Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg

Visitation Update

July 27, 2021

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg has amended its visitation rules to include the following:

Designated Visitors who are visiting from the same household and who are both double vaccinated may visit at the same time. The visits are limited to the resident’s room and in the courtyard. Designated Visitors who are from different households may not visit at the same time.

General Visitors include any person who has received the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and is 14 days past their second immunization. Proof of vaccinated and photo identification is required for entry to the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg. Two general visitors may visit inside the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg at the same time as long as they are from the same household. The visits are limited to the resident’s room and in the courtyard.

Expanded Visitation for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

June 18, 2021

As levels of COVID-19 remain high in Manitoba, our efforts to provide residents with safe access to visits by friends and family members continue. We continue to take every precaution to keep your loved one safe however we know that social visits are so important to the health and well being of our residents.

With high vaccination rates among our residents and staff, and in the community, we are so pleased to be able to offer expanded social visitation for our fully immunized residents and their fully immunized visitors.

Fully immunized residents and visitors are those who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and whose second dose was received more than 14 days before the planned visit. Both the resident and the visitor(s) must meet these criteria and visitors will be required to demonstrate proof of full immunization and photo identification before entry. Only one visitor is permitted at a time.

Please note: this change only applies to general visitors. There is no change for designated family caregivers. Full details are available in the attached frequently asked questions document listed below.

We know the last number of months have been difficult and have required limits on social visits and interaction. We look forward to welcoming fully vaccinated visitors back into our facility and we know you and our residents will be excited by this small step toward “normal” too.

As we slowly expand visitation, we must all continue to take every possible precaution to protect the health of your loved ones. All visitors will continue to be screened before entry, masks must be worn, and anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 will not be admitted. We will regularly review opportunities to improve and will learn as we go. We are grateful for your continued cooperation and patience.

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg will continue with all infection prevention and control measures and ensures the ongoing protection of residents, staff and visitors. The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg will continue to adhere to the PCH Visitation Principles:

• Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg will continue to screen every visitor;
• Appropriate PPE will continue to be worn;
• Hand hygiene will continue;
• Enhanced cleaning/disinfecting will continue;
• Masks and eye shields must be worn at all times by General Visitors. Physical distancing must be maintained from the resident.
• Residents who are able to tolerate wearing a mask should wear one for the duration of the visit;
• Physical distancing between general visitors and residents is required

Proof of Vaccination Status must be requested and confirmed:
• Proof of General Visitor vaccination status will be requested and confirmed by photo identification;
• There is no change to the requirements or access of designated family caregivers;
• General visitors must provide proof of vaccination – both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine must have been received and at least 14 days must have passed since the second dose;
• Documentation may vary according to individual health care facilities and individual visitor, however may include any one of the following:
• Confirmation via QR code (Manitoba immunization card);
• Paper version of Manitoba immunization card;
• Online confirmation of vaccine record through the Shared Health Online Results : Portal https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/test-results/
• Printout of vaccine record available through the Shared Health Online Results: Portal https://sharedhealthmb.ca/covid19/test-results
• Information related to visitors (but not vaccination status) will be retained for the purpose of contact tracing.

Designated Family Caregivers
• As essential partners in care, these individuals actively and regularly participate in providing care and may support feeding, mobility, personal hygiene, cognitive stimulation, communication, meaningful connection, relational continuity and assistance in decision making.
• There is no change to the requirements or access of designated family caregivers.

Resident Room Visits by Vaccinated General Visitors
• In-room visits can occur between fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated general visitors provided the physical space will allow for physical distancing to be maintained between the visitor and the resident.
• If a shared room, all residents must be fully vaccinated. If a resident in the room is not fully vaccinated, another location for the visit must be identified.
• Only one visitor is allowed at a time, except for end-of-life care situations. Physical distancing must be maintained between visitors and resident.
• Masks and eye shields must be worn at all times and hand hygiene performed regularly.

Please be aware that visiting hours are seven days a week between the hours of 10:00am to 2:30pm & 3:30pm to 8:00pm.

Immunization Cards

June 10, 2021

As many of you have likely heard, the provincial government has announced the launch of immunization cards for fully-vaccinated Manitobans, and that full immunization will come with benefits including exemption from self-isolation when returning from travel within Canada, and expanded visitation in health care facilities.

After more than a year of public health restrictions, this announcement—specifically the benefits for fully-vaccinated individuals—is exciting for all of us. However, the details of how these benefits will be implemented are still being worked out, and at this time there are no changes to visitation for either acute care or PCH resulting from this announcement, or COVID-19 guidelines for staff, patients, clients, residents or visitors at our sites.

We will share more information and updates as they become available. Patients, clients, residents or members of the general public looking for more information on the immunization cards, including instructions for obtaining theirs, are advised to visit https://manitoba.ca/covid19/vaccine/immunization-record.html#immunization-cards.

Up-to-date COVID-19 guidelines and resources are also available for the general public: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/

The Courtyards are Open for the 2021 Season

May 18, 2021

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is delighted to announce that the main courtyard and the West 1 courtyard will be open to Residents and designated visitors on May 19, 2021. Hours of operation are 10:00am – 8:00pm.

Designated family members are to accompany the Resident directly to the courtyard. Social distancing and wearing a mask by the visitor is to be maintained during the visit. Hand hygiene is to be done when entering the courtyard and when exiting the courtyard. Currently, only one designated visitor may visit at a time.

There are designated spaces in the courtyard for each unit.

New Visitation Protocols

Revised: March 2, 2021 Original Post: February 16, 2021

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is pleased to announce the opening of our home to designated visitors within the criteria and guidelines set out by Shared Health.

Designated family caregiver(s) will be allowed to visit anytime and for any length of time seven days a week between the hours of 10:00am to 2:30pm & 3:30pm to 8:00pm. To allow for a smooth and safe transition of staff during shift change and to be in compliance with COVID-19 precautions and screening measures, we ask that families do not arrive between the time of 2:30pm – 3:30pm.

The rule of up to two (2) permanent designated visitor(s) continues.

Effective February 18, 2021, only one designated visitor may visit at a time inside the resident’s room.

General visitors will continue to book their appointments in the All Season Shelter.

All indoor family visitors must adhere to the following:

Screened at the entrance to the Home
Sign In and Out
Medical masks will be provided by the Home
Wear a mask at all times while in the Home
Sanitize hands prior to entering the Home and prior to leaving the Home
Go directly to the Resident’s room and remain there for the duration of the visit, no loitering in the hallways or mingling with other Residents, and no walking about the unit
Please maintain social distancing when visiting in the room
Please maintain social distancing when speaking with members from the care team

When entering the Home and awaiting screening please practice physical distancing.

If you are not symptom free you will be denied entrance.

Protecting the health and well-being of your loved ones and staff remains one of our top priorities. Regular assessment by public health officials of the impact and evaluation of the need for adjusted visitor restrictions will continue as developments evolve. In collaboration with Public Health, PCH Operators will determine the need to suspend all visits in the case of a confirmed/potential COVID-19 outbreak in the facility or local area or upon the direction of the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

Visitor Guidelines for the All Season Shelter

January 26, 2021

We are delighted to announce that the All Season Shelter will be open beginning Wednesday, January 27, 2021 for families to visit their loved ones. In an effort to better accommodate families and their personal schedules, the bookings will be available 7 days a week between the hours of 11:30am to 7:30pm. We will be booking appointments up to 2 weeks in advance. Bookings can be made by calling (204) 336-4101.

With the significant level of community-based infections, the potential risk of COVID transmission for residents and our staff from visitors is high. We must therefore take every possible precaution ensuring infection prevention & control guidelines are followed. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in visitors being asked to leave and could affect future visiting privileges. Visits within the facility are still not permitted except for reasons outlined in the Public Health Order.

Below are the conditions and guidelines for the All Season Shelter visits:

ALL VISITS ARE 20 MINUTES
ONLY ONE GENERAL VISITOR IS PERMITTED PER VISIT
VISITS ARE TO BE BOOKED A MINIMUM OF 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE BY CALLING (204) 336-4101. PLEASE LEAVE ONLY ONE MESSAGE TO ALLOW FOR ALL FAMILIES TO BOOK A VISIT.
YOU MAY ONLY BOOK ONE VISIT AT A TIME
ALL VISITORS WILL BE SCREENED PRIOR TO ENTERING
VISITORS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A PROCEDURE MASK DURING THE VISIT – MASKS WILL BE SUPPLIED
RESIDENT IS REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK FOR THE DURATION OF THE VISIT
IF A MASK IS UNABLE TO BE WORN THE VISIT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE
VISITING SHELTER IS TO THE EAST OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE, SIGNAGE WILL BE IN PLACE
NO FOOD OR DRINK IN THE VISITING SHELTER
NO PETS ARE ALLOWED
VISITS ARE EQUALLY SHARED WITH ALL RESIDENT’S FAMILIES
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO KEEP APPOINTMENT PLEASE CALL (204) 336-4101 TO CANCEL
ANY ITEMS BROUGHT FOR RESIDENTS ARE TO BE LEFT AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE FACILITY

The days and times for visits are subject to change due to availability of staff resources, in the event of a COVID or influenza outbreak, or at the direction of the Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

We look forward to welcoming you back to enhance the care and quality of life of our residents during these difficult times.

Additional information regarding the COVID-19 Immunization for our Residents

Revised: January 26, 2021

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg will be offering and administrating the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination on February 12, 2021, The first dose was offered and administered on January 22, 2021.

BENEFITS OF THE COVID-19 VACCINATION

· The COVID-19 vaccine is very important for people who are more likely to be in contact with the virus because of where they live. This includes people who live in a care facility such as a personal care home.
· The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been approved by Health Canada. These vaccines are being offered to residents who live in long term care facilities.
· The vaccine is safe and effective in protecting again`st the COVID-19 virus.
· The vaccine works with the person’s immune system to make antibodies which protects the person from being infected by the virus.
· A person cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.
· The vaccine is given by injection into a muscle in the upper arm, similar to the flu shot, and requires two doses given 28 days apart to work best.
· Residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have recovered may still benefit from receiving the vaccine

RESIDENT HEALTH HISTORY

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should not be given to people who are allergic to the active substance or any other ingredients in the vaccine.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a potential allergen included in the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines known to cause possible allergic reactions, including serious reactions.

· Polyethylene glycol may be found in many products including bowel preparation products for colonoscopy, laxatives, cough syrup, cosmetics, contact lens care solutions, skin care products, and as an additive in some food and drinks
· Residents who have a fever or other symptoms that could be due to COVID-19 on the day of vaccination won’t be vaccinated at that time, but will have an opportunity to be vaccinated at a later date.

RISKS

There may be side effects from the vaccine, but they tend to be mild and go away after a few days. The most common adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine that have been identified so far are:
· Soreness in the arm where the vaccine was given, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever.

Other symptoms that may occur are:
· Swelling and redness in the arm area where the vaccine was given, nausea, enlarged lymph nodes and feeling unwell.

Residents will be closely monitored after receiving the vaccine in the unlikely event of a severe allergic reaction (including hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips). Protocols are in place to manage any serious allergic reactions.

· Medications like acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (e.g., Advil®) may be used to help manage effects like pain or fever, if they occur after vaccination.
· Any adverse effects following vaccination will be reported to Manitoba Health and Health Canada.

Even after the residents are vaccinated, infection control measures will continue to be in place at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg.

All resident immunization information is recorded in the provincial immunization registry and this will include the COVID-19 vaccine. This registry allows health care providers to find out which immunizations residents have had or need to have. The Personal Health Information Act protects this information from being accessed unnecessarily.

THE CONSENT PROCESS

A member from our care team will contact you in the upcoming days to obtain consent for the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered.

By providing consent, you are:

· Agreeing that you have read and understood the fact sheets regarding the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

· Consenting to the administration of the vaccine to (name of resident)

· Acknowledging that you have had the opportunity to ask questions about the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine which were answered to your satisfaction

·The consent will be for both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, given 28 days apart, unless the resident’s health history changes, or the content of the factsheets or consent form changes. If this occurs, we will contact you again to discuss the changes and ask for your consent.

In order to record your verbal consent to the vaccine, we need to document your:

· Name

· Relationship to the resident

· Phone number

The consent process can include a verbal consent over the phone or written consent by the resident.

Below you will find the factsheets regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccine Reaction Factsheet

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine – Public Health Factsheet

Once again, we want to thank you for your time in reading this information and your patience as we all continue to work together to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Information regarding the COVID-19 Immunizations for our Residents

Revised: January 8, 2021

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is preparing for the COVID -19 vaccinations for our residents. Below you will find information regarding the vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccine Reaction Factsheet

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine – Public Health Factsheet

We will be contacting families within the upcoming week with more information regarding this Provincial Initiative.

Once again, we want to thank you for your understanding and patience as we all continue to work together to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Outdoor Shelter for Visitations

November 19, 2020

The outdoor all season shelter that has been provided to the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg by the Province of Manitoba is nearing installation completion. The all season shelters at personal care homes (PCH) will allow residents to safely visit with loved ones.

A total of $17.9 million is being invested in visitation shelters consisting of single-use shipping containers repurposed and fitted-out for a completely finished visiting facility. Each unit will have a visiting room with space for one resident and up to five visitors. Visitors will enter the visiting room from the outside of the personal care home, while an enclosed link will ensure residents have direct access from the personal care home. Electrical and mechanical systems have been designed to ensure each shelter is functional all year round. In keeping with public health guidelines, systems will be in place to provide required air changes and interior finishes will allow easy cleaning.

All Canadians were devastated by the COVID-related deaths in long-term care facilities in Quebec and Ontario. Manitobans recently had a reminder of the risks of COVID in PCHs as cases were reported at certain facilities. Manitoba’s PCHs continue to have extensive precautions in place to protect vulnerable residents, including strict visitor restrictions, enhanced screening for staff and the implementation of a one-site staffing model at personal care homes, said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen added. “While there was no choice but to close PCHs at the start of the pandemic, every effort is being made to maintain access between residents and loved ones,” said Friesen. “These all-season shelters will ensure these much-needed visits can continue uninterrupted, while keeping PCH residents and visitors safe.”

Please continue to visit our website for updates regarding this initiative.

Update to second employee COVID-19 positive case

November 19, 2020

There has been no further positive COVID-19 cases at Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg since November 4, 2020. Outbreak management measures continue to be in place. All Residents are being closely monitored for any signs and symptoms of COVID -19 and staff are being screened prior to each shift. If symptoms present, we will test residents for COVID-19. If your family member is tested at any time, you will be contacted directly.

At this time, no residents or other employees are exhibiting symptoms.

All visitations to the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg remain on hold at this time out of an abundance of caution. Out of precaution, an outbreak at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg continues to be declared (RED ZONE) and complete outbreak measures are in place until further notice. We will continue to update families if there is any changes. We will re-open the facility to essential visitors as soon as possible. We expect this may be on December 3^rd, but will keep you informed.

Notice of second employee COVID-19 positive case

November 5, 2020

We became aware of an employee of the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg who tested positive with the COVID-19 virus on November 4, 2020. The employee was not a direct care worker. Outbreak management measures continue to be in place. All Residents are being closely monitored for any signs and symptoms of COVID -19 and staff are being screened prior to each shift. If symptoms present, we will test residents for COVID-19. If your family member is tested at any time, you will be contacted directly. At this time, no residents or other employees are exhibiting symptoms.

All visitations to the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg remain on hold at this time out of an abundance of caution. Out of precaution, an outbreak at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg has been declared (RED ZONE) and complete outbreak measures are in place until further notice. We will continue to update loved ones if there is any changes. We will re-open the facility to essential visitors as soon as possible. We expect this may be on November 19^th, but will keep you informed.

Connecting with your loved ones – Virtual and Window Visits

October 30, 2020

We at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg understand that maintaining contact with loved ones is an important aspect to a person’s holistic health. We are facilitating requests for window visits and FaceTime (Apple Platform) or Zoom (Android Platform) . Please send these requests to MCHgenresidentcomm@middlechurchhome.mb.ca . This email is being checked regularly by our recreation staff and someone will respond to you. Please be mindful that the window visits must abide by Provincial Health Guidelines ( the amount of people at the windows & social distancing ,etc).

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together with you and your loved ones during this time of pandemic.

Visitation Update

October 27, 2020

Across Manitoba, personal care homes and other long term care facilities have taken every possible step to decrease the risk of COVID-19 within our facilities. This has included strict infection and control precautions, enhanced cleaning protocols, visitor restrictions, daily screening of staff before shift and the introduction of personal protective equipment.

We know that spread of COVID-19 in the community at large remains a concern within the Winnipeg Metropolitan Area and has resulted in additional cases throughout the city and surrounding communities which poses a significant risk to our vulnerable populations such as those in PCH.

As cases of the COVID-19 Outbreak continue to increase in Manitoba, the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg will remain closed to all visitors at least until November 6, 2020 and will be reassessed at this time. The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg remains at RED (CRITICAL) status. This does NOT mean that there have been any additional outbreaks within the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg that have not been shared publicly.

This elevated RED (CRITICAL) status for all personal care homes in the Winnipeg area took effect Thursday, October 15, 2020 and will remain in place until it is lifted by the Province’s Chief Provincial Public Health Officer.

We understand this change may be concerning to you and it is important that you understand it is being made to help protect your loved one from the risk this virus poses to them. We are committed to continuity of care and to minimizing the disruption and anxiety that it may cause for your loved one. It is our expectation that this decision will limit the risk of exposure to your family member. We will carefully monitor staffing levels, standards of care, ensure staff have appropriate personal protective equipment for the work they do, and continue to enforce the other restrictions already in place to minimize the risks of an outbreak.

We understand you will have questions and we are committed to provide information as it becomes available. We appreciate your understanding as we implement these elevated precautions to protect our residents, many of whom have underlying medical conditions that put them at greatest risk of becoming severely ill due to COVID-19.

Update to employee COVID-19 positive case

October 20, 2020

There has been no further positive COVID-19 cases at Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg since October 9th. Outbreak management measures continue to be in place. All Residents are being closely monitored for any signs and symptoms of COVID -19 and staff are being screened prior to each shift. If symptoms present, we will test residents for COVID-19. If your family member is tested at any time, you will be contacted directly. At this time, no residents or other employees are exhibiting symptoms.

All visitations to the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg remain on hold at this time out of an abundance of caution. Out of precaution, an outbreak at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg has been declared (RED ZONE) and complete outbreak measures are in place until further notice. We will continue to update loved ones if there is any changes. We will re-open the facility to essential visitors as soon as possible. We expect this may be on October 28^th, but will keep you informed.

Notice of employee COVID-19 positive case

October 14, 2020

We became aware this afternoon of a health-care worker at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg, who tested positive for COVID-19. Their last day worked was October 9^th, 2020. Out of precaution, an outbreak at the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg has been declared (RED ZONE) and complete outbreak measures are in place until further notice.

At this time, no residents or other employees are exhibiting symptoms. If symptoms present, we will test residents for COVID-19. If your family member is tested at any time, you will be contacted directly. We continue to actively screen employees to see if testing is required.

To stop the spread of the virus, the following measures have been implemented:

Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is a 197 bed Long Term Care Facility. It is located in the Northwest area of Winnipeg on the south side of Balderstone and on the west side of the Red River at 280 Balderstone Road In West St. Paul.

All the rooms and our entire facility is a smoke-free environment.

We believe that all residents of the Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg deserve respect, high quality care and service, open communication, privacy and much more. We believe that Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is each Resident’s Home and will be a community of belonging and hope, built on caring and nurturing relationships.

The Middlechurch Home of Winnipeg is committed to coordinate and deliver safe and caring services that promote health and well-being.