16 Mar Updated Measures for COVID – 19

Dear Families and Visitors of Sunset Lodge Residents,

Under direction from Island Health we are taking precautions to prevent illness caused by the spread of COVID-19 within the community and here at Sunset Lodge.

Until further notice please be advised that all non-essential visits with Sunset Lodge residents are to be cancelled, including pre-arranged visits with any companions. If a visit is deemed essential (for the provision of care, or to visit a palliative resident), please limit your visit to 1-2 people. We are also requesting that children under the age of 12 do not visit at this time. If your visit is essential, please only interact with your loved one, in their room, and minimize contact with other residents while you are here.  Prior to seeing your loved one, please check in with reception and please wash your hands. We also request that you not take your loved one out into the community at this time for any reason other than urgent medical issues.

Care Conferences will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. We will notify you prior to their resumption.

If you have a fever and/or a new onset (or exacerbation of a chronic) cough, if you have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days, if you have had contact with someone with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, or close contact with any person experiencing an acute respiratory illness please do NOT come to visit. We will have patient navigators posted in the front lobby who will be providing updated information and screening all visitors upon entry to the building. If the answer is yes to any of the above you will be denied entry at this time, with the exception of visiting a loved one who may be palliative. We want to ensure we continue to provide holistic and supportive palliative care to both our residents and their loved ones while still adhering to proper infection control practices. We request that you cooperate with any instructions or directions provided by the patient navigator regarding your visit such as washing your hands and donning a mask.

We will also be cancelling all non-essential offsite medical appointments. If you are aware of an upcoming appointment for your loved one, please make arrangements to have it postponed. Further to that we will be cancelling all non-essential contracted services, such as foot-care, dental hygiene, the dentist, and the hairdresser until further notice.

We know how important family visits and family contact are and we will do our best to accommodate phone calls and other means of communication during this time, while we balance the health and safety of our residents.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time.