Yee Hong responds to COVID-19

Starting February 25, Day programs at all Centres and off-site locations are resuming in-person services on a reduced scale. For information and schedules, contact us about services available near you.

Returning clients remain enrolled in any programs they attended before service was suspending in December. Continued supports were offered to clients through our virtual activities.

New clients are welcome. Please contact us for further details.

Beginning Monday, February 21, we are pleased to welcome general visitors back to Yee Hong long-term care homes. Vaccine requirements will change on the 21st for resident social day absences, and overnight absences will be permitted with certain conditions. We are grateful to make these changes in time for Ontario’s Family Day.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine are required for all general visitors. The Ministry’s requirement for a booster dose of vaccine will apply to essential caregivers. Visitors must show the Ontario government QR code as proof of vaccination to enter a Yee Hong Centre.
• Up to three people may visit a resident at any one time. Pre-registration is required for a visit of more than 2 visitors at one time. More information will be shared at a later time this week.
• Vaccinated children 5 years of age and older are permitted to enter as general visitors.
• Masks and other personal protective equipment must be worn at all times indoors at Yee Hong. At present, Yee Hong’s infection prevention and control practices include N-95 masks for everyone in our buildings. To ensure proper use of this equipment please refer to the video on how to don an N95 mask
• You must arrange a resident’s daytime or overnight absence in advance. Vaccine status will effect eligibility for certain residents and absences. Again, more information will be sent this week.

Beginning today, two additional Essential Caregivers may be designated for each resident, increasing the total number of Essential Caregivers to four. Essential Caregivers provide social and emotional support, and direct care to a resident by assisting with bathing, eating and dressing. Begin the process by contacting the resident or Substitute Decision Maker, and Yee Hong will notify you about next steps and mandatory training.

Vaccinated residents’ social day absences will resume starting Friday, February 11. Safety measures, training, testing and policy changes to restore social day absences are being developed now and will be shared with residents and caregivers once it is available.

Yee Hong is grateful to have kept our residents safe from the virus during the current Omicron wave. We remain cautious and vigilant to protect our seniors and workers as the global pandemic continues.

• A maximum of two people may visit a resident indoors at any one time.
• Essential Caregivers are always welcome up to a maximum of two people for one resident at one time.
• While visiting, follow our infection prevention and control practices. Answer the screener’s questions at the entrance, complete your Rapid Antigen test, wash your hands often, and wear a mask at all times over your nose, mouth and chin. We encourage you to wear eye protection and maintain physical distance from others.

1. Medical absences are absences to seek medical and /or health care
2. Compassionate and palliative absences include, but not limited to, absences for purpose of visiting a dying loved one
3. Short term (day) absences or Social absences are absences that are less than or equal to 24 hours in duration
4. Temporary absences include absences involving 2 or more days and one or more nights for non-medical reasons

For all types of absences listed above, staff are to provide a medical grade mask to the residents to be worn as tolerated. Residents are also remind to follow public health measures, such as physical distancing and hand hygiene, while they are away from the home.

Residents who are on a contact and droplet precautions and/or reside in an area of the home that is in an outbreak cannot participate in short or temporary absences but can leave for medical, palliative or compassionate reasons.

Day absences

• Day absences for social purposes are permitted for fully vaccinated residents only.

Overnight absences

• Overnight absences for social purposes are being suspended, regardless of vaccination status. Residents who wish to leave the home overnight for social purposes will need to follow the appropriate discharge process, as required in section 147.1 of O.Reg.79/10 (General) under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 as well as the re-admission protocol when they return at a later date.
• Essential, medical and compassionate and palliative absences are still permitted, regardless of vaccination status.

Requirements upon return

Day absences

• Actively screen residents upon return.
• Rapid test and PCR test on day 3 following absence, followed by a PCR test on day 7. No isolation is required unless positive result is received.
• If known exposure to a case, PCR test on day 1 and day 7 and isolate until a negative result is confirmed from day 7.
• Resident, if tolerated, will wear a mask in common areas and will have separate dining until a negative COVID-19 from day 7 is confirmed.

For other absence return (not including day absences)

• A PCR test is required prior to return or on day 1, and on day 7. Isolation is required until a negative result is confirmed from day 7 (the test prior to return is only valid the day of, or from the previous day).
• Do enhanced symptom screening on return and twice daily for 10 days following the return.

• A PCR test is required prior to admission or on day 1, and on day 7. Isolation is required until a negative result is confirmed from day 7 (the test prior to admission is only valid the day of, or from the previous day).
• Do enhanced symptom screening on admission and twice daily for 10 days following the admission/transfer.

• Please clean your hands before and after handling gifts/care packages.
• Do not prepare or send packages to a resident if you are not feeling well.

• Masking is required at all times, and for that reason we ask visitors and Essential Caregivers not to eat while in the room. If you brought food for a loved one, do not share with other residents.
• Please assist and/or remind our residents to clean their hands before and after eating.