Dear Valued Nucleus Consumer,
I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and let you know how you can get a hold of me. My name is Laura Salisbury and I am the new Chief Executive Officer at Nucleus Independent Living. I have discovered many new things in my first 60 days here, including ideas on how we can better communicate with one another. One of our top priorities is to ensure your safety and to create a positive experience with every visit. I want to keep you informed on all the ways we are working to achieve that every time. A few highlights I would like to share so far are ...

COVID-19: Our Mutual Commitment to Ensuring Safety

COVID-19 has been a part of our lives for eight months and remains a volatile situation. Nucleus continues to work closely with Public Health and the Ministry of Health to ensure the safety of our staff and consumers, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within our communities. To ensure we do our part, our staff monitor their health daily, and are required to stay home if they are feeling unwell.

When delivering care, they are required to wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a mask, face shield or goggles for every visit; and gloves when required. Staff will not wear boot covers over their indoor shoes, as they pose a fall risk, however, they will clean the sole of their indoor shoes prior to wearing them in your home. There may be times when a gown is required as part of the PPE that staff wear. You will be advised when that is required. In keeping with the guidelines for physical distancing, staff will endeavor to maintain a 6-foot distance where possible during service delivery and we would ask the same of persons in your home.

If staff are not wearing their PPE, I encourage you to remind them oftheir responsibility to safety.
In return, you (and anyone else present during the visit) are required to have a mandatory COVID screening before every visit, and where possible, to wear a mask or face covering e.g. scarf or bandana while receiving care. The outcome ofthe screening will not impact your care. However, should you or any of the persons in your home refuse to be screened, we will not be able to provide services.
For the latest information on COVID-19 visit: https://covid-19.ontario.ca

Exhibiting symptoms or need a COVID test?

Please notify the office immediately if you notice that you or someone in your home is unwell and/or may be exhibiting symptoms. To support every effort in preventing the spread of the virus, we've included a list of the testing centres if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 here.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can vary from person to person. They may also vary in different age groups. Some of the more commonly reported symptoms include:
•   new or worsening cough
•   shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
•   temperature equal to or over 38°C
•   feeling feverish
•   chills
•   fatigue or weakness
•   muscle or body aches
•   new loss of smell or taste
•   headache
•   gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting)
•   feeling very unwell

Additional COVID-19 Resources:
You can download the Canadian COVID-19 app to help break the cycle of infection. The app alerts users who may have had possible exposure to COVID-19 before any symptoms appear. You can download the app by clicking on the link below.
Download COVID-19 app

Safety first!
Our staff continue to work tirelessly to maintain both your safety and their safety. We ask for your understanding and patience as they comply with the new rules (e.g. waiting for the elevator with physical distancing, which may delay their arrival).

Communication - Share your Thoughts and Suggestions
One of the ways I want to continue to learn in my new role is to hear about your experiences and ideas. I hope you'll share them with me so that I can address your concerns and better understand where we could improve. Please e-mail me anytime: Laura.SaIisbury@nucleusonIine.ca
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your care you can:
phone: 905-829-4499 ext. 125 or email info@nucleusonline.ca.