Editor’s Note: In advance of the ‘Save our Healthcare Workers’ Jobs‘ protest planned for the afternoon of Saturday Oct.23 in Barry’s Bay, The Current publishes the following statement from Trisha Deslauriers, CEO, Valley Manor.
Valley Manor must ensure that no staff, support worker, student or volunteer who has not received all required vaccine doses is permitted to enter the home for the purposes of working, undertaking a student placement or volunteering, unless they have a valid medical exemption, as of November 15.
Everyone at Valley Manor — whether it is a staff, student, volunteer, caregiver, support worker, general visitor, or resident — has a responsibility to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the residents and their coworkers by practicing these measures at all times.
Ensuring that all individuals who work, train or volunteer in a long term care home are vaccinated is critical to protecting all of our residents and staff. The safety of our residents and staff is top priority at Valley Manor.
High rates of vaccination will help reduce the risk of outbreaks and the need to isolate residents, and will prevent unnecessary hospitalization. Isolation means residents lose in-person social interaction and the ability to engage in activities; the effects of isolation may be greater for residents who have dementia and/or a cognitive impairment.
Valley Manor’s vaccination rate has slowly been improving; however, it still is not at the level that it should be. 108 out of 130 staff are fully vaccinated at Valley Manor. The residents have expressed great concern over having unvaccinated staff working with them so this directive is in line with the residents’ wishes and their rights. It is the residents’ home.
This is a challenging but very necessary step that many in the sector have called for. We truly do wish for the most positive outcome for our staff and our residents as we navigate through this arduous time.
So happy to read the article from the point of view of the residents. Valley Manor is the home of all that live there, NOT of those that work there. That is the residents’ safe haven, just like my home is my safe haven. If I needed assistance in my home, I would want help from someone who is vaccinated and if they weren’t, I would not hire them. So should the residents of Valley Manor have that same luxury. They should be able to be safe and feel safe! So, if you are not vaccinated, and that is the criteria for working there, you should not be hired. Remember everyone, that is their home and they have the right to feel safe from all harm, including COVID 19.