Hopefully you are ready to begin dressing in layers! Fall has arrived! We have a beautiful fall display at our front entrance to welcome in this new season.
This is another big newsletter this week. Things seem to be moving quickly again and our COVID concerns are certainly on the rise. In the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFLA) area, we remain in the green zone, meaning low risk, with only 6 active cases. As of September 23 2020, there are 31 LTC Homes across Ontario in COVID Outbreak with 58 residents testing positive.
With this in mind, we continue to remind you of the importance of not visiting if you are feeling at all unwell. If you have been approved as an essential caregiver, please ensure you are keeping your covid testing up to date, you are only visiting your loved one, wearing your mask and practicing physical distancing. I clarified this morning with L&A Assessment Centre that families of LTC residents who require the Covid testing in order to visit their loved one can continue to go to the assessment centre even though they do not have symptoms.
We have been talking about the kids and teachers heading back to school and thought we would send them some great tips that we have for them. Check out the video here.
If this is your first time reading our newsletter, I would encourage you to go to this link where you will find the previous newsletters should you wish to view them. Should you ever not want to receive these newsletters, please follow the prompts on the newsletter at the bottom to unsubscribe.
Have a good weekend,
Angela Malcolm
Director
COVID-19 Testing for Visitors & Caregivers
The Napanee Assessment Centre is no longer accepting drop-ins for testing. Everyone must book an appointment.
Due to the increase in demand for this service it will be very important for you to plan to allow yourself at least 6 days to ensure you maintain a current COVID test. This will be the minimum time required to allow for a return call to book your appointment, attend your appointment and then wait for the results.
Who must have a negative COVID test every 2 weeks?
All caregivers and visitors coming inside the Home
All visitors visiting outside who are not physically distanced
You will need to call a COVID-19 assessment center to book your COVID-19 swab test and have it completed. It will take approximately 72 hours to obtain your results. The number for the Napanee Assessment Centre held at the Lenadco Complex (across the road from JMPC) is 613-354-8254. Other COVID assessment centers are available near you. The link to access your results for this testing is here.
Let’s go for a drive together!
Such a great idea! However, it is important to understand that it is not possible to physically distance yourselves in a vehicle. This means that if you have come in contact with COVID, unbeknown to you at some point in the previous 14 days, but at this point feel fine, you will have exposed your loved one to COVID as well as all other residents that they will come in contact with upon their return to JMPC.
This is why - We need you to wear a mask to protect your loved one.
This is why - The resident needs to wear a mask as well. With cognitive impairments this may not be possible for the resident though.
This is why - It is important for you to be COVID tested every 2 weeks so that you can ensure you are doing your best to protect your loved one as well as everyone else that resides at JMPC.
IMPORTANT
If you, or anyone in your household, (or anyone who would be
interacting with the resident while they are out), feel unwell at all,
please postpone your outing with the resident.
Perishable Items: Food being brought in for a resident must be in a container that can be wiped down with our wipes and they will then be delivered to your resident right away. All other items will be kept for 24 hours prior to being taken to the resident.
What's New at JMPC
Menu - Here is the week’s menu for Sept 27 – Oct 3
Boiled Red Cabbage instead of Diced Squash
Cream of Mushroom Soup instead of Potato and Cabbage Soup.
We have our monthly birthday dinner on Wednesday which will be Chinese Food.
Program Schedule - Here is the week’s program schedule for Sept 27- Oct 3
Resident Art Gallery - This is located across from the Hair Salon and will feature our residents ever changing and AMAZING art work!
COVID Senior Friendly Activity Options around L&A - Read more on this in today’s newsletter
Mandatory Training Videos
These training videos are mandatory for you to watch prior to entering the building
A component of the Directives that the Ministry released that took effect on Sept 9 includes a mandatory requirement for Homes to ensure that Essential Caregivers coming into the Home receives training on putting on and taking off PPE as well as training on effective hand washing. Below are the 2 video clips for you to view. You will be asked to confirm at the screening table that you have watched these 2 videos prior to entering.
Here are short video clips to resources that will help you to understand how to use PPE properly and how to effectively hand wash.
This training needs to be completed prior to your first visit and then monthly thereafter.
Visiting Program Guide
Visiting Program Guide outlines your responsibilities based on your type of visit
Partnership with GIS Through the County
We are very excited to share this exciting new relationship we have with the County of L&A GIS staff.
GIS stands for Geographic Information System – it is a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information. It uses data that is attached to a unique location.
We asked them to develop something that containedCOVID–19 Friendly Ideas for Senior Community Members in L&A, and did they ever deliver!!!!
Click here and you will find low risk activities that you could do with your loved one. Ideas featured on the link include:
Greater Napanee Historic Walking Tours – use your phone to navigate the 48 locations featured inclusive of a description of each location
Greater Napanee Audio Tour – Use your phone/tablet to navigate through Greater Napanee. The vehicle tour is just shy of 2 hours and is 93 km in length. Bring some water and a snack and don’t forget your camera.
Local Attractions – Follow along the map to find and learn about 20 L&A County sites of interest.
Explore various Routes around Lennox & Addington County. You choose from the 6 maps that you would like to explore first. Here are 4 of the possibilities
Transition Ride: Witness the landscape change when touring "The Transition Drive." While the southern portion of this route features working farms, wetlands and limestone outcroppings, as you travel north your surroundings change dramatically. Spectacular views of granite and evergreens begin to dominate as you enter the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. This route is particularly scenic when the leaves begin their autumn transformation. (101km in length)
Farming Drive: "The Farming Drive" takes drivers through the Lennox & Addington communities of Newburgh, Camden East, Yarker, Wilton and Napanee. This route provides picturesque farmland, quaint towns, charming villages, and natural beauty to make this drive a memorable experience. (97 km in length)
Rural Drive: The Rural Drive" takes travellers through the Lennox & Addington communities of Newburgh, Camden East, Yarker, Colebrook, Moscow, Enterprise, Tamworth, Erinsville, Roblin, Selby and Napanee. Each community has something special to offer its visitors. Drivers of this route will view picturesque rural landscapes dotted with century old homes, barns and actively-farmed land. (87 km in length)
Shoreline Drive: "The Shoreline Drive" begins along the shore of Hay Bay and the Bay of Quinte. Travel past cottages and campgrounds and along the shore of some of the best Walleye fishing in North America. Take note of the breathtaking blend of rural settings that overlook the beautiful waterways. Drivers continue south to the Loyalist Parkway to the uniquely historic village of Bath before heading back to Napanee. (114 km in length)
Also available on this link are walking options should you be interested in taking your resident for a walk in our neighborhood. 3 options ranging in distance from 2.3km to 3km are available. Hard copies of these maps can be obtained from the screening desk should you be interested in going for a short walk.
Another great option in this link can be found in the “Indoor Orientated Events and Options” section towards the bottom. Virtual Tours – have a young person in your life create a Virtual Reality box that you can place on an iPhone and have them download some virtual reality tours for your loved one.
We would really encourage you to check out this incredible resource. We would also definitely love to hear from you if you have given any of these options a try!
Flu Season is on the Way
...and we're getting ready!
Zoom, Window, Indoor & Garden Visits
Book yourZoom, Window, Indoor and Garden Visit online using Picktime!
We ask that visits be scheduled a day ahead and that weekend requests are completed by Friday at 2pm. For zoom visits, you will receive a confirmation email first. Then, 1 day prior to your zoom visit you will receive the zoom link emailed to you from the Home.
If you have any questions or unable to access this online tool, please call 613-354-3306 and someone will help you Mon-Fri during business hours. Please note that you can continue to enjoy your zoom visit along with an inside, Garden or window visit. You certainly can have more than one form of connection with your loved one.
Need to Cancel your Booked Visit?
The booking site doesn’t have that feature to cancel yourself online unfortunately. So to cancel an appointment you can:
Currently KFL&A area has a very low number of active COVID cases. We want to do our best to maintain this low number of active COVID cases. A strategy to help ensure that we are all staying safe is practicing social distancing. Please practice staying at least two meters away from others when possible. In the home we are also doing our best to practice social distancing among residents and staff.
A few strategies the home has put in place to maintain social distancing are:
Multiple staff rooms to ensure a two meter distance is maintained during staff breaks
We have four different dining rooms on each resident home area to maintained social distancing of residents during meal times
Maximum room capacities are posted in each room to ensure social distancing is possible
During activation programs, residents are spaced a least two meters apart
Please help The John M. Parrott Centre to be a safe space for all residents and staff and continue to practice social distancing at all times
Message from the Chair of Family Council
If you haven't had time please take a min or two to send a picture of you making a heart or holding a message of thanks to be included in a staff video as soon as possible. It is a surprise and with all the stresses the staff has been under a great way to show our appreciation.
If you are feeling that you would like some additional support or have some questions that you would like to work through we would like to encourage you to access this amazing local resource. Lisa would be happy to chat with you!!
Around the Home
Terry Fox Walk n' Wheel - Sept 20
Benefits of Baking
You can see by the smiles on the resident’s faces, how much everyone enjoyed baking special treats for World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. Did you know that for those living with dementia, the activity of baking is so much more than just an opportunity to have some fun? It can benefit those with cognitive impairments physically, mentally and emotionally.
Baking is great for reducing anxiety which is a pretty common problem for those with dementia. Baking requires attention while at the same time has many simple, repetitive actions, making it quite relaxing. Kneading dough or stirring a cake mixture can be calming, helping to alleviate feelings of anxiety.
Who doesn’t love the smell of baked goods cooking? The smell of these baked goods triggers positive childhood memories. It can also trigger memories of the baking individuals did with their own children. The sense of smell is extremely powerful at triggering memories of activities that were once enjoyed.
Unfortunately, many living with dementia lose their appetites. The act of baking involves stimulating all the senses, helping to trigger a reminder of enjoying food, which can then promote a desire to eat.
Becoming socially withdrawn is very common in dementia as people begin to have difficulties communicating or remembering things. Maintaining social interactions is important as we age and the creative activity of baking provides a perfect opportunity to bond with others.
The creativity involved in baking can also help to give those with dementia back some of the independence that they may feel they have lost. Cleaning up or washing dishes after baking provides a sense of purpose when they are involved and contributing to something.
Who knew baking could have so many benefits? Well, now you do! So the next time you see pictures of your favorite resident engaged in an activity, you’ll understand and appreciate the profound impact these activities have on them. The benefits from a simple little activity like baking are endless. (Oh, and we also love tasting all their wonderful creations!)
Making Apple Cookies to have for Alzheimer’s Awareness Day Sept 21