Residents at the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa enjoy lunch Monday afternoon ( Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Continuing care facilities striving to keep residents safe from COVID-19

Nov 16, 2020 | 6:07 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB- As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the province, continuing care facilities in Medicine Hat have managed not to sustain any major outbreaks, unlike their counterparts elsewhere in the province where some have dealt with multiple cases and deaths.

At Masterpiece Southland Meadows, two staff members tested positive for COVID-19, at different times earlier this year. Luckily the virus was contained to just the two people that tested positive and it did not spread to any of the residents living in their 121 suites.

Paula Isfeld VP of Care at Masterpiece Southland Meadows says strict adherence to AHS guidelines played a significant role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 within their facility.

“So when it comes to COVID-19 Masterpiece has been really diligent about how we allow people access to the building all of our staff are required to be screened in before they enter work. If they are feeling unwell we ask them to not even come into the building to call in, and we will direct them with what to do ,”

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“ We have also been working with our residents to make sure that we take whatever steps we need to help them either get screened, stay isolated or pursue any measures that need to be taken,” Isfeld said.

With rising case number across the province, more stringent measures will be in place for visitations in order to keep residents safe.

“What we are doing is we are finding ways to balance access and safety and so what we are doing is we are working to ensure that the two designated people that every resident has identified are still allowed access to the building but what we are trying to do is limit some of those outdoor visits of those extra people that may be coming in,” Isfeld said.

At the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa, strict measures are in place to ensure residents are kept safe as possible.

Thus far, There have been no cases of COVID-19 at the Medicine Hat Retirement Villa.

“What we have been doing from the very beginning is we have been following alot of the government guidelines because we got information every other day from them. We keep our doors locked all the time, anybody wanting to enter has to call our health care aide line to let them in,” said Lorraine Dalla-Longa.

The facility only began to allow visitors a week ago.

There are only two visitors allowed at a time and staff must be made aware ahead of time. When the visitors do enter the facility, they go through a screening process that involves taking temperature, and sanitization.

“ Everyone is taking it very seriously here. We don’t have alot of family coming to visit, they phone alot of Skype a lot, and even when people eat they keep their distance, no more than two people at a table,” Lorraine Dalla-Longa said.

Changes have also been made to the activities available for the seniors at the facility.

“ Well we used to have more card games, interactive, where people would be touching the cards in person. Bingo now all the cards have to be sanitized before we can start the game and sanitized after. There was also more ping-pong, air hockey. There were a lot more games where people are doing the activities so we cut out a lot of that,” she said.

Both continuing care facilities attribute communication and team work between residents, caregivers and their families as part of their success in preventing the spread of COVID-19.