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News and Updates:
During these extraordinary times, we need extraordinary people like you. No experience is required, just a desire to help others!
We received a lovely donation of 700+ hand-made masks for our front-line-heroes for use when they leave after a hard day’s work. Many thanks to Ptbo Mask Makers and a group of curlers from the Peterborough Curling Club for the heart-felt contribution.
We are facing the challenge of our lifetimes. The situation regarding COVID-19 has been unprecedented – and constantly changing: first the focus was on travel; then businesses and schools were closed; there have been massive lay-offs, with many others working from home; and then the focus moved to concerns about hospital resources and capacity. Most recently the focus has appropriately turned to seniors’ residences. New provincial directives are issued almost daily, it seems, as we fight this virus that represents such risk to our seniors and loved ones.
Our top priority, as always, is the health and safety of our residents and staff. All AON Homes are following the directives of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, the Ministry of Health, and Public Health authorities. We also access industry resources such as the OLTCA, the RHRA, and ORCA. As directives are given, we follow them. In addition, AON Homes have been ahead of the curve in many of the responses to COVID-19.
We must congratulate and celebrate our staff. With few exceptions our courageous staff continue to come to work to provide care and services to the residents we serve. We can’t say enough about their commitment and work ethic. We are so proud of our team and how they have pulled together, working tirelessly during these challenging times.
We thank our residents and their loved ones for the trust they have placed in us. We appreciate your patience and support, and your frequent kind words. Your ongoing support means the world to our dedicated and hardworking teams. We understand this is a stressful time. The inability to visit loved ones is heart-wrenching. For now, we ask you to stay in touch with your loved ones via the Home’s FaceBook page, or to arrange for a “virtual visit” via FaceTime or Skype.
We are doing our best to communicate, with updates in each Home at least weekly. If there is news or important information to be shared more broadly, it will be communicated through “@AON_responds” on Twitter, or through this page.
The following list is not exhaustive, but it summarizes some of the measures we have taken to keep residents safe and to prepare for active cases of COVID-19:
There are numerous, more detailed steps we have taken, but the list above addresses the key themes. So far we are pleased with our level of preparedness. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our plans accordingly.
If a Home experiences a case of COVID-19, special “outbreak” protocols will immediately go into effect, including isolation, deployment of “protective personal equipment” (PPE), staff cohorting, and many restrictive practices intended to limit the spread of the infection and keep all residents and staff members safe. All of this would be under the supervision of Public Health authorities. Should such an event occur, there would be special communication to the residents and families of the affected Home. We will also use the Twitter account “@AON_responds” to share news or important information, or visit this page.
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged how we all work and live, forcing separation, keeping loved ones apart, and preventing us from doing many of the things we love to do. Every one of us has to think hard about the choices we make, being sure to make decisions that limit the potential spread of the virus and protect the ones we love.
We thank our staff for their courage, dedication, and their hard work. We thank our residents and their families and friends for their patience, their understanding, and their trust. These are unprecedented times, but we will get through them, together.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Executive Director or Administrator of your Home. The contact information is available on their individual web-pages. Or feel free to send an email here
