IPAC Recommendations for Facilities Receiving Resident Belongings from Home & Other Deliveries
During the COVID-19 pandemic, client/residents may need essential or non-essential items from outside the facility or belongings from home. These items may include clean or seasonal clothing, food items, personal care supplies, and gifts/flowers. This guidance document was developed to offer suggestions to long term care facilities (LTCF) on how to accept these items while abiding by infection prevention and control practices. This guidance pertains to accepting gifts from family/support person(s) or designated caregivers during a visit with a client/resident, family members & individuals who wish to drop off items at a LTCF for a client/resident, and/or commercial delivery personnel.
INDIVIDUALS DROPPING OFF RESIDENT BELONGINGS OR ITEMS WILL:
- Follow provincial guidance for self-screening for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Items should not be brought in from a home where individuals are on self-isolation or symptomatic
individuals are present.
a. Delivery of the personal items/belongings should be deferred until the isolation period has lapsed and/or symptoms have resolved.
b. If a client/resident requires an item on an urgent basis, arrangements should be made, in conjunction with the facility, to have an alternate person who is not on self-isolation and who does not have symptoms to pick up and deliver items to the facility. - Ensure all resident clothing items are freshly laundered.
- Place resident clothing and personal items in a clean, disposable plastic bag for delivery, instead of a suitcase, duffle bag, etc. The bag should be labelled with the resident’s name.
- Ensure food items are pre-packaged, non-perishable commercially prepared food items, or single-serving homemade food items. Food items must not require refrigeration or heating, and must be in a disposable container. Containers and leftovers will be discarded.
- Wear a face mask when entering and in the facility.
- Arrive at the designated visitor entrance and report to the screening desk or other designated area.
- Perform hand hygiene upon entry and exit from the facility.
STAFF AT THE LTCF WILL:
- Develop a written internal process for accepting deliveries for a client/resident and for family/support persons bringing in personal items from home during scheduled visits.
- Assign a designated individual(s )to be responsible for maintaining and providing to the security/registration desk a list of expected deliveries, to allow for coordination of staff and ensure timing between deliveries if needed.
- Staff receiving the items will perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves before handling any items being delivered.
- Designated staff members should deliver items to the resident.
- If the resident is unable to manage unpacking the delivered items, assistance may be provided. The staff member should put on gloves before helping the resident, discard the bag after removing the items, then remove the gloves and perform hand hygiene.
- If the resident is on Additional Precautions, staff may accept and deliver items using the correct
PPE as outlined on door signage.