It has been another very hot week. Our veggie gardens are loving all the heat and sunshine and are growing really well. This week’s newsletter is filled with lots of great pictures that I’m sure you will enjoy. We have been enjoying some fresh new programs and very creative crafts during this week. We are spoiled with wonderful entertainment and a beautiful shaded balcony that allows us to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
We had a lot of indoor visitors again this past week and hope you enjoyed your time in the Home. I want to remind all of you that the screeners at the front door are there to help guide you through the process that is legislated for us to ensure we do prior to having you in the Home. There will be times when you may have to wait outside as there can only be 2 people in the foyer area at a time. Each visitor needs to take their temperature and follow the screeners direction. Patience is really appreciated. Did you know….Kindness is Contagious…let’s spread that around!
In an effort to streamline calls coming into the Home to book visits (for those not able to book through our online tool themselves), we ask that you call the Home’s main line Monday – Friday during business hours and we will help you out.
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.
Hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter,
Angela Malcolm
Director
COVID-19 Testing for Visitors
All visitors coming inside the Home must be swabbed within 2 weeks of each visit. 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 48-72 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.
The Home will have you verbally confirm you have been tested and have had a negative result in the past 2 weeks.
Indoor Visits: You will need to take your temperature in the foyer prior to entering each time you visit. Provide your temperature result to the screener. Answer the screeners questions. Sign the pledge. Verbally confirm and sign that you have had a negative COVID test within 2 weeks of each visit. Must wear a surgical mask (provided by the Home); Face shields are not acceptable. No physical contact with the resident. Perishable items 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. All other items will be kept for 24 hours prior to being taken to the resident.
Outdoor Visits:
Outdoor visits do not require a COVID-19 test as of July 15 2020. You are required to wear a facial covering that you supply (face shields are not acceptable). You will be on the outside of the fence and the resident will be on the inside. Bring your lawn chair please.
What's New at JMPC
Menu -- Hereis the menu for this week with the following changes made:
Wednesday: Rose Garden and Orchard Trail are having Surf and turf instead Garlic braised drumsticks
Thursday: BBQ Hamburgers instead of Turkey Chili (weekly BBQ day) and am ice cream cone instead of Tiramisu Mousse
Friday: Chicken Caesar Salad instead of Hamburgers
Program Schedule – Here is this week’s program schedule.
Big Hug – We have started tracing residents outline of a outstretched hands that the RSA’s are then cutting out. We sent our first BIG hug to Mexico!!! The resident might even include a little hand written note for you.
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.
For those helping someone book their visit online, please ensure you provide the name of the actual person coming for the visit rather than the name of the person submitting the request.
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:
Contact Candice (ext 7223) or Earline (main line) by phone or email
Crafty Bunch at JMPC
Last week a number of residents made beautiful wooden outdoor garden signs. We would like to thank Gail Kennedy’s husband who cut the wood and drilled the holes for the rope to hang!! They turned out AMAZING!!
Message from the Chair of Family Council
Please feel free to reach out to Gwen if you have a question that you would like to have answered in this newsletter
This graphic illustrates the difference between a healthy brain and one with changes associated with dementia. Visualizing the physical changes in the brain can help individuals understand why a person living with dementia behaves as they do.
The A’s of Dementia:
AMNESIA
APHASIA
AGNOSIA
APRAXIA
ALTERED PERCEPTION
APATHY
ANOSOGNOSIA
ATTENTION DEFICITS
Individuals living with dementia will experience different losses, to varying degrees. The A’s of dementia represent the many losses associated with the disease. Each A represents a different loss, both cognitive and emotional.
This week, we will review ALTERED PERCEPTION and the losses that accompany it.
Visual distortions or altered perception, are common in those living with dementia causing misperceptions of objects around them. Sounds and other stimuli in their environment can also be misinterpreted. When a person with dementia experiences altered perception, it can be quite frightening and distressing for them.
Depth perception may also be altered in those with the disease causing them to have trouble perceiving spatial relationships between themselves and an object. This may leave this person having difficulty judging distance and depth along with navigating familiar routes. This loss impacts the person’s ability to mobilize freely through the environment.
Living with altered perception can be very difficult for those experiencing this loss, often leaving them feeling afraid, resulting in many expressive behaviours. Some behaviours associated with altered perception are:
Resistance to bathing as a person may perceive the water being deeper than it actually is, leaving the individual to believe they may be at risk to drown.
Jumping or stepping over dark thresholds or tiles believing they are crevasses or holes.
Misinterprets clothing handing on a chair, coat rack or other objects as people.
Mistakes themselves in a mirror as a stranger.
Misperceptions that people of TV are in the room, causing the person to talk to the TV or even become distressed by it.
Unable to relate to space and therefor bump themselves or their walker, wheelchair into walls, people or other objects.
Ensuring lights are on and providing as much natural light as possible can help to decrease incidence of altered perception. Minimizing colours and patterns on floors can help promote safer walking. Alternatively, considering the use of a darkened area such as a solid, black, non-slip mat in front of a doorway can minimize wandering out of a door or into others rooms. Most importantly, listen to the message being relayed if a person is distressed as they may be seeing or hearing something you can’t. For more information on loss of visual perception and tips for how to cope, go to: https://www.alzheimer.ca
Alzheimer's Society
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!!