Our residents are at higher risk of serious illness from exposure to COVID-19 and respiratory illnesses. You can help us protect everyone living, working or visiting at our Manors by preventing any potential spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
This special bulletin is designed to assure residents, families and visitors to our Manors that The Brenda Strafford Foundation (BSF) is taking all reasonable precautions to prevent the occurrence or spread of COVID-19 in our sites.
As seniors living in continuing care communities are a population that is at higher risk, and out of an abundance of precaution, BSF is taking extra Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures within our sites that are considered over and above the current guidelines for the general public in Alberta at this time.
Special Bulletin: February 4, 2022
As part of our commitment to review the BSF COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy on an ongoing basis in response to our organizational risk assessment, informed by feedback from residents and families, we are pleased to announce the following changes that will take effect on Monday, February 7, 2022:
BSF is removing the restriction for Designated Family/Support Persons. Visitation will be open to all family members, loved ones, and other visitors with no restriction on type of visitor (all visitors must pass screening).
BSF is revising the requirement for rapid testing of all visitors entering the site based on immunization status for COVID-19, as follows:
BSF will not store visitor health records including immunization status or rapid test results:
Other considerations:
Visitors will be permitted to wear their own well-fitted KN95/N95 mask OR a surgical mask provided by BSF. Any visitor bringing their own KN95/N95 mask must be a NEW mask that is opened from the packaging on entry to site.
BSF Senior Management will continue to evaluate our BSF COVID-19 Safe Visiting Policy based on the prevalence and risk of COVID-19 in the community and the status of COVID-19 outbreaks across The Foundation’s sites.
The full BSF Safe Visiting Policy is available at: www.theBSF.ca/COVID19.
In October last year, BSF implemented the mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy requiring all BSF staff to be fully immunized (14 days past the second dose).
Now, a third dose (also known as a “booster” dose) of the COVID-19 vaccine is available to all Albertans aged 18+ (eligible five months after their second dose).
We wish to inform our residents and families that BSF’s updated COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccine policy now requires all BSF employees (who are eligible for the third dose) to be immunized with the third dose by January 31, 2022. This policy applies to all BSF employees throughout The Foundation inclusive of students, volunteers, temporary agency staff and physicians. All eligible employees that did not met this mandatory BSF employment requirement have been placed on an unpaid leave of absence effective February 1, 2022.
The purpose of BSF’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy is to ensure the safest working environment for our staff, and the greatest protection for our residents who depend on us to deliver safe, high-quality care and services.
BSF is very proud to have achieved exceptionally high rates of COVID-19 immunization voluntarily in our staff, before making this a mandatory requirement. This is a tribute to our staff’s ongoing commitment to ensure the highest standards of health and safety and ensure the greatest protection for themselves, each other, and of course our residents.
This BSF policy and level of commitment from our staff reinforces BSF’s position as a leader in continuing care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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.
