The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

A positive COVID test result was returned today for a 4th floor resident of the Markham Centre. The resident transferred to the isolation unit on the ground floor of our building to eliminate the risk of transmission to others. Five residents in total are in the unit and all five are comfortable and stable. Previously, three staff members also tested positive and they are isolating themselves at home.

One Markham Centre resident on the 5th floor and another from the 4th floor tested positive for COVID-19 on September 20. Both residents have been transferred to our isolation unit on the ground floor of the building. Yee Hong staff, physicians, and the management team have been preparing for the pandemic’s second wave, and those measures are now being tested by events at the Markham Centre.

As of September 21st, four residents of the Markham Centre are receiving care in our isolation unit. This is a new clinical space that was outfitted but never used during the pandemic’s first wave. The unit is staffed with a PSW and Registered Nurse 24 hours, 7 days each week, and Yee Hong physicians provide on-site and virtual coverage. A nurse practitioner with advanced clinical training and an expanded scope of practice is assigned full-time to support the unit.

Careful surveillance for COVID symptoms on all floors helped to identify new evidence of the virus on the 5th floor, outside the containment measures established on the 4th floor. All other residents of the 5th floor tested negative and have no symptoms. Markham Stouffville Hospital IPAC specialists were in the centre last week and did a full review confirming that best-practice infection control measures are already in place.

Comprehensive testing of staff and residents has been undertaken. Our teams are already organized into self-contained cohorts to prevent further spread while we wait for more Laboratory results. Vigilant staff, early intervention, and enhanced hygiene are working to contain further spread. More information will be reported here as additional test data from the week of September 14th becomes available.

Two residents of the Yee Hong Markham Centre have tested positive for COVID-19. York Region Public Health confirmed the test results from a swab collected September 10, 2020. The residents are stable and being transferred from the 4th floor to our isolation unit on the ground floor in the Markham Centre where we can safely provide care without risk of transmission to staff and other residents.

Three staff members have also tested positive for the virus. York Region Public Health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Centre on September 9 after the first employee tested positive, and subsequent rounds of testing revealed spread to two more employees. All three employees are isolated at home.

These positive cases trace back to test swabs collected for surveillance screening of all staff conducted every two weeks in Ontario long-term care homes. Testing on September 4 corresponds with our first reported case on September 9, and later testing to verify the extent of the outbreak revealed new cases reported today. Long-term care homes have lately been challenged with longer waits to receive laboratory results.

Vigilant staff, enhanced hygiene and immediate containment are working to limit further spread. Effective immediately, Markham Centre visiting policies have been suspended. More information will be reported here as additional test data becomes available.

Today’s result is unfortunate and comes in spite of our thorough and proactive response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This is troubling news for all our residents, their families and our dedicated staff on the floor now under quarantine. The entire Yee Hong team is pulling together to implement a comprehensive safety plan and to support the health of Markham Centre residents. We wish our three colleagues at home a speedy recovery.

A second employee of Yee Hong’s Markham Centre has tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. The employee is isolated at home. A total of two staff at the Centre are positive for the virus. The most stringent infection control measures are in place and all residents on the 4th floor were tested on September 10th. Not all results are in yet but those that have been received so far are negative. A new round of staff testing is currently under way.

York Region Public Health declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Centre last week after the first employee tested positive for COVID-19. Vigilant staff, early intervention and enhanced hygiene are working to contain further spread. More information will be reported here as additional test data becomes available.

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COVID-19 has been detected in an employee of the Markham Centre. The employee shows no symptoms, has not been in contact with residents since September 7 and is isolated at home to prevent spread to others. All the best-practice infection control measures are already in place throughout the Markham Centre.

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Yee Hong continues to bring healthy, affordable food to people in need with a volunteer-based grocery delivery service. We’re supporting seniors and individuals living with a disability or low income during the pandemic. Details are available here. Please contact Sophie Ma at 416-412-4571 x2601 or email sophie.ma@yeehong.com to register and place orders.

Every week, clients have the option of ordering one or more of the preset grocery packages and have them delivered to their homes by one of our volunteers on Friday afternoon. Clients only need to pay for the value of the package (no taxes or other fees including delivery will be added).

Service Areas
Scarborough: Highway 404 to Markham Road and Highway 7 to Sheppard Avenue
Mississauga: Erin Mills Parkway to Hurontario Street and Highway 401 to Queen Elizabeth Way

Order Dates (submitted by 11:30am)
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 22
September 29

Delivery Dates (2:00-4:00pm)
September 4
September 11
September 18
September 25
October 2

Our paid home care services have resumed! Light home making, grocery shopping, and light meal preparation is now available to existing clients. We will soon be able to take on new clients – do not hesitate to contact us at 416-940-4809 for a free assessment. We look forward to providing much needed relief.

As part of the implementation of CPS reopening plan, starting Aug 5th Markham ADP launched “Porch Visits” to better support Adult Day Program (ADP) clients in the community. This service is especially important for people who have been socially isolated and depressed due to the lack of activities and interaction during the Pandemic.

In the first round porch visit the Markham ADP staff team, along with Andy Leung, Director of CSS (Community Support Services), and our driver from Yee Hong’s Transportation team, visited 14 clients who do not have access to Virtual Services from Markham ADP. All clients were very happy to see Yee Hong’s visiting team after nearly 5 months without in-person ADP programs that were suspended in mid-March. During the visit, clients and caregivers warmly chatted with ADP staff. Staff wore face masks and they maintained a safe physical distance.

Thanks to the generous donation from Markham ADP colleague Abby Chan and her family, the visiting team were able to present small gift pack with cloth masks and bean bags to all clients. These gifts were welcome and appreciated by all clients who received a visit. The Markham ADP Porch Visits will continue on a weekly basis.

This summer we’re bringing healthy, affordable food to people in need.

Yee Hong has received funding from the Ontario Community Support Association to establish a volunteer-based grocery delivery service to support seniors and individuals living with a disability or low income during the pandemic. Details are available here. Please contact Sophie Ma at 416-412-4571 x2601 or email sophie.ma@yeehong.com to register and place orders.

Every week, clients have the option of ordering one or more of the preset grocery packages and have them delivered to their homes by one of our volunteers on Friday afternoon. Clients only need to pay for the value of the package (no taxes or other fees including delivery will be added).

Service Areas
Scarborough: Highway 404 to Markham Road and Highway 7 to Sheppard Avenue
Mississauga: Erin Mills Parkway to Hurontario Street and Highway 401 to Queen Elizabeth Way

Order Dates (submitted by 11:30am)
August 11
August 18
August 25

Delivery Dates (2:00-4:00pm)
August 14
August 21
August 28

 

Yee Hong Garden Terrace restored several services suspended earlier this year during the provincial emergency. These programs resumed in-person or online in August:

1. YHGT restored Clinic services including foot clinic, blood work & physiotherapy. All YHGT residents are welcome to participate. Please contact YHGT Clinic to register.
2. Virtual Programs: Tai Chi Class, Drum Class, Individual Exercise & Diabetic Virtual Consultation. All YHGT residents are welcome to join, please contact YHGT Management Office to register.
3. Live Chat: connecting residents with friends and families. All YHGT residents are welcome to join, please contact YHGT Management Office to register.

Family members may drop off care packages and clothing for their loved ones.

• Drop-off service is available Mon-Fri 10:00am-2:00pm
• DO include: clothing, reading, gifts, photos and mementos
• DO NOT include: food, drinks or valuables
• Items will be cleaned and disinfected by Yee Hong staff before delivery. Yee Hong is NOT responsible for any damage that occurs due to cleaning and disinfecting.

Instructions

1. Place items in clear packaging so contents can be easily identified
2. Add label with following information:
   • Resident’s name
   • Resident’s room number
   • List of contents
   • Your contact information
   • Drop-off date
3. Enter front door and drop off your package with staff at the screening desk

The Ontario government will permit long-term care homes to welcome family visitors. Outdoor visits began Monday, July 6 at Yee Hong Centres for family members who schedule an appointment online. Indoor visits began Monday, August 17.

COVID-19 continues to spread in Ontario, and visitors are subject to our strict health and safety protocols. All visitors must wear a mask. To visit indoors in our family lounge you will be required to bring evidence of a negative result from a recent COVID-19 test.
 

Instructions

1. Download and review the visitor information package
2. Register for your visit here