COVID-19 Update

Regular Family Visits 
More than 250 outdoor visits have taken place since we launched them last month. The directives from the Ministry permit visits from family members outside the Care Pavilion while maintaining requirements for social distancing, wearing of masks, and other infection control measures.

Residents are now permitted to leave Grace Village for family gatherings of a maximum of 10 people, all while wearing a facial mask and respecting a constant two-metre social distance. The new directives also permit residents to travel in a vehicle. Our teams are actively developing protocols and plans for how to manage these changes safely, including guidelines for traveling in a vehicle or their return to Grace Village.

• There are designated areas set up for visits outside the Grace Village Care Pavilion and guidelines for visitors are provided.
• Visitors are required to register, as the Ministry mandates that we maintain a log of visits. While ensuring privacy of conversations, social distancing between visitors and residents is monitored.

• Guidelines for these family visits include but are not limited to:
  • Appointments must be made in advance;
  • There must be no direct exchange of any materials between residents and visitors eg: gifts, cards, money, food or other perishables;
  • All items that family/visitors bring to a visit must be brought to and disinfected by a Grace Village Resident Care staff member. We cannot accept fresh produce or baked goods.
  • To request a visit, please contact Sandra Klinck at [email protected] or call 819-569-0546 extension 5050.

​​NEW:  Indoor Visits as of June 29
The CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS allows indoor visits in resident rooms at private seniors' residences. All visitors are required to: 

• Sign a consent form on the first visit
• Undergo screening prior to each visit 
• Sign in and sign out at reception
• Go directly to the resident's room and spend the duration of the visit inside the room
• Leave all personal effects in their vehicle except for their car keys
• Arrive in clean clothes, directly from your home (e.g. no shopping, restaurants etc. en route)
• Wear surgical masks (please bring your own if possible)
• Have the items brought to Grace Village be held and sanitized according to regular procedures.
• Visitors will be limited to THREE households or bubbles, approved by the resident or their mandator.
• To arrange a visit, please contact Sandra Klinck by email at [email protected] or call 819-569-0546 extension 5050.

The Bubble concept for seniors' residences was introduced by the CIUSSS, and is explained as the following: A group of people (maximum 10 or 12) who is considered a ‘living cell’ and in which there is a loosening of certain measures, such as social distancing. The group of clearly identified residents will always be the same and participate in the same activities together (meals, leisure). This allows quick efficient tracking in case of an outbreak. Visitors must also vigorously apply infection control and prevention measures to avoid the introduction of the virus in a bubble. 

Communications - Fighting Isolation 
Isolation is a major issue for seniors at the best of times, and contact with their families and friends is more important now than ever before. We encourage you to take advantage of these communication resources:

• Email Messages
  If you would like to send an email to a resident to stay connected during this time, messages can be emailed to [email protected] and we will print and share it with your loved ones.
• Window Visits
  We have had many organized window visits over the past few weeks. If you are interested in planning a visit, please email [email protected] or visit gracevillage.ca/schedulevisit. It is important to understand that unplanned window visits can cause stress for our residents. Please contact us to arrange your visit. PLEASE – make sure windows remain closed!
• Virtual Visits
  We are booking "virtual visits" using Google Duo on our new tablet PCs, compatible with both Android and Apple devices. To book an appointment, please email [email protected] or visit gracevillage.ca/schedulevisit. Please do not contact the Resident Care team directly (nurses, caregivers) for virtual visits.
• Telephone
  Telephone calls are also appreciated – please call your loved ones to tell them they are not alone. If your loved one needs assistance to use the telephone, please email [email protected] or visit gracevillage.ca/schedulevisit to make arrangements.

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Building Access Restrictions 
Grace Village's top priority remains ensuring the safety of our seniors - it is critical to respect all guidelines intended to prevent the possibility of bringing contamination into Grace Village and endangering the health and safety of other residents. 

• Residents who are now able to go for walks outside the building will remain on Grace Village property and must follow the Ministry's safety guidelines such as social distancing, face mask and handwashing procedures.
• Residents are able to freely go out in the courtyard garden accessible from their wing, and many residents have been taking advantage of the nice weather to walk and get fresh air.

Resident Activities
Activities have been adapted in order to comply with the Ministerial guidelines all while offering residents an opportunity for social interaction and the library is still open – lots of books to read! 

We will gradually welcome back our volunteers based on the activities we will be allowed to conduct, and they will be contacted accordingly. We are currently working on guidelines which will allow us to welcome back our hairdressers, music therapists, and fitness instructors in July.

Individuals hired by residents or their family, such as private sitters and companions, will be permitted to return to Grace Village and will wear full PPE (following the same guidelines as Family Caregivers) due to the personal contact with residents.

Social distancing 
We are asking residents to respect social distancing measures and to keep a 2-metre distance from the other residents. We have also asked them not to visit each other in their rooms unless they can maintain the social distance, and they must wash their hands thoroughly after every visit.

Mail/Deliveries
Mail, including newspapers, is held 24 hours from the day it is delivered to Grace Village (e.g. mail received June 24th will be delivered June 25th). This includes deliveries by courier unless an essential or urgent item is required for resident care.

• Mail to all wings is delivered by a member of the Resident Care or Recreation & Leisure teams; Admin staff are limiting their circulation in the wings. 
• For mandataries who customarily pick up mail at Grace Village, mail can be mailed to you periodically or you may arrange to pick it up at the Business Office by emailing [email protected]. Please make an appointment before coming to Grace Village.

Items brought to the Front Entrance
Packages dropped off to residents will be subject to the following guidelines:

• Paper items (greeting cards, gift cards, gift bags, etc.) will be held with the mail received that day and delivered separately.
• Only food items in sealed containers that can be sanitized can be delivered.
• Items are separated according to what can be sanitized (Virox wipes) and what cannot.
• We can accept deliveries of cut flowers and/or plants if they are wrapped in plastic and can be wiped down. ​