The coronavirus, or COVID-19, is impacting each of our lives. It is a difficult time. We know you are concerned for your loved one in our care and we want you to know that our highest priority is the health and safety of residents.
During this time, there is a tremendous desire for information. Below you can learn about Social Visitation at Elim, Window Visits, Virtual Visits, and read answers to Frequently Asked Questions organized according to housing type.
We continue to be actively engaged with the Ministry of Health and the Fraser Health Authority to stay apprised of new information.
New Allowances
New allowances relating to social visitation for residents of Assisted Living and Full Care are now in effect. These allowances include:
- Residents may see up to two adult visitors at a time, plus a child (age 18 or younger);
- Residents may have physical contact with visitors
- Additional guests may be present for outdoor visits
- Social visits may occur in resident suites
The Visitation Centre remains open to effectively manage these new allowances and to facilitate new requests for in-room visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are you still offering tours?
- At this time, we are not scheduling in-person tours, however, a virtual tour of our Full Care buildings is available on our Full Care web page (CLICK HERE). Contact the Presentation Centre by phone at 604-582-5579 or by email at info@elimvillage.com during regular office hours with any questions you have.
Have Harrison / Harrison West residents received a COVID-19 vaccine?
- Consenting residents of Full Care received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on January 6, 2021 and the second dose on February 18. Newly admitted / eligible consenting residents received their first dose on February 18.
How can I visit my loved one?
- You can have a social visit with your loved one through an in-person visit at our Visitation Centre, an in-room visit in the resident’s room, through a virtual visit, or through a Window Visit. Essential visits are only approved for compassionate reasons or if a resident’s condition has declined and meets assessment criteria warranting the need for an essential visit.
- Information about Social Visitation is located further down on this web page.
- Information about Window Visits is located further down on this web page.
- Virtual visits are especially helpful for those who don’t live locally. If you would like to book a virtual visit, call the main reception at 604-583-3546 to be directed to our wellness team to book an appointment, or email wellness@elimvillage.com
I want to take a resident offsite. Can I?
- Yes. Please contact Terry-Lynn Dryfhout, Manager of Community Relations, at 778-996-7755, or tld@elimvillage.com to discuss.
I’ve booked an in-room visit. Can I take the resident for a walk?
- If you’d like to take a resident outside for a walk, please book a separate visit with the Visitation Centre, at one of our Gazebo locations.
- For health and safety reasons, in-room visits must remain within the room itself.
Can I bring food / have a meal during my in-room visit?
- Masks must be worn at all times by social visitors as per safety measures still in place by Order of the Provincial Health Officer.
How long can we stay for an in-room visit? / Can I stay longer than an hour?
- In order to accommodate the large volume of requests for social visits and to maintain the safety of residents, staff and visitors, we prefer visits remain one-hour in length. If you would like to book visits longer than one hour, please contact Terry-Lynn Dryfhout, Manager of Community Relations, at 778-996-7755 or tld@elimvillage.com
Do the new allowances affect Essential Visitors at all?
- The new allowances are in relation to social visitation only. Essential visits are a separate matter. Our current process for Essential Visitation remains unchanged.
I’m an Essential Visitor, can I combine that now with a social visit?
- The Provincial Health Officer has not made changes to the policies around Essential Visits. As per the guidelines, essential visits are limited to one visitor at a time.
Can I give a care package to my loved one in Full Care?
We are happy to make your loved one’s day brighter with the delivery of a care package from home. Each resident can receive a single package on a weekly basis. We ask that it be no larger than a medium-sized bag. For infection control, the package is isolated for up to seven days prior to delivery.
Follow the below guidelines for permissible content:
- Nonperishable store-packaged food items (no homemade baking or cooked items)
- Personal items i.e. toiletries (new and unopened)
- Books, letters, photos, games, etc.
- Clothing, new or laundered
Packages can be dropped off at The Harrison reception desk (building 9067) or brought to the Visitation Centre. CLICK HERE to print off the form and once filled out, affix it to the package.
How can I celebrate my family member’s birthday?
- Option 1: Book a small virtual birthday party via FaceTime for your family member in their room. Email wellness@elimvillage.com or call Jenn Pook at 604-587-8999 ext 4004 to arrange.
- Option 2: Book a large virtual birthday party via Zoom for the whole family, which the resident can view on a big screen T.V.
- Option 3: Send a birthday gift – gifts or flowers are sanitized and delivered on the resident’s birthday.
- Option 4: Send a birthday greeting – Email pictures / video clips for us to show the resident on their birthday
- Option 5: Order a birthday cake (at cost)– Email catering@elimvillage.com or call Elisa at 604-954-0311 ext 2052 for information on cake flavours.
Can I still go to the Pharmacy?
- Yes, the Rexall Pharmacy on site is open. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
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Are you still offering tours?
- At this time, we are not scheduling any in-person tours, however, virtual tours of units in the Emerald are available on our Assisted Living web page (CLICK HERE). Please contact the Presentation Centre by phone at 604-582-5579 or by email at info@elimvillage.com during regular office hours with any questions you have.
How can I visit my loved one?
- You can have a social visit with your loved one through an in-person visit at our Visitation Centre, an in-room visit in the resident’s room, through a virtual visit, or through a Window Visit. Essential visits are only approved for compassionate reasons or if a resident’s condition has declined and meets assessment criteria warranting the need for an essential visit.
- Information about Social Visitation is located further down on this web page.
- Information about Window Visits is located further down on this web page.
- Virtual visits are especially helpful for those who don’t live locally. If you would like to book a virtual visit, call the main reception at 604-583-3546 to be directed to our wellness team to book an appointment, or email wellness@elimvillage.com
I want to take a resident offsite. Can I?
- Yes. Please contact Marnie VanEgmond, Manager of Care, at 604-584-7587 ext 2024 or by email at mvanegmond@elimvillage.com to discuss.
Can I bring food / have a meal during my in-room visit?
- Masks must be worn at all times by social visitors as per safety measures still in place by Order of the Provincial Health Officer.
How long can we stay for an in-room visit? / Can I stay longer than an hour?
- In order to accommodate the large volume of requests for social visits and to maintain the safety of residents, staff and visitors, we prefer visits remain one-hour in length. If you would like to book visits longer than one hour, please contact Terry-Lynn Dryfhout, Manager of Community Relations, at 778-996-7755 or tld@elimvillage.com
Can I send my loved one items such as flowers, food, and other items?
- Yes, please bring items to the Emerald reception desk between 9am – 5pm, Monday through Saturday. There will be a form to fill out. Staff will then deliver items to your loved one’s suite.
[new] Are wellness activities still being offered for Emerald residents?
- Yes! We have a full Activity Calendar planned for each month, with activities adjusted to ensure proper safety measures are in place. Access this month’s calendar from our News & Events web page (CLICK HERE)
[updated] How can I celebrate my family member’s birthday?
- Each Emerald resident is celebrated on their birthday. Staff offer birthday wishes, sing “Happy Birthday” in the dining room, and gift a card. A few additional options exist, however, to add a personal touch:
- Option 1: Book a virtual birthday party via Zoom by emailing wellness@elimvillage.com. We’ll host the Zoom party on a big screen T.V. in a private decorated room and provide cake for your family member if requested (see Option 4 for how to order a cake).
- Option 2: Book an in-person visit at our Visitation Centre or an in-room visit in the resident’s suite, with the option to invite others virtually through use of your personal smart phone or iPad.
- Option 3: Have a Window Visit birthday party at the Emerald, where several guests can attend. If your loved one requires assistance to get to the designated Window Visit location, contact wellness@elimvillage.com.
- Option 4: Order a birthday cake (at cost) from our catering menu to be served at either lunch or dinner to fellow residents, or to enjoy together during a pre-arranged visit. Email catering@elimvillage.com or call Elisa at 604-954-0311 ext 2052 for information on cake flavours.
Can I still go to the Pharmacy?
- Yes, the Rexall Pharmacy on site is open. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
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Have residents of Independent Living received a COVID-19 vaccine?
- Consenting residents of Elim’s Independent Living community received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on March 3, 2021.
- Elim continues to monitor the provincial rollout of the vaccine to learn when the 2nd dose will become available for these residents.
Can I visit my family member / friend who lives in Independent Living?
- A new health order came into effect December 2nd related to private residences. This order states no household is allowed social visits at this time. Professional services provided by Elim such as care, housekeeping, and maintenance are still permitted to enter a residence, as well as a family member who acts as a caregiver.
- There is an exception for those who live alone. If you live alone, you can have up to two visitors in your home (social visits) as long as they are part of your pandemic bubble – people you regularly interact with. You cannot have these two people over at the same time if they are not part of each other’s pandemic bubble.
- All British Columbians must also now wear a mask in indoor public spaces, which includes the hallways of our buildings.
What is a “pandemic bubble”?
- Every British Columbian must limit the number of people they have regular contact with and are physically close with, and this small group of people is your “pandemic bubble” or your “core bubble”.
- For some, this bubble may be a household of six living together, but for a single person, this bubble may include a family member or friend.
Are you still offering tours?
- At this time, we are not scheduling in-person tours. Please contact the Presentation Centre by phone at 604-582-5579 or by email at info@elimvillage.com during regular office hours with any questions you have.
What can I do if my parent needs care?
- In an emergency, 911 should be contacted first as they have access to our buildings
- If you wish to arrange personal care services for your parent, contact our Manager of Care at 604-584-7587 ext. 2024 and we will work together to best accommodate your parents’ care needs
Can I order groceries or meals for my parent living in Independent Living?
- You can arrange meal delivery and or groceries by contacting our Community Life representative at 604-584-7587 ext 2000. They can help you arrange daily or weekly meals as well as grocery items.
Can I still go to the Pharmacy?
- Yes, the Rexall Pharmacy on site is open. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Social Visitation at Elim
Social visits are intended to support the emotional well-being of residents.
The Visitation Centre operates Monday – Saturday from 9am to 4pm and is located in the Harrison West Chapel / Multi-Purpose Room and nearby Gazebo. It is the central hub for scheduling social visits for residents of The Emerald (Assisted Living) and Harrison / Harrison West (Full Care). It is also responsible for visitor safety orientations for both Visitation Centre visits and in-room visits.
All social visits must be booked in advance. To book a visit, contact our Visitation Scheduler, Monday through Thursday, at 604-583-3546 ext. 4005. On Fridays and Saturdays, call extension 8001. Please notify the schedulers and leave a message if you need to cancel or change an appointment.
Once your visitation time is scheduled, you will receive a confirmation email that includes further direction. Please review the guidelines below in advance of your visit.
Alternative forms of visitation, such as a Window Visit or a Virtual Visit, can also be accommodated. Contact our Wellness team at wellness@elimvillage.com to set up a window visit or a virtual visit using FaceTime/Zoom or Skype.
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- Social visits occur when there is no active COVID-19 outbreak. In the event of a building outbreak, social visitation is suspended for the affected building until the outbreak is declared over for that building
- Social visits are not permitted if the resident or designated visitor is sick, has symptoms of COVID-19, or if the resident lives in a building with a current COVID-19 outbreak
- Social visits must be booked in advance and all visitors identified at time of booking
- Social visitors must arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time for appropriate screening and a safety orientation
- Social visitors must bring and wear a mask for the duration of their visit
- Social visitors must adhere to all other required safety protocols including hand-washing protocols
- Social visits are booked for 30-minutes in the Visitation Centre and up to an hour for in-room visits. If you would like to book visits longer than one hour, please contact Terry-Lynn Dryfhout, Manager of Community Relations, at 778-996-7755 or tld@elimvillage.com
- Social visits take place in pre-determined locations only
Window Visits
Window visits are another way to connect with residents of The Emerald, Harrison or Harrison West.
Window visits are made possible by a window and a phone. Residents remain safely inside their building and use the phone provided, and their guests remain outside, on the other side of a large window. Guests use their personal mobile phone.
Below are further details on these visits, unique to housing type.
Assisted Living
Window visits are available seven days a week between 7 – 11am, 1 – 4pm, and 6 – 9pm.
There is no time restriction to the length of your window visit, however, we respectively ask that visits be limited to 30 minutes if another resident is waiting their turn.
Additional phone instruction is provided on location.
Window visits take place on the patio adjacent to the building’s front entrance. No advanced booking is required.
Full Care
Window visits are available seven days a week between 9 – 11:30am and 1 – 3:30pm and are 30 minutes in length.
For residents of Harrison 2S, 2E, 3S, 3E and 3N, window visits take place under the Elim canopy located in the Staff/Service parking lot between the Harrison and Harrison West. For residents in 1E, 1S and 2N, windows are in their neighbourhoods.
Visits must be booked in advance. To book a window visit please email wellness@elimvillage.com or call 604-587-8999 ext 4004.
