As a proactive measure, all residents and staff at the Pines Long Term Care Home in Bracebridge are being tested for Covid-19 this week.
It’s in response to the Province’s Covid-19 Action Plan, which mandates the testing as a top priority.
Results are expected early next week and updates will be provided then.
Norm Barrette, Commisioner of Health Services for the District of Muskoka says the primary goal is to do everything possible to maintain the health and safety of residents and staff.
“Our team has worked hard to put progressive and proactive measures in place and has taken decisive action on infection control and prevention – over and above provincial gudileines,” says Barrette.
“We are very fortunate that our residents and staff at the Pines continue to stay safe and healthy and we communicate regularly with families to ensure they are informed and connected to their loved ones during this very challenging time,” adds Kim Landry, Administrator at the Pines. “Our residents, family members and staff have all come together to maintain the positive, caring and safe home and work environment that the Pines has always been recognized for.”
Key Proactive Measures helping Pines residents stay safe include:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supply necessary to protect staff, essential visitors and residents is in place. Staff and essential visitors are wearing masks at all times in the home. This measure was put into place at the Pines two weeks before the provincial requirement was announced.
- Provincial regulations require all employees at the Pines to only work at the Pines. They can’t work at other LTC homes and people who work at other LTC homes are not able to work at the Pines. These measures were put into place at the Pines two weeks before the provincial requirements were announced.
- Access to the home is highly controlled and all staff and essential visitors are being screened when entering the home.
Progressive measures that go beyond provincial directives:
- Staff not directly involved in day to day operations at the Pines have been relocated to work offsite or from home.
- A special isolation area been set up in case it’s needed to protect residents and staff should an outbreak occur.
- Staff uniforms are washed at the Pines to avoid the need for staff to bring items home.