As COVID-19 outbreaks remain a major concern at regional long-term-care facilities, a Penetanguishene residence has dramatically altered how it does business.
Georgian Manor and Village staff must now change from their street clothes into uniforms upon arrival as part of a number of strict protocols introduced by the County of Simcoe.
“There are lots of good things going on to date and Georgian Manor and Georgian Village have not had any cases,” said Jane Sinclair, the county’s general manager of health and emergency services.
Sinclair said a number of precautionary measures have been initiated to ensure COVID-19 doesn’t affect county facilities, including requiring staff to wear masks and goggles or face shields.
“We don’t allow visitors unless there are exceptional circumstances,” she said, noting visits are still allowed under compassionate grounds.
As for the staffing protocol at Georgian Manor and Village, Sinclair said the 250 employees can only enter and exit the facility through one door and are screened and asked a series of health-related questions upon arrival.
“We want to ensure there isn’t any spread from their homes,” she said, noting employees are again screened at the end of their shifts.
“We take temperatures in the morning and at night; every single morning, every single night.”
As well, the county is bumping part-time employees up to full-time status and including benefits.
Sinclair said the reasoning behind the move is to ensure workers aren’t also going into other retirement homes, but only working at Georgian Manor and Georgian Village, which have 350 residents in total between the two sites.
“All of our staff are required to sign declarations that they’re only working for us,” she said.
The region has seen several outbreaks since the pandemic began, including at residences in Orillia, Barrie, Bradford and most recently in Waubaushene where one staff member and one resident has tested positive.
And with testing now expanding as the province has mandated that all 77,000 long-term-care residents across Ontario be tested, county paramedics are also now helping out regionally.
“The County alone has more than 1,600 combined staff and residents in our homes being tested over a two-week period, and we want the public to know that as a result of such mass testing, there is the potential that we may see a positive COVID-19 case coming from the community,” Sinclair said.
“By identifying cases early, we can act to limit the spread and further protect our residents and staff.”
