St. Mary’s General Hospital to Temporarily Manage Forest Heights Long-Term Care Home Amidst COVID-19 Outbreak
The following is a statement by St. Mary’s General Hospital President Lee Fairclough.
On June 2, 2020, The Ministry of Long-Term Care issued a Mandatory Management Order under the Province-wide Emergency Order to Forest Heights Long Term Care Home in Kitchener to address the immediate outbreak risks of COVID-19 to residents and staff.
St. Mary’s General Hospital, a member of the St. Joseph’s Health System, will continue its work with partners across the health system to lead the management response of this outbreak and prevent further exposure and transmission of COVID-19 to residents and staff. Alongside the team at Forest Heights, we will ensure the continuity of care for residents is maintained and existing staff are supported in providing safe care.
The impact of COVID-19 has been incredibly challenging and heart-breaking for residents, families and the staff of Forest Heights. We are committed to working closely with them to support and effectively manage the response to an outbreak that has proven very complex and difficult to control. We will continue to work alongside our hospital and system partners to enhance the health and well-being of our shared community.
We will bring together expertise and resources from across the St. Joseph’s Health System, united in our focus on the care and safety of residents and staff. In collaboration with our many system partners, including our local hospitals, Cambridge Memorial Hospital and Grand River Hospital, as well as primary care, community partners, Waterloo Region Public Health, Ontario Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care, we will take the necessary steps to immediately develop and implement a plan of action that will reduce the spread of COVID-19 and return the facility to sustainable operations.
St. Mary’s will ensure regular communication to residents and their families of Forest Heights and will also provide updates for the public on our website. CLICK HERE for the news release from the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Residents and families who have questions are welcome to call St. Mary’s at 519-749-6578, ext. 6867.
Lee Fairclough, President
St. Mary’s General Hospital