Policy

It is the policy of The John M. Parrott Centre to establish an official method of ensuring all visitors to the Home are in compliance with surveillance practices in effect.

Statement of Purpose

Caregivers and visitors are an important component to the well being of the residents. They support the social, mental and emotional well-being of the residents by reducing potential negative impacts related to social isolation.        

Definitions   

Essential Caregiver: A person identified and designated by the resident/Power of Attorney – a family member, friend, neighbour – who provides important personal, social, psychological and/or physical support, assistance and care.

Support Worker: A person who enters the home to provide support to the critical operations of the home or provide essential services to a resident.

General Visitor: A person who is not an essential visitor, and is visiting to provide non-essential services to a resident.

Procedure               

1. Residents or their Substitute Decision Maker/Power of Attorney have a right to choose who will be deemed as an essential caregiver.

2. Essential Caregivers and general visitors are encouraged to stay up-to-date with all recommended doses of  COVID-19 vaccines.

3. Essential Caregivers and general visitors are strongly encouraged to sign up for the Family Newsletter to ensure they are up to date on all protocols and overall health status of the Home. Hard copies of the Family Newsletter are available in the Resource area in the front lobby.

4. Follow the Policies and Procedures outlined by the home based on the best practice guidelines of the Ministry of Long-Term Care or KFLA Public Health guidelines. All visitors to the home must complete passive screening at the main entrance before entry by reading the posted questions and answering all questions truthfully and pass the screening to enter into the home.

5. Strongly encouraged to complete a Rapid Antigen Test, unless under 1 year old. Rapid antigen test kits are located to the right of the main entrance.

6. Essential Caregivers must complete annual IPAC education, as well as being previously deemed as an essential caregiver. If a home area is declared in outbreak, essential caregivers are encouraged to complete IPAC education located in the family newsletter.

7. Essential Caregivers must submit a caregiver form and complete online mandatory IPAC training prior to being approved as a designated essential caregiver.

8. All general visitors and essential caregivers will be required to sign in at the front desk upon entering the home indicating the name of the visitor, contact information, purpose of the visit and time/date. Visitor logs must be kept for a period of at least 30 days and be readily available for contact tracing purposes.

9. If a resident has been deemed end-of-life, the person visiting a resident at the end-of-life is not required to pass the COVID-19 screening questions to enter the home.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours for Essential Caregivers and general visitors is 0900-2100.

Health and Safety

10. Everyone in the Long-term care home, whether staff, student, volunteer caregiver, support worker, general visitor or resident, has a responsibility to ensure the ongoing health and safety of all by following infection control policies and procedures.

11. Masks are mandated for staff, students, volunteers, essential caregivers, general visitors and contracted workers that enter the home. Medical grade masks to be worn are provided by the home. When an essential caregiver enters a residents private room and is one-on-one with the resident, the essential caregiver may remove their mask; otherwise, a mask must be worn at all times. If a resident residing in a basic room wishes to visit their essential caregiver, or general visitor, without a mask, the Gibbard Family Dining Room will be used for these visits. If another resident or staff member enters a resident’s room or the Gibbard Room, masks must be reapplied.

12. Masks are mandatory for general visitors and essential caregivers at all times while in common areas within the home. There are no requirements for general visitors or essential caregivers to wear a mask during outdoor visits.

13. Essential caregivers and general visitors are permitted to eat and drink within the home in designated eating areas. These areas include a resident’s private room and the Gibbard Family Dining Room. Ensure masks are only removed for this activity while only the resident you are visiting is in the room and there are no staff. If another resident, or staff member enters, masks must be reapplied.

14. Residents are encouraged to wear a mask when in group settings and programs, although not mandatory.

15. General Visitors are not permitted to enter a resident home area in outbreak or if a resident is on isolation precautions due to an infectious disease.

16. Essential Caregivers are able to continue to enter resident home areas that are in outbreak.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Not applicable. 

ANNEXES: Not applicable.

BROCHURES: Not applicable.