The Brenda Strafford Foundation, and the continuing care sector as a whole, continue to be challenged by the devastating impacts of COVID-19. While, it is encouraging to see the number of continuing care sites reported to be in outbreak in the Calgary Zone declining, COVID-19 continues to be a very real threat. We must remain prepared for outbreaks to continue to occur, especially as more businesses and services reopen in the community in accordance with Alberta’s phased strategy for relaunching the economy.
As follows is an update on the outbreak status and confirmed cases of COVID-19 across The Brenda Strafford Foundation sites as at today (May 22, 2020). A reminder that the number of confirmed cases at our sites is published on our website on a daily basis Monday-Friday (available at: theBSF.ca/covid19).
We are encouraged to report we currently have more than three quarters the number of recovered cases (48), than active positive cases (10), in residents and staff combined across The Foundation.
Notably, all residents and staff who tested positive at Clifton Manor have now been considered “recovered” since last week. We are pleased to report that there are no longer any residents receiving care and treatment in the COVID-19 Isolation Unit at Clifton Manor at this time.
As mentioned previously, while we continue to celebrate all recoveries across The Foundation, we also continue to remember and mourn the lives of the seven residents from Clifton Manor who tragically passed away as result of illnesses related to COVID-19.
Unfortunately, the outbreak first declared at Wentworth Manor on May 3 has seen an increase in cases over this past week to now include four staff members and four residents at Wentworth Manor. We send our best wishes for recovery to these affected residents and staff at Wentworth Manor.
The positive cases in staff members at Wentworth Manor have now affected one employee from the Kitchen/Dietary department from the Court building, and three employees from the Nursing department in the Residence building. The four resident cases, including the first resident confirmed on Friday last week, and the three additional residents confirmed since Wednesday this week, are all residents from the Residence side of the building.
Due to this increase in case numbers seen this week, Wentworth Manor continues to repeat asymptomatic testing in both residents and staff in the Residence building. Wentworth Manor also continues to implement precautionary isolation measures and ongoing monitoring of residents to prevent spread, and detect and contain any new cases.
Bow View Manor’s first outbreak was declared over as of May 9. However, unfortunately two new positive cases, both in staff working at Bow View Manor, confirmed late last week meant the site once again returned to outbreak status on May 14. We also send our best wishes for recovery to these two affected staff at Bow View Manor.
There have been no new cases detected at Bow View Manor this week, since the last positive case was detected in a staff member on May 15 through asymptomatic testing. It is encouraging that all residents in the asymptomatic testing that was completed on the neighbourhood affected by the new staff cases have been negative – there continues to be have been zero cases in residents at Bow View Manor at this time.
We are pleased to report there have been no new cases at Tudor Manor since April 25. Tudor Manor also has had no cases in residents, and was officially declared off outbreak as of May 13 last week.
As we continue to see progress with measures such as implementing Outdoor Visits at our sites, and Alberta’s phased approach to start re-opening businesses and services in the community, The Foundation will remain focussed on ensuring our employees are informed and supported to stay safe and avoid the risk of transmission in the community, as much as possible.
We are constantly monitoring and evaluating the risks and restrictions in place for our residents and families, to ensure these risks and restrictions are appropriately balanced with quality of life. I assure you that we remain steadfastly focused on providing the best possible care and services to all of our residents and families.
I would once again like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the continued compassion, commitment and courage of all our employees and leadership team throughout the entire Foundation in response to this pandemic. I would again also like to acknowledge the ongoing resilience, understanding and support of our residents and families throughout all of our sites at this most difficult of times for everyone.
Sincerely,
Mike Conroy
President and CEO
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In the spirit of respect, reconciliation and gratitude, we honour and acknowledge that our services are provided on the traditional territories of Treaty 7, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy comprising the Siksika, Piikani and Kainai First Nations, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Good Stoney Bands. These territories are also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta Region 3. We are grateful for the many First Nations who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations. We acknowledge that we have ongoing responsibilities to protect, honour and celebrate all of life within our shared communities.
