Pines Resident Family Portal

Thank you to those that were able to attend the meeting last evening. If you would like to review the meeting, please click on the link below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/eSOYH0ra64CMQ3yq3UXWL0kF2z8Z1Swj1KP7tH2p33irLaw7ftLeOgXsf8-dqZgd.KrcwR262prAIPqmj

Passcode: p!KD$4B0

NEW: September 19, 2022 - Invitations to Information Sessions

Long-term care residents, families and caregivers are invited to an information session to hear important updates from the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Topics will include:

• How Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open connects with long-term care, including what providing the right care in the right place means and what long-term care residents can expect.
• Updates about COVID-19 vaccines.
• New ministry supports that are available for residents and homes.

Resident Information Session

You can click here to register for the resident information session that will take place on Tuesday, September 20 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. When you register, you will also be able to submit any questions you may have on the topics to be discussed which will be shared with the speakers before the session so that they can speak about the things that are most important to residents.

Family and Caregiver Information Session

You can click here to register for the family and caregiver information session that will take place on Wednesday, September 21 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. When you register you will also be able to submit any questions you may have on the topics to be discussed which will be shared with the speakers before the session so that they can speak about the things that are most important to families and caregivers of long-term care residents.

We are happy to announce our new registered dietician in the home is Celine Small. Celine is no stranger to the Pines, as she has covered vacations for our home in the past. Celine is happy to be here and looking forward to working with the residents and family members in our home. Celine can be found in the office beside the kitchen.

Welcome, Celine!

TORONTO — Based on guidance from Health Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the Ontario government is offering the bivalent COVID-19 booster dose to all Ontarians aged 18 and over, beginning with the most vulnerable populations.

“The bivalent COVID-19 booster is a safe and effective way for people to better protect themselves against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variants in Ontario,” said Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “As vaccine protection decreases over time, I encourage all Ontarians aged five and over to receive the booster dose they are eligible for.”

Starting today at 8:00 a.m., bivalent COVID-19 booster appointments will be available to and can be booked for the most vulnerable populations, including:

• individuals aged 70 and over;
• residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges, and individuals living in other congregate settings that provide assisted-living and health services;
• First Nation, Inuit, and Métis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and over;
• moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals aged 12 and over;
• pregnant individuals aged 18 and over; and
• health care workers aged 18 and over.

Click on the link below for more information:

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002277/ontarians-aged-18-eligible-for-bivalent-covid-19-booster-dose

On behalf of Jill Gaston, President of the Family Council for The Pines Long-Term Care Home is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting or in-person at The Pines in the Fran Coleman Room.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022, starting at 6:30 p.m.

September 2022 Agenda

This month, we will have in-person as well as virtual.

Join Zoom Meeting by clicking the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89455264812?pwd=OXdVYnNodUJWSDZnWXlWM3huS1RMZz09

Meeting ID: 894 5526 4812

Passcode: 506904

Any questions related to these meetings can be directed to Jill Gaston.

We hope to see you there!

Please join us Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at 6:00 pm for updates and information.

Click on the link to join us for the Pines Family Zoom meeting to find out updates related to the Home.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82332900040?pwd=ZnI1L0ZhRzdCMy80SjlSUngzREUydz09

Meeting ID: 823 3290 0040

Passcode: 562527

We hope to see you there!

On August 18th, the government launched Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery. This five-point action plan was developed to address Ontario’s urgent need to stabilize the health and long-term care sectors and preserve our hospital capacity this fall/winter and into the future. As we look ahead, with the potential for a new wave of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, our focus remains on ensuring patients, residents, clients, and communities continue to receive the care they need from our health system. This means ensuring Ontarians receive the right care in the right place.

Click on the link below to find out more information:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/plan-stay-open-health-system-stability-and-recovery

The home is happy to share that in collaboration with Public Health, our Heightened Surveillance has been declared over as of Tuesday, September 13, 2022.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we worked through this.

Hi Everyone,

The next Direct Dental Clinic will be held on Friday, Oct 7/22. All appointments are booked directly through the dental team.

Please see the details below of the next clinic, which will run from approximately 9:00am to 5:00pm.

1. Direct Dental Staff will screen in at the front door and participate in COVID 19 testing prior to entry to the home.
2. The Dental Clinic will be held on the second floor in the Consultation Room.
3. The second floor washroom by the elevators will be designated for the clinic only for that day. Signage will be posted to alert visitors to use an alternate washroom.
4. A Resident Care Attendant (RCA) has been booked to porter residents to and from the clinic to lessen dental staff footprint in the home.
5. Clinic appointments will go by units to limit resident contact from different home areas.
6. To allow for adequate cleaning time between residents/appointments, current professional dental guidelines will only allow 10-12 residents to be seen per day.
7. Essential caregivers are asked not to attend the clinic to decrease the amount of people present at the clinic area.
8. All areas used by the dental team will undergo a deep clean when the clinic is completed.

Another important change to note is the types of procedures that can be done. Currently, the clinic will not be able to provide any aerosol generating procedures. Some examples of what they are able to do are as follows; teeth cleaning done by hand tools, extractions, fillings that are not deep and can be addressed by hand and without the use of the high speed hand piece. They also have fluoride options that can be used to treat and prevent decay. All residents and/or POAs will receive a report after the clinic outlining the care that was provided to the resident and any findings, including potential need for referrals if care is required beyond what is capable at the clinic on-site.

If you would like more information regarding Direct Dental, you can visit the website at www.directdentistry.com

Please feel free to contact myself or Direct Dental directly if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Jennifer Carriere

Assistant Director of Care

Phone: (705) 645-4488 x4842

Fax: (705) 645-6857

Bulletin from Ministry of Long-Term Care

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the annual long-term care home resident co-payment rate increase was deferred to October 1, 2022. Consistent with prior years, an inflationary increase of 2.5% will be applied to the co-payment for basic and preferred accommodation in Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes.

Basic Accommodation Rates

On October 1, 2022, the co-payment that residents pay for basic accommodation in Long-Term Care (LTC) homes will increase by $1.55 per day from $62.18 per day to $63.73 per day, consistent with recent inflationary increases. This will help cover the rising costs of meals and accommodation.

Preferred Accommodation Rates

The maximum charges will also be increasing for residents admitted to newer preferred accommodation beds on or after October 1, 2022. The premium charged for semi-private accommodation will increase by $0.32 from $12.78 to $13.10 per day, and the premium for private accommodation will increase by $0.67 from $26.64 to $27.31 per day.