THE ALLEN GRAY
CONTINUING CARE CENTRE
5005 - 28 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T6L 7G1
Safe Visiting Practices
Despite the Pandemic The Allen Gray Continuing Care Centre is committed to ensure each resident has the opportunity to experience their best quality of life while in our facility by maintaining a homelike, respectful, and supportive environment for residents and families .
Our Residents Well-being are very important to us as much as their safety.
Our Safe Visitation Policy and Guidelines are intended to support in fulfilling the needs of our residents to have regular communication and visitation with close family and/or friends and care from family caregivers who are essential partners in care.
It is also the intent of the Policy and Guidelines to protect the health and safety of residents, resident families and staff in our Facility.
If you have a scheduled visit in our facility please read our Designated/ Support Persons and Visitors Education Booklet Available HERE.
It is important for all persons to consider their risk of unknown exposure to COVID-19, based on their behaviour in the last 14 days, prior to entering the site and modify their behaviour accordingly.
It is imperative that active Health Assessment Screening is completed at entry, is answered completely and accurately, and anyone with symptoms or recent known exposure to COVID-19 not enter the site at all, even if they have been vaccinated.
Individuals should limit the number of different sites they enter and provide in-person visits to only one site per day to the greatest extent possible.
Considerations when considering risk of unknown exposure include:
Personal vaccination status
Adherence to all provincial CMOH Orders and public health advice directed to all Albertans
Employment related risks (e.g., at home work is lower risk; in-person raises risk)
Transportation related risks (e.g., travelling on a bus or shared ride is higher risk)
Recent interprovincial travel (continues to not be recommended)
Risk of Unknown Exposure to COVID-19
.
The risk of transmission of COVID-19 increases with close proximity. If a resident and their designated family/support person(s) or visitor(s) understand this and they wish to include physical touch in their visits (e.g. hand holding, hugging), this may be done by following the additional guidance:
Stop close contact with the resident and inform staff immediately for further direction if any
visiting person is or becomes symptomatic during the visit (or resident does).
Continuously wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth while within 2 metres of the resident.
Though a resident does not need to also wear a mask, they may choose to do so based on their own risk of unknown exposure from off-site activity.
Perform hand hygiene (hand washing and/or use of alcohol based hand sanitizer) both before and after direct physical contact with the resident.
if resident is isolated due to symptoms of COVID-19
Operators must ensure that the designated family/support persons and/or visitors have or are provided with the required PPE (based on precaution required), are trained, and have
practiced the appropriate use of the PPE.
Use of PPE to Enable Safe Physical Touch
Hand Hygiene
All persons visiting, including residents, must wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (greater than 60% alcohol content) before, during as appropriate, and after all visits.
All designated family/support persons and visitors are required to wear a mask continuously throughout their time indoors and be instructed how to put on and take off that mask and any other PPE that may be
required.
Public Health Guidelines for use of masks must be followed.
Continuous use of a mask is not required for outdoor social visits unless physical distancing cannot be
maintained.
Use of eye protection is not required for visiting persons. (it is highly recommended for visiting persons for their own safety.)
When visiting a resident on isolation precautions, operators must ensure that the designated family/support persons and/or visitors have or are provided with the required PPE (based on precaution required), have been trained to use, and have practiced the appropriate use of the PPE.
Use of PPE - General Practices
.
Residents who have sensory deficiencies or cognitive impairment must be supported to have safe and meaningful visits that support their health and wellbeing.
• Where use of PPE is disruptive, it is acceptable to remove the Resident's PPE if physical distancing can be maintained.
• If physical distancing cannot be maintained, it is acceptable to use creative strategies to overcome barriers in situations where the use of PPE by the visiting person is inappropriate or disrupts communication.
Adaptation of facial PPE may be considered as described below:
Facial PPE must provide respiratory droplet source control (e.g. if face shields are being
considered, they must provide protection that wraps under the chin).
Adaptations must be discussed/approved by the operator and facility medical director, if applicable, or local Medical Officers of Health on a case-by-case basis.
Use of PPE for those with Cognitive/Sensory Impairments or Traumatic Experiences
