Visiting

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April 28, 2023

Cafeteria Hours Extended

  • As of Monday, May 1, the Cafeteria will be open seven days a week from 7 am to 7 pm.
  • This is a return to regular operating hours.
    • On Friday, January 13th, Cafeteria hours of operation changed to close at 3:00 pm so that staff members could be reassigned to provide supper meal service and support on the residential units.
    • Thank you to all the staff who provide these important services and who adapted their work over the last few months to meet resident needs.
  • Thanks also to members of the Perley Health community for your ongoing support for the Cafeteria.

Safety Protocols in Designated Spaces and Cafeteria and Ice Cream Parlour

  • Physical distancing protocols must continue to be followed in designated spaces.
  • This is a direction from the Ontario government.
  • Additional seating has been added to the areas around the Cafeteria - in the adjacent hallways and in the links (located in the Main Entrance atrium and adjacent hallways) to accommodate demand.

Eating & Drinking Areas for Visitors

  • Essential Visitors and Visitors are permitted to remove masks only when eating in a resident’s room or when eating outside. If eating outside, 6-feet/2-metres distance must be maintained from residents other than the visitor’s loved one.
  • This can apply to purchases from the Cafeteria, Pub and the Ice Cream Parlour.
  • Any alcoholic beverages purchased in the Pub must be consumed in licensed areas. This includes the indoor pub space (where only residents are currently allowed to remove their masks) and the designated pub patio. When weather permits, Essential Visitors and Visitors will be able to enjoy a beverage or snacks from the pub, outdoors on the patio.
  • New seating areas have been set up in Commissionaires’ Ottawa Place first-floor corridor (between Main Reception and the sliding doors entering long-term care) to provide additional indoor space where Essential Visitors and Visitors can eat or drink with their loved ones.

Tenant Identification

  • Recognizing that Senior Living apartment tenants are permitted to eat indoors - the Ice Cream Parlour and Cafeteria -- we plan to create a lapel button for each tenant to wear to identify them as tenants.
    • As soon as May 1, Senior Living tenants will be provided with lapel buttons to identify each person permitted to remove their mask when eating or drinking inside Perley Health.
    • Although these buttons will not be mandatory for tenants, we will encourage they be worn to assist staff and volunteers in their efforts to keep our community safe.
  • Starting May 3rd, tenants will be welcome to make take-out purchases from the Ice Cream Parlour (Wednesdays in the Pub, from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm).
  • Starting May 6th, Seniors’ Housing Happy Hours will be offered weekly in the Pub. Tenants should refer to their activity calendar for dates and times.

April 21, 2023

As Monday, April 17th, the Rideau Veterans Residence and the Gatineau Building entrances are accessible to all individuals in possession of a FOB, including Designated Caregivers.

Access to the Ottawa Building entrance is only accessible to emergency vehicles and Para Transpo. During the warmer months, individuals have accessed these doors using a FOB to accompany residents outside. When the current work outside is complete, all individuals in possession of a FOB will have access to these doors. We will follow with communications to members of our community to announce the re-opening of these doors.

Protocols

All individuals with an assigned FOB may enter through the Rideau Veterans Residence and Gatineau Building and must continue to complete the following:

  1. Passive screening prior to entry;
  2. FOB in;
  3. Sanitize hands; and
  4. Mask.

Visitors without FOB access must continue to enter through the Main Entrance and follow these steps:

  1. Passive screening prior to entry;
  2. Sanitize;
  3. Mask; and
  4. Sign-in using the log book (following Ministry of Long-Term Care requirements).

Courtyards

  • Effective May 1st, following the annual safety inspections, the interior courtyards will be open for the season.
  • Visitors without a FOB must continue to enter Perley Health and log in prior to entering the courtyards or other outdoor spaces.

This message was shared today with all email subscribers, posted to two Perley Health website pages (Urgent News and Outbreaks and Visiting) and excerpts will appear on the TVs in the common areas.

March 22, 2023

On March 22, 2023, the Ministry of Long-Term Care released a memo providing updated guidance which outlines recommendations for winding down COVID-19 specific policies through a phased approach.

The following changes will come into effect on March 31, 2023. 

Masking Continues

  • Masks, provided by Perley Health, must be worn by all members of the Perley Health community at all times.
  • Residents are not required to wear masks
  • Masks may be removed by staff, volunteers and tenants when eating in designated areas.
  • Essential Visitors and General Visitors are permitted to purchase food from the Cafeteria and sit with residents as long as they remain masked and adhere to physical distancing guidelines.
  • Essential Visitors and General Visitors are not permitted to eat in the Cafeteria.
  • Essential Visitors and General Visitors are permitted to remove masks only when eating in a residents room.

Visitor Screening Ended

  • Active screening is no longer required for all Essential Visitors and General Visitors. 
  • Effective March 31, visitors entering the home are required to complete passive screening and sign in at the Main Reception.

Vaccination Requirements Ended

  • Essential Visitors and General Visitors are no longer required to be vaccinated to enter Perley Health.
  • Proof of vaccination is no longer required.
  • All vaccination requirements for entering the home are lifted effective immediately
  • We strongly encourage everyone entering Perley Health to be up-to-date on their vaccinations to keep our community safe.
  • Perley Health will be retiring our COVID-19 Immunization Policy.

Safety Protocols in Designated Spaces and Cafeteria

  • Physical distancing protocols must continue to be followed in designated spaces and considering all optionsfor the Perley Health Community to enjoy meals.
  • The Perley Health Command Centres is exploring all of our options for these areas and an update will be provided in April.
  • All future changes will align with legislation.

Visiting During Outbreaks

  • The limit on Essential Visitors during a COVID-19 Outbreak has been removed.  
  • Perley Health will return to the historical practice using the same risk-based approach we use when determining control measures for other outbreaks. 

Asymptomatic Surveillance Testing Ended

  • The Ministry no longer requires asymptomatic testing for staff, students, volunteers, support workers and all Essential Visitors and General Visitors.
  • The Swab Clinic closes today at 5 pm, March 30, 2023 at 1700.
    • Thank you very much to all Swab Clinic staff and the team of volunteers who have supported the operations of the Swab Clinic for the past two years.

Resident Screening and Daily Temperature Checks

  • Daily temperature checks and screening of residents upon return from an absence will no longer be required.
  • Residents will continue to be monitored daily to detect the presence of infection.

Thank you, Perley Health Community,

These past three years, our community has faced an unprecedented global health crisis that affected every aspect of our lives.

Thank you for your perseverance, your courage, your resilience, your patience and your support. Your contributions have made a profound difference in the lives of so many of our residents, tenants, volunteers, staff, families and friends.

And your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed. On behalf of the Perley Health Command Centre and the entire team, please know that we are forever thankful for all your efforts. Your commitment to providing high-quality care, support, and compassion to those entrusted to our care, is a testament to your strength and dedication.

Thank you for your hard work, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of your community.

Together, we improve the well-being of the people we serve.

Now, let’s look forward to some “precedented times”!

Thank you,

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