COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) Information

Last update: March 28, 2022

Virtual Town Hall – February 9, 2022

Please continue to visit this page as it will be updated regularly.

March 31st

Hello Families. Here are a few mid week updates:

Family Council Meeting

There will be a Family Council meeting on Wednesday April 6, 2022 @ 6:00pm in the Centre of Excellence.  (This meeting is not the same as the Family Town Hall Meeting). At this time we are only hosting members of the Executive to adhere to distancing policies. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Executive, please contact Kerry Guy at kguy@groveparkhome.on.ca . When restrictions ease, all family members will be able to attend these meetings; until then, meeting minutes will be posted on the Family Council board outside of the auditorium.

A Family Council is an organized, self-led, self-determining, democratic group composed of family and friends of the residents of a long-term care home.

Information about our council

Our council meets monthly to:

• improve the quality of life for all residents
• partner with the LTC home
• identify needs and concerns · involve you in decision-making

Reasons to get involved

Joining the council will:

• keep you updated on what is happening at the home
• allow you to have input into decisions and changes that affect residents
• give you a chance to meet other families and residents
• provide education through guest speakers, videos and information shared at meetings
• give you the opportunity to use your experience, skills and talents to benefit all residents

New Screening Questions – Please review

Please note, as of today, there are new Active Screening Questions.  Please take the time to review and listen carefully at the Screening Station.

Reminder of Vaccine

Essential Caregivers are required to be fully vaccinated, including the 3^rd booster.  If you only have 2 vaccines you will be considered a General Visitor.

Say Good-bye to Scheduling Visits

As of Tuesday April 5^th, you are no longer required to schedule/book a visit with your loved one.  You will continue to screen, rapid test, show proof of vaccine and wear a mask at each visit. (Essential Caregivers, with proof of vaccine on record, will not have to show proof at every visit)

Please pass along this information to your family/friends who may visit.  Please know that any change takes time to adjust, so please be patient with our screener/swabbers as they learn how to navigate through the change.  There may be delays as screeners may have to see vaccine proof or ask more questions, especially if the staff person in the clinic is new and they don’t know everyone.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful families/friends for their patience throughout all of this; Nikki has enjoyed getting to know all of our visitors and has championed the management and organization of these schedules.  She has done a wonderful job and will now get back to other Volunteer/Program tasks.

Visits and Absences

Omicron Variant Restrictions in LTC

March 14, 2022:

• All general visitors can resume visits. General visitors, with the exception of children under the age of 5, will need to follow the vaccination policy of the individual long-term care home.
• The number of indoor visitors (including caregivers) per resident at a time increases to four.
• Limits on outdoor visits will be lifted and homes can return to their regular practices on use of their available outdoor spaces (see Access to Home for further details). Testing for outdoor visits will no longer be required.
• All residents may go on overnight temporary absences, regardless of vaccination status (see Absences for further details).
• Testing of residents returning from day or overnight absences at established intervals will continue until further notice to identify as early as possible any individual who may become infected with COVID-19 in order to reduce transmission in the home.
• Cohorting will no longer be required for social activities with the exception that this practice must be maintained for dining.
• Social group activities can be increased in size (more than 10); while larger social group activities where potential crowding can occur should continue to be avoided, and IPAC measures should continue to be followed by staff, residents and visitors to promote safety and wellbeing (e.g., masking, distancing, good ventilation, etc.).

We will be continuing to schedule all visits and outings through, visits@groveparkhome.on.ca.

Please note:  The visiting email/phone will not be monitored over the weekends or stat holidays. We encourage you to book your visits throughout the week from 9-5pm.  You are not permitted to come in without a scheduled visit at this time. 

We ask that you share all of this information with family members and friends that may be visiting as a general visitor. 

• The frequency of Rapid Antigen Testing will remain daily for all those entering the Home. Please follow the instructions from Screener. We will take care of tracking this for you, so don’t worry about your visiting dates.
• No drop in (unscheduled) visits. Email visits@groveparkhome.on.ca to book your visit
  • Book in advance please as it will be difficult to accommodate same-day visits
  • Be sure to book by email Monday 9am to Friday at 5pm to ensure any weekend visit requests are received and booked
  • WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE UNSCHEDULED VISITS
  • Please try to avoid arriving between 12-1 PM because of lunch service
  • Please share this information with friends and family who may visit
• If you are an Essential Caregiver that provides essential care such as feeding assistance, bathing assistance or helping with dressing, etc and feel you need more than one visit per day, please send this request by email to visits@groveparkhome.on.ca and your request will be elevated for approval
• If you do not have proof of your vaccine on file, please be prepared to show it upon your arrival, only using the Ontario Vaccination Certificate, receipts are not accepted at this time.

If you have any concerns please contact Paul Taylor, Executive Director by email at ptaylor@groveparkhome.on.ca.

Ontario COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool

Key Messages to Support Residents and Families in LTC Homes 2022-03-09_EN

Visitor_Absences_Social Gatherings Snapshot_2022-03_09_EN

Key Messages Vaccination 2022.01.27 (EN)

Key messages_Consent for 4th dose_Dec 31 (EN)

What residents can expect – 2022-03-09_EN

Important Visitor Training

Recommended Steps: Putting on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Public Health Ontario

Video #1 – Putting on Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Video #2 – Taking off Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Video #3 – How to Hand Wash

Vaccination – Third Dose Booster

Get your COVID-19 Vaccination Today!

Programs

Communication with your loved one can be by telephone, we are now booking Facetime & Skype virtual visits through our Programs & Volunteer Services department, please contact the Visiting Team to make arrangements.

Please click here to send an e-mail message to your loved one; gphrez@gmail.com.

Screening Details

Please use to the Ministry of Health online self-assessment tool, prior to your visit. We request that all visitors postpone their visit to Grove Park Home should you have any symptoms noted in the self-assessment tool.

As per the Ministry of Health directive, all staff and students will continue to self-monitor for COVID-19 at home. Self-monitoring instructions available here.

All staff, students and volunteers and visitors should be aware of symptoms of an acute respiratory infection and be aware of the latest case definition.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit at 1-877-721-7520.

Click here to download an important fact sheet on caring for our vulnerable population during this period.