Group activities are a great way to learn and promote healthy habits while connecting with others, which is why the Lighthouse program in the community of Duck Bay was established. SherriAnn Thompson stepped into the role of program coordinator in 2020 with the goals of encouraging youth to make positive choices, preventing crime and substance use within the community. The program provides activities and resources for youth, including a drop-in center for after-school, evening, and weekend activities. It also organizes events involving the entire community, with SherriAnn saying, “We always try to include everyone.” The Lighthouse program relies on fundraising, donations, and grants to provide its free programming. It has partnered with several organizations, including Duck Bay Recreation, Right to Play, Northwest Metis Council, Duck Bay MMF local, SKO, WASAC, and many others. This year, a Healthy Together Now grant was also received, helping to fund several activities and initiatives.

SherriAnn was required to make many adaptations to the program this year due to the Public Health orders. She was resourceful, using creativity to ensure that community members still got the program’s benefits from their own homes. Lighthouse put together 96 care packages for the community’s youth; they included body wash, soap, sponges, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, combs, and feminine products. For the younger children, arts and crafts packages were put together that included scissors, glue sticks, craft paper, felt paper, markers, crayons and much more. Lighthouse also distributed free fruit packages to 56 households in the community to promote healthy eating. All of these packages were delivered “house to house, door to door,” explained SherriAnn, with the help of volunteers.

The Lighthouse program also does monthly activities, with food bingos being one of their most popular events. This program was maintained throughout COVID-19 with the help of a Facebook live stream. Each month, ten games of Bingo are played. Each winner receives a package of fruits or vegetables, allowing community members to participate in a fun activity while encouraging healthy eating. “The highest number that we’ve had for participants so far is 46 people,” said SherriAnn, which is a huge turnout for the small community. Another monthly activity is cooking classes, which were also adapted to be done at home; the ingredients and recipes are currently being delivered directly to households to try on their own. From time to time, Lighthouse also organizes online contests to get community members using their creativity. Some of the past contests include face mask decorating and lighthouse making.

To promote physical activity, the Lighthouse program normally organizes several sports, including basketball, volleyball, hockey, skating, and baseball. Duck Bay School generously lends their gym for many of these events. Due to indoor gathering restrictions, Lighthouse has instead been promoting physical activity outdoors. They recently brought a group of children swimming at their local beach; the children were taught about water safety, and Lighthouse provided each child with a life jacket. “I try to incorporate healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables,” said SherriAnn, to also promote healthy eating during these group activities.

Community members have been very involved in the program, with SherriAnn saying, “When we have events in our community, we have a lot of support. A lot of people come out.” Often she is asked about future events and has even received suggestions for possible activities. She can see the positive impact the program is making, with the rate of crime being very low in the youth population: “everybody’s benefiting from it … healthier lifestyles for everyone.” She is looking forward to more events being back in person with the easing of Public Health orders. To learn about future events, check out the ‘Duck Bay Lighthouse Program’ and ‘Duck Bay LH & HTN Monthly Free Food Bingo’ pages on Facebook.

Interested in receiving funding for a project focused on healthy eating, physical activity, mental well-being or tobacco prevention and reduction in your community? Visit Prairie Mountain Health’s ‘Healthy Together Now’ page for more information on eligibility and how to apply.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) recognizes the valuable role and importance visitation has within its health care settings. The challenges associated with COVID-19 meant social visitation within Personal Care Homes (PCHs) had to be altered and restricted to protect and keep safe, one of our most at-risk populations— residents within long term care.  Vaccinations have greatly improved the severe outcomes and spread with this highly contagious disease within long-term care settings.  With higher vaccination levels across the province, pandemic restrictions have eased over time and this has allowed increased social visitation measures to be implemented within personal care homes.

The provincial guidelines by Shared Health, which all PCHs in the province follow for visitation, are regularly reviewed and updated to provide additional access for in-person PCH visits.  The health region follows these and changes as they are released.  They are wanting friends and families to know what they can expect when planning to visit.  While the guidelines have changed some public health orders will continue to remain a focus such as social distancing, hand hygiene and staying home when feeling unwell.  Visitations always need to be scheduled at minimum 24 hours in advance of the visit.  The scheduling is needed to help us minimize the number of individuals entering for screening, signing in, assisting with masks and escorting to the visitation area by the scheduler.  At the time of this writing (Aug. 2021), these are some of the key guidelines for visitation.

General visitation

The increased social visitation guidelines associated with general visitors allows facilities to ask for a person’s COVID-19 immunizations status when determining whether in-person/in room visits may take place.  This measure applies to being fully vaccinated (2 doses plus 14 days) for both the visitors and residents.  This proof of immunization is required.  In situations where either the resident/visitor or both are not fully vaccinated, indoor visitation continues to be restricted under general visitation guidelines.

Guidelines for the number of visitors and location of visits can still vary based on factors including the size of the room and a resident’s current medical condition or vaccination status. Site screening and safety measures, including the wearing of masks, remain in place.

If unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated, general visitors still have the option of outdoor visits and/or the use of the CoVisitation shelters at PCHs.

For out of province, international and or children visitation, please contact the site Care Team Manger or nursing lead for further information.

Designated Family Caregiver visitation

There is no change in access to those members that have been named as designated family caregivers. Vaccination proof is not a consideration and PCH sites work with the family caregivers to communicate what they need to know when coming to the site, which includes things like wellness screening, continued hand hygiene measures and what medical protective equipment is required. The existing provision on end-of-life care considerations and exceptions also remains in effect at all health care facilities.

Staying in touch

As we continue to take every precaution to keep our PCH residents safe, one of the most important pieces of advice we can give at this time, is for would-be visitors to please check ahead with the resident’s PCH prior to planning a visit. As general visiting logistics are regularly scheduled through a booking system the best approach is to contact the site first.

There is a list of visitors identified for each resident, so their name must be on the list.  Contact the PCH Resident or alternate decision maker to be added to the list of visitors. 

Every visit to a health care facility still brings with it the inherent risk of exposure or transmission of COVID-19.  Accordingly, PCH residents and their friends/ family can still consider virtual visits, where possible. 

PMH also has a “well wishes program” to deliver messages to family and friends who reside in personal care homes or who are in hospital within the region. The well wishes page has various templates you can select to recognize birthdays, special occasion days (like Mother’s Day) or send a message that you are thinking about them.  You can access the program from the home page of the PMH website.

Additional information on visiting a PCH facility is available on the health region’s website. 

Should you experience a concern with the visitation process, we strongly urge that you contact the site Care Team Manager/or nursing lead first.  If the concern has not been addressed, please contact the PMH Patient Relations Department at:

• 204-578-2104 or Toll Free: 1-800-735-6596
• Email: [email protected]

We thank everyone for their consideration, cooperation and patience as we all work together to provide a safe environment within our long-term care homes.