SGP The Link - Issue 2 by SGP Purchasing Partner Network

ISSUE 02

•

SEPTEMBER 2021

•

W W W.S G P N E T WO R K .C O M

SEASONAL NUTRITION

SCHLEGEL VILLAGES

PROCUREMENT

Fall & Winter Menus

Honouring Resident Choice

LTC New Builds

The Value of our Program Our mission, Helping People Live Better is the cornerstone of all that we do. Our belief is that we are Better All Together. Our goal is to provide value and support to all senior living communities in order to enhance the lives of our seniors.

EXPERTISE & KNOWLEDGE

EVENTS

We provide support on all levels for all departments:

Our industry leading events provide members opportunities to:

Comprehensive online training Education library Consulting support for all departments New build & upgrade quotes Dining services program

SUPPLIER PARTNER SUPPORT Our supplier partners are chosen not only for their quality products and value but for their knowledge and ability to support our members through: Training Education Assistance THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 2

See the latest in innovationin senior living Learn from our supplier partners and industryexperts Network with peers

EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PROGRAM We offer an extensive Employee Savings Program that supports members through: Exclusive perks Staff retention Staff satisfaction Saving for your home User-friendlyaccessible "hub"

A MESSAGE FROM SGP On behalf of the entire team at SGP, we hope you are having a wonderful summer and making the most out of your time with family and friends. We are excited to bring you our most recent version of The Link by SGP which has been designed to further expand your knowledge on market insights and sector trends updates. As you review The Link by SGP you will also find all kinds of great product and service solutions offered by our vendor partners who are ready to help out with your requests. As we set our sights to the fall, SGP will be hosting a series of virtual events that I am sure you will find very beneficial in the pursuit of education, new innovations and quality improvement. Stay tuned for further updates on both the SGP Homegrown and SGP Marketplace Events and be sure to follow us on social media for daily program news, promos and exciting updates.

STAY TUNED FOR...

Homegrown October 13, 2021

SGP Marketplace November 17, 2021

Enjoy the rest of your summer and we all look forward to seeing you in the months ahead.

The Clip Monthly e-Newsletter Visit our webstie to sign up today! Jason Horne, RSE, CNM Senior Director, SGP

1-800-263-7025 | www.sgpnetwork.com

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 3

Team

Spotlight KimberliePhillips, Senior Account Representative, BC Meet Kimberlie, SGP Senior Account Representative for the province of British Columbia. What makes Kimberlie unique and a fantastic asset to the SGP team and to all of her clients is her passion for seniors. She not only works in this sector but due to her commitment to enhancing the quality of the lives of seniors she also volunteers at various senior residences. Kimberlie spends her spare time playing the organ, giving dance lessons and brings her dogs to pet visitation days at senior residences. Kimberlie was born and raised in beautiful British Columbia where she learned to love the outdoors and all that it offers such as ocean walks, hiking and golfing. She was educated at the BCIT where she studied sales and marketing. After graduating, she spent a large portion of her early career working for Broker and Food Distributor. She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to products and services available to all her clients. Although Kimberlie started at SGP in January of 2020 just prior to Covid and all the closures she has managed to make advantageous connections with all of her clients. Additionally, she has built solid relationships with her colleagues and supplier partners that allows her to be the best she can be. When asked what she loves most about her job, Kimberlie said: “Working at SGP is the perfect fit for me as it allows me to be closer to seniors. My goal is to connect with seniors and the homes they live in so I can help people live better”.

Rod Prieur, Business Development, Northern Ontario Meet Rod, Business Development for Northern Ontario. If anyone knows the North, its Rod. He has travelled the roads from Barrie to Hearst West over to Sault Ste. Marie tracking a lot of km’s over the years of his career. The territory in Northern Ontario is large and so are the hearts of the clients that reside there. Rod was born in Sudbury and then moved across the north and east of Ontario but has since settled in North Bay, right in the middle of his territory. Prior to joining SGP in 2018, Rod developed a successful career working for a large Food Distributor and Food Manufacturer before co-building a Foodservice Brokerage company, Superior Product Solutions (SPS). Unlike other food brokers in the industry, SPS was located in the north with a focus on working in the north! As Rod connected with the many diverse operators in northern Ontario, the one thing that stood out for him was the uniqueness of the healthcare customer. He developed a strong passion for seniors and the senior living sector and the reason he joined SGP. As a problem solver and solution provider, Rod plays a key role in connecting his clients to the right suppliers to support their needs. In his spare time, he has personal interest in writing folk and rock music and from time to time plays his guitar in classic rock cover bands. Having worked for large poultry manufacturer for over 25 years he developed a love for chicken wings! When asked what he loves most about his job, Rod said: “To be part of the best team ever! The people that I work with at SGP are deeply committed to this industry and genuinely care about the clients they serve”.

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 4

Nutrition Through the

Seasons

Fall Highlight Planning for the Autumn season, we can start to think about cozy dishes that will bring comfort and warmth as the temperature slowly drops. Menu Swaps: Add in frozen options to offset price increases of fruits and vegetables; Rotate a variety of squash into the menu; Add Fall themed desserts like pumpkin pie and cranberry bars Theme Menu Ideas: Oktoberfest, Halloween Party, Fall Harvest Festival

Fall and Winter Considerations for Senior Living Menus Love it or hate it, Canadians get to experience four distinct seasons each year. While many are lucky enough to have access to most fruits and vegetables year-round, there are benefits to eating seasonal foods as they are more likely to be local. Eating locally grown foods are beneficial for our health, environment, local economy, and cost savings.1,2,3 Moreover, our cravings can change with the seasons and connect us to memories – the comfort of squash soup in the winter, cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, fresh vegetable salads in the summer.

Item Feature Promo: Highlight a fall classic to welcome the new season: Apple Festival Appetizer Apple Zucchini Soup, Apple Dumpling Entrée

Russian Chicken Salad, Apple Pork Loaf

Sides

Carrot Apple Salad, Apple Raisin Slaw

Incorporating Seasonal Foods in Seniors Living

Dessert

Apple Walnut Loaf, Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Adding seasonal foods to your senior living menus is an easy way to add variety throughout the year, while benefiting from the inclusion of local foods. Furthermore, featuring seasonal foods is a requirement for many provincial long-term care legislations. Ideally, seasonal foods can be incorporated in both daily menu cycles or special event menus.

Winter Highlight

When designing each menu cycle, start by checking vegetable and soup options and identifying which choices are out of season for the desired menu cycle. Next, look at desserts and mixed dishes such as casseroles, stews and curries. For special event menus, start with selecting a few entrée recipes with a seasonal feel. Then, use vegetables, sides, appetizers, and desserts, to add an elevated feel. This can be used monthly or seasonally to show a dedicated focus to offering seasonal selections in your home.4 Food helps us connect to each other, our environment, and the seasons. Small tweaks in daily fruits and vegetables, or special events to highlight produce selections can be used to give residents a way to celebrate the new time of year. Theme menu ideas and recipes in the item feature promos listed above are available in Sysco Synergy Tech Suite.

As the weather continues to cool this winter, begin to incorporate warm, hearty meals onto your menu using seasonal fruits and vegetables. Menu Swaps: Offer seasonal fruits at snack with a pear yogurt parfait topped with cinnamon; Offer warm, flavourful soups like carrot ginger soup; Swap light dishes like salads and sandwiches with hearty stews or casseroles like a white bean turkey stew. Theme Menu Ideas: New Years Eve, National Soup Day, Valentine’s Day Item Feature Promotion: Feature winter staples in a variety of tasty ways: Root Vegetable Fest Appetizer Caramelized Onion Dip, Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup Entrée

Beef Potato Casserole, Pork Sweet Potato Stew

Sides

Horseradish Carrots & Parsnips, Beetroot Gratin - Visit page 10 for full recipe!

Dessert

Carrot Cake

Click here to view full article with references.

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 5

The Recipe

Corner

Turkey Mushroom Pot Pie Featuring: Dr. Oetker Yorkshire Pudding Mix (12 x 454 g, product #85360) & Dr. Oetker Low Sodiium Chicken Gravy (6 x 560 g, product #22245) Serves: 25 Ingredients: 8 eggs, at room temperature 2 2/3 cups water, at room temperature 1 pkg (454 g) Dr. Oetker Yorkshire Pudding Mix 1 tbsp vegetable oil 454 g fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 mL salt 210 g Dr. Oetker Low Sodium Chicken Gravy Mix 1.5 L water 600 g turkey, cooked and cubed (750 mL) 450 g frozen veggie medley (750 mL) 6 g fresh chives, finely chopped (30 mL)

Directions: 1.

Yorkshire Pudding: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease 24 muffin cups with cooking spray; place in oven to preheat.

2. Beat together eggs with water; whisk in Yorkshire Pudding Mix until smooth. 3. Using 1/4 cup (60 mL) measuring cup (# 16 scoop), spoon into hot muffin pan. 4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. 5. Turkey Mushroom Pot Pie Filling: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat oil in large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown and tender.

Harvest season is the perfect time to plan a fall fest for our seniors. These savory dishes showcase the best of what fall has to offer.

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 6

6. In large saucepan, combine Chicken Gravy Mix and water. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in turkey, frozen vegetable medley and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until turkey and veggies are heated through, and sauce is bubbly. 7. Assembly: Fill each Yorkshire pudding with 100 mL (# 10 scoop) pot pie filling. Garnish with chives

Traditional Oatmeal using Super Oatmeal Featuring: Shalit Foods Super Oatmeal (6 x 1 kg, product # 72132) Serves: 25 (180 g/portion) Ingredients: 1.2 lbs Super Oatmeal 1 lb Regular rolled oats 1.3 lbs Margarine 0.75 lbs Brown Sugar 3.8 L Water Directions: 1. Bring water to a boil in Kettle or heavy bottomed pot. 2. Once boiling, add all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Whisk and stir the Super Oatmeal and Regular Oatmeal mixture with the margarine and brown sugar. 3. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. 4. Serve warm to residents with garnish, such as fresh or frozen fruit (bananas, berries) or yogurt. Note: Add more water to make the oatmeal a bit thinner. Puree Testing: 180 g (one portion) or 6.25 oz cooked

Scrambled Egg, Potato & Asparagus Cassolette Au Gratin Featuring: Bonduelle Roasting Vegetables Asparagus & Red Potato (4 x 2 kg, product #10781) Serves: 20 (300 g/portion) Ingredients: 60 ml Sunflower oil 2 kg Bonduelle Roasting Vegetables Asparagus & Red Potato 150 g Fresh baby spinach 20 each Eggs, large 850 ml Béchamel sauce 300 g White cheddar cheese, graded 100 g Green onions, chopped Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2. Mix together the sunflower oil and Paco mixture. Put on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Add spinach and mix. 3. Cook scrambled eggs and set aside. 4. In a casserole dish, add 1 cup of Paco mixture, ¼ cup of scrambled eggs, ¼ cup of Béchamel and 1 tablespoon of cheddar. 5. Set the oven to broil and put cassolettes on the highest grill rack. Broil until golden. Garnish with green onions. ISSUE 02 • PAGE 7

Chicken Teriyaki Featuring: Reuven Fully Cooked Low Sodium Chicken Breast 90 g (2 x 2 kg, product #10827) Serves: 50 Ingredients: 50 each Reuven Fully Cooked Low Sodium Chicken Breast 90 g, thawed 2.25 L Prepared low sodium teriyaki glaze or 1 L low sodium soy sauce 4 cups (1 L) water 625 ml Rice vinegar 310 ml Brown sugar 75 ml Honey 15 ml Ginger, ground 4 cloves Garlic, minced 60 ml Corn starch 60 ml Water Directions: 1. In a saucepan add soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, honey, ginger and garlic. Cook over medium heat until simmering. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes until sugar is dissolved. 2. In a bowl mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry. 3. Add slurry to simmering liquid and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick. 4. Place chicken breasts in a hotel pan and top with sauce. Place in preheated 350°F/177°C oven for 8-10 minutes. 5. Serve with rice and green beans.

Cabbage Rolls Featuring: Stouffer’s Beef Cabbage Rolls in Sauce (4 x 2.6 kg, product #12404749) & Minor’s Roasted Garlic Flavour Concentrate (6 x 1 lb, product #11000953) Serves: 24 (230 g/portion) Ingredients: 2 x 2.6 kg trays Stouffers Cabbage Rolls 300 ml Sour cream 30 ml Minor’s Roasted Garlic Flavour Concentrate 50 ml Milk ¼ tsp Black pepper, ground Directions: 1. Prepare cabbage rolls per package directions (from thawed, approx. 55 minutes). Ensure internal temperature is 165°F/ 74°C. 2. Prepare Roasted Garlic Sour Cream: place sour cream, roasted garlic, milk, and pepper in a bowl and mix with a whisk until combined. Place in a squeeze bottle for service. Store below 40°F/4°C. 3. Place cabbage roll with sauce on plate. 4. Drizzle cabbage roll with Roasted Garlic Sour Cream. 5. Serve with portion of side salad. THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 8

Shrimp Gumbo Featuring: Toppits Foods® Cooked P&D Tail-Off Shrimp Medley IQF, minimum 60 ct (10 x 2 lb, product #6190PDTOV20) Serves: 50 (375 ml/portion) Ingredients: 750 ml Canola oil 430 g All purpose flour 540 g Onions, chopped 490 g Celery, chopped 530 g Sweet peppers, chopped 140 g Garlic, minced 30 g Thyme, finely chopped 75 ml Paprika 45 ml salt and pepper 45 ml Smoked sweet paprika 30 ml Cayenne pepper 30 ml Mustard powder 250 g Tomato paste 6 L Reduced-sodium vegetable broth 8 cans Reduced-sodium diced tomatoes 30 ml Worcestershire sauce 6 Bay leaves 250 ml Lemon juice 5 kg Toppits Foods® Cooked P&D Tail-Off Shrimp Medley IQF (min 60 ct), thawed 3 kg Long grain rice steamed 140 g Green onions, chopped Directions: 1. Heat oil in tilt fryer over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour. Cook, stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes or until roux is dark. 2. Stir in vegetables and spices. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until starting to soften and fragrant. Stir in mustard powder and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. 3. Slowly whisk in btorh until smooth and comes to a boil. Stir in tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and bay leavesl bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours or until rich and thickened. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in lemon juice. 4. For each serving, heat 375 ml gumbo with 100 g shrimp. Cook to internatl temperature of 165°F/ 174°C for at least 15 seconds. Garnish with 10 ml green onions. 5. Serve with 60 g steamed rice.

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 9

Beetroot Gratin Featuring: Fresh Beets (1 x 25 lb, product #7567159) Serves: 50 (125 ml/portion) Ingredients: 75 ml Garlic, chopped 500 ml Cream, liquid 18% milkfat 5 ml Salt, Kosher 5 ml Black pepper, ground 50 g Rosemary, fresh 5.5 kg Beets, fresh Directions: 1. Mix garlic and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for about 10 minutes. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 2. Put sliced beets in bowl and add rosemary and cream mixture. Mix thoroughly. 3. Arrange beets in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until tender. 4. Cook to internal temperature of 135°F (57°C) held for at least 15 seconds. 5. Product must reach 140°F (60°C) to 71°F (21°C) within 2 hours and 70°F (21°C) to 40°F (4°C) wiithn 4 hours. 6. Discard any unused portion.

Crunchy Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes Featuring: Idahoan Buttery Golden Selects Mashed Potatoes (6 x 4.69 lb, product #2970080316) Serves: 20 (300 g/portion) Ingredients: 16.44 oz (1 bag) Idahoan Buttery Golden Selects Mashed Potatoes 1 ½ cups Sour cream, fat free 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese, sharp, grated 12 oz Mozzarella, low fat, cut into ¼” cubes 1 cup Panko 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, fresh, grated 1 ½ cups Old-fashioned rolled oats ¼ lb Butter, melted 3 tbsp )live oil ½ tsp Black pepper

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 10

Directions: 1. In a halfhotel pan, prepare Idahoan mashed potatoes per package instructions. 2. Add sour cream, cheddar and mozzarella and blend together. Smooth on top of potatoes. 3. In a bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan, rolled oats, butter, olive oil and pepper. 4. Spread Panko mixture evenly over mashed potatoes. 5. Bake in oven 400°F (200°C) for 35 minutes.

Buy Seafood Verified Frozen at the Source

Seaf�d Never Smelled so Good

Fish should never smell "fishy," it should smell like the sea. Flash freezing at or close to the source is critical to preserving how fish should always smell. This locks in quality, taste and texture with almost zero source-to-plate degradation. It also extends shelf life and ensures limited waste.

Adhere to Best Storage and Handling Practices In addition to food safety, best practices greatly contribute to minimizing fishy smell. For instance, always store fish in the coldest parts of the freezer or fridge (away from external doors) at optimum temps. Chilled Seafood: Below 4° C at a minimum to prevent bacteria from multiplying. Frozen Seafood: Below 18° C is recommended. Proper thawing, first in, first out, and avoiding cross contamination matter. Such as, slacking fish in the fridge for 24 hours in perforated drip pans tightly covered with plastic wrap. In a pinch, you can slack the fish in vacuum (Cryovac) packaging under cool running water. Use thawed seafood within 1 to 2 days, and change containers to avoid spoilage and "off" aromas from developing. The basic principal of keeping raw seafood chilled until ready to cook also makes a difference.

Brining: Using Nature's Disinfectant

By Graham Schave, High Liner Chef

Seafood's health benefits make it the perfect item to serve in senior living establishments. When prepared properly, seafood is as delicious as it is nutritious with a wonderful mix of flavors and aromas. But if it's "smelly," seniors, like anyone else, won't bite. Literally and figuratively. So how do you prevent that all-toocommon "fishy" odor when preparing this wonderful gift from the sea? By following a few simple tips, you can easily solve for smelly seafood in the kitchen so it doesn't ruin what should be enjoyed by our beloved seniors at the table.

Dry brining with a salt rub or salt/sugar wet brining helps minimize odor. Salt naturally draws moisture away from potential bacteria that can affect natural aromas. Kosher salt works best. Sea salt and table salt can interfere with the osmosis process. Recognizing the addition of salt is not always ideal for senior’s diets, another "trick" (best for white fish): add a thin layer of commercial grade mayo. This increases good moisture and adds tasty and pleasant aromatics.

Use Value-Added Seafood Value-Added is the simplest way to minimize fishy smell. For one, it comes pre-seasoned, which produces savory aromas that can cut down on off-putting fish odors. Minimal handling is required, and these products often allow cooking from frozen. This reduces the risk of cross contamination and product degradation with raw thawed seafood. The risk is lower with thawed value-added products as well. As we all know, consistently serving flavorful, enticingly aromatic seafood can be a challenge. That's especially true considering seniors' preferences and special diets. These basic tips can easily be adopted by any senior living kitchen staff to avert those challenges, every meal, every day. You deserve an easier way to serve great seafood. And no one deserves to enjoy it more than our most cherished citizens. ISSUE 02 • PAGE 11

Is your prep person cutting off and discarding the bottom half of every head of lettuce because it’s dirty? Are you tossing out boxes of spoiled or expired food you discovered in the back of the cooler? Food waste is costing your operation money, and finding ways to reduce it is easier than you think. Fixing the problem starts by knowing why waste is happening and making changes at the pre-consumer level. Whether yours is a senior community, independent living, long-term care, or an acute care kitchen, there are some common areas to examine. 1. Are you buying the right products?

Wa tc

Food waste prevention experts say “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Tracking what you buy, what you make, and what is left over is the best way to manage forecasting, says Robb White, the Executive Chef and Food Waste Prevention Catalyst for LeanPath.

There’s a loop that starts with procurement and is followed by production, cooking, measuring waste, rebuilding recipe formulas, then back to procurement. Capturing that data and analyzing it matters in kitchens not mainly driven by sales numbers. “The only data points you really have are: What did I purchase? What did I produce? And what was left?” White says. Tray waste studies can provide data to guide purchasing. If you’re buying the wrong pack size of a perishable product, unused food goes to waste. Switching to one or two pre-peeled, pre-cut or pre-cooked products can reduce waste and save labour time and money. 2. Do you forecast and scale production? There’s so much going on in a kitchen, chefs can’t keep track of historical data without inventory management tools or recipe

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 12

production systems. You pretty much know your resident count every day, that’s not a mystery. But without a system in place, it’s hard to track how much soup you can expect to sell on a Tuesday and how to scale it up if you need to because the weather is cold,” he explains.

She recommends using production and waste-tracking data and creating an “ingredient room.” It’s a Grand Central Station for recipe preparation. Every ingredient is weighed and measured, then the chefs get a cart with exactly what they need along with meal instructions.

Forecasting technology increases accuracy in buying products, managing inventory, creating production sheets, and overseeing the culinary team’s preparation to reduce waste.

4. Do you have the right tools and training?

ur "Wast o Y e

If you increase scrambled egg production because you’re running out before breakfast is done, the culprit could be the wrong scoop. If the juice portion is 6 oz and you’re filling a 12 oz cup, you need to get glassware that’s the right size.

" ne Li

•

How to Reduce Pre-Production “Waste”

Tools factor into waste. So does training.The best knife in the world doesn’t reduce waste. Being able to trim foods properly takes training, and it’s time well spent for reducing waste and building team longevity.

“If you’re a diligent chef, you notice when food isn’t trimmed or portioned right, and you teach your team how you want things cut,” White says. “When you invest time training your people, they will stay with you and meet the needs of your operation.” At Gordon Food Service We Deliver Differently 3. What about standardized recipes? A dash of this and a pinch of that quickly turns into guesswork on a large scale. Standardized recipes remove the guesswork and reduce waste. Enforcing rules about weighing, measuring, and following recipes start with the manager, DeNicola says. “Most cooks just go by what they’ve done in the past,” she says. “If they prepared 20 pounds of vegetables yesterday, that’s what they’ll make today—even if it gets thrown away.”

We’re experts at making your food service operation pain-free. From assisted living facilities and longterm care to hospitals and other institutional healthcare programs— we have the best team of experts and products to provide you with fresh ideas and food to fit a variety of needs. Contact us today at nutritionrc@gfs.com for more information on Gordon Inventory and Cycle Menu Management, two of our proprietary digital tools that will help you improve your waste line.

Honouring

Resident Choice “Residents are our leaders.” Schlegel Villages aspires to promote resident empowerment. Each Village supports their residents’ right to choose, and encourage residents to contribute to Village Life and their community which fosters purpose, meaning and growth. Canadian owned and operated, Schlegel Villages offers full continuum of care (retirement and long-term care) in the same community to over 5,000 seniors living in 19 Villages across Ontario. What makes Schlegel Villages unique? They are an organization that honours a social model of living, with a focus on “living” and providing excellent care. When it comes to the dining experience, Schlegel Villages has adopted this culture through The Ruby Restaurant and its memory care program, Living In My Today. Using fresh ingredients and scratch cooking as much as possible, no matter the care level is Schlegel Villages vision for dining services. “This is a home and we service our residents like it is, if they want something as simple as a grilled cheese, then that’s what they get”, says George Madalena, Culinary Specialist. THE RUBY The Ruby Restaurant was the vision of owner Ron Schlegel who wanted a place where families and friends could take their loved one who could not easily access a restaurant outside of the Village. He THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 14

wanted to provide a different dining experience, more of a “downtown” restaurant-feel while still supporting the family in accommodating the needs of their loved one, in particular, those with cognitive and/or physical mobility concerns. In 2013, The Village of Tansley Woods in Burlington, Ontario was the first to open The Ruby. Today, 5 Villages have The Ruby Restaurant and Schlegel Villages plan to incorporate The Ruby in all of their future builds. The Ruby is open 7 days a week for lunch and supper and each one has its own dedicated chef and servers. Twice a year, The Ruby chefs gather together and decide as a group what the collective menu will be. Then each chef will determine the second menu option and/or weekly feature that is suitable to their own resident mix. The Ruby has become its own brand within Schlegel Villages with consistent menus and portion sizes. Covid presented new opportunities for The Ruby team to expand the types of meal services offered to their residents, explains Virginia Millar, Director of Hospitality and Dining.

Today, residents are able to order online or by phone to The Ruby for “curb-side” take out and grab’n go options. Orders are either delivered directly to the resident’s room or residents can arrange for pick-up in a designated area. Also, The Ruby provides frozen meals to the General Store (another service offered by each Village) for sale to families, residents and staff.

explains Jill Estioko, RD, Director Nutrition and Food Services. Residents can come to the dining room based on their needs and wants, rather than being told when to eat. High protein, nutrient dense finger foods play an integral part in this flexibility as they allow residents to eat on the run while still achieving their individual nutritional goals.

MEMORY CARE

As part of the Living In My Today program, the Food & Hospitality Team created a resource for communities which provides guidance on how to support residents who require a finger food alternative. This is not a diet, says Nancy Ma, NM, Food & Nutrition Specialist, finger foods are “travelfriendly”, portable, grab’n go options.

Inspired by the simple desire to offer the best support possible, Living In My Today, is Schlegel Villages signature dementia program, developed over five years to reflect the shift towards wellness among leading care providers and dementia experts around the world. One of the five pillars of Living In My Today is enjoyable mealtimes. This pillar incorporates best practices and resources that ensure residents have an enjoyable mealtime experience. Through Living In My Today, staff are trained to engage and encourage residents by giving them ques and using the “hand under hand” technique instead of doing it for them. Family members can attend training sessions and use the same techniques when visiting their loved one. At Schlegel Villages, the focus is on flexibility in dining rather than a separate dedicated memory care menu,

Preparing certain menu items such as bacon, muffins and cookies in each neighbourhood allows the smell to radiate throughout the dining room, triggering the appetite and memory of residents. Simplified table settings without fancy napkin folds, separate dining rooms, limiting noise and the use of blue china all aide in creating the right environment for enjoyable meal times for residents living with dementia. Dietary Aides are assigned to each neighbourhood so they can spend as much time as possible there. Undercounter dishwashers were moved up to each neighbourhood so the dietary aide can be working while still overseeing and monitoring the dining room.

F�d & Hospitality TEAM

Virginia Millar Director, Hospitality & Dining

Jill Estioko, RD Director, Nutrition & Food Services

George Madalena, C.C.C. Culinary Specialist

THE FUTURE We will continue to evolve our food and hospitality programs as new research and learning come about, says Jill Estioko.

Nancy Ma, NM Food & Nutrition Specialist

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 15

Designing Desserts for Senior Living As the cooler weather approaches in Canada, the desserts offered on menus change from cool and refreshing to warm and comforting. Fall flavours are rich, heart warming and great for senior living menus. Apples, pears, pumpkin and cranberries are traditional classics that can be paired with rich, sweet, warmed toppings such as maple, caramel, or English toffee. Adding spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice will accentuate the flavour and fragrance of all your dessert dishes. Keeping it simple is the key to dessert menu planning. Use ingredients in your pantry and balance out the offerings with homemade to pre-made, keeping your budgets in check. Try designing your desserts with some of SGP’s great partners such as Arthur Rogers, Lynch, Voortman and Sara Lee. And don’t forget to pair them with a variety of coffee and teas from Mother Parkers.

Pairing Pears with Kontiki Canned Fruits by Arthur Rogers and Lynch Foodservice Toppings STEP 1: Choose your pear option Sliced · Diced · Halves · Pureed

STEP 2: Pick your favourite topping Caramel · Butterscotch English Toffee · Chocolate Chocolate Fudge

Try combining these classic favourites: •

Double Chocolate Pear Brownie – One small brownie topped with pear half and a light drizzle of Chocolate Fudge topping (optional whipped cream)

•

Caramel Pear Cake – On any cake (white, pound or cheesecake), top with sliced pears and drizzle with caramel topping

•

Warm Ginger Pear with Ice Cream – Sprinkle pear halves with ginger and warm in oven. Place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in centre of warmed pear and top with English Toffee topping

•

Try using Diced Pears and Pear Puree for your textured diets substituting them with the above recipe ideas (modifying the textures of the other ingredients as well).

•

Use Lynch toppiings (available in 2 x 4 L jugs) and Kontiki fruits by Arthur Roger (available in 6 x 2.84 L (100 oz) tins).

Ginger Pear Crisp Featuring: Kontiki Pear Slices in Natural Juices (6 x 2.84 L, product #10219) Serves: 40 Ingredients: 3 cups Gingersnap cooies, crushed 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour 2 ½ cups Brown sugar, dark 2 ½ cups Old-fashioned rolled oats 1 ½ cups Margarine, melted 3 x 100 oz tins Kontiki Sliced Pears 1 ¼ cups Sugar 1 tsp Ginger, ground ½ tsp Cloves, ground 1/3 cup Cornstarch

Directions: 1. Adjust oven rack to centre position and heat to 375°F (190°C). 2. Mix gingersnap crumbs, flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and margarine in a bowl; set aside. 3. Place pears in another bowl. 4. Bring pear syrup, sugar, ginger and cloves to a boil in a saucepan, reserving 150 ml pear syrup for next step. 5. Whisk cornstarch into remaining 150 ml pear juice, then whisk into boiling syrup. Continue to simmer until thick, less than a minute. 6. Pour syrup over pears, toss to coat, and turn into a large baking pan. 7. Sprinkle crumble clusters over pears. Bake until topping is golden and pears are bubbly, 25-30 minutes. 8. Cool until warm and serve. ISSUE 02 • PAGE 17

Pumpkin Spice Wafer Peanut Butter & Caramel Dessert

Santa’s Hat Shortbread Cookie

Featuring: Voortman Pumpkin Spice Wafers (12 x 300 g, product #150574)

Featuring: Voortman Bulk Shortbread Cookies (1 x 9 lb, product #8450)

Serves: 25

Ingredients: 75 each Voortman Pumpkin Spice Wafers 375 ml Peanut butter 125 ml Caramel sauce 180 ml Whipped cream, 35%

Ingredients: 25 each Voortman Bulk Shortbread Cookies 25 each Strawberries, fresh, trimmed & washed 180 ml Whipping cream, 35%

Directions: 1. In a mixer, whip the cream to a consistency that at least doubles the volume and forms peaks. Set aside (alternatively a non-dairy whip topping can be used as replacement for 35% whipped cream). On each pumpkin spice wafer, gently spread 5 ml of peanut butter. 2. Line serving dishes with 3 pumpkin spice & peanut butter wafers in a stack (alternatively lay flat). Drizzle 15 ml caramel sauce over the wafers. 3. Pipe whipped cream on top of the pumpkin spice slices. If preparing in advance, refrigerate dishes at step 2. Add whipped cream at time of service. THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 18

Directions: 1. In a mixer, whip the cream to a consistency that at least doubles the volume and forms peaks. Set aside (alternatively a non-dairy whip topping can be used as replacement for 35% whipped cream). 2. Arrange vanilla shortbread cookies on a tray, pipe small stars (peaks) of whipping cream in a circular pattern inside the edge of the cookie. Place a strawberry, bottom pointing upwards, inside the ring of stars. 3. Top with a final peak of whipping cream to complete Santa’s hat.

K I T CH E N

Tea & Coffee

Dessert Pairings There are so many ways to mix and match and pair the sweet flavours of these great Sara Lee desserts with flavour packed teas and coffees from Mother Parkers.The sky is the limit when it comes to combining two great companies offerings.

PICK YOUR FAVOURITE BEVERAGE

CHOOSE A DESSERT Chef Pierre Traditional Unbaked Apple Pie Product #9277

Chef Pierre Pumpkin Pie Product # 9281

Sara Lee Pound Cake Product #8298

Sara Lee French Cream Cheesecake Product #8018

Apple Cinnamon Tea 6/20 ea Product #3030388

Butter Pecan Flavoured Coffee 18/2.25 oz Product #3182225

Earl Grey Tea 6/20 ea Product #3030371

Hazelnut Vanilla Coffee 8/2.25 oz Product #3182227

“A Picture Paints a Thousand Words” Win a gift basket of goodies from Sara Lee® and Mother Parkers® Tea & Coffee! This contest is as easy as pie!! Simply submit a picture showing how you’re serving one of the selected Sara Lee® products alongside a cup of either coffee or tea products (see article on pairing for selected products for both Sara Lee and Mother Parkers). Both supplier products must be represented in the photo in order to qualify. Submit your photos to msmith@saraleefb.com One winner will be selected every month for 3 months. Contest runs Oct 1st, 2021 to Dec 31st, 2021. Contest Details: A basket comprised of a variety of chocolates, nuts, candy, coffees, and teas will be awarded each month and selected by Random Draw of the submissions. Contact: Marjorie Smith at msmith@saraleefb.com for any questions or clarifications on rules regarding picture submission. Sponsors reserve the right to cancel, suspend, withdraw, or amend this contest in any way, without prior notice or obligation for any cause beyond the reasonable control of the Sponsor that interferes with the proper conduct of this contest.

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 19

Project Procurement For LTC New Builds The procurement of FF&E and OS&E can be quite complex for a new long term care home. For instance, for a home of over 250 beds, there may be over 1,300 line items to purchase and a budget over $3.5 Million dollars to manage. The budget will reflect the scope of work, brand standards and product quality. There could be over 100 purchases to source, tender, place orders, expedite, coordinate deliveries, receive and manage invoices for. To be successful, you need a procurement plan and you must work very closely with corporate departments and operations to ensure the products purchased will meet the needs of the home, their staff and residents. At the same time, the FF&E and OS&E must meet the requirements outlined in the Long-Term Care Home Design Manual: https://health.gov.on.ca/en/public/ programs/ltc/docs/home_design_manual.pdf. It takes more than three years from application to opening a long-term care home. Once you have received approvals, you celebrate and then begin the complex process to build your long-term care home. In addition to managing the construction of the building, you will also need to manage the procurement for Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E) and Operating Supplies & Equipment (OS&E). For Extendicare, Silver Group Purchase (SGP) procurement team manages the procurement of FF&E and OS&E. SGP procurement process integrates knowledge from two disciplines – Supply Chain Management and Project Management. SGP’s project procurement process engages with the project sponsor and stakeholders, streamlines communications and encourages team work in a collaborative and transparent environment. At Extendicare, Supply Chain Management processes have been in place for over 50 years and SGP’s procurement Code of Ethics are aligned with the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive. Procurement is responsible for overseeing the whole process of procurement from start to finish and ensuring that all aspects of the relationships are held to the highest ethical and professional standards. Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. It includes identifying project requirements, addressing the various needs, concerns, and expectations of stakeholders. It also involves establishing and maintaining active communication with stakeholders, managing resources, and balancing the competing project constraints such as scope, schedule and cost. To read the full article that provides a step by step guide to the process please cick here.

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 20

What is FF&E and OS&E? FF&E is an abbreviation for Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment. FF&E are movable furniture, fixtures, or other equipment that have no permanent connection to the structure of a building or utilities. Examples include desks, chairs, night tables, beds, decorative lighting and artwork. OS&E is an abbreviation for Operating Supplies and Equipment. OS&E are items used in the business operations and sometimes called consumables. It will also include some equipment such as glassware and other small equipment such as housekeeping carts for ongoing operations, cleaning supplies, paper products and smallwares.

Why Procurement of FF&E and OS&E Matters? FF&E and OS&E work together. FF&E should reflect the purpose of the space and supports operations. Operations use both FF&E and OS&E to manage business activities everyday. When purchased correctly, the end result is you can have a great experience by meeting and exceeding expectations. It can also have the complete opposite effect when you fail to meet expectations. Specifically for a long-term care home, FF&E and OS&E can impact end user experience including staff at the home, residents, residents’ family, vendors, visitors to the home and ultimately can have high impact on the quality of life and satisfaction levels for residents.

May Lui, is Director of Procurement, SGP Purchasing Network and is responsible for the overall procurement strategy for Extendicare Canada Inc., as their corporate procurement division and as a group purchasing organization (GPO). May leads a team of highly skilled procurement professionals with expertise in a wide range of indirect spend categories for goods and services such as administration, clinical, food services, housekeeping & leisure, recreation & leisure, maintenance and capital/ FF&E/OS&E for the senior living sector. Committed to providing innovative supply chain solutions that are resident and customer centric, SGP understands our partners’ business and is focused on optimizing procurement process efficiencies in managing costs, quality and risks for day to day operations, capital expenditures and new developments.

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 21

Top Pest Offenders in

Long-Term Care Facilities By Alice Sinia, Ph.D. Quality Assurance Manager – Regulatory/Lab Services, Orkin Canada

Pests can be a major health hazard for the elderly or those with compromised immunity in long-term care facilities, so they require special care when it comes to maintaining a pest-free environment. With many entrances, small spaces and a regular flow of people in and out, these can all affect the pest pressures on your facility. Some pests, like rodents and flies, pose health threats as they can spread bacteria and contaminate surfaces and equipment. Other pests, like bed bugs, can be a nuisance to residents and staff. What all these pests have in common is that they are top offenders to long-term care facilities. When it comes to rodents, the best tactic is exclusion. To ensure rodents stay out and don’t cause problems for your residents, ensure all holes, cracks and crevices on the outside and inside of your facility are sealed with rodentresistant sealant and mesh. This means conducting regular inspections to ensure any new developing holes are spotted and fixed in a timely manner. You can help eliminate attraction and harbourage areas around your facility by maintaining a well-groomed landscape. Also make sure trash cans stay lined and cans are always covered or closed with a lid. If possible, ask your waste management company to clean and switch out your exterior dumpster regularly so pests don’t get too comfortable. With many residents, visitors and employees regularly circulating in and out, bed bugs can be a threat as they are the ultimate hitchhikers. Contrary to popular belief, a bed bug issue has nothing to do with cleanliness. Bed bugs feed on blood and reproduce quickly – so an introduction can easily turn into an infestation, leaving management with a costly fix. Have your housekeeping staff regularly inspect linens, upholstered furniture, curtains and baseboard areas behind beds for ink-like stains or tan hollow casings. In addition, facilities can also ask their pest management provider to set up discreet bed bug monitors in resident rooms or other high risk areas.

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 22

Entrances are also a welcome opportunity for nuisance pests to try to make their way inside. Did you know that flies are associated with at least 100 pathogens? That’s double the risk a cockroach poses. To deter flies, swap out mercury vapour lamps, to sodium-vapour lights outside next to entryways. For the doorways themselves, consider installing air curtains– flies can’t fly through a rush of air, so this keeps them out while people go through. Utilizing fly light traps near doorways is also a highly effective way to keep them from making it too far inside your facility and causing a problem. Inside, clean trashcans and food areas daily so organic matter and spills don’t lure flies (and other pests) in. Ensure trash is emptied and cans are cleaned out regularly. Taking small proactive measures can go a long way in terms of keeping pests out and maintaining a comfortable and clean environment for residents. Always work closely with your pest management partner to stay proactive against pest threats. If you need a provider, look for a pest control company who offers an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, which is an inclusive, ongoing and proactive cycle focused on prevention through assessing the situation, implementing control measures and monitoring their effectiveness regularly. Alice Sinia, Ph.D. is quality assurance manager of regulatory/lab Services for Orkin Canada, focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 20 years of experience, she manages the quality assurance laboratory for Orkin Canada and performs analytical entomology as well as provides technical support in pest/insect identification to branch offices and clients. For more information, email Alice Sinia at asinia@orkincanada.com or visit orkincanada.ca.

Altro is a world-leading manufacturer and innovator in commercial floors and walls, turning ordinary interiors into thriving environments, and transforming spaces to enhance emotional and physical well-being. Explore our senior living fit for purpose map to learn more about our floor and wall solutions for care communities. Discover the NEW Altro Tegulis hygienic wall panel solution at www.altro.com/tegulis

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 23

The Future of Infection Prevention & Control By SC Johnson Professional, Healthcare, Canada

Within recent years, there has been a growing focus on infection prevention and environmental cleaning practices within Canada’s senior living sector. The COVID-19 pandemic caused that focus to increase exponentially within the last year and most likely for the future. As a result, COVID-19 has caused operators working in the senior living sector to re-evaluate their preparedness levels and to make important changes to their Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) plans. For many, there were opportunities to standardize IPAC processes by using innovative technologies that track and report data to improve personal and facility cleaning practices. Maintaining a continued focus on the importance of IPAC in senior living long after the COVID-19 pandemic is imperative as germs are a part of everyday life and nearly impossible to avoid. Given their close quarters, senior living communities are at high risk of infectious outbreaks. By sharing medical care, water, food and air, vulnerable residents are easily exposed to infectious agents that could jeopardize their health. Their compromised states leave them susceptible to experiencing long-lasting infections that can be detrimental not only to the residents’ wellbeing. If one thing is for certain, it’s that IPAC and environmental services (EVS) practices in senior living will remain in the spotlight. As we continue to make progress toward a post-pandemic setting, let’s take a look at some of the trends that will be at the forefront of IPAC and EVS best practices for years to come.

Improving Patient Safety and Employee Efficiency with Platform Technology According to IPAC Canada, standard precautions for infection prevention and control preparedness in senior living include: implementing routine hand hygiene practices for all residents and employees, adjusting

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 24

physical layouts to ensure the implementation of social distancing, using personal protective equipment (PPE), having adequate space to put on and take off PPE, limiting access points, cleaning and disinfecting environmental surfaces and soiled linen and ensuring staff who have signs or symptoms of infection do not return to work until cleared to do so. In some settings “self-monitoring” is utilized. It relies on individual healthcare personnel to track and report any potential lapses in personal hygiene that may affect patients or contact with infected patients without the proper PPE. With healthcare personnel moving at such a fast pace, self-reporting is not always possible or accurate. So how can operators accurately follow and monitor infection control processes? By using Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) to provide immediate or real-time tracking and management of medical equipment, staff and patients for contact tracing and electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems.

Contact Tracing According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “contact tracing is the process of identifying, assessing and managing people who have been exposed to a disease to prevent onward transmission.” COVID-19 generated awareness surrounding the topic, but it will continue to act as an important measure to mitigate the spread of infections as we enter a post-pandemic environment. Contact tracing uses RTLS technology that automatically tracks every staff entry and exit of resident rooms. Contact tracing with RTLS technology can replace using manually recorded data with more accurate and complete information garnered by these automated systems, which helps IPAC departments better understand outbreaks and maximize safety protocols. The use of tags can help IPAC departments obtain records of location data sets. It can also follow

interactions between staff, patient, residents and equipment to lead to better IPAC communications and responses.

Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring Systems Hand hygiene that follows guidelines set by the WHO’s “My 5-Moments” and the Canadian 4-Moments for Hand Hygiene has always played an essential role in IPAC. These guidelines are now becoming expectations and hand hygiene compliance will continue to be a component of multi-modal, solution-based IPAC strategies. To meet these increased standards surrounding hand hygiene, operators can measure hand hygiene compliance by installing an electronic hand hygiene monitoring system that can track hand hygiene events and provide the data to support ongoing improvements and compliance. Given the demands and complexity related to hand hygiene compliance efforts, technology-based solutions will play a vital and ever-increasing role in supporting these compliance efforts now and into the future.

Increase in Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces in the immediate vicinity of the resident such as bedside tables and chairs pose a huge risk to facility outbreaks. With residents being at a high risk of complications due to pre-existing conditions and advanced age, IPAC and EVS departments within these facilities must continue forming collaborative relationships to develop appropriate cleaning protocols that support infection control practices. There are several surfaces and devices that must be cleaned and disinfected. Certain high-touch surfaces such as door handles, nursing stations, reception desks, countertops and light switches need to be cleaned more frequently. In some cases, items will need to be cleaned

after every use and surfaces in high-traffic areas should receive special attention.

Attention to Ingredients Healthcare workers wash their hands up to 100 times a day depending on the number of patients and the intensity of care. This can cause a variety of skin reactions, especially when using soaps and sanitizers that aren’t formulated to account for this level of use. With the onset of COVID-19 causing an increase in hand hygiene, operators should provide soaps or scrubs that are formulated with skin conditioners to avoid skin irritation. Fragrance-free, dye-free, and skin hypoallergenic foaming formulas are also recommended options to help minimize the likelihood of any adverse reactions occurring during use. Additionally, operators should provide soaps and hand scrubs that are effective against common bacteria and use sanitizers with the appropriate level of alcohol. (Sanitizers should have a minimum of 70% alcohol to be effective.) A Hygienic Future With hand hygiene playing such an essential role in preventing the spread of germs and infectious diseases, it’s important to follow the suggested handwashing procedures while also automating monitoring to keep better track of compliance throughout. Additionally, properly disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces by following label instructions and paying close attention to ingredients in products will be key factors in keeping facilities and employees clean and safe in a postpandemic environment. For more information on SC Johnson Professional products and solutions for senior living, visit https:// www.scjp.com/en-ca/healthcare.

ISSUE 02 • PAGE 25

Environmental Cleaning Verification in Senior Living Environmental surfaces can act as a potential reservoir for microorganisms. Potential pathogens can linger on surfaces from a few hours to several months depending on the microorganism and conditions. This increases the potential of crosscontamination if surfaces are not properly cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning and cleaning verification are inseparable concepts regardless of the type of the health care setting. Cleaning is the mechanical action referring to the physical removal of foreign and organic materials. Disinfection is the inactivation of the disease-producing microorganisms. Once cleaning and disinfection are performed, how is this process monitored? Visual inspection is generally used to verify cleanliness; however, visual inspection alone cannot provide reliable results because it is subjective, lacks sensitivity and is unreliable. There is a need for a rapid, objective, measurable, quantitative method for detecting the presence of diseasecausing agents and verifying

cleanliness. Several studies that focus on environmental hygiene in heath care facilities, mainly hospitals, compare available decontamination methods and their efficacy. A recently published document by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) focused on cleaning and disinfection in health care facilities (HCF) states that a cleaning effectives audit and its frequency shall be performed in accordance with HCF and EVS policies and SOP s and it shall include at least a visual inspection and one other audit type. Fluorescent marker, ATP detection, microbiological culture, and survey are the recommended methods. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a molecule that is present in all organic cells. Studies have demonstrated that, residual ATP from organic material and microbes is stable when dried on surfaces, and that the presence of ATP may be used as a marker or indicator of effective surface hygiene. ATP testing is a rapid way to monitor the quality of cleaning. 3M™ CleanTrace™ Monitoring System uses ATP

bioluminescence technology to measure the level of ATP present on surfaces. The chemical reaction between ATP and the reactants in the 3M™ Clean-Trace™ ATP surface tests, generates light, which is detected by the 3M™ Clean-Trace™ luminometer. The results are presented in Relative Light Units (RLU), to measure the amount of clinical soil on the surface. The results can be uploaded to 3M’s secure online hosted service, the 3M™ Quality Control Data Manager (QCDM). The assessment of cleaning is a manageable activity which needs to be audited for consistency. Audit frequency and methods vary; however, quality assurance of the cleaning outcomes requires a tool to provide quick feedback to the team performing the cleaning. The results may be used in training and providing feedback on cleaning failures to assist management and improve environmental hygiene. Click here to view full article with references.

Lower the risk of outbreak and improve employee and resident wellness specific to your facility. DID YOU KNOW? Proper floor care programs that seal the porous surfaces of tiles and substrates will reduce the areas that viruses and bacteria are known to harbour and multiply, lowering the risk of cross-contamination Slip and fall incidents happen when too little friction and traction are between floor surface and footwear 66% of falls occur on floor level as the result of slips, according to the CCOHS-Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

The use of a high-quality solution with superior detergency will safely deep clean floors without leaving the film as other typical restoring cleaners do. It instantly improves the coefficient of friction, improving the slip resistance, and helps reduce the risk of slip and fall.

Your residents' safety and well-being include clean, safe floors, and this is another added risk you can cross off your list when you choose Swish as your solution partner. We also provide informative training on real issues and on-demand if necessary.

THE LINK BY SGP • PAGE 26

How to Get More Mileage Out of Your LTC Capital Equipment If you have ever had to pay for a surprise (and pricey) repair on your vehicle, you know how it feels to have to manage the added expense and inconvenience, not to mention safety concerns if the issue was not detected in time. Capital equipment such as hospital beds, lifts, and tubs are a significant investment for any long-term care facility. Although essential to quality care for residents, it is all too easy to overlook the importance of routine maintenance. Just like regular visits to the mechanic keep your vehicle in working order, capital equipment functions

best and most cost-effectively with regular preventative maintenance. Waiting until something is broken can not only jeopardize the health and safety of your residents but costs more time and money while disrupting the efficiency of your facility. What is more, these types of equipment are highly technical, requiring specialized expertise to properly service and maintain. This is typically outside the scope and duties of a maintenance manager. Instead, extend the life of your capital equipment (and avoid unanticipated and costly repairs) with these tips:

Regularly inspect your equipment for deficiencies before any issues arise. Enrol in service programs from trained technicians with experience servicing all makes and models of capital equipment specifically in senior living and long-term care environments. Prioritize preventative maintenance programs for your entire fleet of bed models. Lifts require annual max weight load testing. This can be annual or semi-annual. Have trained auditors ensure rail compliance for hospital bed rail systems. This is recommended annually and can be rescheduled at your convenience. Evaluate mattresses and slings for breakdown and sizing deficiencies as part of compliance audits. Trained technicians can make specific recommendations based on the level of wear and tear to the mattress. Manage your equipment asset pool online instead of inconvenient spreadsheets – at no additional cost (and included with all service calls, preventative maintenance, and audits), we offer a user-friendly app (desktop and mobile) to quickly and easily track equipment status and details in real time. You can manage users, have full visibility of your asset pool, and print out convenient reports for the Ministry of Health.

With these tips, you will be able to get more mileage out of your equipment so you can focus on what you do best – delivering quality care to all your residents. Proudly Canadian owned and operated, SFI Medical Equipment Solutions provides capital equipment, parts, and service solutions to long-term care facilities and hospitals nationwide. With exclusive experience in long-term care, our team is dedicated to providing residents and care teams with access to safe, certified equipment with the highest quality customer service available.

For a free consultation for your facility, contact us today! 1-888-734-4575 | info@sfimedical.com | www.sfimedical.com ISSUE 02 • PAGE 27

GET CONN EC TED WITH US! linkedin.com/company/sgppurchasing facebook.com/sgppartner instagram.com/sgppartner twitter.com/sgpnetwork SGP is the leading Group Purchasing Partner coast to coast in Canada. Reach out to our knowledgable team to learn more about our products and categories.