Updated: September 29, 2022
COVID-19 Vaccinations
Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated Designated Care Partners or Essential Caregivers (those without 3 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine) are permitted entry, however, they will be required to perform a rapid antigen test in the swabbing clinic or a self-test and must test negative to enter. The test must be completed on the day of their visit. Information to book a test is below.
General Visitors without 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are required to perform a rapid antigen test in the swabbing clinic or a self-test and must test negative to enter. The test must be completed on the day of their visit.
Essential Visitors visiting residents who are critically ill or nearing end-of-life do not require a rapid antigen test if they are unvaccinated.
Children under the age of five are exempt from requiring vaccinations and are not required to complete a rapid antigen test to enter the building.
Surveillance Testing
All visitors with 3 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine must be tested for COVID-19 twice per week on non-consecutive days.
General Visitors with 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine must receive a COVID-19 surveillance test upon entry or demonstrate proof that they have received a COVID-19 test elsewhere either the day of or the day prior.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated visitors must be tested upon entry.
Children under the age of five are exempt from requiring vaccinations and are not required to complete a rapid antigen test to enter the building.
Visitors who require a COVID-19 surveillance test are asked to book an appointment at the Swabbing Clinic in advance of the day you plan to visit by calling 613-548-7222, ext. 0.
The Swabbing Clinic is open:
Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays from 6:30 – 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Self-swabbing is also available 7 days per week, 24/7 in the main lobby. If completing a self-swab, proceed to a self-testing station and complete a self-swab according to the instructions provided. If your test is negative, present it to the screeners if on duty. If the screener is not on duty, proceed to the Resident Home Area with the test strip and show it to the RPN before visiting. If your test is positive, DO NOT ENTER the home. For the ongoing safety of your loved ones, we ask that you call and inform us of your positive test result.
All visitors who are swabbed in the home must await negative test results before visiting. Results are received within 15-20 minutes. Please plan your visit accordingly.
With the Omicron variant, the sensitivity (accuracy) in detecting a positive result using a rapid antigen test has been found to be higher when the swab is collected from the oral (buccal), throat, and nasal route as opposed to nasal only. All three sites will be swabbed when testing for COVID-19.
Visiting Guidelines
The following people may visit residents at Providence Manor:
- Essential Caregivers: Designated by the resident or the SDM. They provide direct care to the resident and may include family members, a privately hired caregiver, etc.
- Essential Visitors: Individuals who have a loved one who is end-of-life or very ill.
- Designated Care Partners: Special designation of individuals who provide support (e.g. physical, emotional, etc) to a resident and is a part of the care plan
- General Visitors: those visiting for social purposes
Effective September 19, 2022, a resident may have an unlimited number of registered Essential Caregivers. Complete the commitment form at Reception or email info@providencecare.ca to obtain a copy of the form. A total of four Essential Caregivers, Designated Care Partners, Essential Visitors or General Visitors may visit a resident at a time.
General Visitors (those visiting for social purposes) may visit the home on a scheduled basis per Resident Home Area (RHA). Sundays continue to be a compassionate visiting day for those who cannot attend during the week. As a result, the visiting hours on Sundays are different.
Masks/Face Coverings
All visitors to the home must wear a mask for the duration of their visit, both indoors and outdoors.
Only residents on additional precautions are required to mask during the provision of care, including while in their rooms. All residents must also continue to wear a mask when off the resident home area (RHA).
Food and Drink
Visitors must remain masked at all times while visiting Providence Manor. This includes when in a resident’s room. For this reason, eating and drinking are not permitted by visitors.
Only residents are permitted to eat when in the company of visitors while in the Home.
Indoor Visiting Areas
Residents and their loved ones may visit in other areas of the home, including exercising in the hallway of their RHA, on level 2, in the gardens or McKinley Room. Residents who leave the RHA must wear a mask at all times.
The McKinley room is available to visit with your loved one. Effective May 30, 2022, the schedule is:
Level 3: Monday
Level 4: Tuesday
Level 5: Wednesday
Level 3: Thursday
Level 4: Friday
Level 5: Saturday
The McKinley room is closed on Sundays. Visitors and residents are not permitted to eat or drink while in the McKinley room.
The Haughian Garden and Alzheimer Courtyard are open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for resident and visitor use.
The Haughian Garden is a wheelchair-accessible outdoor area with a fountain, garden and pathways beautifully landscaped for residents and visitors to enjoy. The Alzheimer Courtyard is a secure, accessible rose garden, with a fountain and circular walkway.
Both outdoor areas are accessible from Level 0.
Resident day absences
Day absences for social purposes (i.e. lunch, shopping, etc) are permitted for all residents, regardless of their vaccination status. Support and information will be provided to residents so they can safely follow public health measures.
Visitors must complete the off-site contact tracking form located at the screening desk and submit it upon re-entry to the home for any type of absence. This is for contact tracing purposes.
Upon return from day absences, residents require a laboratory-based PCR COVID-19 test and a rapid antigen test on day five. No isolation is required unless there is a positive result or if there is a known exposure to a case while on a social absence.
Resident overnight absences
Overnight absences for social purposes are permitted for all residents, regardless of vaccination status.
If you plan to take your loved one on an overnight absence, notify the Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) at least 2 days in advance. If the absence is longer than 7 days, please notify the RN or RPN at least 7 days in advance. You must also fill in the sign-in/out sheet located at the nursing station on each RHA upon departure.
Support and information will be provided to residents approved for an overnight absence so they can safely follow public health measures. Residents who leave the home for an overnight absence are required to have a laboratory-based PCR COVID-19 test and a rapid antigen test upon return on day five. No isolation is required unless there is a positive result.
If the resident has been exposed to a known COVID-19 case during their absence, they must be tested for COVID-19 with a laboratory-based PCR test on return to the home and must isolate. A second negative COVID-19 PCR test result collected on day five is required to discontinue isolation.
Visitors must complete the off-site contact tracking form located at the screening desk and submit it upon re-entry to the home for any type of absence. This is for contact tracing purposes. If an outbreak is declared at the home while the resident is absent, they will not be allowed to return until the outbreak is declared over.
Screening
All visitors will be screened upon arrival. Please answer our screening questions truthfully. If you do not pass screening, your visit will be postponed.
A staff member is present to screen visitors 7 days per week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Outside of these hours, residents and visitors, including Designated Care Partners, can continue to enter the building using the intercom at the main entrance. Staff will respond to conduct COVID-19 screening practices over the intercom and open the doors.
You must answer the following questions:
- Do you have any of the following symptoms:
-
- fever (temperature of ≥ 37.8oC)?
- cough
- sore throat
- shortness of breath
- chills
- changes in your sense of taste/smell
- runny nose, sneezing or nasal congestion (not due to other underlying reasons like seasonal allergies or post-nasal drip)
- conjunctivitis
- difficulty swallowing
- unexplained fatigue/malaise
- nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Have you been tested for COVID-19 due to symptoms and are awaiting results? (Asymptomatic/Surveillance testing does not apply and is not a reason for exclusion)
- Have you tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days?
- In the last 10 days, have you:
A) Had contact* with a suspected** or confirmed case of COVID-19?
B) Lived/worked in a facility in outbreak? - In the last 14 days, have you or someone in your household travelled outside of Canada AND is currently required to be in quarantine (as per the federal quarantine requirements?)
- Are you compliant with the COVID-19 immunization policy requiring:
-all Essential Caregivers and Support Workers to provide the screener proof that you have been vaccinated with a 3rd booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (unless you have provided an approved exemption.)
-all General Visitors to provide the screener proof that you have received 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccination with 14 days since your second dose, unless you have provided an approved exemption. - Are you an Essential Caregiver and NOT compliant with the requirement to have a rapid antigen test done twice weekly on non-consecutive days? (three times weekly if you are not fully vaccinated)
- Are you a Support Worker or General Visitor and NOT compliant with the requirement to have a rapid antigen test on the day of or day prior to your visit (regardless of vaccination status)?
*Contact: been advised by public health or your employer you have had contact with a confirmed case, provided care, had similar close physical contact, or had lived with or otherwise had close, contact without appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gown, gloves, mask and eye protection, with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19.
**asymptomatic or surveillance testing in one of your contacts does not apply.
If you have answered YES to any of the above questions, do not visit.
