AUSMAT team swoops in to Yarraville outbreak nursing home
The son of an elderly woman infected with coronavirus says his mother was not given a shower for four days or seen by a doctor at her Yarraville nursing home. It comes as an emergency medical team moved in to manage the facility’s battle with a COVID-19 outbreak.
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AUSMAT Medical Response staff have arrived at a Yarraville aged care home following a coronavirus outbreak at the facility.
It comes as fears of another nursing home catastrophe at Doutta Galla Yarraville Village arose on Saturday night amid claims frail residents were being abandoned as COVID-19 swept through their home.
Seven residents from the assisted living facility in Melbournes inner west have died in the past two weeks — two at the home and five in hospital.
The outbreak began 16 days ago, with 23 occupants left at the home all testing positive for coronavirus.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday said a total of 58 cases were linked to the facility, with 33 residents and 25 staff testing positive.
A number of residents were transferred to a hospital or health facility, while others are being closely monitored on site.
Western Health hospital nursing staff are assisting onsite.
A Doutta Galla staff member, who wished not to be named, alleged all residents remaining at Yarraville Village had tested positive for the virus.
Temporary staff have been sent to the aged care home to assist, with all staff required to wear full PPE equipment and disinfect upon entry.
Staff have been seen mopping and cleaning the facility entrance.
Two visitors arrived just before 11am. After being denied entry, they were later allowed through the back gate of the property by staff.
Doutta Galla CEO Vanda Laconese today said the facility wasequipped with further staff to manage the situation.
“Staffing levels at Yarraville, including over the weekends, are not more than able to manage the needs of our remaining residents,” she said.
“There were 13 staff on duty at Yarraville on Saturday night, including three Registered Nurses..there are 16 staff on duty there today.
“The situation continues to be difficult for our residents and families, particularly when families are unable to be close in contact with their loved ones.
The management of our facility is, however, under control to the best possible extent.”
It is believed the General Manager of Services, Quality and Compliance Manager and Doutta Galla’s Operations Clinical Manager, will remain at the site each day.
FAMILIES’ ANXIOUS WAIT FOR NEWS
The family of a 94-year-old coronavirus patient has spoken out to advocate for other aged-care residents after a Yarraville outbreak saw levels of care plunge.
After an outbreak broke out at the Doutta Galla aged care home in Yarraville 16 days ago, staff and residents were tested and isolated with family members left in the dark.
Brendan Curry said his elderly mother tested positive on August 7 and was removed from her room, distressed and not washed after regular staff were replaced while awaiting test results.
“We worry about the other people in there who have no one to speak on their behalf … we hope they are all getting the same care and dignity they deserve,” Mr Curry said.
“She wasn’t showered for four days, mum hadn’t seen a doctor for a number of days and we couldn’t get told what was going on.
“We had no communication from the facility when the outbreak began.
“You put your loved ones in a facility so they will be cared for and treated with respect, dignity … unfortunately this pandemic has highlighted there are some big flaws.
“It’s been horrendous, but we are probably the lucky ones, I can’t imagine how the other seven families (of those deceased) in that facility are feeling.”
Moved from her room and landline phone, she was placed with another positive patient and given another phone she did not know how to use.
“I drove down on Monday thinking this may be the last time I’m going to see my mum,” Mr Curry said.
“Standing at the window looking in, she is on the bed holding the phone not knowing how to answer it — I must have called eight times.
“I had to get the attention of a staff member to go in and answer the call for her, it was tough.”
Now with her regular carer back and placed into her room, Mr Curry said his mother is in high spirits while isolating with the other 22 residents who tested positive and the family is receiving daily email updates since Wednesday night.
Russell Meaney, son of an aged care resident, said it was a relief when he got the call to say his 86-year-old mother had tested negative and had been moved to a private hospital facility on Wednesday.
“She’s safe, we are more than grateful … the communication from the nursing home has been fantastic,” he said.
“We were made aware of one case two weeks ago, a staff member - immediately all residents and staff were tested.
“We know the nursing staff are doing the best they can.
“I’ve been told until the place is completely covid free she won’t be coming back.”
‘CHAOTIC’ SCENES AT NURSING HOME
Sources earlier raised concerns about a staffing shortage and difficulties in catering for the infected residents.
The Sunday Herald Sun believes Doutta Galla management requested help from federal authorities throughout Saturday but on Saturday night was still struggling to cater for residents.
The sources said conditions were “chaotic” and clinical waste bags were overflowing in corridors.
One of the major concerns had been the difficulty creating zones to separate infected and non-infected residents.
It is believed there were coronavirus-positive residents in three of the centre’s four wards but, as the nursing station is in an infected area, concerns were raised about the virus spreading further.
In a statement issued in the early hours of Sunday morning, Doutta Galla Aged Services said overnight there were 13 staff at Yarraville Village.
“The staffing levels we have now achieved at Yarraville are well able to manage the needs of our current residents,” a spokeswoman said.
“We have our most senior nursing and experienced care staff working at the home, as well as medical and nursing professionals from Western Health Aged Care, again with oversight and support of federal and state health and aged care authorities.”
The spokesperson claimed no “further” residents or staff had tested positive in the latest testing.
Federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said specialist Australian Medical Assistance teams “and a clinical first nurse responder have been deployed” to Doutta Galla Yarraville Village.
“The workforce is being supplemented to help stabilise the situation but we are aware there may still be some deficiencies and that is being actively managed,” Senator Colbeck said.
“It is understood that all negative residents have been moved from the facility to prevent spread of the virus.”
Meanwhile, defence force personnel were dispatched to another aged-care home outbreak in Sunbury on Saturday, where it is believed three residents may have already died.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands the ADF was called to aid the Japara Goonawarra aged-care facility after 45 of its 120 residents were found to have COVID-19 in recent days.
Reports of understaffing have emerged from the Sunbury home, where remaining staff were said to be exhausted and distressed.
ADF personnel were expected to assist to separate infected residents after it was reported some were mixing with residents who had tested negative to the virus.
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