December 10, 2020 – New Restrictions

Dear Residents, Staff, Loved Ones and Visitors:

We continue to navigate our way through these unprecedented times and move forward with confidence and determination to keep our Centre safe and well. Our knowledgeable and skilled team adapt daily to ensure we are delivering quality, best practice services within the everchanging regulations. The staff have worked relentlessly over the last 10 months to ensure that we have proper protocols and measures in place to keep our residents comfortable, joyful and connected in our community.

We are following all guidelines under the provincial health authority and have implemented our own additional organizational precautions that have made us successful to date in maintaining a COVID free community. I want to stress to everyone that this virus has the potential to enter the facility without anyone’s intention or knowledge so we must all remain diligent of our own personal habits and practices to protect ourselves, our neighbors, our loved ones and our staff family.

As a faith based organization, deeply rooted and invested in our Centre, we continue to pledge that our staff, residents, visitors, contractors and volunteers will receive support, comfort, compassion, and enhanced individual attentive response while maintaining a high-level satisfaction standard of St. Andrews Centre policies and practices.

Due to Alberta’s high number of Covid cases Alberta declared a State of Public Emergency. Mandatory provincewide restrictions were announced on December 8, 2020 that will be in place until at least January 12, 2021. As a Centre we must follow the new restrictions. I understand, with a heavy heart that this will impact our community greatly.

As of December 8, 2020, all indoor and outdoor social gatherings are prohibited. This means that St. Andrews Centre has closed our outdoor visiting spaces for social visiting. Residents may still have their 2 designated support persons into the Centre but only in their personal suites and we kindly ask all designated support persons to evaluate their own need to be physically present based on the resident’s requirements.

 Many residents are asking if they can go to loved one’s homes to celebrate Christmas. I ask you to review the details of the restrictions to make an informed decision:

People who live alone can have up to 2 close contacts:

• must be the same two contacts throughout the duration of the restriction
• if the close contacts do not live alone, visits cannot be held at their home

Essentially as defined above residents will be unable to visit in a loved ones home if there are other individuals living in the said residence, no matter of the nature of the relationships to the resident (spouses, grandchildren, etc). This is difficult news however it applies to all people in the province. Guidelines from the Chief Medical Officer of Health require a resident to isolate for 14 days if they leave the facility for a high-risk activity. Please be aware that the 2 close contacts for residents of the Centre would equate to your designated support persons.

Areas commonly used by residents for social gathering have been altered the next 4 weeks to discourage this practice. This is a grave disappointment to us all as our environment is decorated so beautifully for Christmas and had become a source of enjoyment once again for many residents who reside at St. Andrews Centre. Please know that as an organization we did not make this decision easily. We ask for your patience and understanding towards the staff who are completing their specified duties and responsibilities. Staff working at the Centre genuinely care for the welfare and happiness of all who live in our facility.

Masks have become mandatory in all indoor public places. While we are awaiting clarification on how this applies to our common areas in the Centre (Atrium, elevators, laundry room, picking up mail, etc) we are asking that all residents wear a mask when outside of their personal suite unless health exempt.

Regulated health service professionals will still be granted access to the building to provide one on one client services as long as public health orders and sector guidance is followed. All other individuals/services such as volunteers, hairdresser, etc are suspended until further notice.

Group physical activities, recreation events (movie night, cards, shuffleboard, etc) and the Centre exercise facilities are closed until deemed otherwise.

The Garden Café will remain open to our residents however take out service is recommended. There is limited seating available: please note that single seating must always be maintained unless you are individuals living in the same suite.

St. Andrews Parish will now have a reduced capacity of 52 people per worship service. This is a drastic reduction and will affect all masses. Father Andrew kindly asks all residents of St. Andrew Centre to attend the allotted daily masses for our Centre. These masses occur Monday through Saturday at 9am.Sunday services will be designated for parishioners who do not reside at our Centre and any St. Andrews resident attempting to attend Sunday mass will be turned away. Please note that the 9am mass on December 24 is canceled and the 4pm Christmas Eve Vigil for residents is at legal capacity.

All other guidelines communicated through memo’s, the newsletter, our website at www.standrewscentre.com and on our Facebook page remain in effect. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the main office at 780-452-4444 ext#0. You may access information directly from the Alberta government at https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx

I remind everyone that violating a public health order is against the law and puts our community at risk. There are currently 69 LTC/Congregate Living sites experiencing outbreaks in which some of the outcomes are devastating. I cannot bear the thought that if this virus enters our home the potential to lose some of our beloved family could occur. I plead with all residents, staff and visitors to work together to help us maintain a safe and well community. We all are exhausted but together we are stronger in our efforts to protect each other.

Warm Wishes and Blessings to all,

Wanda Beaudoin
Chief Operating Officer