COVID-19 Update

March 18, 2022

A message from our CEO

Two years ago, on March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. PSL was identified as an Essential Service at the outset, and throughout the pandemic. What the world and PSL thought initially would be a shorter situation has reached a two-year period. Since then, we formed our COVID-19 Leadership Task Force, whose role has been to secure the health and safety of our clients, family caregivers, and staff on a daily basis by:

• Reviewing Peel Public Health, Ontario Medical Officer of Health, and Ministry of Health policies and guidelines and applying them accordingly to agency polices and directives,
• Utilizing the Joint Health & Safety committee for input and support,
• Preparing and distributing common messaging to clients, family caregivers, as well as, our governance Board; regular memos indicating updates/changes to all staff,
• Working in collaboration with Peel Living and Peel Housing Corporation to protect clients and tenants,
• Serving on Peel Public Health and Ontario Health Team committees and work groups in the development of vaccination and support strategies, and
• Supporting mobile clinics in our service locations for clients, general tenant population, the homebound in our service locations, and community neighborhoods.

Resulting from the outstanding service and support of our front line workers, supervisors, family caregivers, management, volunteers, and health care partners, during these unprecedented and challenging times, together we have been able to manage outbreaks, and maintained the provision of services to every client.

From the onset of the pandemic, we were able to pivot our service model to a virtual platform for many program offerings to our clients in the community.

Also, we were able to pivot our service model and facilitate the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (thanks to staff who secured and maintained our agency supply chain, Ontario Health, and Ontario Health Teams) for clinical in-person support services as required based on client needs and circumstances. Our full PPE strategy returned staff to work in a safe and timely manner, which in turn enabled staff to provide clients with care and not go without essential services.

We unfortunately had to cease the Seniors Active Living group programs as the social rooms in our buildings were closed to protect tenants. During this period some key activities we have and continue to undertake include:

• Provision of activity kits through our partnership with Seniors Life Enhancement Centre who prepared the kits for our distribution,
• Facilitation of a Healthy Aging series on Zoom in partnership with the Summerville Family Health Team which has been well received,
• Coordinated virtual programming, including Meditation Mondays,
• Purchase of tablets for our clients use, with the assistance of volunteers, and the support of the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility,
• Partnered in the development of a 5-part series to address ‘social isolation for seniors’ with the Region of Peel, Community Response Table,
• Maintained service provisions and functions remotely wherever possible from the outset,
• Initiation of a recovery plan aimed at, slowly and carefully resuming clinical and social/recreational programs and services, such as falls prevention classes, foot care, and physiotherapy.

We are so grateful to the PSL team and partners for your support during these past two years, especially our front line workers.

We are now preparing to implement a recovery plan and learn together to live with COVID, while still being vigilant in the practice of social distancing, masking, and hand washing – to keep everyone safe with a focus on frail elders and immunocompromised clients.

Hoping everyone is keeping well and safe!

Raymond P. Applebaum

Chief Executive Officer