2020-2021 Annual Report
Download Menno Place’s 2020-2021 Annual Report.
Menno Place and the Abbotsford State of Emergency – November 17, 2021
November 17, 2021 – Update re: State of Emergency in Abbotsford and Menno Place
Menno Place and our residents are safe with no risk of flooding in our buildings.
We have no break in our supply lines.
Some staff who live in other communities such as Mission or Chilliwack have been stranded. Some are staying at Menno Place in guest suites or with friends.
There is currently a huge fire at Fraserway RV on the north side of the Sumas Prairie. Toxic smoke is blowing west, but not toward Menno Place at this time. All windows to be kept closed.
We will continue you to update you if information changes. At this time, we are grateful that all are safe and that we can continue as normal in our service of the residents.
National Seniors Day – Share your (tiny) story of love, honour & respect – 160 words or less + photo
Vancouver Sun Article with Karen Biggs, CEO
COVID-19: B.C. care providers fear 10 per cent staff exodus over mandatory vaccinations
The CEO of an Abbotsford seniors care complex fears a loss of staff unless provincial health officials promptly apply the mandatory vaccination to hospital staff and community-based health care workers, too.
Menno Place is bracing for staffing problems on Oct. 12, when all workers at the large seniors community in Abbotsford will need to be vaccinated to be able to work.
Some 675 employees work at the sprawling seniors complex that includes 700 residents in long-term care and independent and assisted living in six buildings. With the province’s mandatory staff vaccination announcement for those who work in seniors care a month ago, CEO Karen Biggs is worried about how much of her staff will be lost.
Staff at hospitals and health care workers who work in the community aren’t required to be immunized against COVID, and she fears she may lose five to 10 per cent of her staff to acute care facilities or to community care, such as in-home care workers.
“We’re all extremely concerned,” said Biggs. “My staff are literally across the street right now from Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, and they can just walk over and get a job. We’re like sitting ducks. I’m losing one of my best (kitchen staffers).”
Menno Home Outbreak – September 8, 2021
This past week, Menno Home was declared on COVID outbreak. Menno Home is one of six buildings on the 11 acre Menno Place campus of care.
At this time, all four of the neighborhoods within the Menno Home building are cohorted. This means that staff only work in their one specific unit with separate entrances and break rooms minimizing any transmission between units. Since it was ordered in spring 2020, Menno Home (and all other buildings at Menno Place) have followed the Single-Site Order which means that staff caring for elders are not permitted to work in other care homes.
The COVID positive residents and staff are all from one of the four units (Menno Home E1). At this time, 34 residents and 13 staff are COVID positive. There has been one death of a resident who was palliative prior to the outbreak.
All residents who live in the other 3 units in Menno Home have been swabbed for COVID as well as all the staff who worked in Menno Home in the days prior to the first COVID positive result. There are no COVID positive staff or residents in these other 3 units at this time.
We are encouraged that, due to vaccination, the symptoms of COVID for the residents and staff are significantly milder than they were pre-vaccination.
Social visits continue for residents who live in the five other buildings on our campus of care.
Thank you to all who have expressed their concern for the elderly who are entrusted to our care. We are grateful for the immense community support that has been extended to Menno Place, especially during this COVID pandemic. We remember, with great gratitude the outpouring of masks, supplies, gifts, Christmas decorations and concern from the Abbotsford community for these elders and our staff throughout this pandemic.
As always, we recognize the immense love there is among you for the residents who call Menno Place their home. This has become abundantly clear as we have faced this challenging pandemic together. There is no dispute – our elders are loved and they are loved well. For this, we thank you.
If you are a person of prayer, we invite you to pray that our residents and staff will remain safe during this outbreak in Menno Home.
We welcome your good wishes and encouragement to our staff – who tirelessly provide care and love – the true heart of Menno Place. Send your good wishes and encouragement to connect@mennoplace.ca
Menno Home declared on Outbreak
COVID UPDATE – September 3, 2021 – Menno Home All Units on Outbreak
We are sad to let you know that all units in Menno Home (E1, E2, W1, W2) have now been declared on outbreak by the Medical Health Officer.
What does this mean?
- Safe visits are closed for the duration of the outbreak.
- All residents and all staff will be swabbed for point-prevalence.
- Essential visitors connect with nurse of your loved one’s unit for current update about visits. Click here for details.
- Families and Friends, please follow daily updates – click here
Ministry of Health – Overview of Visitors
Download the PDF from the British Columbia Ministry of Health, Effective July 19, 2021
Ministry of Health – Overview of Visitors in Long-Term Care and Seniors’ Assisted Living
