The Government of BC has announced that they will be moving into a new phase of the Pandemic protection program. This includes opening of some businesses. This has prompted a number of questions about what changes are being made at the Cedars.
Can visitors enter the Cedars?
We have not been given a green light to allow visitors into the building so the answer is no – not until the medical health officer lifts the no visitor order.
How can we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend?
We understand that Mother’s Day is a particularly important family gathering. We have a few suggestions for celebrating with your Mom. Our suggestions are based upon what we know about the COVID-19 virus.
What we know about COVID:
- It is passed through droplets when a person coughs, sneezes or talks.
- It has the potential to travel 2 meters (6 feet).
- Seniors are the most vulnerable population and passing the virus to them puts them and their home community at risk.
- Some people have very mild symptoms, and they don’t recognize that they have the virus.
The Medical Health Officer is still NOT RECOMMENDING that family members visit in person. The current orders state that there can be no visitors except in end of life care. In-person visits continue to pose a risk for your loved one. If you choose to take this risk, we recommend that you do so in a manner that reduces the risk of transmission as much as possible.
If you feel that you must visit in person, we encourage Families to visit outside the Cedars (with a 2-meter distance between you). Please do not sit near the doorbell or FOB keypad so that those allowed to enter/exit the building have the space to safely do so.
The precautions we would suggest to reduce the risk to your loved one (and by extension, the whole population at the Cedars) includes:
DO NOT VISIT IF YOU OR ANYONE THEY WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH HAVE ANY ILLNESS SYMPTOMS.
Typical symptoms include fever, cough, diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat, headache, muscle ache or fatigue or other cold symptoms.
At the Cedars, the staff are being screened at the beginning their shift. We are asking if they have any of the COVID like symptoms. We then take their temperature to ensure that they do not have a fever. We recommend that you also screen your family members before they interact with your loved ones.
- Ensure that you maintain social distancing (2 meters / 6 feet)
- Limit the number of people who gather
- Visit in the outdoor garden areas at the Cedars. You can assist by sanitizing the chairs at the end of your visit as the Cedars does not have staffing levels to manage this.
- If you want to go out, have only the driver in the car when you pick up your loved one.
- Consider going to an outdoor place to celebrate Mother’s Day.
- Family members should wear non-medical masks (the mask reduces the possibility of you unwittingly transferring the virus to your loved one).
- Wash your hands every 20 minutes (or use hand sanitizer)
- Gather in small groups only.
We anticipate an increase in deliveries and expectations of the staff this weekend. We will endeavor to deliver your items in a timely manner within the confines of our workforce. Please have patience with our staff. If you need to speak to the nurse on duty, please call 604-251-4114 extension 104 and leave a message with your concern. The nurse will respond at her earliest convenience.
We appreciate your partnership and consideration for our safety as we navigate this pandemic as a community.
Thank you
Gayle Vanags, General Manager
