Gold Coast families petition state government to be allowed to visit vulnerable or aged care residents during future Covid lockdowns

Dementia patients kept under lock and key during Covid lockdowns feel lost and forgotten, but a petition circulating aims to end their suffering. SIGN THE PETITION.

“DON’T lock us out, let us help”.

That’s the heartbreaking plea from thousands of Gold Coasters who want the state government to allow a designated person to visit aged-care residents isolated during future Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

Trish Griffin, behind a petition pushing for it to be allowed, said: “It’s the little things that staff are too busy to do that add up to contribute significantly to the mental wellbeing of our loved ones in care.

“Things that aren’t appropriate for the staff to do but are so important include hugs and kisses, talking patients for walks, playing their favourite music, making sure their mobile phones and toothbrushes are charged and getting them to leisure activities.”

During lockdowns or increases in restrictions, one of the first rules to kick in tends to be aged-care homes becoming off-limits for visits.

Ms Griffin said within two weeks she’s amassed more than 1000 signatures.

The petition, Lockdowns – Support For Aged Care Residents, requests a designated relative or carer who is flu and Covid vaccinated, and with appropriate safeguards in place, be allowed to visit and help family members regularly "to maintain their mental health and wellbeing”.

Ms Griffin, an electorate officer at MP Michael Crandon’s Ormeau base, started it after dozens of calls from “distressed and worried” constituents not seeing their loved ones in care.

“We have three electorate office staff here and we all have relatives in aged care,” she said.

“I would imagine with reduced staffing in care facilities, now and in the future, due to anti-vaxxers, that a designated relative/carer would assist in providing a pool of volunteers similar to when the Premier called for the Mud Army to assist during the floods.

“I guess what I am saying is ‘Don’t shut us out, let us help’.”

Sue Haywood, from Ormeau mental health support group Steps 4208, said the Gold Coast’s aged care residents had suffered tremendously during Covid lockdowns.

“It’s so important for the elderly to have a routine, to see familiar faces, especially dementia patients,” she said.

“During lockdowns many vulnerable residents just feel as though they’ve been forgotten, they don’t necessary understand there are Covid rules in place.

“It’s heartbreaking for both sides of the story, residents and their loved ones.”

Ms Haywood said she had 34 members that would do what they could to help elderly patients in aged care that had no visitors because they were stuck down in NSW or Victoria.

“These people have been through much in their lifetime, the least we can do in their golden years is to show some compassion and heart,” she said.

Residents have until November 14 to sign the petition at parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3619

Or click on the QR code in this image.

TIKTOK TO BE THE NEXT TACTIC TO IMPROVE VAX RATES

October 27

TIKTok videos will be used to entice young people from multicultural backgrounds to get the Covid-19 jab and improve vaccination rates.

Cornelia Babbage, OAM, of the Multicultural Families Organisation, said she and other leaders recently met with Queensland Health and the police.

“They said they didn’t have vaccination statistics specifically on the numbers of people from multicultural backgrounds, only on First Nations peoples,” she said.

“It’s not clear exactly what the rate is, but the majority of our clients have had one dose or are fully vaccinated,” she said. “They either want to travel overseas or to visit Sydney or Melbourne where they have a lot of people from their background they want to visit.”

TEENAGE BOY COAST’S LATEST LOCAL COVID-19 CASE

Cornelia Babbage, from the Gold Coast multicultural community is aiming to use the TikTok and Social media platforms to get younger people from diverse backgrounds to get the Covid vaccine. Picture: Jerad Williams

Ms Babbage said leaders of all faiths and cultures also met to work on vaccination messaging they could relay to their individual communities.

“They trust their leaders more than anyone else and feel comfortable asking questions and airing their concerns,” she said.

“What we’ve also found is that the problem is mostly younger people. They are very reluctant and are of most concern because they’re the ones going out to pubs and clubs and are at risk of getting Covid and spreading it through their communities.”

To encourage vaccination, a social media campaign across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is in the pipeline.

“That’s how we will reach young people in our multicultural communities,” she said.

As of October 19, only 43 per cent of eligible indigenous Gold Coasters had been fully vaccinated; 56.73 per cent at one dose. Across the state, vaccination rates among First Nations people are among the lowest in Australia.

Opposition Minister David Crisafulli said the state’s First Nations peoples leaders were “scared” about what the low vaccination rates meant for their communities.

Queensland Leader of the opposition David Crisafulli speaks during Question Time at Parliament House. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

He’s calling for the state government to roll out a campaign with medical experts, particularly those in the indigenous and multicultural sector, speaking on TV, in newspapers and on social media explaining why the Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective.

Mr Crisafulli said it was clear that the government’s political “roadshow” of ministers travelling throughout the state to drive up vaccinations didn’t have the desired effect.

Ormeau First Nations family Tashayia, Beau and Dayul Andy, along with Kaya and Kylie Bell, visited Amtan Medical’s drive through vaccination clinic in Pimpama to encourage other “mobs” to get the jab.

Kalwun Development Corporation is asking everyone to “step up for the jab you mob”, with walk-ins now taken at its respiratory clinic at 14 Nerang Street, Nerang.

On Thursday last week anyone who visited Kalwun’s Miami clinic between 4-7pm got to take home merchandise and go in the running to win Culture Kinds or Rebel Sports gift cards. Kalwun’s Coomera clinic also recently hosted a “step up” vaccination drive.

Dr Tanya Unni said indigenous people were at higher risk of having complications from the Covid virus, and she hoped that by offering a mobile vaccination service she could reach pockets of people yet to be inoculated.

“There's still some hesitancy with many people from multicultural communities and many First Nations peoples who see it as a white people disease,” she said.

“Some are also worried about side effects of the vaccine, but we’re working hard to educate our patients, particularly debunking the myth that the vaccine is not a trial drug.”