The Pines Resident & Family Portal

The Birch home area remains in a gastroenteritis outbreak. We currently have (3) three residents with symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhea. Family members of those affected have been notified.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented:

• Surgical Masks are highly recommended in the Birch Home Area
• Ensure the Public Health 4 moments of Hand Hygiene are followed
• Resident's Hand Hygiene before all meals and regularly throughout the day
• Ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used properly- including donning before entering and removing before exiting the isolated resident’s room
• Residents are to remain in the affected home area at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the home area, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities in the home area for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning- changing disinfecting product to 1-minute contact time and contains sporicidal
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits in the home area with coaching
• No General Visitors at this time. Only two (2) essential caregivers at a time

We will continue to provide updates as we move through the outbreak.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Nurse in Charge or Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead at stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca

In collaboration with Public Health, the Maple home area has declared a Respiratory outbreak. We currently have (4) four residents with symptoms of cough, nasal discharge, congestion, etc. Family members of those affected have been notified.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented:

• Surgical Masks are to be worn in the Maple Home Area
• Ensure the Public Health 4 moments of Hand Hygiene are followed
• Resident's Hand Hygiene before all meals and regularly throughout the day
• Ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used properly- including donning before entering and removing before exiting the isolated resident’s room
• Residents are to remain in the affected home area at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the home area, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities in the home area for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning- changing disinfecting product to 1-minute contact time and contains sporicidal
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits in the home area with coaching
• No General Visitors at this time. Only two (2) essential caregivers at a time.

We will continue to provide updates as we move through the outbreak.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Nurse in Charge or Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead at stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca

In collaboration with Public Health, the Birch home area has declared a gastroenteritis outbreak. We currently have (2) two residents with symptoms of vomiting and/or diarrhea. Family members of those affected have been notified.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented:

• Surgical Masks are highly recommended in the Birch Home Area
• Ensure the Public Health 4 moments of Hand Hygiene are followed
• Resident's Hand Hygiene before all meals and regularly throughout the day
• Ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used properly- including donning before entering and removing before exiting the isolated resident’s room
• Residents are to remain in the affected home area at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the home area, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities in the home area for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning- changing disinfecting product to 1-minute contact time and contains sporicidal
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits in the home area with coaching
• No General Visitors at this time. Only two (2) essential caregivers at a time

We will continue to provide updates as we move through the outbreak.

If you have questions, please reach out to the Nurse in Charge or Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead at stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca

Volunteering at the Pines can be as formal or informal as you would like. We have programming that you can help support or you can drop in for visits with your pet. There are so many volunteer opportunities that we are sure there is something that is the right fit for you or another family member.

Do you know a teenager who needs to complete community hours? The Pines is a great opportunity for students to complete their community volunteer hours and give back to the residents.

Please connect with Christina Rochette at ext. 4824 or by email at christina.rochette@muskoka.on.ca

We look forward to hearing from you!

Please join us in congratulating Dallas Miller as the new Director of Care with The Pines Long Term Care Home. Dallas currently works as the Co-Director of Care with our Fairvern Long-Term Care Home. Dallas will start with the Pines team on Monday, February 3, 2025. She can be found at 98 Pine Street, Bracebridge. Her office is located on the main floor across from the main kitchen. Her email address will remain dallas.miller@muskoka.on.ca and her extension is 4861.

Dallas holds a Master of Nursing – Leadership in Professional Nursing Practice from the University of Western Ontario as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is a Registered Nurse with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Dallas’ education and work experience through progressive leadership roles have provided her with the ability to create meaningful change and ensure that staff feel empowered, supported, and inspired in their daily roles. Dallas’ experience includes supporting residents in long-term care at Fairvern over the last two years and clients in Specialized Geriatric Services with St. Joseph’s Health Care in London before this. Using leadership skills to promote high-quality, holistic, and safe resident care. As well as mentoring and coaching team members and providing constructive feedback to ensure quality resident care. Dallas brings strong transformational leadership skills as demonstrated through the strength of the team and enabling others to be confident and competent in their roles with a positive and enthusiastic style and vision.

Please join us in welcoming Dallas to her new role with the District. We are excited to have her join the Pines team!

This week, we celebrated Activity Professionals Week and recognized the incredible work of our activity staff! Their creativity, dedication, and passion bring life, joy, and connection to our residents every single day.

From planning engaging programs to making meaningful one-on-one connections, our activity professionals play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for our residents.

Please join me in expressing heartfelt gratitude to our activity team for the difference they make in so many lives. Let’s take a moment this week to say thank you, share a kind word, or simply acknowledge their efforts.

Activity staff, thank you for everything you do.

Christina Rochette

Activities Manager

Thank you to those that were able to attend the meeting. If you would like to review the recording, please click the link below. Moving forward, the records will be the minutes for this Council. Below are the guest speakers who participated in the meeting and information about how to get in touch with a family council member to get more information.

Family Council Agenda January 15, 2025

Family Council Draft Terms of Reference, January 2025

Family Council Minutes (Recording) January 15, 2025

Passcode: D.A0U8R*

January Guest Speakers: Achieva Physiotherapy Services & Restorative Care Leads, Christina Rochette and Natasha Thompson

Resident and Family Engagement Survey Results and Action Plan, Jennifer Ridgley

Family Councils Ontario

If you have questions and want to learn more about Family Council. Please reach out to Christina Rochette, Family Council liaison, to connect you with a member.

As we are in the midst of the winter weather, we have noted that winter footwear in the home is creating a slipping hazard for residents, staff, and visitors, due to snow melting off the boots.

We encourage you to bring a change of footwear or you can apply the boot covers provided in the front entrance of the home. We have added a bench and an area for you to place your boots when visiting. Please see the picture above.

Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe in the home.

Reducing the risk of serious illness for residents and the risk of outbreaks is important to quality care. One of the biggest ways to keep the residents healthy is to wash our hands. Please ensure you use the hand sanitizer coming into the home, when leaving, and when entering and exiting each home area at a minimum. It is also recommended to sanitize your hands before and after a meal with your loved one, and after you cough or sneeze.

We have added an automatic hand sanitizer with information to help support this processing when entering the home. This is the most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of infections in the home.

We have been through several outbreaks in the past few months and want to ensure that we are doing everything possible to prevent the residents from getting sick.

Please be diligent with your hand hygiene when in the home.

If you have any questions related to this or other infection control practices in the home, please connect with Stephanie Albert, IPAC Lead at ext. 4752 or stephanie.albert@muskoka.on.ca