Covid-19 info
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Main Floor Map
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2017/18 Residents' Handbook
Everything you need to know about living at Cassellholme.
The Provincial Government announced changes to the rules for visitors to Cassellholme.
Great news!
We are working diligently to resume indoor visits, starting on July 22nd. We know that you are keen to get in here and see your loved ones. We're asking for just a bit more patience so that we can create the safest way to make that happen. The safety and emotional well-being of Residents is always our primary concern.
Watch for details on Tuesday July 21, 2020. Our first priority for scheduling indoor visits will be Spouses/Significant others and POA’s (or designates).
We'll be asking you about symptoms and, more importantly, you will need to have received a negative result on a COVID test in the past 2 weeks.
Arranging indoor visits will have an impact on our current schedules for calls/Facetime/Skype and outdoor visits for local family and friends. If we all work together, we'll figure it out!
For up-to-the-minute news, check out the NEWS section of our website and our Facebook page. We'll also keep you up-to-date through email. If you have questions, call ext. 300 and leave a message.We'll return your call as soon as possible.
Thank you for your ongoing patience during this pandemic.
Drive-thru COVID testing
On Thursday July 16, 2020 from 10am to 1pm, Cassellholme has arranged for drive-thru Covid testing for POAs and family members of Residents. Call 705-474-4250 ext. 300 to book your appointment.
Two visits per week
You can now book 2 visits per week. Call 705-474-4250 ext. 300 to book your time.
Resuming Resident Visits at Cassellholme
ABOUT VISITS:
All visits will be scheduled in advance. Spontaneous visits will not available. A member of our Cassellholme staff will be contacting residents POA on Monday June 15, 2020 and Tuesday June 16th, 2020 to establish a weekly visiting time. Visitors must have tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous 2 weeks. Visits will begin on Thursday June 18, 2020.
Visit Instructions:
- Visitors must be tested for Covid-19
- Visits will be scheduled Monday to Friday between 10am and 5pm.
- Active screening with visitors will take place between 8:00pm and 9:00pm the evening before the scheduled visit, via phone. (Please ensure that you are available for screening)
- During the phone screening the visitor will attest to the home that the visitor has tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous 2 weeks and subsequently not tested positive.
- Visits will take place outside in the Oval Garden. Access to the Garden will be made via the outdoor gate. Please do not access the front entrance to Cassellholme. A barrier will assist with social distancing and create visitor and resident zones. This barrier will ensure the safety of visitors and residents.
- Residents will be restricted to one visitor at a time during phase 1.
- Visitors will be required to wear face protection for the duration of the visit.
- Weather/sun protection tents will be set up in the Garden.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be set up in the visitor zone.
- Any non-adherence to these rules will be the basis for discontinuation of visits.
Introduction
On March 13, 2020, guidance was given on restricting visits to homes to essential visitors, to reduce the probability of disease spread into long-term care homes. This was subsequently upgraded to a directive from the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) (Directive 3).
Although this policy was tough on residents and loved ones, it was necessary to protect residents and staff during the pandemic. The role that families, visitors and loved ones play in providing caregiving and emotional supports is important in the quality of life for long-term care residents. To support long-term care residents, the ministry is proposing a gradual, staged resumption of visits guided by the following principles:
- Safety: Any approach to visiting in long-term care homes must consider balance and meet the health and safety needs of residents, staff and visitors, and ensure risks are mitigated.
- Emotional Well-being: Allowing visitors is intended to support the emotional well-being of residents and their families/friends, through reducing any potential negative impacts related to social isolation.
- Equitable Access: All individuals seeking to visit a resident will be given equitable visitation access, consistent with resident preference and within reasonable restrictions that safeguard the residents.
- Flexibility: The physical/infrastructure characteristics of the long-term care home, its staffing availability, and the current status of the home with respect to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) levels for staff and residents.
Visitors should consider their personal health and susceptibility to the virus in determining whether visiting a long-term care home is appropriate. Where it is not possible or advisable for in-person visits, homes should continue to provide virtual visiting options.
As the pandemic situation evolves in Ontario, this direction regarding visits at long-term care homes will be adjusted as necessary, keeping the safety and emotional well-being of residents and staff at the forefront.
Home Requirements
The following baseline requirements for the home must be met prior to the home being able to accept any visitors:
- The long term-care home must NOT be currently in outbreak [has never been in outbreak or the outbreak has been declared resolved by the Public Health Unit (PHU)].
- In the event that a home has relaxed visitor restrictions and enters into an outbreak, all non-essential visitations must end. Homes must establish compliance with all CMOH directives for homes in outbreak and follow directions from the local PHU.
Visitor Requirements
Prior to each visit, the visitor must:
- Pass an active screening questionnaire administered by home staff
- Attest to home staff that the visitor has tested negative for COVID-19 within the previous 2 weeks and subsequently not tested positive. The home is not responsible for providing the testing.
- Comply with long-term care home infection, prevention and control (IPAC) protocols, including proper use of face or surgical/procedure masks.
- Visitors should use a face covering if the visit is outdoors. If the visit is indoors, a surgical/procedure mask must be worn at all times.
- Visitors are responsible for bringing their own face covering for outside visits.
- Any non-adherence to these rules will be the basis for discontinuation of visits.
Timeline
Phase 1: Outdoor Visiting Only
Type of Visit: Outdoor Visiting Only
Homes will create a dedicated area outside the building, where visitors can meet with loved ones. Staff will support the transfer of residents out of and into the home.
Number of Visitors Allowed: One visitor at a time per resident
Scheduling of Visits Required: Yes. This will allow for appropriate physical distancing and staffing coverage.
Visits can be time-limited to allow the home to accommodate more families/visitors
Homes should establish scheduling practices that:
- Provide meaningful and equitable access to visits for all residents; and,
- Consider the staffing and space capacity available to the home to maintain safety of residents, staff and visitors.
Homes may consider the needs of residents in prioritizing visits, for example: due to relative clinical or emotional decline.
A sufficient block of time should be made available by homes to allow for, at minimum, one visit per week per resident.
Cassellholme Facility-Wide COVID-19 Outbreak Declared Over
Cassellholme will continue to take all precautions required by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. This includes masking of all staff during their shifts, and continuing to limit visitors to the home. These initiatives are just a few of the precautions that the Home has taken proactively throughout the course of this pandemic.
Thank you to our staff for their continued hard work that does not go unnoticed. Thank you to our residents, their families, and our local community for their outpouring of support, donations, and understanding throughout this process.
Ongoing "internal" residents COVID-19 testing results as of June 16, 2020
| Total Tested | 99 |
| Negative result for COVID-19 | 87 |
| Positive result for COVID-19 | 0 |
| Pending results | 12 |
Cassellholme staff & residents receive COVID-19 testing
On Friday, May 1, 2020, the outreach team from the North Bay Regional Health Centre, made up of physicians, nurse practitioners, community paramedics, respiratory therapists and lab technicians, performed swabs on 406 residents & staff. Cassellholme currently has 222 residents and, although it’s a matter of choice (to be tested), there was high compliance.
Dr. Ian Cowan, medical director of the COVID-19 assessment centre at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, said the work is part of the province’s plan to enhance testing in long-term care homes. The province has ordered public health units to test every resident and staff member at long-term care homes in Ontario.
Staff & Residents COVID-19 swab testing results done on May 1, 2020
Updated results as of May 13, 2020
| Total Tested | 406 (staff & residents) |
| Negative result for COVID-19 | 200 (residents) |
| Positive result for COVID-19 | 0 (1 case resolved May 11/20) |
| Pending results | 206 (6 residents + 200 staff - no positive staff cases reported, to date) |
Our website will continue to be updated as results are received.
Resident tests positive for COVID-19 - May 3, 2020
Cassellholme has been notified by The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit that a resident of Cassellholme has tested positive for COVID- 19. As a result, Cassellholme will be in a facility wide COVID-19 outbreak. The resident who tested positive is asymptomatic (showing no symptoms), and is feeling well. The resident has been tested a second time and we expect to have the results in a day or so. The resident will remain on isolation and staff will continue to wear the required PPE to provide care. We want to assure families that the risk of infection in our Home remains low.
As we are provided with information, we will continue to keep you updated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 705-474-4250 Ext. 300 from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.
Jamie Lowery, Chief Executive Officer