Alzheimer Society of Peterborough asks Community to Help a Neighbour on World Alzheimer Day

The Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton is honouring World Alzheimer’s Day by inviting community members to reach out to family and friends that are living with dementia and offer support.

Photo courtesy of the Alzheimers Society of Peterbororough Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton.

More than 8,000 people suffer from dementia in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton according to the Alzheimer’s Society.

“For World Alzheimer’s Day, our goal is to increase the number of people in our community who know that we provide support services—counselling, education, recreational programming—to people living with dementia,” Alzheimer Society Executive Director, Andrea Cant. “Though we try to reach as many people as we can, there are many more that we haven’t connected with. They are trying to manage on their own and could really benefit from our help.”

The Alzheimer’s Society is encouraging community members to become monthly donors. Ten dollars a month provides services like counselling, support groups or an educational workshop for someone in the Peterborough region living with dementia as stated by the organization.

Twenty dollars a month provides access to an eight-week ‘Minds in Motion’ social and recreational program.

Those who sign up to be monthly donors in September will have their donations matched for a year by the Booth family from Woodstock, in memory of their father Walter Booth who was diagnosed with dementia after their mother passed away.

Clients do not need an official diagnosis to access resources offered by the Alzheimer’s Society.

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Instructions Issued Regarding Vaccine Mandate for Sports Staff

Peterborough Public Health released a letter of instruction regarding vaccine requirements for sports staff on Friday.

Similar instructions for restaurant mandates were released Thursday. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Peterborough Public Health will require all volunteers, coaches and officials 18 years of age and over who are participating or associated with the indoor organized sport to confirm proof of vaccination (or proof of being entitled to a medical exemption) and identification each time the individuals arrives at the facility.

“The requirements for proof of vaccination for high-risk indoor settings will ensure residents remain safe,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “The provincial requirements related to organized sports have exempt volunteers, coaches, and officials, putting vulnerable individuals at risk. Given that these individuals will have close and prolonged contact with unvaccinated youth players, I am requiring proof of vaccination for these individuals, in addition to the individuals prescribed by provincial legislation.”

Proof of vaccination requirements will come into effect on Sept. 22. Patrons will be required to show identification and proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering the following indoor establishments:

• Indoor areas of meeting and event spaces

• Indoor and outdoor areas of food and drink establishments with dance facilities, including nightclubs and other similar establishments

• Indoor areas of restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments without dance facilities

• Indoor areas of facilities used for sport and recreational fitness activities, including waterparks, and personal fitness training

• Indoor areas of casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments

• Indoor areas of concert venues, theatres and cinemas

• Indoor areas of bathhouses, sex clubs and strip clubs

• Indoor areas of horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues

• Indoor areas where film and TV production take place with studio audiences

Businesses and organizations who fall into these categories are required under O. Reg. 364/20 to obtain proof of vaccination and proof of identification from each patron before entering the premise. Other public health measures like masking and distancing will remain in place.

Patrons of these establishments may have a paper or electronic proof of vaccination in the form of a receipt, card, or certificate. Proof of vaccination can be obtained through the Ontario provincial portal or by calling the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900.

Additional information on the provincial proof of vaccination requirements and Peterborough Public Health letter of instruction can be found at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/proofofvaccine

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Instructions Issued To Dining Establishments For Patron Information Collection

Peterborough Public Health has issued instructions to dining establishments on collecting diner information due to recent large-scale COVID-19 exposures in the community announced on Thursday.

File Photo.

These instructions, effective immediately, enhance the provincial requirements and are directed toward owners, operators and persons responsible for food premises with indoor and/or outdoor dining areas according to the press release.

Names, phone numbers, location of dining establishment and server name are the information dining establishments are urged to collect.

Collection of patron information is mandatory under O. Reg. 364/20: Rules for Areas at Step 3 and the Roadmap Exit Step.

As a result of recent large-scale exposures and insufficient patron contact records, Peterborough Public Health continues to follow a significant number of people who have been deemed high-risk contacts of a person with COVID-19. Two of the recent large exposures occurred at two different local food premises.

“Case management and contact tracing are essential components of our local COVID-19 response to prevent transmission and protect our community,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “These instructions, which ask operators to use the template that we have created for the collection of patron information, will help to ensure that sufficient and thorough details of exposure are provided to our office, which will allow for efficient and timely follow-up, when large-scale exposures occur. And I want to remind everyone choosing to dine out that you must provide accurate contact information to the operator. It won’t work if the data is wrong.”

Dr. Salvaterra noted that these instructions are an extension of a requirement that currently exists in the legislation governing Step Three of the current provincial restrictions.

The instructions aim to prescribe the exact information that restaurants should be collecting for patrons who remain onsite to dine. The instructions do not apply to food premises that require patrons to order and pay for their food, prior to sitting at a table such as cafeterias and fast food establishments.

Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health advised the community that the Instructions are mandatory and enforceable under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA).

“Public Health Inspectors are educating restaurant operators to ensure that they are aware of the importance of adequate record-keeping and to ensure that these Instructions are implemented within their establishments,” she said.

Ingram noted businesses are not the only ones that could face consequences for non-compliance.

“It’s important for the community to know that not only business owners and operators be charged but for failing to complement these instructions but customers themselves can be charged with obstruction under the Reopening Ontario Act,” she added.

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Ontario Government Releases Additional Vaccine Passports Details

With just over a week before vaccine certifications are required to access several settings, the Ontario Government has released details on the program, exceptions and consequences for non-compliance announced in an online livestream on Tuesday.

Screenshot.

Starting Sept. 22, proof of vaccination for at least 14 days and photo identification is required to enter non-essential businesses and other settings. It is not needed to attend retail stores, places of worship, banks, salons, and outdoor settings.

Employees are encouraged to match the name and date of birth listed on the receipt with the ID information. The receipt must have the second dose listed when checked.

Valid forms of ID are a driver’s licence, passport, birth certificate, citizenship card, Ontario photo card or other government-issued identification, Indian status/Indigenous membership card or a permanent resident card.

Vaccine receipts are currently available online to be printed or can be downloaded onto your mobile device, computer or tablet.

Proof does not apply to children under 12 and anyone unvaccinated due to medical exemptions.

On Oct. 22, a free enhanced vaccine certification app will be available with a unique QR code to provide proof of vaccination conveniently and quickly. Ontario will launch a new app for convenient vaccine verification.

The enhanced vaccine certificate and QR code verification app are on track to be released according to Kaleed Rasheed, associate minister of digital government.

Businesses can download a free app to scan and verify QR codes to see if residents can enter or not based on their vaccination status.

“Our made-in-Ontario app will make it quicker and easier for businesses to confirm that a person's vaccine certificate is valid," said Rasheed.

For anyone without a smartphone, QR codes with and enhanced paper vaccine certificates will be issued by the Ontario government (or can call 1-833-943-3900 if you do not have access to a printer or computer).

Individuals who do not comply with screening or present false documents are fined starting at $750 and $1,000 for businesses under the Reopening Ontario Act.

Additionally, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario chief medical officer of health announced the province will begin offering third doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The does is for sufficient protection due to a waning immune response to vaccines including immunocompromised people. The decision came after a recent recommendation from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

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YMCA Requires COVID Vaccinations for Staff and Visitors

The YMCA will require all staff, visitors and members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access their grounds and facilities in a press release announced on Friday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The centre is following the Government of Ontario recommendations and will take effect on Sept. 22.

The mandate includes Employment Services clients at the Balsillie Family Branch where full vaccinations (two doses plus 14 days) and proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access are required.

The organization’s goal is to safely serve communities in program settings that meet and in some cases exceed public-health requirements for infection, prevention and control as stated in the release.

The YMCA is implementing a Mandatory Vaccine Policy for all Staff and Volunteers.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have continuously put safety first, going above and beyond what has been recommended,” said David Allen, President & CEO, YMCA of Central East Ontario.

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Smile Cookie Campaign Supports Peterborough Regional Health Centre For Mental Health

The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign will support mental health care that will leave no frowns for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) announced on Thursday.

Staff and Tim Hortons owners lined up outside the main entrance at PHRC with Smile cookies and signs. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Staff and Tim Hortons owners gathered outside the PHRC main entrance to make the announcement during Tim Hortons’ 25th anniversary of the Smile Cookie Campaign.

The annual fundraiser will run from Sept. 13-19 where the "Smile” cookies can be bought for one dollar apiece where all proceeds will go to the PHRC Foundation and mental health care.

You can purchase them in-store or by online pre-order by visiting PRHC’s website, printing the form and dropping it off at a participating Tim Hortons location.

Ryan Graham, Tim Hortons owner says the Smile Cookie campaign is a great way for their stores and customers to give back to their communities.

“Over the past 25 years, the Smile Cookie campaign has raised more than $60 million for charities, hospitals and community programs across the country - with a record-breaking $110 million in 2020, he said. “We believe it’s never been more important to make sure that people in our communities have access to these services close to home.

Melinda Wall (left) has been the director of mental health services since Jan. 2019. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Melinda Wall, PHRC director of mental health services expressed her happiness that mental health is being taken more seriously than it was in years past.

"Ten to 20 years ago, you wouldn't have seen a large campaign of this scale for mental health and addictions,” she said. “I think we have come leaps and bounds and are continuing to progress and just making it more something people can talk about and feel like we can rally behind and support our community."

The money will go towards several projects to help expand mental health services since there has been a spike in mental health patient admissions during the last decade according to Wall.

“One of the projects being key is our Crisis Unit,” she explained. “We are doubled in volume in the last 10 years and the space needs to be expanded. That's our number one campaign and additional outdoor space through our courtyard for our patient unit."

Leslie Heighway has been president and CEO for the PRHC Foundation for almost a decade. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Lesley Heighway, PRHC Foundation President and CEO said she was honoured to be this year’s recipient of the Tim Hortons fundraiser.

"We're just so thrilled. You can see the amount of engagement there is today with all of our team members with mental health services and all of the Tim Hortons owners,” she explained. “We couldn't be happier that we're going to invest these funds in PRHC and mental health in particular."

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Dr. Rosana Salvaterra Becomes New Alberta Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health

Retirement did not last long for Dr. Rosana Salvaterra as she was hired by Alberta Health as the new Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health announced Wednesday.

Dr. Rosana Salvaterra during the announcement of $3 million from the Ontario Government going towards COVID-19 relief efforts. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Salvaterra will begin her new role on Oct. 4 as she retires from her position of Medical Officer of Health for Peterborough Public Health (PPH) on Sept. 19. She has maintained that role since 2008 from Dr. Garry Humphreys who had retired.

“I am looking forward to providing Dr. Hinshaw with the additional support and assistance she needs to ensure the office of the CMOH (Chief medical officer of Health) fulfills its role and mandate,” said Salvaterra. “I recognize I have a great deal to learn about my new home and new public health system, and I hope I will be able to make a meaningful contribution as a member of the team.”

Dr. Salvaterra holds a Master’s degree in Health Research Methodology, a specialty in Public Health and Preventive Medicine and is an adjunct professor at Queens University. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Salvaterra, 65, revealed that she wanted to move to Edmonton after retirement to be closer to her family last month.

Larry Stinson, PPH director of operations will become the interim CEO after Dr. Salvaterra’s retirement until Dr. Thomas Piggott assumes the role starting on Dec. 1.

“I am so pleased that Dr. Salvaterra has agreed to join our team in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health.

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Alyssa Gaudaur is Recognized as the Petes Frontline Worker of the Week

Alyssa Gaudaur is announced as this week’s Peterborough Petes Frontline Worker of the Week as part of their “Drop the Puck” program announced on Tuesday.

Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Gaudeur is a nurse at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. She remained brave during the pandemic and kept going to work because she is passionate about helping her patients and her colleagues according to the Petes press release. 

“Alyssa has been working extra hard over the past 18 months to help patients at the hospital,” said Clarissa Sidaway, who nominated Gaudaur. “She loves her work and truly enjoys helping people. She’s a huge Petes fan and deserves a little recognition for her hard work.”

The Petes are celebrating frontline workers who have gone above and beyond for their community during these unprecedented times.

To nominate a frontline worker, click here.

Each week, the Petes will recognize and celebrate one local frontline worker for the additional time and effort they have put in during the pandemic to ensure the health, safety and happiness of those in their community.

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Peterborough Public Health Announces Next Board of Health Meeting

Peterborough Public Health has announced that the next Board of Health meeting will take place in person on Wednesday at 6:15 p.m.

PHOTO BY EVAN HOLT, PTBOCANADA

The meeting will take place in the Hiawatha LIFE and Cultural Centre at 431 Hiawatha Line, Hiawatha First Nation.

This meeting is open to the public. All participants are required to wear a face covering or mask.

Those interested in attending must RSVP to ensure adequate room for physical distancing. RSVP’s can be sent to bcadence@peterboroughpublichealth.ca

To view the meeting agenda click here.

The next Board of Health meeting will take place on October 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Health building.

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