Outbreak Status
Please check here for outbreak status prior to planning a visit to a loved one at Saint Luke's Place.
We continue to encourage Essential Care Providers (ECP's) to consider visiting at mealtimes if your loved one requires assistance with meals, as this is a great support to our staff.
Outbreak Protocol
Only essential visitors (EPC’s) are permitted when there is an outbreak in a home or area of a home or when a resident has failed screening, is symptomatic or in isolation. Essential visitors include caregivers, support workers and people visiting very ill residents or residents receiving end of life care.
For clarity, individuals such as maintenance workers, contractors, or engineers, who provide support to the critical operations of the home, including performing critical maintenance services necessary to comply with
applicable laws, are considered support workers and permitted to enter a home during an outbreak.
General visitors are not permitted to visit residents indoors if the entire home is in outbreak or the resident is symptomatic or isolating under additional precautions. If only a portion of the home is in outbreak, residents unaffected by that outbreak may still have visitors both indoors and outdoors.
Visiting Long Term Care During A Pandemic
Saint Luke’s Place recognizes that being able to connect with friends and family is essential to resident’s emotional health and well-being, so our visits are guided by the following principles:
- Safety: Any approach to visiting must balance 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 by reducing any potential negative impacts related to social isolation.
- Equitable Access: All individuals seeking to visit a resident must be given equitable visitation access, consistent with resident preference and within reasonable restrictions that safeguard residents.
- Flexibility: The physical/infrastructure characteristics of the long-term care home, its staffing availability, and the status of the home with respect to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are all variables to consider when setting home-specific policies.
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.
Essential visits indoor may be subject to change as per Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Public Health Unit Guidance and Directive #3.
Definition
An Essential care provider is a type of essential visitor who is visiting the home to provide direct care to meet the essential needs of a particular resident. Care providers must be at least 16 years of age and must be designated by the
resident or his/her substitute decision-maker. Direct care includes providing support/assistance to a resident that includes providing direct physical support (for example, eating, bathing, and dressing) and/or providing social and emotional support.
Requirements for Essential Care Provider Visits
- Residents may have 4 essential care providers designated by the resident or substitute decision maker
- Residents may have 4 visitors per visit for indoors and unlimited visitors for outdoor visiting (or as per the ministry and/or public health guidelines/directives) including essential care providers
- Essential care providers/visitors are the only type of visitors allowed when there is an outbreak in a home or area of a home or when a resident has failed screening, is symptomatic or in isolation. Visiting is restricted to ECP’s only with 1 visitor at a time for per resident.
- The essential care provider/visitor must show proof of vaccination to the screener for verification of testing requirements
- will be screened in by the Home’s COVID19 Screening staff or designate and will participate in rapid antigen testing
- If a visitor does not pass the screening and testing or do not comply with the homes protocols the visit will be cancelled.
- The Essential care provider/visitors will be provided with a surgical mask and other appropriate PPE that must be always worn while in the home and especially during all resident facing interactions.
- The Essential care provider/visitors will sanitize hands upon entry and exit to the Home and as frequently as reasonable during their visit.
- Everyone must ensure that physical distancing (a minimum of 2 metres or 6 feet) is always practiced by all individuals, except for the purpose of providing direct care to resident’s direct care to a resident
- The Essential care provider/visitors will not visit with other visitors or residents while in the Home and will always maintain appropriate physical distancing from others that they are not here to visit.
Palliative/ End of Life Visits
Saint Luke’s Place will not restrict or deny any absences for medical and/or palliative/compassionate reasons at any time. This includes when a resident is in isolation on additional precautions and/or when the home is in an outbreak; in these situations, Saint Luke’s Place will consult with the local public health unit for further advice.
Definition of General Visitor
A general visitor is a person who is not an essential visitor and is visiting to provide nonessential services related to either the operations of the home or a particular resident or group of residents. General visitors younger than 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (someone who is 16 years of age or older). General visitors include those persons visiting for social reasons as well as visitors providing non-essential services such as personal care services, entertainment, or individuals touring the home.
Requirements for General Visits
- General visitors are not allowed when a resident is isolating or resides in a home or area of the home that is in outbreak
- Anyone entering inside the Home must and must show proof of vaccination to the screener to determine testing requirements
- Visitors will be provided with a medical grade mask and other PPE as deemed necessary upon entering the home that must be always worn when visiting.
- At no time are visitors allowed to eat or drink when visiting
- General visitors, including children under the age of five (5) can resume visits. Those younger than 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and must follow all applicable public health measures that are in place for Saint Luke’s Place (for example, active screening, physical distancing, hand hygiene, testing, and masking).
- Visitors will be screened in by the Home’s COVID19 Screening staff or designate and will participate in rapid antigen testing
- If a visitor does not pass the screening and testing or do not comply with the home's protocols the visit will be cancelled.
- Only 4 visitors per resident per visit for indoors and unlimited visitors for outdoor visiting (or as per the ministry and/or public health guidelines/directives) including essential care providers
- General visitors may give a brief hug
- All goods or items that are brought in by the visitor will be required to quarantine for a minimum of 48 hours upon return or to be disinfected (as feasible) by a staff member. These items can be left at reception for delivery. We ask that all items be non-perishable.
- Everyone must ensure that physical distancing (a minimum of 2 metres or 6 feet) is always practiced by all individuals, except for the purpose of providing direct care to resident’s direct care to a resident
- Restricting time lengths or number of visits may be determined as per the home to ensure the safety of the residents and staff
- General visitors must remain in the resident’s room or designated area- they are not to visit other resident or resident units