ON-SITE DAY PROGRAM
Helpful Information
McCormick Day Program’s Modified Reopening
McCormick Day Program has gradually reopened to on-site clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The day program is following guidelines from the London-Middlesex Health Unit to ensure staff, client and community safety.
Our current business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We can be reached by phoning: 519-439-9336.
At this time, we continue to offer many of the scheduled supports and education programs that you are familiar with, but these are now facilitated online using Zoom. These groups are live and interactive with staff and other participants. These include social work facilitated support groups, and enhanced education series. We encourage our caregivers to consider accessing these services, if possible.
If you would like to submit any feedback or concerns, please contact our director, Karen Johnson.
Clients are contacted by social work staff to offer a day program spot.
At this time, clients are scheduled to attend only once weekly.
Arrival time: 9:30 a.m.*
*clients can arrive later than 9:30 if necessary, but no earlier.
Pick-up time: 3:00 p.m.*
*clients can be picked up earlier than 3:00, but no later.
Before Arrival:
Our nursing team will NO longer phone to conduct a pre-screening questionnaire. We ask that you perform a passive screener before attending the day program. Clients arriving with symptoms will not be able to enter the day program.
Arriving on-site:
Once clients arrive on-site, clients and caregivers must remain in their car. If you feel as though you are waiting an extended period, please phone our reception (519-439-9936). This limits the number of people in our lobby and potential for increased exposure. Staff will be outside to direct traffic. Screening will take place in the caregiver’s car.
Caregivers are asked to wear a mask at all times onsite and we strongly encourage masks for clients as well.
Clients are monitored for symptoms throughout the day.
If a client develops symptoms of illness during their on-site visit, the emergency contact/primary caregiver will be contacted to pick up the client.
The client will be immediately isolated from other clients until their ride arrives and continued cleaning of the area will be performed.
Caregivers will be instructed to go home, self-isolate and contact their primary health care provider or public health unit to discuss symptoms and need for testing.
If a symptomatic client’s test results are negative for COVID-19, proof must be provided to the RPN or social worker. If the client is still presenting symptoms, the client will be denied access to the day program for five days after the symptoms have resolved.
Clients who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be excluded from the day program for 10 days after symptoms have resolved and clearance has been received from the public health unit.
The nursing care manager will be in contact with the public health unit of the confirmed positive case. The public health unit will provide specific advice on what control measures should be implemented to prevent the potential spread and how to monitor other clients and staff who may have come in contact with the infected person.
Once inside the program area, clients are escorted to an assigned programming room for the day. We have three separate programming rooms which allows for client cohorting. Additionally, with staff supervision, clients can enjoy our secured garden space. Physical distancing rules apply when indoors.
Clients engage in person-centred recreational programs until lunch. Programming varies but may include art, crafts, music, word puzzles, trivia, exercises, physical games, table games, Montessori activities, helping tasks and access to digital programming.
Recreational programming continues in the afternoon until the program ends at 3:00 p.m.
Upon arrival clients are offered cookies and coffee or tea.
Lunch is served at noon by our nursing team. Modified textures (regular, minced, soft, puree) and fluids (regular, thickened) are available.
Our nursing team is available at all times to provide any level of personal care assistance required (from supervision in the washroom to full mechanical lift for transfers and product changes).
Our nursing staff pride in ensuring clients receive additional grooming attention while on-site. This may include having their finger nails cleaned, trimmed and polished (if interested), their hair brushed and potentially styled, and men’s faces cleanly shaved. Personal care products, including nail trimmers are labelled to avoid cross-contamination.
Baths and showers can be booked for an additional fee.
At this time additional services like foot care and the hair salon are not available.
All client medication and supplements must be stored with our nursing staff during their stay. These medications, including over-the-counter medications, must be prescribed by a physician/nurse practitioner, and must be in their original labelled bottles or a blister pack. Our staff cannot administer medications that are not in the accepted packaging.
This rule applies for both respite and on-site day program attendance.
Any clients requiring the use of oxygen therapy must also provide physician orders, or the oxygen supplier instructions, for its use.
All staff, volunteers are students are required to wear a medical grade mask at all times. Clients are not required to wear a mask.
The day program space is cleaned at minimum three times in a six-to eight-hour visit, including before the client arrives, while the client is present and when the client leaves the day program.
These areas include, but are not limited to, high touch points such as light switches, table tops, chairs, railings, washrooms and program materials.
All staff are trained in Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and will be responsible for keeping the day program clean.
Fogging Machine
As an additional cleaning measure, the day program has purchased a fogging machine, which is a proven disinfecting agent for airborne bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens. The fogging machine is used indoors prior to clients arriving. Staff also use the fogging machine on themselves when moving from program areas to staff rooms or office areas.
To learn more about the fogging machine, visit the Environize website.
Day Program fees are $13 per day to attend the day program on-site. This includes snacks and lunch.
For clients interested in accessing our spa (bath or shower), additional fees apply.
Please contact our administrative assistant (519-439-9336) for any billing concerns.
Caregivers can drive their person to and from the day program or use the BGC (Boys and Girls Club) transit service. To request the use of bus transit, please arrange with our administrative assistant.
To report all absences at any time, please all our main telephone line 519-439-9336. Please leave a detailed message if our staff are unable to answer your call.
Day Program fees are still charged in the event of an absence.
If you would like to discuss discharging from the day program, please speak with your social worker.
