasons Camrose last week and will be happening at Seasons Olds Encore this week. Residents and families that are impacted will receive additional detailed information. As always, we will be forthcoming and transparent with the results of these tests, as we receive them.
So many of you were pleased to see the Hair Salon in your home open up again! For specific details about the hair salon in your Seasons Retirement Community, including hours of operation and safety protocols, please speak with your General Manager. We look forward to seeing photos of your freshly styled hair on our social media channels this next week!
We are settling into our new routine in our Alberta retirement communities. Lunch and supper continue to be served in our Dining Rooms as well as small group social activities of five persons or less. We continue to host scheduled, outdoor visits with residents, their designated essential visitor plus one guest, as per the CMOH order. While we haven’t received word on indoor visits at this, we will advise as soon as these can resume.
Ontario
Last week it was announced that retirement communities in Ontario could allow visitors once again. At the outset of the COVID-19 situation in Canada, Seasons Retirement Communities implemented heightened precautionary protocols in all of our homes. We continue to follow the advice of provincial and federal governments, our sector regulators and local Public Health agencies. While we have been advocating to the Ontario Ministry of Health for the reinstatement of visitors, we must remember that our residents are vulnerable to COVID-19.
Together, we must remain vigilant in protecting Seasons residents and staff against the spread of this virus.
We know how difficult the separation has been for our residents and families, and we look forward to implementing a safe, phased approach to facilitating these important visits. Phase One will include scheduled outdoor visits in designated areas on site and Phase Two will include scheduled indoor visits in designated areas in our homes.
All individuals seeking a visit will be given equitable visitation access consistent with resident preference and within reasonable restrictions that safeguard our residents. Please note that if the Seasons Retirement Community you intend to visit has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, visits will be paused. Visitors who do not abide by health and safety protocols will be asked to leave the premises and may not be granted further visits.
Calls to book visits will begin Tuesday, June 16 and visits can start Thursday, June 18. For clarity on our visit protocols we have created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document as well as a helpful reminder tool for visitors.
Visitors must:
1. Pass health screening questionnaire upon arrival
2. Provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within the last 14 days
3. Practice good hand hygiene
4. Practice social distancing during visit, including no touching or hugging
5. Provide their own mask and practice continuous masking throughout the duration of the visit
6. Bring their own lawn chairs for themselves and resident for outdoor visits
7. Stay on the property in our designated visiting areas
8. Abide by the time allotted for the visit to allow Seasons to accommodate all residents
Scheduling & Coordinating Visits
• Residents or family members must pre-schedule their visit no less than 48 hours prior
• A dedicated Seasons team member will ensure resident is ready for his or her visit
• Visitor(s) must arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled visit to check in
• Visits are maximum one hour duration
• A resident may have up to two visitors at one time
• No more than three resident visits will be scheduled each hour, to ensure physical distancing between groups
Seasons Visiting Calendar: Wednesdays through Sundays
• 9:30 am – 11: 30 am
• 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
The Ontario Government also directed that retirement home residents can leave the premises for short trips. Residents leaving the premises must complete a health screening checklist upon their return to our home. They must wear a mask at all times, practice physical distancing and proper hand hygiene. If you are being picked up by a driver, residents are encouraged to sit in the backseat of the car on the passenger side, to facilitate good physical distancing. Residents may not leave the premises if there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in their retirement home. Leaving the premises may be discouraged by Seasons or Public Health if there is wide-spread transmission in the greater, local community.
While the Ontario government has indicated that people are now able to hug and be close to those in their inner circles, unfortunately, this does not apply to retirement home residents. Residents are still at risk for COVID-19; further, they will be participating in small group activities of five or less and are eating two meals a day in our dining rooms. While we are exercising preventative measures such as physical distancing, enhanced disinfecting of high touch surfaces and promoting good hand hygiene, I’m sure you understand that one exposed resident could have rampant consequences in our homes. Please help us by complying with our masking, physical distancing and hand hygiene protocols throughout the visit.
As residents will be asked to continuously mask while visiting with family or leaving the premises, we encourage families to assist in procuring a good supply of cloth masks for your loved one. We will supply medical masks for residents when they leave for medical appointments.
Thank you all, in both Ontario and Alberta, for the trust you have placed in Seasons Retirement Communities. We appreciate that whether you live or work with us, life at Seasons looks differently today than it did before this pandemic. We appreciate the kind words, patience and commitment that you have shown in the effort to keep our residents and one another safe.
Sincerely,
LeighAnne Voll
COO, 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