We hope that you are all doing well and had an enjoyable and relaxing Family Day this past weekend. As you may have heard in the news, Dr. Bonnie Henry recently updated her public health orders and several COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in B.C. While we are not out of the pandemic, we are focusing on transitioning to the next phase. We are pleased to announce the relaxing of some of the COVID-19 Safety Measures reintroduced earlier this year to manage the Omicron wave of the pandemic.
Please see below for a service delivery update, as well as a few timely resources. Click on any link below to go directly to that topic:
- COVID-19 Update – see below
- Your Guide to Free Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports – Between Omicron uncertainty and the stress of everyday life, many of us are in need of a little extra support as BC has a variety of free resources available for youth, adults, and families to help you manage your mental health and wellness. Check out our guide to find the support that’s right for you, plus inclusive events and activities to help you stay connected and flourish!
- Curiko is Here! – We’re excited to announce that Curiko.ca is up and running! It’s a free online platform that blends many of our early prototypes (including CoMakeDo). It connects people to meaningful experiences and creates space for experimentation and learning.
- Watch, Listen and Learn During Inclusive Education Month – February is National Inclusive Education Month. Many students with disabilities still face barriers and challenges in school. During this month, educators, students, and parents share ideas on strategies to enhance inclusion.
Please visit our pandemic and other community resource pages at www.posAbilities.ca or www.laurelbc.ca for more activity ideas, inspiration and support.
COVID-19 Update: Restrictions Ease
As you may have heard in the news, several COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in B.C. As we carefully ease some restrictions, we recognize that people have different comfort levels. Some of us are excited about things reopening, while others are nervous about how quickly restrictions are easing up. We will continue to follow public health advice, and balance the needs of everyone involved in order to keep us all safe and healthy.
Updated visitor guidance – we welcome in-person visits!
We are pleased to reinstitute indoor, in-person visits and welcome family members and friends to visit our group homes. We look forward to coming back together and celebrating the occasions we have missed. It’s important to note that you can start socializing again at your own pace and we’ll work with you to do that.
COVID-19 variants of concern remain highly transmissible and are still present in BC. Please continue to wear a mask and practice physical distancing, wherever possible. If guests or individuals in our homes feel ill or have any symptoms of illness, programs will assist in scheduling visits for another time. We will continue making phone calls, arranging video chats and coordinating outdoor visits for individuals and their supporters as well. Please ask your Team Leader or Team Manager if you have any questions.
We are continuing our safety measures
We will continue with our layers of protection in all programs. Employees are wearing three-layer masks and practicing physical distancing within programs as much as possible.
If you are showing any signs of illness or symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home
If you are feeling unwell, do not participate in Community Inclusion programs or scheduled appointments with our employees. Even mild symptoms of illness can indicate that you’ve contracted the COVID-19 virus, especially in vaccinated individuals. We greatly appreciate your flexibility and assistance with keeping our employees and program sites safe and healthy at this time.
As always, the health and well-being of persons served, employees and their loved ones is of utmost importance to us throughout the pandemic. Thank you for your kindness and support. We look forward to seeing you again in-person soon.
