Covid Updates July 6, 2022

New direcitves were announced and in effect today:

- No limit on number of visitors

- Proof of Vaccination is no longer required for resident visitors and Designated Care Givers

- Passive screening is required at entry.  If you have any Covid symptoms, you are not to enter the facility - please visit another time.

- Masking is still mandatory; visitors and DCG may remove masks when visiting in resident rooms (privacy curtains must be drawn in double rooms) or outdoors however, masks must remain if staff or other residents are present

These are signiifcant changes, we appreciate that we will all play our part in continuing to keep everyone safe.  

We are re-open for visitation, starting Thursday June 2!

The following protocol are currently in place:

• Visiting hours are 10am-6pm daily
• Screening at the entrance is required
• Medical masks required (can be removed to eat/drink)
• Proof of vaccination (2 full doses) required
• Three visitors per resident at one time
• Contact us for larger gatherings for special events

• If you are feeling unwell, or have been potentially exposed to Covid, please visit another time

• Please consider taking a rapid test prior to visiting if possible

• Designated Care Givers may visit at any time (screening, masking and vaccination is still required)

Thank you for your co-operation…we look forward to seeing you again!

April 12, 2022

Public Health has now officially declared an outbreak at our facility.  We received confirmation of one resident testing positive. 

Our facility will remain closed to vistors until further notice.  Designated Care Givers may continue.  

We will continue to update.  Thank you for your understanding and co-operation. 

April 9, 2022

…Important Update…

Effective immediately, will be closed to visitors, until further notice.  Designated Care Givers can continue, for the time being.

We have several staff that have tested positive for Covid, from various exposures.  There are no residents with symptoms.  As a precaution, we are testing the residents tomorrow (except those who have recently recovered).  Public Health has not declared an outbreak but have advised that additional precautions be put in place, including the visitor restriction. 

Please share this update with friends and family who may be planning to visit.

March 18, 2022

Our Covid Outbreak has officially been declared over! 

Monday March 21^st is the beginning of Phase 3 of the provincial Re-opening Plan. We have a few things to plan and organize to prepare for re-opening, so we will maintain our status through the weekend and begin our reopening for Monday March 21^st.

 Effective Monday March 21^st the following protocols will be in place:

• Visitation will resume!
• Visitation hours will be from 10-6 daily
• Appointments are not required
• A maximum of 3 visitors per resident at a time (does not need to be consistent 3)
• Proof of vaccination is still required
• Screening is still required – a staff member will be at the entrance to screen and log the date and time of your visit
• Medical masks must be worn
• Physical distancing is required (except for a brief hug!)
• Overnight visits are permitted
• Designated Care Givers will follow these same protocols and visiting times at this time.

UPDATE - February 4 2022

We still remain under a declared Covid outbreak.  The confirmed cases have ony presented in staff.  The orignal staff that were positive have recovered.  A few additional staff have recently tested positive.  There was minimal contacts of any of the cases.

Serial testing was completed on all residents - three rounds of testing.  No positive cases have been found in any of our residents.  All residents remain well and symptom free.  We are every grateful for this.

We continue to follow the directions from Public Health, IPAC and Occupationa Health.  The facility remains closed to non-essential visitors.  Public Health will advise when the outbreak can be declared over.

COVID UPDATE January 19^th

 To all of our friends and families,

We are providing an update as we continue to work our way through our Covid situation.  We currently have 3 staff confirmed positive. There are a few additional staff with tests or results pending.   Contacts of the affected staff have been minimal.

We have tested all residents, and all results came back negative. We will continue to complete further testing as directed by Public Health.

Due to this outbreak, North Queens Nursing Home will remain closed to visitors.

We are continuing to work closely with the teams at Public Health, Infection Prevention and Control, Occupational Health and the Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care.  All protocols are in place and being followed.

It is a challenging time for us all. We remain committed to ensuring our residents are well cared for and everyone - residents and staff -  remain safe. We thank you for your continued support and understanding.

January 13, 2022 UPDATE

To all our friends and families,

 North Queens Nursing Home is deeply committed to providing residents with the highest levels of care, and we are taking every precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Two cases of Covid were identified in staff today, January 13^th.  We immediately informed Public Health. We are following public health direction and enhanced the precautions we already had in place to prevent further spread. The families of residents have been notified.

The two individuals affected are experiencing mild symptoms and are being cared for at home. These two staff members were not in direct resident care. Out of precaution, we are testing all residents.

Our staffing and supply levels are sufficient to provide care for residents. We are in constant contact with the teams at Public Health, Infection Prevention and Control, Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care and Occupational Health - they all are supporting us.

During this difficult time, we remain focused on caring for residents and making sure our staff are safe. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Lisa Gallant

Executive Director

PLEASE NOTE

Due to the continued increase in Covid activity, we will be suspending all visits at North Queens Nursing Home. 

This will be in effect for 2 weeks, from January 7 to 17^th. The situation will be reassessed on January 14^th.

Designated Care Givers may still be permitted with some restrictions – we will be in contact with you.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work through this wave of the pandemic.

UPDATES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 22, 2021

Due to announcements by the Premier and Dr Strang, further restrictions are now in effect in Long Term Care facilities.  

INDOOR VISITS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - PLEASE WAIT AT THE ENTRANCE AT YOUR SCHEDULED TIME AND SOMEONE WILL GREET YOU

 Each resident is permitted to have 2 consistent visitors (includes Designated Care Givers) – only these visitors are allowed to visit

• Screening is mandatory
• Proof of full vaccination is mandatory
• Masks (medical) are mandatory for the entire visit
• Physical distancing is required (a brief hug is permitted)
• Visits will be in a designated room. Designated Care Givers may visit in the room, and do not have to distance while assisting the resident with care
• Rapid Covid tests are recommended 24 hours prior to your visit
• Community access is restricted to medical appointments only – family visits and overnight stays are not permitted at this time

We are sorry to have to restrict, especially at this time of the year. These measures hopefully will keep our residents and facilities healthy and safe.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

(December 20, 2021)

North Queens Nursing Home will NOT be permitting community visits for our residents until further notice – this includes day visits as well as overnight stays.

The current Covid-19 Directives for Long Term Care facilities require residents to isolate under precautions and undergo PCR testing when they return from a visit. With our resources and the current staffing pressures – and potential pressures due to the rapidly increasing Covid-19 activity – we are not able to safely and effectively manage this.

The rapidly increasing Covid-19 activity is posing significant risk to our residents and our facility. This step has been a very difficult decision but is being taken ultimately with the safety of our residents, staff and facility in mind.

At this time, our on-site visits continue as previously communicated.

We understand this is not welcome news but trust that you will understand.

December 16, 2021

Due to recent announcements by the premier and Dr Strang the following visitation protocol will be in place, effective December 17, 2021, until further advised:

• Indoor visits are by appointment
• Please wait at the entrance and someone will greet you
• Screening is mandatory
• Proof of full vaccination is mandatory (2 doses, boosters are not mandatory)
• Masks (medical) are required for the entire visit
• Physical distancing is required – a brief hug is permitted, then 6 ft must be maintained
• Limit of 2 visitors at a time
• Visit will be held in a designated area – we will generally be using the activity room
• Rapid Covid tests are recommended (not mandatory) 24 hours prior to your visit.

September 14, 2021

Today the MInister of Health and Dr Strang announced that Phase 5 will be postponed until October 4th. 

Our current visitation guidelines will remain in place, including:

• appointments for all visits
• screening of all visitors
• masks mandatory for all visitors

As we near phase 5 I will provide communication as to what changes we will implement.  Our ulitimate goal is to continue to keep everyone safe.  We have done so well so far, we apreciate your continued understanding and cooperation in this on-going pandemic.

July 15, 2021

Yesterday the province entered Phase 4 of the re-opening safely plan.  The changes for Long Term Care include:

• All residents can now have indoor visits, in designated visiting areas or in their rooms – regardless of vaccination status.  Visits still need to be scheduled.
• All residents can now access the community – to go to retail stores, restaurants, banks, etc – with a support person or designated care giver.  Current public health measures must be followed (masking, distancing, etc).
• Community access can now be permitted during facility bus trips – can stop at a park, ice cream, etc . Current public health measures must be followed.
•  Residents who are fully vaccinated can now go for an overnight visit (one night at a time) at a family home – with public health measures followed including gathering limits.

Please reach out should you require more details on any of the above additions!

June 30, 2021

Today marks the transition to Phase 3 of the covid-19 Reopening Safely plan for Nova Scotia, and brings welcome news to Long Term Care facilities. After several months of tight restrictions, and a very gradual re-opening, we are pleased to share further loosening of the restrictions in our facility. The most significant changes that have come with Phase 3 include:

• Indoor visits permitted for fully vaccinated residents

• Outdoor visits without social distancing permitted for partial or non-vaccinated residents (masking and social distancing of the resident is encouraged, not required).

As with all previous loosening of restrictions, it is up to each facility to determine the logistics of how we will proceed, considering all resources. As always we want to proceed cautiously and safely for everyone. Our plan for welcoming back indoor visits include:

• Indoor visits will resume on Monday July 5
• Indoor visits are only possible for residents who are fully vaccinated
• Indoor visits must be scheduled in advance
• A maximum of 2 visitors per resident for each indoor visit
• Indoor appointments will be available Mondays to Thursdays from 1-4pm
• The visits can be held in the resident room; if they are in a double room and the roommate is not fully vaccinated then the visit will be held in the multipurpose room
• Visitors will continue to be screened, and once entering the facility are to go directly to the resident room
• The visits are not supervised but will be monitored by staff

We are starting slow – we will re-assess after the first few weeks and broaden as we feel comfortable and reasonable. The outdoor visits are still an option, and can provide for larger groups. Additionally, the outdoor visits are the option for residents that are not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Outdoor appointments can continue to be booked Sundays – Thursday, beyond the 1-4pm of the indoor visiting hours.

Additionally, a few reminders:

• Medical masks must be worn by all visitors at all times
• Hand sanitizing must be performed before entering/exiting the facility, as well as entering/exiting the resident rooms

We look forward to welcoming you back into our Home. I am sure this is exciting news for you, and for our residents. Please be patient with us – as you have been through all of this - as it is a big change for us and we ultimately need to ensure the safety of everyone.

See you soon!

June 1, 2021

The province announced that outdoor visits can resume in LTC facilities starting on June 2, with no physical distancing for residents who are fully vaccinated.  Visitors must wear a mask.  We are working out a few details and will be booking appointments for visits in the next few days.  Thank you for your patience!  We look forward to seeing you soon!

As per the provincial lockdown and restrictions, North Queens Nursing Home is closed to all visitors and volunteers, until at least May 12th.  We will update further as the situation progresses.  Stay safe!

March 16, 2021 - Vistations resume today!

Visitation Update:

March 3, 2021

We have temporarily paused resident visitations.  Restrictions were tightened in HRM and surrounding communities after an increase of Covid cases.  Our visitors come form various areas, and may visit higher-risk areas.  Non-essential travel to and from HRM is not advised.  We have made this decision keeping the safety of our residents our utmost priority. We appreciate your understanding and hope that this pause is very short - we will re-assess regularly. 

VISITATION - DECEMBER 18, 2020

Visiting can resume in LTC facilities effective Monday December 21^st. 

The Indoor Visits will continue as before with the following:

• All visits must be pre-arranged
• All visitors must wear a medical mask
• Physical distancing must be maintained
• All visitors must be screened before entering the facility
• The residents are encouraged but not required to wear a mask
• A brief hug can take place, so long as masks are worn by both visitor and resident, and hands are sanitized

We are excited to share that we are able to now take 3 visitors per resident at a at time now!  Additionally , we will be using the activity room and the multi-purpose room for visits, so we are able to accommodate more visits each day.  We are hoping that this will ensure that each resident gets a visit prior to Christmas.

You will be contacted to re-book your appointments for this upcoming week .  We have visiting slots planned for December 21-23, all day, and a half day on the 24^th. 

Mid-week next week we will determine our plans for the remainder of the holiday season.

UPDATES November 25th

All visits in long term care facilities are suspended for two weeks. This directive from Dr Strang is effective Thursday November 26th.  The situation will be re-assessed following the 2-week period.  We thank you for your co-operation and understanding.  Although unfortunate, it is for everyone's safety!

VISIT UPDATES

First and foremost, we are pleased to announce that our visits are moving indoors. We enjoyed the outdoor visits as long as Mother Nature would permit, but with the cooler and shorter days it is no longer ideal. Effective Wednesday September 23, all visits will be inside. Please note the following requirements for the indoor visits, as per the Long Term Care directives set out that facilities must follow:

• All visits must be by pre-arranged appointment
• Only one visitor at a time can be permitted for indoor visits
• Visitor and resident must wear a medical mask throughout the visit
• Social distancing of 2m/6ft must be maintained throughout the visit
• Brief contact can take place (a quick hug), then social distancing must continue
• Hands must be sanitized before and after the contact, for both visitor and resident
• All visits must be monitored by staff
• Visits are to take place in a designated area
• Active screening and logging of visitors will continue
• A list of visitors for each resident must be prepared between the resident and/or the Substitute Decision Maker, to be maintained on file at the facility. Only people identified on the list are permitted to visit.

We have prepared the multi-purpose room for our indoor visits. This is the room immediately to the left once you enter the facility. This room will allow for distancing, yet provide privacy and ease of sanitizing between visits. When you arrive for your visit, please wait in your vehicle until your scheduled appointment time, and then proceed to the front entrance.  A staff member will greet you at the entrance, and complete the screening. Please continue to call 902-682-2553 ext 235 to arrange your visiting appointments. We have a schedule prepared that provides for a combination of day, evening and some weekend appointment times.

The Department of Health has also recently announced that long term care facilities can allow Designated Caregivers for residents. A Designated Caregiver is a designated family member or support person who has a previously established pattern of involvement in the facility in providing care and support to the resident (prior to Covid). The role of the Designated Caregiver visit is to support the resident with tasks such as feeding, mobility, personal care, communication and emotional support. A resident may have a maximum of two Designated Caregivers, however, only one can visit at a time. Specific training and education must be provided by the facility. If you are interested and meet the criteria, please contact me to discuss further.

Window visits are still an option - please remember to call to make arrangements so we are prepared.

There was a further announcement just today the Long Term Care facilities will be able to support community visits for residents, starting as early as September 28. We have just received this information and will be working through the details – further information and details will be provided in the coming days.

COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN FOR HAIR SALON

•Hair stylist will not attend work if showing signs of COVID-19. Clients will not enter salon if showing signs of COVID-19.

•Medical grade face masks will be worn by both the hair stylist and all clients, at all times.

•Clients should arrive with washed, clean hair as this will allow for a wet down and not a shampoo at the sink to insure that stylist is not directly over the clients face longer than necessary.

•The hair stylist will sanitize or wash hands prior to client's arrival.

•Clients will be taken directly to the shampoo sink, to wash their hands with soap and water immediately upon arrival.

•All supplies brought to the salon will be sanitized (using Lysol wipes and/or disinfectant solution).

The hair stylist will ensure proper cleaning and disinfecting of sink area before and after each use.

•Disposable tools will be used whenever possible, as recommended.

•Capes will be changed after each client.

•All solid laundry must be kept in a covered basket until laundered and washed.

•Covered waste cans must be used for disposal of waste materials.

•Covered containers will be used to store clean and dirty tools.

•The hair stylist will clean the chair and work station between clients.

All surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected using Lysol wipes and/or disinfectant solution. All tools will also be sanitized after each use.

•Hand sanitizer must be available.

•Only one client may be in the salon at a time.

•A client registry (name, date and time) of each appointment will be kept.

CURRENT VISITATION GUIDELINES and UPDATES

• Outdoor Visits – outdoor visits are now expanded to three visitors at a time. The announcement was that we could increase to 5 visitors (up from 2) at a time, however we are unable due to our capacity. Screening protocol and safety protocol remains in place; and masks must continue to be worn by all visitors. Social distancing must be maintained throughout the visit.

• Treats - visitors can now bring a treat (takeout/homemade) for the resident, to be enjoyed during the visit (hand hygiene to be performed before and after). The treat cannot be brought into the facility.

• Limited Physical Contact during the outdoor visits - visitors and residents can now have a brief physical contact at the beginning/end of their visit (a quick hug). A medical mask must be worn by the resident during this contact. Once the contact has happened, social distancing is to resume.

• Gathering Size – the gathering size of our internal facility operations has increased from 5 to 10 people, including residents and staff. This will allow for more normalcy at meal times, activities and socialization. Visitors are not yet able to attend any of these gatherings.

• Hair Salons – licensed hair stylists may resume in salons in long term care facilities, following protocol as per the Cosmetology Association. A written plan must be in place. This plan is currently being developed and the salon will be re-opening in the very near future.

• Bus Trips – bus trips for sightseeing trips can now take place (not able to get off the bus during the trip). These trips can be for up to 10 people including residents, staff and the driver. The residents should be from the same groupings. We will be staring bus trips as soon as our resources allow.

Please note: NQNH will not be offering indoor visits at this time.

We will continue to assess and further expand the easing as we feel appropriate and have the resources and capabilities to do so. While we are eager to provide the much needed opportunities for our residents and their families, we need to be assured that everyone’s safety is maintained.