CAMBRIDGE, March 12, 2020 – At Southbridge, the care and safety of our residents, team members and families are our top priority. The World Health Organization declared yesterday that the COVID-19 has been upgraded to a pandemic. As of today, there has been 41 confirmed cases in Ontario. More information on the status of the virus in Ontario can be found at www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov.

To ensure the ongoing care and safety of our residents, team members and families, we are following Public Health Authority directives to help keep them safe from COVID-19. We have been working closely with our management partner, Extendicare Assist, who has activated their Incident Management System (IMS) team led by their National Director of Infection Prevention and Control to develop and implement strategies to manage the virus threat. Daily communications within our organization update team members on emerging issues and changes to monitoring procedures. A support team is available to answer any questions from the staff.

We are working closely with Public Health agencies across Canada to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through the screening of all residents, team members and visitors to our homes. We ask that visitors refrain from visiting if they exhibit symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, chills, muscle pain or a headache, and this is displayed on a poster at all locations in all required languages. Procedures are also in place for screening care team members who are prohibited from coming to work if they are ill. We actively monitor and screen our residents to determine if they are showing any of the related symptoms, and we take necessary precautions if they do. We adhere to measures to reduce the risk of infections and to help prevent transmission, starting with hand washing.
We remain committed to providing high quality care and service to our residents.

As Southbridge operates under protocols established by local Public Health Authorities, please reach out to the particular region’s office for further information on the procedures in use.

About Southbridge Care Homes

Southbridge Care Homes is a Canadian-owned enterprise providing acquisition, management and redevelopment services to the long-term care homes and retirement communities in Ontario. Our mission is to operate a best-in-class portfolio of care homes and retirement communities that consistently deliver excellence in care and services in an economically sustainable manner.

For further information please contact:

Richard Franzke
Vice President – Communications
Southbridge Health Care LP
766 Hespeler Road, Suite 301
Cambridge, ON N3H 5L8
P: (519) 621-8886, x. 112
F: (519) 621-8144
rfranzke@southbridgecare.com