Newmarch House relatives get window into world of fear
Three more residents of the Newmarch House nursing home in Sydney’s west have tested positive to COVID-19, delaying a promise from Anglicare that families can visit residents when the facility has had 28 days without a new case.
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Anglicare has admitted its communication with families of Newmarch House residents in Sydney’s west could have been better as the facility today confirmed three new COVID-19 cases.
The nursing home revealed it would only review its visitation policy after 28 days without a new case.
Confirming the new outbreak among three residents, Anglicare issued a statement saying it was frantically working with NSW Public Health Unit and an Infectious Diseases Specialist to pin down the reason for the spread.
In a separate statement earlier today Anglicare CEO Grant Millard said “to an extent” the criticism that Anglicare Sydney received over communication was true,
“We have been under extreme pressure,” Mr Millard said.
“For instance – to maintain social isolation while providing care it takes our staff at least five times as long to undertake a simple task like giving a COVID-19 resident a phone to make a phone call because of the need to put on and take off the PPE and clean up.”
“We would love the relatives of our residence to visit their loved ones at Newmarch House. We are allowing families of those in end of life care some access under strict controls, however, for others we simply cannot afford to risk further spreading COVID-19.
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Mr Millard described the situation as a “really hard decision” but said Anglicare is arranging for some family members to speak to their loved ones through window visits.
A Nepean Hospital infectious diseases doctor told residents’ families the home was still logging new COVID-19 cases.
Lisa Lane is furious she hasn’t seen her mother in troubled Newmarch House for five weeks.
Her mother Rose Davies, 84, is struggling with dementia and is in palliative care inside the Penrith aged care facility.
“Why is everyone being granted window visits when my mother is genuinely sick and I can’t see her?” she said.
“It seems unless your relative in the home has COVID, managers don’t hear your concerns.
“I don’t know how long my mother has got left to live, but every time I ask Anglicare if I can see her they say they’re giving priority to people who have COVID-19 and are gravely ill.
“I’m terrified my mother will get the virus, people are dropping like flies, I don’t mean it but I almost wish she did have the virus so I could get to see her, or get more information.
“I desperately miss her but I don’t think she knows she has a daughter any more. It’s been so long.”
Anthony Bowe says he wasn’t notified when his mother Patricia, who has the virus, was placed on oxygen.
“I’ve had no contact from any doctor to do with mum’s treatment and as long as I don’t, we will continue to protest outside the home every night,” he said.
“I’ve had no involvement in the treatment plan the entire time.”
Mr Bowe said his mother’s original end-of-life plan is no longer fit for purpose.
“I wanted a conversation. I wanted a doctor to go through my options.
“If the doctors’ data and their reaction is fluid, then our reaction to the end-of-life plan … should reflect that and be fluid as well.”
Window visits started at Fortress Newmarch after the death toll at the facility on Wednesday rose to an unthinkable 12.
It was the first time Louise Payne had been able to see her mother, Yvonne, 89, close up since the care home in Sydney’s west went into lockdown eight weeks ago.
She desperately wanted to hug her but all she could do was blow kisses through the window and tell her how much she loved her.
Ms Payne’s mother is among the 32 residents – around one in three – who have tested positive to the virus along with 22 staff.
But she is one of the lucky ones. She is still alive. Several days ago she was so ill, she needed an oxygen mask to breathe. She remains quite sick but is improving.
“It was so good to see her, I was so excited to get the call that I could finally see my mum, I’m just trying not to cry,” Ms Payne said.
“I sound silly saying I’ve actually seen my mummy but I have.”
Five residents died in a 48-hour period this week, aged 91, 90, 89, 93 and another died on Wednesday.
The speed at which the virus swept through the home and the conditions behind the closed doors have reflected badly on the management of owners Anglicare.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday said the way relatives of people in the facility are being treated was “not acceptable”.
“You need to lift your game in communicating to loved ones. It’s not acceptable to keep people in the dark,” she said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that at the government’s request, the federal Aged Care Quality Commission, older person’s advocacy network, is now involved.
On Tuesday night, the commission and NSW Health held a meeting with families to improve communications and OPAN will put a worker on site to help families with up-to-the-minute information on their loved ones, Mr Morrison said.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly revealed most of the elderly residents at Newmarch had passed away in the actual facility.
“I don’t know the details … but my understanding is that was their wish that would happen,’’ he said.