COVID-19 Policies and Updates
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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CHIRS

Community Head Injury Resource Services

COVID-19 Updates

 
 
 

COVID-19 Updates:

CHIRS COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

The health and safety of CHIRS staff and clients is a top priority for the agency. CHIRS is committed to taking every reasonable precaution for the protection of workers and clients from COVID-19. Full vaccination has been shown to be effective in reducing COVID-19 virus transmission and in protecting vaccinated individuals from severe consequences of COVID-19 and COVID-19 variants. Due to the vulnerable nature of the clients who receive CHIRS' services and the potential exposure in the community, all employees, students and volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 31, 2022.

Thursday, October 12, 2023

There is an increase in COVID-19 cases in the community; we are also seeing that at CHIRS.

CHIRS continues to monitor and follow recommendations from Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Health regarding COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. At this time, we are not making any changes to our protocols and will continue to offer our full services, including Adult Day Services programming.

We want all participants and their support staff to be aware that, even with passive screening, one could be exposed to a person who has or develops a respiratory illness, such as COVID- 19 or Influenza, while participating in CHIRS in-person services, especially group programming. Activities such as exercising, eating, and singing indoors are all considered higher-risk activities. Participants who develop COVID-19 will be required to stay away from CHIRS in-person activities for 10 days. CHIRS will not notify participants if someone in our programs reports an illness.

If you are a close contact and have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, such as a household member or PSW, we ask that you monitor yourself for illness/symptoms and wear a mask at CHIRS for 10 days.

Please take precautions as necessary to facilitate your own health, such as wearing a medical mask, assessing the environment, monitoring your own symptoms, and selecting appropriate activities.

Medical masks are available in all CHIRS programs, should you choose to wear one. You are

encouraged to discuss your personal situation with your support staff at CHIRS. Please review recommendations from Public Health Ontario, which are outlined below.

Ontario, like other jurisdictions, has taken measures to be able to live with and manage COVID-19 for the long-term. But we still need to do our part to protect ourselves and others, especially during respiratory illness season. This includes using the layers of protection that we know help keep ourselves and others healthy:

  • staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots
  • wearing a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask in indoor public settings, especially anyone at higher risk of severe infection
  • screening daily for signs of illness and staying home when you are sick
  • washing your hands often
  • covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
  • regularly cleaning high touch surfaces

For more information on how to protect yourself and others, read Public Health Ontario's fact sheet.

Please check this site periodically for changes in our protocols.

Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.


Wednesday, June 21, 2023

We are pleased to be able to further reduce COVID-19 restrictions due to low COVID-19 prevalence in the community and over 3 months with no positive staff or residential client cases. Staff and clients are no longer required to wear a mask at CHIRS sites, although they are welcome to do so should they feel more comfortable. Staff, clients, visitors and contractors are asked to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms when attending CHIRS sites or programs. If feeling ill with COVID-19 symptoms, you are asked to remain off site. CHIRS on-site programs and services are increasing and we are thrilled that, as of June 12, our ADS Club is open. Feel free to call or email your CHIRS contact, should you have questions. Alternately you can email chirs@chirs.com and someone will get back to you.

Friday, May 26, 2023

Some of our COVID-19 restrictions have been eased and more programs continue to open up.  Primary Workers have been notifying clients about these programs but if you are a client and want more information, call CHIRS and ask for your Primary Worker.

For the safety of clients, screening and some masking are still required.  Feel free to call CHIRS if you want further details.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

As a visitor, it is important to keep everyone safe by following the instructions of the health care setting you are visiting. These infection prevention and control (IPAC) steps are important to follow whenever you enter a health care setting.
DOWNLOAD:
IPAC Fact Sheet
DOWNLOAD:
IPAC Fact Sheet

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Health and safety at CHIRS is a key priority for the agency. CHIRS is committed to taking every reasonable precaution for the protection of clients, workers and others at CHIRS from COVID-19.

COVID-19, including highly contagious Omicron variants, is still with us. There is compelling data showing a higher incidence of COVID-19 among the unvaccinated. Vaccination has shown to be effective in reducing COVID-19 virus transmission and protecting vaccinated individuals from severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 and COVID-19 variants. With many restrictions having been lifted in the wider community, there has been an increase in unprotected contact between individuals; vaccination is as important as ever.

Due to the vulnerable nature of the clients who receive CHIRS services and the potential exposure in the community, COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all clients, employees, volunteers, instructors, students, contractors and guests. Individuals entering a CHIRS site or participating in a CHIRS program/group in the community are required to show proof of vaccination.

Accepted COVID-19 vaccines in Canada:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT 162b2)
  • Moderna (mRNA-1273)
  • AstraZeneca/COVIDSHIELD (ChAdOx1-S, Vaxzevria, AZD 1222)
  • Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
  • Novavax Nuvaxovid
  • Medicago Covifenz

Vaccinated status refers to those who have received at least two doses of any vaccine accepted in Canada or one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and the fourteen (14) day period after the last dose has passed.

Proof of Vaccination refers to documentation verifying receipt of a vaccination series approved by Ontario Health or Health Canada.

Anyone coming onto a CHIRS site or participating in a CHIRS community program is also required to comply with other CHIRS health and safety measures to reduce the hazards of COVID-19, including but not limited to screening, wearing a mask provided by CHIRS, maintaining appropriate physical distancing, and self-monitoring for potential COVID-19 symptoms.

Anyone requesting an exemption from the vaccination requirements for medical, religious, or other reasons related to a protected ground under a substantiated Human Rights Code related accommodation must submit a request for accommodation. Philosophical objections to vaccination are not protected grounds.

All exemption requests should be submitted in writing to Hedy Chandler, Executive Director and must include reasons for the request. The medical exemption must clearly indicate the reason why the individual cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19 (i.e. clear medical information that supports the exemption). This must include:

  • Name and contact information of the physician/medical doctor;
  • Logo or letterhead identifying the physician/medical doctor;
  • Statement that there is a medical reason for the individual's exemption from being vaccinated against COVID-19; and
  • The effective time period for the medical reason, which includes the date the individual is seeking access to CHIRS programs.

CHIRS reserves the right to require additional documentation, assessed in its sole discretion, in support of any exemption request. 

Everyone coming onto a CHIRS site or participating in a CHIRS community program who is unvaccinated due to an approved and substantiated Human Rights Code or medical-related accommodation request may be required to take additional infection and prevention control measures, including taking a rapid antigen test (RAT) administered on site by a CHIRS staff. No other type of COVID-19 test will be accepted. Self-administered at-home tests will not be accepted for entry.

We will review this policy every three months and issue a notification if there are any changes made.


Friday, August 19, 2022

The COVID-19 landscape has evolved quite a bit over the last few months. More people have gotten vaccinated, restrictions in the wider public have eased and many people have carefully re-engaged in activities that were previously closed. At CHIRS, we are slowly opening up but at a slower and more cautious pace than in the wider community. COVID-19 is still active.

We have carefully opened a few of our day programs on a smaller than normal scale. If a program in which you are registered will be meeting in person again, someone from CHIRS will notify you. Our virtual programs continue and are open to all. The Club remains closed for now.

Our priority continues to be keeping everyone at CHIRS - clients and staff - as safe as possible. We continue to screen everyone who enters our buildings. We continue to require masks at all of our sites. We have established additional guidelines for attendance at in-person programs and staff will share these with you.

Stay safe!


Wednesday, January 5, 2022

The Province announced on Monday that, due to a sharp increase in hospital admissions and record high case counts, Ontario is moving back into Stage 2 of the Reopening Plan for 21 days. In addition, there have been a number of changes to the Directives for Long Term Care and Congregate Settings, which we have been closely monitoring and responding to over the last couple of weeks.

We have seen a significant (but not surprising) increase in the number of staff who are isolating due to exposure or presence of symptoms and we are taking all possible measures to keep everyone safe and to avoid a critical staff shortage.

As a result of these factors, there are changes to protocols here at CHIRS that we wanted you to be aware of.

FAMILY VISITS

We have had to suspend family/client visits until at least January 26, 2022. Outdoor visiting is permitted, provided all parties wear masks and maintain physical distance.

We ask that families not visit the residences until further notice unless there is an urgent need to do so; for that please reach out to a supervisor to make arrangements.

CLIENT SUPPORTS AND COMMUNITY OUTINGS

Community outings should be limited to essential appointments only.

One-to-one supports for our community clients are being re-evaluated based on need and risk. Where possible we will be returning to virtual supports. We understand that cancelling some in-person supports is not possible. These essential supports will continue, using all the usual safety protocols. If you have any questions about what this means for your support, please reach out to your primary worker.

Client supports at head office will be limited to the most essential.

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

There have been updates to the list of common symptoms of COVID-19. If you experience any of the symptoms listed below or believe you may have been exposed to someone who has, please notify your primary worker before any scheduled supports.

  • fever or chills
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • decreased or loss of taste or smell
  • two or more of:
    • runny nose or nasal congestion
    • headacheo extreme fatigue
    • sore throato muscle aches or joint pain
    • gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)

NEUROPSYCHOLOGY CLINIC

The CHIRS Neuropsychology Clinic is suspending in-person appointments until further notice. If you have anappointment scheduled in January, the Clinic Coordinator will be in touch to make alternative plans.

RAPID TESTING

All staff working in our residences or in settings where social distancing is not always possible will be undergoing regular rapid antigen testing.

VACCINE BOOSTERS

Vaccine boosters are now available for everyone over the age of 18. If you would like assistance booking a vaccine appointment, please let your primary worker know.

Stay safe... and let's all help keep each other safe.


Friday, December 17, 2021

On November 26, 2021, a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, Omicron, was designated a variant of concern (VOC) by the World Health Organization.  This variant is spreading quickly and some experts are predicting that it will bring the worst wave of the pandemic to date.

On December 16, 2021, Dr. Brown from the Ontario Science Table, reported that Omicron was now the dominant variant in Ontario.  As of yesterday, there were 2421 COVID cases identified in Ontario, as well as a 26% increase in hospitalizations and a 25% increase in ICU admissions.

In response to this situation and to new provincial directives that were announced this week for Long Term Care, CHIRS is taking the following steps:

Mandatory Vaccination Policy for Staff
Earlier this fall, CHIRS introduced a policy that will require all staff working at CHIRS to be fully vaccinated by the first week in February.

Rapid Antigen Testing
Since September 2021, unvaccinated staff have been participating in COVID testing once per week.  As of January 2022, we are increasing the testing requirement to twice per week.  In addition, ALL staff will be required to participate in the testing program regardless of vaccination status.

Client Home Visits
We know how important family visits are, especially over the holidays so we are doing everything we can to ensure they can still happen and happen in the safest way possible.

To facilitate overnight home visits, protocols are also being developed which may include the requirement for rapid or PCR tests on return to the residence as well as isolation protocols.   The nature of the protocols may depend on length of time away and the nature of the absence.

These protocols are being developed in consultation with the Congregate Settings Team of Public Health.

Client Supports in the Community
To err on the side of caution, the following changes are being made to community supports:
  • All clinical and recreational in-person groups will be moving back to virtual platforms, starting Monday, December 20, 2021.
  • 1:1 client supports will continue both at Finch and in the community depending on the outcome of a Point of Care Risk Assessment

 
Client/Visitor Vaccination Policy
As you are seeing across the city, many places, such as restaurants and gyms require proof of vaccination to enter a facility. While we remain in the midst of this pandemic and the numbers continue to fluctuate we have made the decision to require proof of vaccination for all clients, families, and visitors who enter a CHIRS facility.   In order to facilitate this, your CHIRS worker will be contacting you to obtain a copy of your vaccination certificate.  If you are vaccinated but don't have a copy of the certificate, don't worry, they can help you access the information you need.

When we are able to return to in-person groups we will revisit this policy.

Additional Updates from the Province

COVID-19 Updated Booster Eligibility
An accelerated schedule has been announced for booster vaccinations (3rd dose), increasing eligibility to all Ontarians over the age of 18, as of Monday, December 20, 2021, for those that received their second dose of vaccine at least 84 days prior (3 months).

Pharmacies will begin administering booster doses to adults 18 and up on a walk-in basis as of December 17, three days before the broader rollout.  

Public Health Agency of Canada Travel Advisory.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is advising travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, to avoid non-essential travel internationally. Many foreign governments are implementing strict travel restrictions due to spread of the Omicron variant and international travel options may be limited. As a result, you may have difficulty returning to Canada, or may have to remain abroad for an indeterminate period. Local authorities abroad may impose control measures suddenly, including movement restrictions such as lockdowns. In some countries, you may have limited access to timely and appropriate health care should you become ill.

Community Rapid Antigen Kits
The provincial government announced that starting today, up to two million rapid tests will be given out free of charge at pop-up testing sites in high-traffic areas, including malls, retail stores, holiday markets, public libraries, and at transit hubs, as part of an "enhanced testing strategy" over the holidays.  The province said it plans to deploy "pop-up teams" to nearly 50 locations.  These teams will either distribute take-home tests or provide asymptomatic rapid antigen screening on site.  Take-home rapid tests will also be offered for free at some LCBO stores, beginning with the 100 busiest stores this week. The province said more stores will be added to the program in the "coming days."  

Capacity Limits for Large Indoor Venues
Capacity limits in large, indoor venues that seat more than 1,000 people are being reduced by 50% as of December 18, 2021.

Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding as we work to keep everyone safe.   

From everyone at CHIRS, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday.


Tuesday, August 3, 2021


Thursday, July 29, 2021

It will take some time before we can get back to regular programming and reopen the doors to the CHIRS Club, but we wanted you to know that a plan is in the works. A plan that aligns with the provincial roadmap and allows us to get ready to open those services most impacted by closures, lockdowns and health guidance measures, while keeping our clients and our staff safe and well.

Over the next few months, we are planning to start offering some small in-person groups at Head Office. If things keep improving, we have dreams of opening the Club doors in January 2022. That will of course depend on the situation at the time; as before, we will be guided by data and not by dates.

As we reopen activities, things will look a little different; we will be sending you periodic updates to keep you informed as to what is happening and when. One of the things we will be doing in the coming weeks will be modifying our environment to make sure that we can offer programs in the safest way possible; a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation is helping us do that. We received funding from the Resilient Communities Fund of the Ontario Trillium Foundation to purchase Plexiglas barriers, specialized masks for people with communication challenges, and technology that will allow us to continue to support virtual programming.

Yes, we fully intend to keep virtual programming as a part of the way we offer services. While the pandemic created many challenges for everyone and we have missed seeing you in person, we have learned that virtual programming works really well for some activities and for some people - and it will be such a great option on snow days!

Thank you for your continued support and patience. Stay well and be safe. We are so looking forward to welcoming you back in person again soon.


Monday, June 21, 2021

With the province entering into the first stage of re-opening after the most recent lockdown, we want to provide you with an update on the evolving COVID-19 pr otocols and planning at CHIRS. As always, our planning and decision-making must balance the need to operate within public health guidelines and our strong desire to move towards increasing services to clients and providing clear direction for everyone.

Families are once again welcome to visit at the CHIRS residences. Following the provincial guidelines, visits must occur outside and visitors and residents must wear the proper PPE and maintain a social distance of 2 meters (6 feet). We will be happy to provide you with the appropriate PPE on your arrival.

100% of CHIRS residential clients have received their first dose of vaccine and many have received or are scheduled to receive their second dose very soon. By the end of June we are hoping that all residential clients will be fully vaccinated. When that time comes, we anticipate that many clients who have been staying with their families during the pandemic will be coming home to CHIRS. We are so excited at the prospect of welcoming everyone back.

As more people become fully vaccinated and the positivity rate for COVID-19 in the community declines, we continue to work through how and when we can start to loosen some of the other restrictions that we have had in place. For example, once clients are fully vaccinated (14 days after their second dose) we can assess the feasibility of visits to their family's homes, including short overnight visits. If you have questions about your particular situation, please reach out to the supervisor or manager of your team.

Our community outreach staff are also helping their clients get vaccine appointments and are constantly assessing support needs and risk to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of our clients, sometimes in unique and creative ways. With the recent provincial loosening of restrictions and the steadily increasing number of people who are fully vaccinated, we are discovering more and more opportunities to provide in-person support in the community.

For the moment, Adult Day Services programming will remain virtual but we are looking to the future and planning for the time when we can open the Club and start welcoming people in small groups. Having said that, we are already starting to engage clients in very small-scale outdoor programming, such as gardening in our newly opened roof top garden.

CHIRS is strongly encouraging all staff to be vaccinated and has been providing education and sharing information to support that happening. As you are likely aware, however, the province has not mandated vaccinations in any healthcare settings and therefore we cannot mandate that CHIRS staff be vaccinated. In addition, vaccination status is considered Personal Health Information (PHI) and, while we fully understand your desire to know staff vaccination status, staff are not obligated to share PHI. We are working to ensure that our protocols reach the right balance between individual rights and privacy and the safety of people that we work with.

Thank you again for your support and patience as we navigate through and move toward the end of the pandemic.

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

We just wanted to share the good news that Public Health has officially declared the outbreak at Aldebrain over, as of midnight last night.  Amazingly, the team at Aldebrain was able to contain the outbreak to the one unit originally impacted.  All clients in the other units at Aldebrain have tested negative and all positive cases (staff and clients) are now resolved!  We had also asked all staff on the front lines to undergo a COVID test and the negative results continue to stream in. 

Be assured that we are not letting our guard down and that we will continue to use the highest level of PPE and infection prevention protocols at all sites. 

As the numbers in Toronto remain high and the City remains in Lockdown we must unfortunately continue to restrict outings and limit family visits at this time.

We know that everyone was hoping, with the holiday season around the corner, that we would have the chance to spend time with family and friends.  It seems that 2020 has a different plan in mind for this year.   For those with family members still living in one of CHIRS' residences, we are discussing different ways to help them connect with family over the holidays and will send more information about that soon.

In the meantime, we wanted to share that the CHIRS Board of Directors will be sponsoring a holiday feast for residential clients and staff on Christmas day.  We are doing everything we can to make the season festive and fun - and, from what we have heard about some of the plans that the Board has, it will be a memorable holiday for sure. 

Hedy

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Message from our Executive Director...

CHIRS is experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 at one of our residences. We are working closely with Toronto Public Health to contain the spread of the virus.  All staff and residents are being tested and full precautions are in place.  We are very grateful to all of our amazing staff who continue to work and to those staff who have come to help from some of our other programs. To all those in isolation, we wish you good health and look forward to your return.

Hedy

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

We are all closely watching the number of COVID cases as they spike across the province and we imagine that many of you are wondering what that means for CHIRS - our staff and our clients.  

Our Senior Management team and the COVID Implementation Committee continue to monitor the situation daily.  If only there was a magic formula that would tell us that, if the numbers are above or below a certain point, we should respond a certain way.  But there isn't. So for now we have to base our decisions on what our health experts are recommending.  This week the Medical Officer of Heath told everyone to once again limit our risk factors.  Based on that and other recommendations and on the rising numbers over the weekend, we have made the decision to scale back on some supports and practices and hold steady on others where we feel we can continue to do so safely.

Here are the key decisions based on our discussions today:

For Residential Services

  • Visiting protocols are changing.  Visits will once again be limited to outdoors only, close to the residence, employing all the safety protocols that we have been following (socially distanced, outside, with masks).  That means no more visits to family homes or community outings to restaurants, patios, or indoor public venues with families or friends.  Under very specific circumstances there may be some exceptions to these restrictions. 

  • Client community outings will be re-evaluated to assess whether they are safe and necessary.  We are NOT restricting all community outings because clients cannot be expected to stay in their residences indefinitely.  But we are asking that the frequency of outings be limited and, in some cases, reduced and that the location and type of outing be carefully considered for risk, always seeking the safest options available. 

  • Client outings to restaurants and patios and indoor public venues will be discontinued for the time being.  There is a higher inherent risk in these settings and there are safer alternatives. We recognize this puts additional pressure on staff to keep clients engaged in meaningful activity so we will continue to investigate opportunities to assist with this (e.g., additional recreational social activity opportunities and perhaps having small cohorted supports at Head Office for some clients). 


For Community Outreach Services

  • All in-person supports must be re-evaluated at this time.  We are NOT restricting all in-person supports but we need to constantly be evaluating the risk and the need and looking for the safest options.  If the risk is high and the need is low, the support should be discontinued for now.  On the other hand, supports can likely continue where the risk is low and the need is there.  Staff are being asked to work with clients and families to make a plan and help them prepare for the possibility of another lockdown. 

  • Again, client outings to restaurants and patios and indoor public venues will be discontinued for the time being.  

  • While the weather stays good, supports will happen outdoors as much as possible.  We live in Canada and we know that winter is coming, but for now we'll take advantage of the pleasant fall weather, put on a sweater, and keep supports outside.  As for what happens when it gets cold - for now we don't have an answer. It's hard to predict where will be next week, let alone in December.   

  • CHIRS vehicles can still be used to take clients to medical and other important appointments, maintaining all the safety protocols we have already put in place.  However, we will be driving clients in CHIRS' vehicles only when there is a client NEED to get somewhere and when staff driving them is the safest option, as we know being with someone in a car is a higher risk activity. 


For Neuropsychological Testing

  • The clinic will remain open for now because we believe that this can be done safely.  However, we will NOT be proceeding with plans to increase the number of testing days nor reduce the restrictions that are currently in place.


What about Head Office?

  • If staff can effectively complete their work from home, they will continue to do so.

  • Staff can come in to Head Office when necessary and we will continue with all the safety precautions that are currently in place.  This includes restricting the number of people on site on any given day. 


Keep well and keep safe.  We will get through this!


Friday, July 31, 2020

We are so encouraged to see the progress that Ontario and Toronto have been making in recent weeks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  There was 1 case reported in Toronto the other day, just 1!  That is such a relief to all of us who have been watching those counts on a daily basis.  We thought this might be a good time to give you a bit of an update about what has been going on here at CHIRS - at a time when we are feeling some optimism.

We have had a few more clients return to their homes at Aldebrain, St. Georges, and Finch Residence and the staff have done an amazing job of helping clients settle into the new reality.  Things don't look quite the way that they did back in March, when these clients left to stay with family members.  There are new rules, different programming, and even some new staff.  For some clients it's been a bit of an adjustment, but we are working through it with them.  The Behaviour Therapists and the teams are also conducting intensive community safety assessments as we start to support clients getting back to community activities such as going to the bank or the grocery store or even considering getting a haircut. 

Our Outreach teams have also started to resume in-person supports to clients living in the community.  We have taken a methodical approach to evaluating a client's need for in-person support, the potential risks for our staff and clients, and opportunities to mitigate the risks.  In some ways, it has been like starting over with service planning.  Often the way we provide support or even the type of support being requested have changed dramatically.  But we are very happy to be re-engaging face-to-face with our clients (even if it is only the eyes we can see).  In addition to changing the way support is provided, you will notice that staff will be arriving with masks and they will be conducting Point of Care Assessments before every visit.  A Point of Care Assessment is a tool that staff will use each time they visit to assess the risk of exposure, the type of support needed, and what precautions are needed to protect themselves and the client. 

We continue to offer more than 30 ADS programs through Zoom every week and this has allowed us to stay connected to our clients and to reach new clients who weren't able to travel to Head Office for programs.  Probably the number one question we are asked is "when will the Club re-open?"   

We do not yet have a confirmed date but our plan is to hold steady until at least the end of September.  This will allow Toronto to, hopefully, have a successful transition into Stage 3 and will allow us to see the impact of schools re-opening in September.  Even then programs and services will not operate like they did before the pandemic.  We will, however, start trialing certain in-person activities when it is safe to do so and where physical distancing can be readily incorporated.

Staff have been returning to Head Office in a limited and staggered way but it is not the same here without our clients.  We are missing you all a great deal.  Thank you again for your patience and your support.  While we are seeing some hopeful signs, we will continue to keep client and staff safety at the forefront of our planning and will move forward with cautious optimism.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Staff continue to self-screen before entering a CHIRS site and have been instructed not come to work if experiencing any of the known symptoms of COVID-19. Site users must wear surgical masks while in client units and common areas of a CHIRS site; the mask can be removed only when an individual is in an enclosed office, by themselves. Signage has been posted limiting the number of people using common spaces at any one time. Congregate spaces like the kitchens will be the last to open up.  At the Head Office, we have instituted a building schedule and are permitting a maximum number of staff at any one time on each level, with social distancing protocols still in place.

Senior Management has developed a plan for a staged return based on priority need for being on site, the premise of which is start small and increase our bubbles as we go.  Each team will provide a proposed plan for who needs to be on site and when.  Senior Management will review these and make decisions based on a safe density.  As the province opens, we will look at what is reasonable with respect to finding the right balance between working on site and from home.


CHIRS Residential Settings

We have started the slow process of bringing residential clients back to their CHIRS homes.  We are prioritizing returns based on client need and family need.  We are carefully considering the support needs of the clients returning and evaluating any potential risks of bringing them back into the congregate setting. 

A number of our residential staff are on leaves based on personal medical concerns or on the provincial emergency order to limit staff to one employer; we therefore have to consider our capacity to support each client safely.  

We are asking clients and families about any potential exposure risks they may have had while living in the community and are requiring that clients be tested for COVID-19 and receive a negative result within 24 hours of returning to the residence.

In addition, we are working to support residential clients as they start to re-access community services.  We have developed assessment and education protocols to support some clients to return to important community outings, such as banking and elective or non-urgent medical procedures.


Community Services

The Community Facilitators have been continuing to provide support to their clients throughout the pandemic.  Wherever possible that has been remote support over the phone or through Zoom, but many have also been providing direct, face-to-face essential support based on the needs of their clients.

We are starting to ramp up in-person support.  For some clients, needs may have changed and we may feel that the in-person support is now essential for some of those clients. But we are also starting to look at returning to those supports that are important but may not have met the threshold of essential.  Staff are feeling more confident that the protocols are in place in the community to ensure their safety as they resume those services.  Staff are very eager to get back to providing the support their clients need.

We have developed a needs assessment to help prioritize resumption of service and a Point-of- Care assessment that staff will use to evaluate and mitigate potential risks. 

Clinical groups are continuing through Zoom.  We are offering Positive Psychology, SUBI (Substance Use and Brain Injury), DBT (Dialectal Behaviour Therapy) and Mindfulness groups.  We have also launched a new Women's Group.

The STOP Clinic will be resuming smoking cessation intervention this week.  Appointments will be provided through Zoom and Nicotine Replacement Therapy products will be delivered to client's homes. 

Adult Day Services continues to provide multiple Zoom programs (over 35 per week) and are adding new programs and connecting with other agencies to pool resources.   The Club and in-person social recreation groups will be the last to re-open; we have not yet made any concrete plans for those services to resume.


Head Office Operations

We are working on a quote to upgrade our phone system to a VOIP system so that our phone system can more effectively handle our mobile workforce needs.

Obtaining PPE remains a priority; fortunately, our PPE situation is stable at this point and we have months of supplies for most items. We have also been successful in obtaining face shields from the Ministry supply when we could not source our own at a reasonable price. We are in discussions with Ontario Health trying to arrange mobile COVID-19 testing for our staff and clients.


Monday, April 27, 2020

CHIRS has been focusing its resources on client and staff safety. To date, we have had no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at CHIRS. As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we modify our safeguards based on often daily directives from the Ministry of Health in order to stem the transmission of COVID-19. We monitor our Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies, update signage and active screening of clients and staff, and implement isolation and infection prevention protocols. Here are some highlights...

In general...

  • Although our sites are closed to the public, phone calls coming into the main CHIRS number continue to be answered remotely by our Reception person; we have developed new processes for connecting callers to the appropriate staff and these processes seem to be working very well.

  • Many CHIRS staff have been enabled to work from home, reducing their possible exposure to COVID-19 as well as the exposure to their co-workers and clients.

  • We keep our staff informed of changes in health directives. For staff that must come to a CHIRS site, we continue to emphasize the necessity for social distancing, screening, and good hand hygiene.

  • We have instituted active surveillance at all 3 of our sites. When anyone arrives at any of our 3 sites, they complete a COVID-19 screening, which includes answering questions to assess symptoms and to assess potential COVID-19 exposure; staff also take their temperature.

  • We have increased the level of disinfection of commonly used surfaces at CHIRS sites.

  • To help deal with the effects of stress, our clinical team has made online and in person resources available to help staff maintain their mental health and eligible staff continue to have access to resources through the CHIRS benefits provider.

In our residential settings...

  • Some of our residential clients are staying with family. With fewer clients on site, we need fewer staff on site... and when we reduce the number of people on site we limit client and staff exposure. 

  • Staff are actively screened every day.

  • Clients are monitored and screened twice per day for symptoms of COVID-19.

  • As a precaution, staff are wearing surgical masks throughout their shifts, in conjunction with frequent hand washing and the use of gloves, gowns, and goggles when needed.

  • PPE is available at all of our sites. We have a good supply and monitor our inventory daily.

  • Staff have been very creative and resourceful in helping clients to understand what is going on and to cope with new routines. Their creativity has also helped clients be meaningfully occupied during isolation.

Our day service and community activities...

  • Our community-based staff have been providing case management services via telephone and the internet; this has been a great way to help clients stay connected while limiting their exposure to the virus.

  • Our clinical staff have been meeting with clients through virtual means, including convening virtual groups.

  • Our day services staff have been safely producing and delivering boxed meals and food hampers to clients in need. When available, other needed supplies are added to these hampers - things like cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and recreational materials.

  • Staff have developed creative virtual programming, some of which is so successful and appreciated that we plan to continue it after the pandemic has abated.

  • The employee Wellness Committee continues to be active in collecting and sharing resources that support staff to stay physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually well.

Our senior management staff and Board of Directors...

  • The CHIRS COVID-19 Implementation Team are in contact with each other daily, responding quickly to new developments and directives.

  • Human Resources personnel continues to be in regular contact with staff who are self-isolating; many of them have already returned to work after obeying directives for those who returned from travel outside the country or for those who were not feeling well.

  • The Senior Management team distributes a daily update to staff and the CHIRS Board of Directors, summarizing the day's key events and information, as well as resources to support CHIRS staff and their work.

  • The daily updates keep staff informed and connected, but they don't allow for interaction. The response? A CHIRS Town Hall via the ZOOM meeting platform. We hosted 2 pilots and were so pleased with the staff involvement that we are planning additional sessions.

  • The CHIRS Board of Directors are in regular and close contact with the Executive Director regarding Ministry directives and other important material; in additional ways they support the safe and effective functioning of the organization.

Finally, gratitude...

  • We are so encouraged by how well our clients have observed the "stay at home" protocol; their efforts not only keep them safe, but contribute to the safety of the wider community.

  • We thank our families for their patience and understanding in not visiting the residence; we know how difficult that is and how much restraint must be employed.

  • We also thank the families that were able to take their CHIRS client/family member home; we know that having them there can be a comfort and it helps our efforts to manage the situation.

  • We have received many donations of food supplies for our hampers being distributed to clients in need and recreation materials for clients isolating at home, often without access to the Internet. We have also received monetary donations to support our work. We thank all of those individuals and businesses; your donations have helped to make a difficult situation more manageable.

  • We have received so many well wishes and positive feedback from families and friends of our clients...

CHIRS has been magnificent and I'm so very grateful. The phone calls are great, and the food basket is eagerly anticipated and enjoyed thoroughly. Also a great chance to see the deliverer in person!

My son is responding well to the blitz of support that he is receiving from you and the other staff. So: THANK YOU!!

CHIRS has been effective in quickly enabling staff to work remotely with the necessary tools to be productive... What is amazing is how in such a short period the staff has adapted to the new world.  Not only are staff helping clients adjust and cope while they are dealing with their own anxiety and facing the real potential of compromising their own health... CHIRS has been proactive at recognizing that limiting contact is critical... So many staff are long time employees and really do know the clients so understand what will work for each.  A priority has been limiting TV and the negative news loop which raises anxiety... clients are now doing a daily stretch and relaxation session.  For our family, staff are supporting daily FaceTime calls so that we can include our pets to entertain our family member...  On these calls I can see he is happy and relaxed and for a guy who doesn't like to be locked down this is very comforting.  We know this has everything to do with his being in a supportive and understanding environment.

We thank them all for those encouraging words. We are so very proud of our staff and know that they are doing a remarkable job...and when we hear those same compliments from others, it feels very good.

Below is a link to what the Ontario government is doing to stem the transmission of COVID-19. You can check there any time for the most up-to-date information...

https://www.ontario.ca/page/stopping-spread-covid-19


Saturday, March 14, 2020

In response to the emerging situation with COVID-19, CHIRS is making some temporary changes to programming:
  • The CHIRS Clubhouse is closed until further notice
  • All community programs are cancelled until further notice
  • Outreach clients can connect with staff by phone instead of in person. If you need medically necessary or essential outreach support, please contact your primary worker to discuss options.
  • No new admissions to any CHIRS service
  • Residential outings are cancelled, unless medically necessary
  • Visits to CHIRS Residences should be avoided. If you need to visit a CHIRS Residence for any reason please contact a Service Coordinator or Manager before doing so
  • The Neuropsychology Clinic will be closed until further notice. If you have an Assessment scheduled with the clinic or an appointment scheduled with Dr. Lemsky, Dr. Busse, or Dr. Bolshin someone will be in touch to make a plan.

Over the last few weeks we have been closely monitoring and responding to the situation surrounding COVID-19 and we felt, at this time, it was necessary to enact the next stage of our pandemic plan. We always take Infection and Prevention and hand hygiene very seriously because we want to help keep everyone as healthy as possible. It is apparent that this new virus is spreading quickly and we want to do our part to keep our clients and those in our community healthy and to help slow down the spread of the illness. Our staff are still available to help you. Please feel free to contact your worker or any CHIRS staff by phone if you need to speak with someone. This was a difficult decision to make as we did not want to disrupt services to our clients and families but everyone's health and safety is our primary concern and we wanted to act with the utmost precaution. Thank you for your understanding.

If you would like any additional information please see Public Health Agency of Canada's report "Community-based measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada". https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/public-health-measures-mitigate-covid-19.html


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