Precious routines and social life under threat at aged care facilities as virus looms

Southeast Queensland aged care facilities have had to adopt strict safety measures in the fight against COVID-19 while trying to maintain valuable social interaction.

AGED CARE facilities hard hit by precautionary measures against coronavirus have had to adopt creative measures to ward off social isolation.

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While some allow visitors under strict supervision and health declarations, others have shut their doors completely except for exceptional circumstances.

In the new age of social distancing much-valued social life has been turned upside down according facilities.

Companionship has become all the more important at Seasons Aged Care in Kallangur during the coronavirus outbreak.

“It has been a very significant change,” Kallangur and Mango Hill Seasons Aged Care CEO Tracey Silvester said.

“All our social calendars are virtually non-existent which means we have had to be very creative in how we offer residents social interaction while maintaining social distancing.

“All our residents used to come to the main dining room for a meal everyday which was a great social activity for them but we have had to change to delivering meals at their apartments.

“A lot of residents were very active, a lot of them have better social lives than I do, but that has now had to change.

Coronavirus precautions are stringent at Seasons Aged Care Mango Hill.

“For some residents that has been a really big challenge because as you get older you lose a lot of your capacity to choose what you want to do in certain situations and making a choice about whether you go to the shops might be the only one you get to make independently every day.

“And at a clustered living environment like we have it is not just about the individual, it is about the whole community and all of the staff.

“But they have been very good and tolerant.”

Ms Silvester was unapologetic for their restrictions.

“We have locked our gates and visitors have to enter via intercom approval and we ask them to sign a visitor’s declaration as an overt statement by us to ask them to think about their own health.”

The aged care provider was particularly proud of her staff who are ordered home at the slightest hint of illness.

“Our staff have really stepped up; they are doing an amazing job,” Ms Silvester said.

“A lot of the credit is going to the nurses and the doctors in hospitals but I look at my team and the work they do, which in some ways is more important because they apply preventive measures to keep people out of those hospitals.”

Arcare North Lakes staff Maree Katic and Catherine Neubauer provide activities for resident Irene Strong.

Arcare Aged Care North Lakes temperature check all staff daily and has looked to technology for solutions.

“We have our own Arcare app that allows family and friends to send SMS, pictures and videos to residents,” an Arcare spokesman said.

“In addition, emails from family and friends are printed and read to residents as soon as they arrive.

“It’s difficult for residents not to see their loved ones and we are working hard to ensure they don’t get down during this time by doing more and more activities to keep them busy and happy.”

The facility now has daily instead of monthly activity calendars; a lifestyle team brings around an activity trolley full of craft, newspapers, magazines and activity booklets.

The site is distributing its own internal newsletter and one-on-one prayer sessions are offered to residents.

Arcare management said their facilities are now closed to all visitors unless under exceptional circumstances.

“We have strict infection control guidelines, an outbreak plan and COVID-19 Emergency Management Plan in place,” a spokesman said.

“The COVID-19 Emergency Management Plan has been drafted to follow the Communicable Diseases Network Australia’s (CDNA) COVID-19 National Guidelines for outbreaks in residential care facilities.

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“Alongside the risk-based questions we ask all team members to have daily temperature checks.

“We also have oversight of all sick leave that team members are taking and the reason why.

“Reports are generated and interrogated daily.”