Family Update March 16

Here to keep you updated! St. Michael’s family updates/news as things change and evolve. Links to information and resources can be found on smhg.ca/covid19


On March 15, 2020 the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Province of Alberta announced additional public health measures to be implemented throughout our province to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to protect Albertans. View list of Chief Medical Officer updates

All Long Term Care sites have been asked to limit visitation of Residents to essential visitors only. At St. Michael’s Long Term Care Centre essential visitors are only families of residents who have been contacted directly by us regarding a significant change in their loved ones’ health. Effective immediately there are no visiting hours.

There are volunteers who have completed education and security clearance requirements who come to assist with the provision of care (e.g. meal assistance) who will continue to assist the team in meeting Resident needs.

In addition, we are:

  • Suspending Worship services in our Chapel
  • Only allowing entrance/exit to long term care through the main entry. We do
    not have any cases of Covid-19 and all staff and those providing essential
    services are being screened upon entry. Anyone who presents signs of illness
    will be sent home.
  • Restricted entry also means that the few Residents who are still smoking
    outside the building will no longer be able to do so. We will ensure they have
    Nicorette smoking cessation support to help prevent any discomfort from
    nicotine withdrawal.
  • Residents of Millennium Pavilion (MP) and their family members will not be
    able to enter the LTCC through the tunnel or come into long term care at this
    time.
  • The care and safety of our residents and staff are our top priority. We actively
    monitor and screen our residents to determine if they are showing any of the
    COVID-19 related symptoms.
  • SMLTCC staff have assumed all responsibility for personal laundry during the
    pandemic. NO family deliveries of clothes, food items or parcels can be
    dropped off at this time.

We understand this will be a difficult adjustment for some Residents and families. In situations where a spouse lives in SMLTCC while the other spouse lives in MP please take comfort knowing that as resources permit we will attempt to assist them to speak with one another by phone each day.

We wish to assure you these have not been easy decisions. It is understood these actions have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day lives of our Residents and you – their families. However with the announcement of two new Albertans acquiring COVID-19 through community transmission from an unknown source, it is now essential that these additional measures be put in place to limit the spread of COVID19 particularly to the vulnerable Seniors we are working diligently to try to protect.

We have already learned that individuals over 60 years of age and those with preexisting health conditions are most at risk of severe symptoms from COVID-19.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation with these changes. Any comments can be directed to our Social Worker, Rosaly Palchevskaya who can be reached at 780-472-4535. We remain committed to keeping you informed as the situation changes.