Dearness Home

Dearness Home recognizes that being able to connect with friends and family is essential to a resident’s emotional health and well-being. We are committed to making visits happen, however; we are also committed to maintaining a safe environment for the people who live at Dearness Home and to following the direction of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

The health and safety of our residents is our top priority. Please help us keep your loved one and you safe by following the visit guidelines below. It is important to note that if these guidelines are not followed by a visitor, visiting privileges can be suspended.

Visitor Information for Virtual or Window Visits

To schedule a virtual or window visit, and your loved one does not have a registered essential caregiver, please call your Home Area Recreation Coordinator:

• Oakdale - Laura, Matthew and Tristan at 519-661-0400 ext 8211
• Second Floor - Christie at 519-661-0400 ext 8221
• Third Floor - Tammy at 519-661-0400 ext 8231
• Fourth Floor - Jacquie at 519-661-0400 ext 8241
• Fifth Floor - Joanne at 519-661-0400 ext 8251

Please read the information below carefully before your visit. It is important to note that general visitors less than 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Please Note:   All food/drinks are now allowed into Dearness Home to give to your loved ones, meaning a resident can partake of a nutritional break during your visit.  It is important to note that any food item coming in is only for the resident, not something for the visitor. Please note all visitors must be masked at all time, as per Ministry requirements, as well please continue to encourage your loved ones to remain masked during your visit. 

Visitor Information for Outdoor Visit

Please note that all outside visits are currently suspended due to the season. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dee Decock at 519-661-0400 ext 8273 or via email at ddecock@london.ca

Visitor Information for Inside Visit

If you are the Power of Attorney or Substitute Decision Maker for the resident and would like to schedule a visit, please all Dee Decock at 519-661-0400 ext 8273 or email ddecock@london.ca a minimum of 72 business hours ahead of time. Please note residents can have up to four visitors at a time.

Please read the information below carefully before your visit. It is important to note that general visitors less than 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult and have at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Children under the age of five can visit pending they have two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and have been tested. Children under the age of one, may enter the home without surveillance testing. Children under the age of two years are not required to wear a mask.

Please Note:   All food/drinks are now allowed into Dearness Home to give to your loved ones, meaning a resident can partake of a nutritional break during your visit.  It is important to note that any food item coming in is only for the resident, not something for the visitor. Please note all visitors must be masked at all time, as per Ministry requirements, as well please continue to encourage your loved ones to remain masked during your visit. 

The government has decided that four people designated by the resident, if they are incapable, their Power of Attorney (POA) or substitute decision maker (SDM), may be allowed into the long-term care Home as Essential Caregivers. These Caregivers must be at least 18 years of age. They may be a family member or a privately hired Caregiver, a paid companion or a translator.

Such Caregivers, who will not be permitted into the Home until fully vaccinated (3 doses) and receiving in-person education, are seen as essential because they will provide direct care for Dearness Home residents. Care in the way of eating, mobility, personal hygiene, cognitive stimulation, communication, connections, relational continuity and/or assistance with decision making.

COVID-19 can be fatal for those who live in long-term care and keeping COVID-19 out of Dearness Home is extremely important. Caregivers will be required to respect and practice the infection control measures put in place to keep Dearness Home residents and staff safe. To help ensure this, before Caregivers come in to the Home to provide care they will receive approximately one hour of in-person education on infection control practices, which includes how to safely put personal protective equipment on and take it off.

If you are the POA or SDM for care, please speak with your loved-one in the Home and your family to decide if you want to designate Caregivers.  If so, decide who the Caregiver(s) will be and then please contact Cheryl Gilmour, Manager Community Life by email cgilmour@london.ca or by phone 519-661-0400 x8271 to work with you to arrange a mutually agreed upon training time.

Please Note: Only the resident or the POA/SDM for care can designate a Caregiver.

Full Essential Caregiver Information Package and Guideline Document.

Essential Caregiver Education Package

The Dearness Home will provide an organized process to ensure a safe environment for visits that follows provincially mandated direction and Public Health infection controls protocols. Please read the policy and guideline documents below. Please reach out if you have any questions to the Dearness Home staff at 519-661-0400 ext 8262.

Dearness Home Visit Policy and Procedure

Medical Contraindication Form

The Government has allowed four types of absence from long-term care Homes:

Medical Absences:

Medical absences are absences to seek medical and/or health care:

• Outpatient medical visits and a single visit, less than or equal to 24 hours in duration, to the Emergency Department do not require testing or self-isolation upon to Dearness Home.
• All other medical visits (i.e. admissions/transfers to other health care facilities, multi-night stays in the Emergency Department) require testing and isolation, if applicable, upon return.

Compassionate/Palliative Absences:

• Single day absences, less than or equal to 24 hours in duration, do not require testing or self-isolation upon return.
• Overnight absences require testing and isolation, if applicable, upon return.

Short-term (day) Absences:

• Short-term absences are absences that are less than or equal to 24 hours in duration. Active screening and testing on day 5 following the return of the resident is required. No isolation is required.
• There are two types of short-term (day) absences:
  • Essential absences which include absences for reasons of groceries, pharmacies and other physical activity. All individuals, regardless of their immunization status, can participate in essential absences, unless the resident is in isolation and on Droplet and Contact Precautions or as directed by the local public health unit.
  • Social absence include absences for all reasons not listed under medical, compassionate/palliative, and our essential absences that do not include an overnight stay.

Temporary Absences:

• Temporary absences include absences involving two or more days and one or more nights for non-medical reasons.

Limitations on Absences

• When a stay-at-home order is in effect, as per O. Reg 265/21, essential absences are permitted by social and temporary absences are note permitted.
• Temporary absences require permission from the Home.
• When a resident on an outbreak Home Area or in isolation wishes to leave the Home for a medical or compassionate/palliative absence, the Home will consult with public health for further advice.

Safety during Absences

Absences from Dearness Home can expose the resident to a greater risk of Covid-19 infection, which can cause life-changing impairment or death. It is important to keep in mind that some residents are not vaccinated, and the immunization is never a perfect barrier to infection or to passing on infection.

With this individual and collective responsibility in mind, the resident and those with them should always put safety first and follow these crucial steps:

• Wear Masks: The resident will leave Dearness Home with a surgical mask that should cover their nose and mouth throughout the absence, if tolerated. Any other person with interacts with the resident should also wear a mask.
• Physically Distance:  Unless both the resident and the person they are interacting with are fully immunized ( 2 vaccine doses and 14 days since the second dose received) the resident should remain two meters distance, particularly important when masks are off when eating and drinking and avoid enclosed spaces wherever possible.
• Manage Risks:  Crowds or other high-risk areas, such as malls and indoor restaurants, should be avoided.
• Practice Hand Hygiene:  The resident and those with them should wash their hands frequently. Make sure to carry hand sanitizer.

Taking a short-term absence:

• Permission from Dearness Home for a short-term absence is not required.
• The resident or their essential caregiver must sign out before leaving, and sign in on their return. 
• Activities outside of Dearness Home must not breach Government COVID-19 restrictions.
• Departure must be between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays r 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.
• Return should be prior to the end of visiting hours or where this is not possible, by 9:00 p.m. at the latest.

Taking a temporary absence:

• The resident may take a temporary absence regardless of vaccination status.
• The resident of POA/SDM must speak to the RPN on the Home Area at least 48 hours before the proposed departure time, in order to allow time for considerations from management and for the packaging of medications for the absence.
• The resident or their essential caregiver must sign out before leaving and signing in on their return.
• Activities outside Dearness Home must not breach Government COVID-19 restrictions.
• Departure must be between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays or 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.
• Return should be prior to the end of visiting hours or where this is not possible, by 9:00 p.m. at the latest.
• When the resident returns to Dearness Home after being away for one or more nights, Dearness Home will reference their vaccination status and test & isolate the resident if required under Directive #3 from the Government.