LETTER OF THE WEEK: Love and a place in history filled the room
GLEN HAVEN MANOR, New Glasgow, NS -Once in a while, if the stars align and we are lucky, life will deliver some monumental moments where we are present for something much bigger than ourselves. Recently, I had the privilege to witness the first hug in five months between several residents at Glen Haven Manor and their loved ones. These moments were between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and daughters and mothers and sons. It was a poignant reminder of the eternal bond between a mother and her child, no matter her age or theirs. It was clear evidence of lasting promises to love, honour and cherish no matter what curves life throws our way or when the seasons of our lives start to melt into winter. continued
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, July 21, 2020 (Halifax, NS) – The Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association (NHNSA) released a position paper today calling for long overdue action and investment from the provincial government.
Enough Talk presents five priority areas for the province to focus on in the next six to eighteen months and implores the Department of Health and Wellness to allow nursing home providers to work collaboratively with government to address the challenges the sector is facing.
“As the providers of long term care in this province, we come to work every day with the care and safety of our residents as our first priority, but we’re working in an extremely challenging environment,” says Debra Boudreau, board chair of the NHNSA and long-time administrator of Tideview Terrace nursing home in Digby. “We are the experts in delivery of care, and we need to be at the table to get this work done.”
Speaking out as a united voice for the first time, the NHNSA represents 83 per cent of the licensed long term providers in Nova Scotia who state that while COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the challenges in long term care, the system has been teetering on the edge for years.
After multiple studies resulting in the same recommendations, and two reviews on the horizon, NHNSA’s position paper calls for five actions: a vision for long term care, investment in the workforce, a multi-year infrastructure plan, revised funding models and more aggressive timelines to addressing the Minister’s expert advisory panel on long term care.
“Nursing home providers are willing to help government with this work,” says Michele Lowe, executive director of NHNSA. “We know firsthand what needs to be done to provide the care our elders deserve but we can’t wait any longer. We need action now.”
Since 2008 at lease nine reports with recommendations have been generated on long term care in Nova Scotia, none of them have been fully implemented.
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Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association (NHNSA) is a not-for-profit association representing Nursing Homes in the province with a vision of “Advancing world-class nursing homes”. The Association believes in advocating and leading to influence change in long term care. NHNSA is committed to innovative approaches that ensure safe, high-quality standards of care and supports its members by sharing best practices through facilitated round-table discussions; offering educational and networking opportunities; and engaging direct feedback on government policy and sector issues.
Media contact:
Heather Hanson
The PR Hive Inc.
902-488-2892
heather@prhive.ca
Our members are excited that provincial leaders feel confident enough in our public health to further lift restrictions beginning next week. As owners and operators of long term care delivery, we will work towards incorporating the changes as best as possible; however, there are other operational barriers that many of our long term care homes are now facing that don’t fall under the public health plan.
Effective May 8, 2020 our insurer added a contagion exclusion clause to nursing home insurance policies renewed since April 1, 2020 which means our members’ employees and volunteer boards of directors no longer have liability coverage in the event of a claim related to COVID-19 or any other contagious disease, now or in the future. While our members are doing everything possible to try and resolve this issue, some of our members may implement varying degrees of visitation and may introduce new requirements for visitors such as families and visitors signing waivers prior to entering the nursing home.
The Department of Health and Wellness are aware of this issue and are working with other government departments including the Department of Justice to find a solution that mitigates the risk to long term care operators in the province. We are grateful for their help.
Please understand that our first priority is the safety and care of our residents and we know that time spent with families and loved ones is of paramount importance. We hope to work through this matter quickly and with the least amount of impact on our residents. We appreciate the continued understanding and public support that is shown to our nursing home providers throughout the province.
NORTHWOOD, NS – I began my career as a nurse practitioner three weeks ago, hired by the Northwood long-term care facility in Halifax to help with COVID-19 pandemic relief. It happened quickly. I am working under a temporary licence, after my Dalhousie University master of nursing graduation ceremony and my national nurse practitioner’s exam scheduled for earlier this month were both cancelled…. continued
Glen Haven Manor is pleased to introduce a reading series of children’s books, called Fireside Stories, that will feature six residents reading children’s books suited for young children ages four-10 years but enjoyable for all ages. The video series will be shared through the Glen Haven Manor You Tube channel for the next several weeks, with one reading per week, and posted on its Facebook page, Website and through Twitter…continued
CHRONICLE HERALD
Protecting the most vulnerable will be a defining chapter in Canada’s account of the COVID-19 pandemic, believes Glen Haven Manor CEO Lisa M. Smith. “It will be a measure of how our Canadian values and character stood up in the most difficult of hardships and darkest of hours. This includes valuing the work of those who are providing care in these unprecedented times,” Smith said. “The essential value of this work is being revealed more and more every day.”
Glen Haven is a 202-bed long term care facility with 20 units assisted living units, located in New Glasgow and have been releasing videos throughout the crisis. To date there has had no cases of COVID-19 at the facility…. continued
Staff helped residents create cheeky messages to spread some joy amid COVID-19
At 89, Peggy Kelley uses FaceTime but not Facebook — though she might just go viral on the latter thanks, in small part, to COVID-19… continued
YARMOUTH, N.S. — Tam MacPhee didn’t realize it at the time but Friday the 13th was her lucky day.
That’s because March 13 was the last time she saw her mother, Norma Tedford, at the Yarmouth County long-term care facility her mom lives in. Visitor restrictions now prevent her from visiting her mother, and, she says, to help with her mom’s care… continued
Message from Michele Lowe, Managing Director, Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association
On behalf of a dedicated group of Administrators and their teams of front line caregivers, I’d like to thank Nova Scotians for their understanding and support during this unprecedented time. We are all seeing the dangers of COVID 19 and the impact on nursing homes across Canada. We have watched families and the staff of long-term care facilities face unimaginable heartbreak … continued
Home is Where the Heart Is- Keep Your Porch Lights On
NEW GLASGOW, PICTOU COUNTY, NS …. Lisa M. Smith, CEO of Glen Haven Manor, on behalf of the 202 residents and 300 staff at the long term care facility in Pictou County, NS delivered a video message of care, unity, vigilance, and hope last evening, to other nursing homes across the nation, to all health care professionals, and to all essential workers as well as to the community and citizens across the globe… continued