COVID-19 Vaccine Preparedness Resources for Long-term Care and Retirement Homes

Last updated: February 2022

Welcome to our COVID-19 Vaccine Preparedness Resources page for long-term care (LTC) and retirement homes in Canada. These resources have been curated with immunization experts from across the country, including Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Solutions for Kids in Pain and #SeePainMoreClearly. These resources aim to help LTC and retirement homes plan and rollout COVID-19 vaccines to residents, staff and essential care partners, and support informed choices about COVID-19 vaccines.  

This is not an exhaustive repository and intended to complement existing provincial, territorial and jurisdictional COVID-19 vaccine planning. Information about vaccine rollout in your province or territory can be found via your public health authority’s website. 

• Provincial and Territorial Health Authority Websites 

Section 1: Planning guidance for immunization

These resources can inform COVID-19 immunization clinic planning and are intended to complement existing jurisdictional immunization campaigns, clinic plans and policies.

• First Nations Health Authority COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sheet,
• Guidance for long-term care vaccinations related to clinical training, clinical readiness, and site readiness, developed by UHN Michener Institute of Education.
• Planning guidance for immunization clinics for COVID-19 vaccines from the Government of Canada.  
• Guidance on vaccines for children and planning vaccines for ages 12-17
• After the Shot: Guidance Supporting the Re-opening of Canada’s LTC Homes Following COVID-19 Vaccination report by the National Institute of Ageing
• COVID-19: Life after vaccination - Canada.ca
• NEW! What Older Canadians Need to Know - COVID-19 Vaccines, information from the National Institute of Ageing (NIA)
• NEW! NACI Guidance on booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines
• NEW! Guidance on the use of influenza vaccine in the presence of COVID-19

Section 2: Characteristics, handling and administration of COVID-19 vaccines

• Moderna and Pfizer/BioTech websites contain information regarding reporting  adverse events or product concerns; handling; administration instructions and educational videos; and vaccination card and second dose reminder cards. Product monograph for the Pfizer-Biotech COVID-19 vaccine and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine contains the complete product information in French and English.
• Weekly updates on safety and side effects of all COVID-19 vaccines, developed and updated by PHAC (available in French).
• Guidance from the Government of Canada on who is eligible for each vaccine, what to do after being vaccinated, and how to register.
• Information on safety and side effects for Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine: What you should know - Health Canada.
• Additional information on AstraZeneca / COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine: What you should know - Health Canada.
• NACI recommendations on the use of COVID-19 Vaccines
• NEW! Vaccine Information Booklet developed by Unity Health and Wellness Hub

Section 3: Promoting COVID-19 vaccine uptake 

Healthcare providers play a large role in promoting vaccine uptake by sharing the science and facts about COVID 19 vaccines, taking time to answer questions and address concerns.  

• COVID-19 Vaccination Information Resources Toolkit for Healthcare Providers was published by the PHAC and equips healthcare providers with information to help patients and colleagues make informed choices about COVID-19 vaccines. 
• Tools to Boost Vaccine Confidence in LTC through the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research, and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI-LTC), and Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care
• The Health Canada infographic explains the vaccine development and approval process.
• COVID-19 Vaccines communication toolkit for Indigenous communities, developed by the Government of Canada with multilingual social media messages.
• Multilingual videos addressing COVID-19 vaccine myths by the Centre for Resilience and Social Development & Ottawa Public Health, available in English, French, Arabic, Mandarin, and Somali.
• The Centre for Effective Practice has a repository of COVID-19 resources on their website contains information including
• Answering questions about the COVID-19 vaccine: a guide for providers  
• Discussion Framework to help providers have conversations with patients about the COVID-19 vaccine in a trusted and informative way. 
• CAnVax COVID-19 Vaccine Questions and Answers for Healthcare Providers is available in multiple languages, including French and English.
• University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy  COVID-19 resources include: 
• COVID-19 mRNA vaccine myths vs. facts poster 
• Poster to promote vaccine uptake: Got the Vaccine? Be proud and make it public 
• Viral vector vaccines information.
• How mRNA vaccines work (1-page infographic).  
• Family and Community Medicine University of Toronto COVID-19 Community of Practice website has pre-recorded webinars hosted by practicing family physicians, as well as tools and resources about the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Vaccines for children: Deciding to vaccinate -  resource by the Government of Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada
• NEW! First Nations Health Authority Video: Does the COVID-19 vaccine affect pregnancy or fertility?

Section 4: Improve the vaccine experience by reducing pain, anxiety and/or needle fears 

Despite being commonplace, needle procedures and vaccines can be anxiety provoking, distressing and painful. Simple, evidence-informed strategies can improve vaccine experience. Providers can use: 

• An age-based algorithm with pharmacological, psychological, physical, and procedural strategies for reducing vaccination pain in adults (by Immunize Canada). 
• Resources to assess pain in older adults with cognitive impairments to contribute to a positive experience before, during and after vaccination by See Pain More Clearly.  
• Resources containing strategies that providers and essential care partners can follow to reduce needle-related fainting and needle fears.

Section 5: COVID-19 Vaccines Reviews

Information and evidence-informed advice and directives are continuing to roll-out across the country. Below are some sources of reviews relating to COVID-19 vaccines.

• The COVID-19 Rapid Evidence Reviews database is managed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority and has been created for the teams evaluating available COVID-19 related evidence, including evidence on vaccines, in order to make the best informed decisions to for patients and residents and to help reduce duplication across clinical teams.
• For the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine information and recommendations, please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• Information on side effects from COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine safety.

Need more information? Want to share resources, request translation or cultural adaptations? Please reach out to the LTC+ team via LTC-SLD@hec-esc.ca 

In addition to the above resources related to vaccine preparedness and roll-out, general resources to support people living with dementia during the  pandemic can be found via Innovations, Tools and Resources on the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement website as well as BrainXchange and Alzheimer Society (with COVID-19 tips for care partners).