COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 Information

Measures in Place

• Active Screening
• Masking at Baycrest
• Eye Protection
• Physical Distancing

Visitor Restrictions for Residents and Patients

• Appeals
• Baycrest Hospital Visitation Policy
• Registration of Private Companions for Hospital Patients
• Visitor Policy for Apotex Residents
• Caregivers for Apotex Residents
• Passover Plan for Apotex Residents

COVID-19

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Measures in Place

If you have ANY of the following new or worsening symptoms or signs, it is imperative that you stay home:

• • Fever or chills
  • Cough or barking cough (croup)
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy/congested nose
  • Decreased or loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches/joint pain

  
  Anyone on the Baycrest campus with these symptoms will be asked to leave immediately.
  
  If you are worried that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 please call the Toronto Public Health hotline at 416-338-7600. Information is available in multiple languages.

Masking at Baycrest

Baycrest is a mask friendly environment. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask is encouraged and supported to do so, and masks are available at all entrances.

For all visitors and caregivers:

• Masks are now optional, but are still supported and recommended.
• Masking may be required in certain situations, for example when a unit is on outbreak or when requested by the care team.

Staff will continue to mask when providing direct care to any client, or when requested by a client or a family member.

Eye Protection

All staff, physicians, students, volunteers, caregivers and visitors are now required to wear eye protection in the following cases:

• When providing care to or within 2 metres of clients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• When providing direct care or within 2 metres of clients in an outbreak area.
• Based on the point-of-care risk assessment, when within 2 metres of a client.

Physical Distancing

• Everyone at Baycrest must maintain appropriate physical distancing (2 metres) between themselves and others whenever possible. 
• Tables and chairs in our eating areas have been carefully spaced to ensure physical distancing and should not be moved.

Residents and Patients

Appeals

Baycrest has an appeal process in place for visitation. If an agreement is not reached between the client, family/friend and clinical/management team on issues related to visitation, the client and/or family/friend has the right to request an appeal.

Appeals will proceed in a timely manner; the decision and rationale will be communicated to the person requesting the appeal. Appeals will be received and reviewed during the weekdays, Monday through Thursday and may require up to 72 hours to review.

To request an appeal please use the following submission form. For further information and questions please contact the Client Relations & Experience Office at extension 2685 or clientrelations@baycrest.org. Please note that all appeal decisions are subject to review by Baycrest and can be potentially reversed should the COVID-19 situation in the organization or the community change.

Baycrest Hospital Visitation Policy

Changes to Baycrest’s Masking Policy

In line with guidance from Ministry and regional authorities, and based upon a careful review, Baycrest is making changes to its masking policy, effective immediately.

Here is a summary of the updated masking policy:

For all Baycrest Hospital visitors:

• Masks are now optional, but are still recommended.
• Visitors who wish to wear a mask may do so. These are available at all entrances.
• Masking with a Baycrest-issued medical-grade mask may be required in certain situations, for example when a unit is on outbreak or when requested by the care team.

Staff will continue to mask when providing direct care to any patient, or when requested by a patient or a family member.

Please note that Baycrest is a mask friendly environment. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask is encouraged and supported to do so. Baycrest will continue to provide masks and hand sanitizer at all entrances.

Visitors are welcome to visit from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with no daily maximum number of visitors. Visitors are asked to avoid crowding and to ensure there is reasonable space between individuals. Please note that visitors may be asked to step out of the room while staff provide patient care. We thank visitors for their cooperation with these requests.

Please note that visitors who wish to come outside of regular visiting hours must first go to the Security Operations Centre, located by the hospital elevators on the ground floor. A member of the security team will give them a sticker (Visitor Badge) and inform the unit of their arrival.

For everyone’s safety, the following measures remain in place:

• All visitors must ensure they are not experiencing any symptom of COVID-19 before entering Baycrest.
• All visitors must perform hand hygiene and are recommended to put on a Baycrest-issued mask upon entering the Baycrest building.
• Visitors may not eat or drink at the bedside.
• During a COVID-19 outbreak, visitor restrictions may be in place and will be communicated accordingly.
• Visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the visit

Paid Private Companions 
Please note that Baycrest Hospital allows the same level of patient access for general visitors and paid private companions. Paid private companions are no longer required to formally register with Baycrest Hospital unless the patient, the patient’s power of attorney or their secondary decision maker, requests that the paid private companion have extended access with the patient. This request will need to be reviewed and approved by the care team.
 

Leaves of Absence for Hospital Patients

• Requests for personal absences to a private setting will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Absences for essential, medical or compassionate reasons are permitted.
• The patient, the patient’s power of attorney or the patient’s substitute decision maker, can speak with a member of the care team for further information about a leave of absence request. All leaves must be approved by the patient’s care team.

Apotex Visitor Policy

In line with guidance from Ministry and regional authorities, and based upon a careful review, Baycrest is making changes to its masking policy, effective immediately. Please note that Baycrest is a mask friendly environment.

Here is a summary of the updated masking policy:

• Masks are now optional for caregivers, visitors, and residents, however, are still recommended. Should you choose to wear a mask, a Baycrest issued mask is required and continues to be available at all entrances.
• Caregivers and visitors may now join in for dining and sharing a meal or beverage in communal areas.

Masking with a medical-grade mask may be required in certain situations, for example when a unit is on outbreak or when requested by the care team. 

Additionally, the policy states that staff must wear a mask in the following situations:

• When providing direct care to a client, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, or administering medication.
• When having prolonged direct contact with a client, which means being within two meters of an individual for 15 minutes or longer.
• When a client or a family member requests that staff wear a mask.

Baycrest will continue to provide medical-grade masks and hand sanitizer at all entrances. For further information about this policy change, please speak to a member of your care team.

Changes to COVID-19 testing 

In line with ministry guidance, rapid antigen testing is no longer required for visitors and caregivers who do not have any symptoms of COVID-19.
 
Changes to COVID-19 screening

In line with our healthcare system partners, effective April 1, 2023, visitors will no longer need to complete the Baycrest self-screening app, and there will no longer be an active screening requirement at the Apotex entrance. With this change, we remind everyone that it remains imperative that anyone experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 does not enter Baycrest.

As a reminder, all visitors must perform hand hygiene and change their mask before proceeding into the building.

Visitor Policy Details
In line with guidance from the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there is no limit on the number of visitors and caregivers who may visit a resident at a time.

Please note that staff may ask individuals to step outside residents’ rooms when they enter to perform certain care duties.

All individuals are strongly encouraged to avoid situations where COVID-19 can spread more easily, such as crowded places with many people nearby (for example, busy times in the W.A. Café), close-contact settings and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.

Essential Visitors
Residents who are approved to have essential visitors have no daily maximum on visitors. Two people may visit at the same time and may switch out with two other visitors during the day.

COVID-19 Vaccination
Visitors who are five years of age and older must be able to provide proof that they have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or will not be permitted, unless they have a valid medical exemption identified in their Enhanced Vaccination Certificate.

What safety measures are in place?

• • All visitors aged five years and older must be able to provide proof that they have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, unless they have a valid medical exemption identified in their Enhanced Vaccination Certificate.
  • All visitors must practice proper hand hygiene.
  • Masks are now optional for caregivers, visitors, and residents, however, are still recommended. Should you choose to wear a mask, a Baycrest issued mask is required and continues to be available at all entrances.
  • It is recommended that visitors wear eye protection at all times while with the resident they are visiting.
  • Face shields are available at the nurse’s station in the resident’s neighbourhood.
  • Pets are not permitted indoors, but support animals with proper documentation and guide dogs are allowed.
  • Do not come to Baycrest if you are feeling unwell in any way.

• • Residents from units or floors that are on outbreak will not be permitted to participate in visits.
  • In the event that the Apotex enters into a facility-wide outbreak, all non-essential visitations will be cancelled.
  • Residents on Special Droplet and Contact precautions and residents on Regular Droplet and Contact precautions will not be permitted to participate in visits.

Caregivers for Apotex Residents

A caregiver is a type of visitor who is designated by the resident and/or their SDM to provide direct care to the resident. Caregivers can be family members, privately hired caregivers or paid companions and must be at least 16 years old. 

To register a caregiver, please contact your social worker and provide them with the following information.

• Your name
• Are you an SDM or resident?
• Resident’s floor and neighbourhood (if known)
• If you are not the resident, name of the resident for whom you are designating a caregiver:
• Name of the caregiver(s)
• Contact information of the caregiver(s)
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Home address

• • Caregivers must participate in an online infection prevention and control (IPAC) training module, and follow all safety measures in place.
  • A resident and/or their substitute decision-maker may change a designation in response to a change in the:
    • Resident’s care needs that are reflected in the plan of care.
    • Availability of a designated caregiver, either temporary (e.g., illness) or permanent.
    • A caregiver will be absent for greater than 14 days.
    • Changes will take five business days to process.

Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination for Caregivers

• All new caregivers must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status in order to complete their registration.
• All Apotex registered caregivers must provide proof of having at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine during screening at the start of every visit, unless they have a valid medical exemption.

Leaves of Absence for Apotex Residents

• All residents will be permitted to leave for social day and overnight absences, regardless of vaccination status.
• All residents may continue to leave the home for essential, medical or compassionate absences.
• All residents are required to sign out of their unit when they leave and to sign back in upon their return. Testing and isolation measures will be followed, as per Ministry guidelines.

Caregivers and Paid Private Companions in Baycrest Terraces