Health Partners Team Up in Battle against COVID-19
Response Team Formed to Support Homes in Outbreak
SARNIA & PETROLIA – January 12, 2021 – With an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks at local retirement and long-term care homes, Bluewater Health and partners are mobilizing resources to support care in place. Bluewater Health, along with Home and Community Care, Ontario Health, long term care and retirement home representatives and Lambton Public Health have created a response team to ensure area long term care homes and retirement homes have access to the supports and resources required when increased needs are evident.
Formed in September 2020, the working group has created a Response Team to assist when homes move out of the green “proactive” state to yellow or red, providing additional support so they can return to proactive status.
On a daily basis, seven days per week, Bluewater Health resources are currently deployed to two local care homes, actively providing urgent support for infection prevention and control (IPAC), risk assessment audits and management of COVID-positive residents, testing and swabbing of residents and staff and sharing processes, protocols and checklists. Shared support staff are currently onsite at one long-term care home.
Bluewater Health is providing weekly risk assessments of their readiness and IPAC practices in 11 care homes. The remaining homes receive monthly sustainability risk assessments from Bluewater Health. Bluewater Health works in collaboration with Lambton Public Health to support our community residents.
“Bluewater Health is committed to the health and safety of the Sarnia-Lambton community,” says Shannon Landry, Chief Nursing Executive. “As such, we will do whatever possible to support our partners in healthcare and collectively care for our most vulnerable residents.”
Under provincial regulations, hospitals are required to provide staff requested by long-term care homes. In May, Bluewater Health supported Vision Nursing Home with 15 staff (Housekeeping, Registered Practical Nurses, Personal Support Workers, and Dietary Aides) and provided leadership resources in IPAC, personal protective equipment (PPE), Environmental Services, communications, and employee resilience.
Bluewater Health, with locations in Sarnia and Petrolia, cares for the residents of Sarnia-Lambton. With close to 2,500 staff, Professional Staff and volunteers, Bluewater Health provides an array of specialized acute, complex continuing care, allied health and ambulatory care services. Bluewater Health’s Mission is: We create exemplary healthcare experiences with patients and families every time. For more information about Bluewater Health, visit www.bluewaterhealth.ca or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
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For more information contact:
Julia Oosterman
Chief, Communications & Public Affairs
Bluewater Health
519-328-3136