Since the beginning of the pandemic, care homes across Canada have found themselves on the front lines of the struggle against infection – one that has tested the resilience of residents, families and healthcare professionals to the very limits.
It became clear early on that care homes in both the private and public sector were ill prepared to cope with the demands of an unknown virus, leading the Government to make funding available so that care homes across the board could improve their infection control defences.
Levelling up home-from-home care
In 2021, Belroc was privileged to work with the caring and dedicated team at Maplewood long-term care home in Brighton, Ontario, on a fast-tracked handrail replacement program aimed specifically at improving hygiene standards for residents.
Maplewood is a 49-bed, single level care home offering private, semi-private and standard accommodation for seniors. It places huge emphasis on comfort and independence, providing spacious, homey interiors and enriching outdoor spaces.
Our lead installer Brandon McCamley had an especially memorable time working on the replacement of Maplewood’s previous wooden handrail with a super-hygienic moulded vinyl alternative, since he had help from one resident in particular – a gentleman who had worked in property maintenance throughout his career, and who was on hand to offer plenty of useful pointers!
The next step: patient privacy
When Maplewood contacted us again in September 2021, we were excited about the opportunity of working with them again.
On this occasion, Maplewood had been able to access Government IPAC funding to help them improve their infection control measures. They were looking for a privacy curtain solution that would meet their needs on cleanability and quick replacements, and our InstaSwap product was the perfect fit.
Safety, simplicity & speed
InstaSwap is a modular curtain system that delivers safety, simplicity and speed on curtain changeouts. The two-part curtain is made up of a custom-size top mesh and a standardized curtain panel, which attaches using heavy-duty snap fasteners. This means that when the curtain needs to be laundered, it can simply be unsnapped at head height, without the need for ladders, and replaced instantly by snapping on a fresh panel.
Risk to staff is eliminated since they don’t need to climb on ladders, the curtain removal process is sped up dramatically, and inventory is simplified since one curtain panel fits anywhere, regardless of ceiling height.
In addition, InstaSwap meets the requirements set out in the updated IPAC Canada guidelines. This – plus the fact that Maplewood had already worked with Belroc on their previous handrail upgrade – proved to be a deciding factor for Maplewood in awarding this contract to Belroc ahead of a competing supplier.
On site with Belroc
By November 2021 we were completing the measure-up process and provided a full proposal in time for year-end planning. Unfortunately due to some Covid complexities, we were unable to install the curtains until this month (March 2022) – but when we did go back to Maplewood we were delighted that Brandon once again got to work with that helpful resident who declared that he will “never retire” and was very pleased to see Brandon back in the building.
With the installation complete, Maplewood is already reaping the benefits of these new privacy curtains that are easy to remove and launder on a frequent basis, giving germs one less place to hide in this vital healthcare interior.
To find out more about this or any of our projects, or to discuss your unique requirements for infection prevention and senior living upgrades, get in touch.
