Spruce Lodge Visitors Policy

Spruce Lodge recognizes that visiting family and friends are critical in supporting a residents physical and emotional well-being.   Visits will be coordinated in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Provinces Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Essential Visitors:   Essential visitors include a person performing essential support services (e.g., food delivery, inspector, maintenance, or health care services (e.g., phlebotomy) or a person visiting a very ill or palliative resident.  Essential visitors may also include:

Support worker: A type of essential visitor who is visiting to perform essential support services for the home or for a resident at the home.  Examples include physicians, nurse partitioners, physio, CSS agency staff, contracted service providers, moving company staff, electricians, plumbers, contractors, or persons delivering food or parishioners.

Essential Caregiver: A type of essential visitor who is designated by the resident and/or their substitute decision-maker; and visiting to provide direct care to the resident (e.g. supporting feeding, mobility, personal hygiene, cognitive stimulation, communication, meaningful connection, relational continuity and assistance in decision-making).

General Visitors: (Indoor and Outdoor Visitors) A general visitor is someone who is NOT an essential visitor. They provide non-essential services or visit for social reasons (e.g. family members or friends), including care related to cognitive stimulation, meaningful connection and relational continuity.   

Number of Visitors Allowed

Essential Visitors:  

• 4 designated essential caregivers per resident, continuing with the limit of 4 visitors at a time per resident.  

Palliative Visitors:     

• No limit so long as space permits. 

General Visitors:  

• General visits are permitted for those who have received a booster vaccine dose (3^rd or 4^th ).   
• Note that children under the age of 5 years may visit with at least 1 vaccine dose.  
• Note further that a child between the age of 2 and 5 years must be tested before each visit. 
• Children under 2 do not require a test or a vaccine dose.

Outdoor Visits:  

• Are permitted and there are no limits to the number present during an outdoor visit.  
• Screening/ testing and proof of vaccination are not required for such visits, with the exception that visitors must be screened, tested and fully vaccinated (2 doses) if coming into the building to either pick up or drop off the resident.  
• Note that those not able to enter the living areas because they are not fully vaccinated, must prearrange their outdoor visit in order to ensure staff are available to prepare and take the resident to the door, or to bring them to their room.

When in C19 OUTBREAK

• Maximum 1 essential visitor per resident at a time
• No general visitors
• Maximum 2 palliative visitors per resident at a time

COVID positive visitor

If a visitor tests positive for COVID-19 at any time, they are asked to contact Spruce Lodge immediately. 519-271-4090 ext. 2651 or ext 4078, 2212, 2213 to ensure a resident can be tested if and as necessary and to determine when they are able to safely return.

Screening

An active list of designated visitors will be maintained and kept at the screening station.

All visitors must be actively screened when entering for symptoms and for exposures to COVID-19, including temperature checks, and are not permitted to visit if they do not pass the screening.   The visitor log sheet will be maintained at the screening table for contact tracing.

Those who have been deemed high risk contacts must be denied entry and cannot visit for 10 days post exposure.

Visitors must be fully vaccinated to enter the home. This implies that visitors must have received at least 2 doses of the vaccine.   Note that should the Home go into outbreak, visitors who enter must show proof of a booster dose of the vaccine. Visitors will be provided with a Spruce Lodge Vaccination card to be presented upon entry.

There are no set visiting hours although visitors must arrive before 7 p.m. to allow them to be screened in on the lower level.

Palliative Care Visits: These visits are considered essential.   Fully vaccinated visitors must wear a mask and eye protection.  Testing is not required for emergency or palliative care visits. Partially vaccinated or those not vaccinated must wear full PPE while visiting, including a gown, mask, eye protection and gloves. 

Testing

All visitors will be tested according to the testing guidelines as determined by Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Those who test positive must leave the facility and cannot visit for 10 days as long as they are symptom free.

Those retuning from having COVID 19 may resume testing after 90 days from their symptom onset or from the date of their positive PCR test result. The visitor list will be updated and they will be provided with a card identifying the date that testing will resume. Note: they will receive rapid tests only according to the testing guidelines at that time.

Testing Availability:

• Monday-Friday 8-11:15am & 1-3:15pm & Saturday 10-2

Testing Requirements: 

• Monday test for Monday & Tuesday visits
• Tuesday test for Tuesday & Wednesday visits
• Wednesday test for Wednesday & Thursday visits
• Thursday test for Thursday & Friday visits
• Friday test for Friday & Saturday Visits
• Saturday test (10-2) for Saturday & Sunday Visits

• NOTE: If a visitor is tested Monday/Wednesday/Friday, they will not require testing on Saturday or Sunday.

Rapid test will be accepted from an outside testing center if visitor is able to provide a dated, validated confirmation.  Rapid test is good for the day of the test and the next day only.

Use of PPE

All visitors entering the home are required to wear a surgical mask, supplied by the Lodge.  Frequent hand washing and sanitizing is required.   Note that PPE requirements will change if the home experiences and outbreak and these requirements will be posted, along with donning and doffing instructions.

Managing Visits

Those interested in becoming a visitor will contact the Life Enrichment (LE) Manager.  Proof of vaccination is required for their name to be added to the visitor list.  In the event that a visitor arrives and their name is not on the list, they will need to provide proof of vaccination and the screener will direct them to the testing center for further direction. 

Pet Visits

Visitors are welcome to bring in pets during their visit if they are able to provide proof of up-to-date vaccinations. During the visit they are required to comply with the Spruce lodge pet visitation policy at all times.

Washrooms

Resident washrooms are for resident use only.  All visitors entering the Lodge use the washroom facilities across from the elevator.

Eating and drinking while visiting

With the use of PPE, eating and drinking is not permitted. 

Essential palliative visitors are the only visitors permitted to eat while visiting a palliative resident if the room provides for 6 foot distancing while eating.  Masks to be replaced immediately after eating.

Staff will inform the kitchen if meals are required.  Where possible the kitchen may supply box sandwiches and provide disposable dishes to allow for everything that enters the room to be disposed of following the meal.

Perishable items

Perishable goods are not to be left as a general delivery.

Visitors may bring in perishable items for the resident to enjoy.  These items can be stored in the community fridge/kitchen area and eaten at a later date.   Packages or personal items may be delivered directly to the resident room at the time of the essential visit. 

Non-compliance of visitors

All visitors have a responsibility to follow the related safety protocols including mask wearing, eye protection and hand hygiene.  In the event that these protocols are not followed they will be provided with the opportunity for further clarification.  If visitors continue to be non-compliant, the visit will come to an end. 

Training

All visitors entering the building will receive hands on direction and training with regard to the proper use of PPE and related handwashing.  Signage is posted providing instructions for proper use of putting on and taking off PPE along with handwashing techniques. Public Health Ontario recommended the following educational videos that will be shared with our essential visitors on a monthly basis for their review.

Putting on Full Personal Protective Equipment

Taking off Full Personal Protective Equipment

How to Hand Wash

Essential Visitors who will be providing assistance at mealtime will be provided with education via surge learning to enhance their abilities to safely

meet the resident’s needs. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bqbpRlpn9s)

Outdoor Visits

• Fully vaccinated visitors are able to screen and test to enter and to bring their resident outside for an outdoor visit.
• For those who are not fully vaccinated, and only for that group, outdoor visits may be coordinated through the activity team.   Those who are not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask and to maintain a safe 6 foot distance.
• Brief hugs are permitted for those that are not vaccinated but the remainder of the visit will occur at a distance of 6 feet.
• Visits are not time limited, unless staff are required to assist with bringing the resident back to their room, in which case such visits need to be pre-arranged and coordinated with the staff available.
• There is no limit to the number of outdoor visitors
• Washroom facilities are not available for outdoor visitors.
• Outdoor visits ought to be cancelled if the weather is not suitable to bring residents outside, albeit alternate arrangements may be made for a fireside lounge visit.

Fireside Lounge visits

• Visitors who are not fully vaccinated may pre-arrange with activity staff to visit in the fireside lounge at the main entrance to Spruce Lodge.
• These visitors will be actively screened by the activity staff, and they must wear a mask for the entire time they are inside the building.

REVIEWED:

Date/Initial     May 28, 2021

Peter Bolland

Date/Initial      June 9, 2021

Peter Bolland

Date/Initial   January 5, 2022

Peter Bolland

REVIEWED:

Date/Initial     Feb 18, 2022

Julie Bree

Date/Initial      March 18, 2022

Peter Bolland

Date/Initial      July 7, 2022

Peter Bolland