Shalem Society COVID-19 Updates

Updates are provided as PDF documents unless otherwise noted.

AHS Letters to Residents and Families

COVID-19 Update 7 (26th November 2020)

Dear Residents,
Many of you will have watched or read about the new provincial guidelines that were announced earlier this week. And many of you will be asking what does that mean for us here at Shalem?

Shalem is a unique complex. Although we live in community, we are largely an independent living facility. Because of this, the coming and going of Residents brings an increased level of risk into our community. The intent of these additional measures are to limit the intersections of contact that can be created living in community such as Shalem.

Please read the full details here:
Update 7 (26 November 2020)

COVID-19 Update 6 (13th November 2020)

Thank you again for your continued vigilance in helping to keep Shalem a safe place to live during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic! We are grateful that Shalem has not had a COVID-19 case to date and we continue to pray for God’s protection.

As you may have heard, yesterday the province of Alberta issued some additional restrictions in response to the continued rise in daily new cases of COVID-19 in Calgary and Alberta. Here at Shalem, we want to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep our community safe. We recognize that while in some ways the Residents of Shalem live as one community, the ability for each Resident to ‘come and go’ as they desire increases our risk and exposure.

Please read the full details here:
Update 6 (13th November 2020)

COVID-19 Update 5 (28th October 2020)

First of all, thank you for your ongoing vigilance in helping to keep Shalem a safe place to live during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For those of you following the news and COVID-19 updates, you will be aware that the growth rate and daily new case numbers of COVID-19 in Calgary continues to climb sharply. And increasingly more of us are now aware of people within our church, school, friend or family communities who have tested positive for the virus.

As you live in community together, we are striving to keep Shalem a safe place while recognizing the mental and social benefits that come from fellowship with each other. This is not a responsibility we take lightly. However, as we have continued to assess the situation, the decision has been made to implement or re- implement additional restrictions.

Please read the full details here:
Update 5 (28th October 2020)

COVID-19 Update 4 (17th September 2020)

Dear Shalem Residents, Families, and Guests:
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw has updated restrictions with regard to Senior Housing. In recognition that socializing is an important part of quality of life, several guidelines have been revised effective September 17, 2020.

Please read the full details here:
Update 4 (17th September 2020)

COVID-19 Update 3 (23rd July 2020)

Dear Shalem Residents and families,
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw has communicated updated restrictions with regard to Senior Housing. These are the new guidelines set in place, which affect Shalem, as of July 23, 2020.

All Guests for Shalem HAVEN, Shalem MANOR, and Shalem COURT must sign in at the main desk located at the Shalem Haven entrance, 3008-51 Street SW.

All Staff, Haven Residents and ALL VISITORS must answer a Health Assessment Screening and undergo a Temperature check each time they enter the building.

INDOOR VISITS:

TWO designated guests are allowed in the facility for INDOOR visits.
Other visitors (including accompanied minors) may be permitted for indoor visits.
ALL Visitors must wear masks for INDOOR visits.

OUTDOOR VISITS:

There is a limit of 4 visitors for OUTDOOR VISITS per resident or resident couple.
Outdoor Visitors may include Resident’s children/grandchildren (no age limit).
Non-family members may continue to visit outside.

All Visitors at Shalem should minimize contact with other Residents.

Physical distancing should be maintained as much as possible, but it is permissible for it not to be maintained at all times, particularly with minors and those who are hard of hearing.

Residents are free to visit each other within Shalem Buildings, up to 2 guests per suite.

Residents must remain vigilant in their actions to protect themselves and others.

Residents who are not required to isolate are encouraged (but not required) to stay on the facility’s property. Residents are encouraged to wear face masks while off the property if they will be in close contact with others.

Should a Resident choose to go off facility property, for necessity or otherwise, the Resident is responsible to:

Maintain physical distancing
Wear a mask at all times and ask anyone you may be with to also wear a mask
Ensure safe transportation
Maintain good hand hygiene
Be screened upon re-entry (Shalem Haven Residents)

Residents, families and friends are also responsible to follow all Public Health guidelines applicable to all Albertans.

Visitors are responsible for bringing their own masks.
Pets/Animals are not permitted to visit or allowed in suites, at this time.

Please know that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and our Residents and Staff are at high risk. Do your part to protect yourself and our entire Shalem Community!

Thank you

Shalem Management

COVID-19 Update 2 (1st June 2020)

Dear Shalem Residents and families,
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw has outlined enhanced restrictions with regard to Senior Housing.

These are the guidelines currently in place:

The intent of this guidance is to protect the health and safety of residents and staff in Seniors facilities.

Essential Visitors Only remains in effect. Essential Visitors are defined as those providing care necessary for the well-being of the Resident.
Children under the age of 18 are not permitted to enter Shalem.
Shalem Haven doors are closed in the linked hallway, only to be accessed by Haven residents and Essential Visitors.
All Haven Residents must stay on the facility’s property, except in the case of necessity (eg. walking, groceries, pharmacy) or exceptions such as medical appointments, while observing physical and social distancing requirements.
We encourage Shalem Court and Manor Residents to also limit outings for the well-being of all Shalem.
All Staff, Haven Residents and Essential Visitors, plus visitors for all 3 buildings, must enter through the Haven Front Entrance to undergo a Temperature check, and fill out a Health Screening Questionnaire, each time they enter the building.
All guests will receive a Guest Badge.
Outdoor visits with the designated Essential Visitor plus one other person (total group size of 3, including the Resident) are encouraged. There is no age limit on outdoor guests. However, physical distancing must be practiced and all visitors must wear a mask or some other form of face covering.
Visitors are responsible for bringing their own masks for outdoor visits.

As of May 15, Dr. Deena Hinshaw has approved outdoor gatherings of up to 50 people. The grounds of Shalem are unable to accommodate this number of people with the required physical distancing protocols, therefore Shalem can only allow outdoor gatherings of approx. 15 -20 people, at this time.

Please know that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and our Residents and Staff are at high risk. Do your part to protect yourself and our entire Shalem Community!

Thank you

Shalem Management

COVID-19 Update 1 (2nd April 2020)

Dear Shalem Residents and families,
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw has outlined enhanced restrictions with regard to Senior Housing.

Essential Visitors Only remains in effect.
Essential Visitors are defined as those providing care necessary for the well-being of the Resident.
NEW:
- Shalem Haven doors are closed in the linked hallway, only to be accessed by Haven Residents and Essential Visitors.
- All Haven Residents must stay on the facility’s property, except in the case of necessity (eg. walking, groceries, pharmacy) or exceptions such as medical appointments, while observing physical and social distancing requirements.
- We encourage Shalem Court and Manor Residents to also limit outings for the well-being of all Shalem.
- All Staff, Haven Residents and Essential visitors, plus visitors for all 3 buildings, must enter through the Haven Front Entrance to undergo a Temperature check, and fill out a Health Screening Questionnaire, each time they enter the building.
- If a Resident leaves the building, upon each return they will fill out a new Health Questionnaire and receive a temperature check.
- All Guests will receive a Guest Badge.

Please know that COVID-19 is highly contagious, and our Residents and Staff are at high risk. Do your part to protect yourself and our entire Shalem Community!

Thank you
Shalem Management

Initial Response (23rd March 2020)

Shalem is following the AHS Update from March 23th, 2020:

Effective immediately, only one essential visitor at a time for residents in Supportive Living (the Haven) will be allowed.
Essential visitors are defined as those providing care necessary for the well-being of the resident.
Essential visitors are restricted to one individual at a time and those visitors must be immediate family or a designated person.
Additionally, no children will be allowed to visit.
We recognize that this may be difficult for families and loved ones but we must do all we can to minimize the risk of infection to our residents and staff.
We encourage families to consider alternate methods for communication, such as Facetime or Skype, to connect with residents.

Additional COVID-19 Measures at Shalem:

All Essential visitors will enter through the Haven Front Entrance and will undergo health screening questions as well as receive a Guest Badge.
- Shalem Haven Address: 3008 - 51 Street SW
All other entrances are for Residents entry and exit ONLY
Shalem Court and Shalem Manor residents have been asked to cooperate with the AHS protocol
We are not accepting any reservations for the Guest Suites at this time
All staff-facilitated events and activities are cancelled until further notice
Our Dining Room is closed
Deliveries of Groceries and Medications to the Residents are permitted, however anyone entering the buildings will need to go through the Haven address and follow the Questionnaire and Guest protocol.

We ask that these items be left at the Haven Front Desk for distribution to the appropriate Resident (delivery people are not allowed into our Buildings). Please make an appointment for delivery so staff is available.