The Pines Resident & Family Portal

From Public Health Ontario

https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/About/News/2023/01/Respiratory-Etiquette#:~:text=Respiratory%20etiquette%20is%20a%20simple,or%20elbow%2C%20not%20your%20hands.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, everyday infection prevention measures have been placed in the spotlight as important ways to help prevent the spread of the virus. Respiratory etiquette is one of these prevention measures.

What is respiratory etiquette?

Respiratory etiquette is a fancy way of describing the simple everyday actions everyone can take to limit their risk of spreading respiratory viruses. These personal practices primarily consist of covering your coughs and sneezes, regular and thorough hand cleaning, and staying home and keeping to yourself when you are sick.

Respiratory etiquette is a simple yet effective way to prevent illness, and is comprised of a few easy steps:

• Cover your cough and sneeze. Turn your head away from others and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands. Discard tissues immediately after use into the nearest garbage can.
• Practice effective hand hygiene. Thoroughly clean your hands with either soap and water or alcohol based hand rub regularly, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Wear a mask to protect others. When you are sick, wearing a mask can help to prevent the spread of germs and viruses that make us ill.
• Environmental cleaning. Some important ways to help prevent the spread of germs are cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces and general cleaning of shared spaces.

Importance of respiratory etiquette

According to Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, respiratory infections such as influenza and COVID-19 are ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death in Canada. Nationally, respiratory infections such as influenza cause 12,220 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths from annually. In 2020, COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death in Canada, accounting for 5.3% of deaths. Many respiratory infections can be prevented with the implementation of infection prevention and control measures, and everyday practices including respiratory etiquette.

We all have a role to play in preventing the spread of germs and viruses to keep both ourselves and our communities safe and healthy.

For more infection control and prevention tips, visit our website (see the link above).

We will be hosting a Bake Sale in the Country Kitchen on Friday, May 17th, 2024 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. We welcome donations of baked goods toward the sale. All proceeds are donated to the Pines Residents' Council. If you would like to donate or have questions. Please connect with Christina Rochette, ext. 4824

We celebrated our volunteers last week at the home. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or know someone who is. Please reach out to, Christina Rochette at ext. 4824

Join Us on Wednesday, May 1st for P.J. Day at the Pines. Residents and staff will be wearing their comfy P.J.s and we hope to see you cozy as well.

The Ministry will be hosting information sessions, see below to register:

Resident in English - Wednesday, May 8 at 2:00 pm

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XlVHohwoRgWDZBI6d43q0A#/registration

Families in English - Thursday, May 9 at 10:30 am

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3Vf66SNHRh-Rpx5iVzvQaA#/registration

Resident and Families in French - Tuesday, May 7 at 2:00 pm https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HdBsaLEiQQyvmzeZJAsnRQ#/registration

The above document can also be accessed below:

Regulation Changes: Information for Residents, Families, and Caregivers

In collaboration with Public Health, the Cedar Home Area Respiratory Outbreak has been declared over. Thank you for your patience as we worked through the outbreak. Again, please do not attend the home if you are feeling unwell or have come into contact with someone unwell.

The Cedar Home area remains in outbreak with one (1) resident continuing to have symptoms of influenza A. Family members have been updated. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Thank you for being so patient.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented or continued at this time:

• Masks and eye protection to be worn in the Cedar Home Area
• Residents are to remain in the unit at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the unit, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Twice daily respiratory symptom screening in Cedar Home Areas
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities on the unit for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits on the unit.
• Limit of two (2) essential caregivers at a time
• No General Visiting to Cedar home area

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

If you have any questions please contact John Iskander, IPAC Lead at ext. 4752

In collaboration with Public Health the Oak Respiratory Outbreak has been declared over. The Cedar Home area remains in outbreak with one resident continuing to have symptoms of influenza A. Family members have been updated. We will continue to provide updates as we work through the outbreak. Thank you for being so patient.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented or continued at this time:

• Masks and eye protection to be worn in the Cedar Home Area
• Residents are to remain in the unit at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the unit, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Twice daily respiratory symptom screening in Cedar Home Areas
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities on the unit for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits on the unit.
• Limit of two (2) essential caregivers at a time
• No General Visiting to Cedar home area

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

If you have any questions please contact John Iskander, IPAC Lead at ext. 4752

The Oak and Cedar Home Areas remain in a Respiratory Outbreak with one (1) resident showing symptoms such as cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, and/or fever. There have been a total of six (6) residents affected. Family members of those residents affected have been notified. Test results show Influenza A for one resident and Human Coronavirus for another.

The following infection control measures are to be implemented or continued at this time:

• Masks and eye protection to be worn in the Oak & Cedar Home Areas
• Residents are to remain in the unit at this time to reduce the risk of spread
• *If residents insist on leaving the unit, please assist them with masking or a visor and encourage outdoor visiting.
• Twice daily respiratory symptom screening in Oak and Cedar Home Areas
• Immediate isolation of any residents with new symptom onset
• Cohorting of staff, when possible.
• Cohorting of residents and only small group activities on the unit for unaffected residents. Isolated residents to receive one-to-one activities.
• Twice daily high-touch surface cleaning
• Increased hand hygiene and PPE audits on the unit.
• Limit of two (2) essential caregivers at a time
• No General Visiting to Oak & Cedar home areas

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

If you have any questions please contact John Iskander, IPAC Lead at ext. 4752