Our COVID-19 Response
Care for elders experiencing dementia is intimate. Some of our residents need physical contact to move through their day: dressing, eating, drinking. There are times when our hands must be their hands.
Our elders also need physical contact to be well. They need a hug or an arm around their shoulder because when cognitive changes are happening, this may be the only way for us to communicate serenity and security to them. The only way to say, “You are safe.”
Because of the hands-on style of care we deliver and the highly vulnerable nature of our residents, we are hyper vigilant about infection prevention at Sagecare. Even in normal times. And especially now.
The health and safety of elders, staff, and families remains our top priority.
Following All Public Health Guidelines
Our COVID Response Team maintains excellent working relationships with Toronto Public Health, Humber River Hospital, as well as links to provincial authorities and regulatory bodies. They ensure all the most up-to-date public health recommendations are fully implemented and carefully observed in our home.
Wherever possible, we also go above and beyond with extra precautions. We have retained the services of a consultant epidemiologist from the University of Toronto to review our protocols in light of emerging scientific evidence. He is able to make recommendations for proactive enhancements around the home: these are measures that have not yet been mandated, but that are very likely to improve the effectiveness of our response.
Below, you can read about specific protocols we have in place.
Screening & Rapid Testing
Every person entering the home is subject to a detailed screening questionnaire and a rapid test for COVID-19. These are conducted at the door. Test results are returned in approximately 15 minutes. A negative result is required for entry.
Adjusted Routines for Residents
We try to keep daily life for our residents as consistent as possible. Our precautions vary depending on trends in community transmission and the situation inside the home.
We have adapted group activities to accommodate masks and physical distancing.
When stricter isolation measures are required, staff in protective gear provide one-to-one programming in residents’ rooms and facilitate virtual activities with family members as well as specialized therapists.
Enhanced Staffing, Supports for Staff
Every team member wears protective eyewear and a mask when they are inside the home. Masks are only removed to eat or drink, which is done privately and away from common spaces.
Staff are provided with their own personal protective equipment (PPE) for use outside the home.
Team members with symptoms, or those that may have had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 stay home for a minimum of 5 days’ self-isolation.
Proactive, protective isolation accommodations are also available to staff, free of charge, should they wish to separate themselves from their families at times of heightened risk.
Optimizing Ventilation
We have focused on maximizing the supply of fresh air to common areas and rooms of our home using Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs). We also have HEPA filter air purifiers placed throughout the home.
Deep Cleaning & Disinfection
Our home is normally spotless. The first comment most visitors make is about the extraordinary cleanliness here. Our model includes a dedicated custodian on premises every day making their way through the entire facility. In March 2020, we activated our Deep Cleaning Plan, which calls for increased cleaning of high touch surfaces such as door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails. We scale up the size of our cleaning staff according to need.
Implementing Infection Prevention and Control Measures
Symptomatic residents, or those at risk for exposure, are isolated with droplet/contact precautions, in accordance with provincial guidance. On top of this, we also implement aerosol precautions, per the guidance of our consultant epidemiologist.
Personal protective equipment—including a high filtration mask, gown, gloves and eye protection—is used by all team members supporting affected residents. Staff put on full PPE before entering the suite of an isolated resident, and discard it immediately before exiting the room.
Hand hygiene is continually reinforced for staff, residents, and family members. Sanitizing stations are located throughout the home to ensure easy access.
Facilitating Vaccinations
All current residents have received the Ministry of Health recommended doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.
We are working with Toronto Public Health and Humber River Hospital to organize vaccinations for staff, essential family visitors and/or essential care partners.
Our staff boasts a 100% vaccination rate.