Covid-19 infections rip through Gold Coast aged care facilities, staff breaking down at end of shift
Only six of 34 aged care facilities on the Gold Coast have recorded no Covid cases for their residents — which shows how the virus has caused a crisis for nursing homes.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ONLY six of 34 aged care facilities on the Gold Coast have recorded no Covid cases for their residents — which shows how the virus has caused a crisis for nursing homes.
A Bulletin deep dive into federal data base shows some concerning trends on the impact of the virus on the aged care sector, with a large number of facilities based in the region.
Of the six deaths recorded on the Coast, three occurred in one facility, at Arcare Parkwood.
In the worst figures for staffing cases, some facilities have had around 28 employees off on Covid as 50 people in a facility are ill from the virus.
Here is the full list:
* Arcare Parkwood: 27 resident cases; 3 deaths; 23 staff cases; total 50.
* Bupa Tugun: 19 resident cases; 45 staff cases; total 64.
* The Terraces Varsity Lakes: 13 resident cases: 1 resident death: 28 staff case; total 42.
* Merrimac Park Private Care: 7 resident cases; 1 resident death; 23 staff cases; total 30.
* Ozcare Parkwood Gardens: 10 resident cases; 1 resident death; 1 staff case; total 10.
* Arcare Pimpama: 5 resident cases; 13 staff cases; total 18.
* Blue Care Arundel: 11 resident cases; 18 staff cases; total 29.
* Estia Health Mudgeeraba: 3 resident cases; 38 staff cases; total 41.
* Arcare Hope Island: 1 resident case; 6 staff cases; total 7.
* Ozcare Ozanam Villa Aged Care Burleigh: 5 resident cases; 15 staff cases; total 20.
* Blue Care Tallebudgera Talleyhaven Aged Care: 0 resident cases; 3 staff cases; total 3.
* Bupa Merrimac: 2 resident cases; 12 staff cases; total 14.
* Tricare Mermaid Beach Aged Care Residence: 2 resident cases; 12 staff cases; total 14.
* Hill View House Ashmore: 1 resident case; total 1.
* De Paul Villa Southport: 0 resident cases; 15 staff cases; total 15.
* St Vincents Care Services Arundel: 10 resident cases; 6 staff cases; total 16.
* Ozcare Keith Turnbull Place Labrador: 4 residents; 1 staff case: total 5.
* Bolton Clarke Galleon Gardens Currumbin Waters: 7 resident cases: 27 staff cases; total 34.
* St Andrews Aged Care Tallebudgera: 1 resident case; 0 staff cases; total 1.
* Hill View House Merrimac: 1 resident cases; 6 staff cases; total 7.
* Merrimac Park Private Care: 7 resident cases; 1 death; 23 staff cases; total 30.
* Estia Health Gold Coast: 8 resident cases; 15 staff cases; total 23.
* Arcare Helensvale: 0 resident cases; 3 staff cases; total 3.
* Arcare Helensvale St James: 1 resident case; 2 staff cases: total 3.
* Arcare Sanctuary Manors: 6 resident cases; 4 staff cases; total 10.
* Bupa Runaway Bay: 1 resident case; 13 staff cases; total 14.
* Lions Haven for Aged Hope Island: 4 resident cases; 6 staff cases; total 10.
* Tricare Labrador: 0 resident cases; two staff cases; total 2.
* Tricare Cypress Gardens; 0 residents cases; two staff cases; total 2.
* Varsity Views Care: 0 resident cases; two staff cases; total 2.
* Kirra Beach Care Community: 0 resident cases; 4 staff cases; total 4.
* Blue Care Kirra Aged Care Facility: 4 resident cases; 8 staff cases; total 12.
Aged care staffers are sobbing at the end of their shifts because they can only do “emergency work” and no longer sit and help their elderly residents during the Omicron wave.
The Bulletin has compliled a list on Covid cases in the aged care sector which details 400 cases of the virus among residents and staffers in about 30 facilities.
The worst case scenario shows up to 50 residents and staffers at one location are infected.
At least six elderly people have died, in the latest figures which cover a two week reporting window earlier this month.
United Workers Union National Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said many facilities had between 20-30 per cent of staff off work.
“They’re (the staffers) talking about breaking down at the end of their shift because they couldn’t look after the people in their care, they had too many people to look after,” she said.
“They could do the absolute emergencies, they could pick people up who’d fallen, they might get food to people.
“But they couldn’t sit with them and make sure they ate it, which if they’ve got dementia often means they don’t.
“Perhaps they’re missing showering people, taking longer to change incontincence pads. It’s just really, really heartbreaking and very disappointing this is happening to senior Australians.”
Queensland Health statistics show more than 150 people in Queensland have died of Covid-19 in January. The majority were aged over 60.
“There’s just a really nasty undertone of disrespect for older Australians,” Ms Smith said.
“Every person is someone’s grandma, is someone’s sister, is someone’s father. That family is going to be grieving.
“I was really moved talking to someone whose mother had died in aged care in her late 80s. She was 89 but it wasn’t her time to go, she was still having a good life.
“I think that is why the federal government hasn’t felt the pressure to step up and be responsible for aged care, and it’s pretty horrifying that most facilities don’t have daily RATs.
“That means those staff carry that huge emotional load of, ‘Am I going to kill someone I care for every day’”.
Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Beth Mohle told the Bulletin they had repeatedly called on the federal government to make “urgent changes” to protect vulnerable aged care residents.
“Fit testing (for masks) should have occurred,” she said.
“We highlighted this issue when the pandemic began some two years ago and have done so again since.
“We also raised the fact some of Queensland’s major private aged care providers were cutting staff in the midst of the pandemic.
“In late 2021, the QNMU wrote to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Chief Medical Officer and SafeWork Queensland outlining serious concerns that private aged care staff, and others in the private sector, had not been fit tested for N95 and P2 masks.
“The QNMU has also repeatedly called for the introduction of federal safe staffing laws to ensure a minimum one Registered Nurse (RN) is on site at a private aged care facility at all times.
“These protections would have helped ensure the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable aged care residents on the Gold Coast and throughout Queensland and Australia both during the pandemic and every day.
“It’s our belief the federal government has again failed to properly protect elderly Australians in private aged care.
“The federal government and Prime Minister Scott Morrison are responsible for conditions iin more than 2000 private aged care facilities nationwide.”
WEDNESDAY, JAN 28:
At least six elderly Gold Coast aged care residents have died in the past two weeks as Covid infections rip through facilities.
The Bulletin can reveal that there are 440 cases of Covid among residents and staffers in about 30 facilities in the Coast region.
In the worst instances, up to 50 residents and staffers at one location are infected with Covid.
Facilities which are facing the tougher Covid tolls include:
* Arcare Parkwood – 27 resident cases, 3 resident deaths, 23 staff cases.
* Bupa Tugun – 19 resident cases, 45 staff cases.
* The Terraces Varsity Lakes – 13 resident cases, 1 resident death, 28 staff cases.
* Merrimac Park Private Care – 7 resident cases, 1 resident death, 23 staff cases.
* Ozcare Parkwood Gardens – 10 resident cases, 1 resident death, 1 staff case.
From January 7 to January 20 in Queensland centres with active infections, Covid spread from 48 facilities to 212 facilities.
The number of infected residents grew from 148 to 1306, and aged care workers with Covid increased from 264 to 2263.
Deaths in Queensland aged care jumped from 1 to 45.
The United Workers Union says the statistics show the devastating impact Omicron is having on individual facilities.
The union’s National Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith told the Bulletin: “It is tragically clear from these figures that Covid is out of control in Queensland aged care facilities despite the best efforts of aged care workers to protect their residents.
“My heart breaks for those centres with large numbers of aged care workers or residents affected by Covid.
“Those centres will be stretched to breaking point but there is almost nothing being done for them – they were in crisis even before omicron came along.
“Scott Morrison has not had a plan to deal with aged care, he has failed to deliver RAT tests and PPE where they are needed, and there is no effective surge workforce.
“As spelled out in this week’s United Workers Union survey of more than 900 workers – including almost 400 from Queensland – half of workers say they have no access to RAT tests and a third say their PPE is non-existent, inadequate or inappropriate.
“Almost 60 per cent said they have been asked to work double shifts and a quarter have had their leave cancelled.
“They feel neglected, ignored and completely overwhelmed.
”More needs to be done urgently and it’s the responsibility of Scott Morrison to fix the problems in aged care that he has ignored for so long.”
The UWU has been told the National Medical Stockpile of RATs and protective equipment is only for sites with active cases.
Facilities have also been warned delivery of supplies can take more than five days because of supply chain issues.
A federal Health Department report last week revealed there had been 2931 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities, totalling more than 26,000 cases across the state.
brianna.morris-grant@news.com.au
More Coverage
What are the symptoms? What are the rules? New Covid strain explained
The Covid threat that emerged before Christmas doesn’t appear to be going anywhere in Queensland. ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
‘Unacceptable’: Tens of thousands of drivers dodge RBT
There’s been an astounding drop in the number of Gold Coast drivers being breath tested over the past five years. HOW THEY ESCAPED AN RBT