It is important for families, visitors, Residents and staff to be aware that our Home is monitored by cameras. This provides the Home with a device to monitor entrances and exits of the building. It also surveys the hallways of the Home to help assist in safety of the building, ensuring that hallways are clear and to monitor Residents for safety.
Nurse Call System/ Communication and Response System
The Home is equipped with a Resident-staff communication and response system (call bell) that is available in every area accessible by Residents. The Home must ensure that:
- The system is on at all times
- The system allows calls to be cancelled only at the point where the call was made
- The system must be easily visible, accessible and usable by Residents, staff and visitors at all times
- The system must be available at each bed, toilet, bath and shower location used by Residents
- When activated, the communication and response system must clearly indicate where the signal is coming from
- Systems that use sound must be properly calibrated to ensure that staff can hear the sound
Building Security
With the exception of doors leading to secure outside areas that preclude exit by a Resident (including balconies and terraces) or doors to which Residents do not have access, all doors in the Home leading to stairways and the outside of the Home must be:
- Kept closed and locked
- Be equipped with a door access control system that is kept on at all times
- Be equipped with an audible door alarm that allows calls to be cancelled only at the point where they are activated and that is connected to the Resident-staff communication and response system
Doors leading to secure outside areas that preclude exit by a Resident (including balconies and terraces) must be equipped with:
- Locks to restrict unsupervised access to those areas by Residents
- A written policy that deals with situations such as when doors leading to secure outside areas must be unlocked or locked to permit or restrict unsupervised access by Residents
Doors leading to non-Residential areas must be equipped with:
- Locks to restrict unsupervised access to those areas by Residents
Any locks on bedrooms, washrooms, toilet or shower rooms are designed and maintained so they can be readily released from the outside in an emergency.
All alarms for doors leading to the outside must:
- Be connected to a back-up power supply (Home is served by a generator)
The Homes front doors are open from 8am until 9pm 7 days a week. The Homes front doors are locked from 9pm to 8am to prevent any unauthorized guests from entering the building after hours. If there is a need to be in the Home outside of regular hours, there is a door bell at the front entrance that goes to the Registered Nurses phone and only they can allow access to the building if required.
Elevators
All elevators in the Home are equipped to restrict Residents from entering areas that are not to be accessed by Residents.
Windows
Every window in the Home that opens to the outdoors and is accessible to Residents has a screen and cannot be able to be opened more than 15 centimeters.
Fire Safety
Fire exits are clearly indicated within the Home. Fire and evacuation procedures are posted throughout the Home as well as emergency preparedness codes. The Home is equipped with smoke alarms and sprinklers in all areas of the building and is monitored internally and externally 24/7. Fire drills and mock emergency preparedness codes are conducted monthly. Residents and families/visitors may be participants of codes and may be directed by staff during real or mock scenarios.
Items that are not permitted due to risk:
- Candles
- Electric Blankets
- Humidifiers
- Air Conditioners
- Fridges
- Extension cords
- “Octopus” electrical plugs