Aged care sector calls for military mission to be extended amid third Covid-19 wave

The escalating Covid-19 wave is taking a particularly heavy toll on Queensland aged care homes, with one in three facilities battling outbreaks while staff shortages play havoc. See the full list of facilities and how they’ve been impacted.

One in three Queensland aged care homes are battling active Covid-19 outbreaks new data has revealed, amid calls for military assistance to be extended due to staffing shortages.

The number of Queensland aged care homes battling active Covid-19 outbreaks has jumped to nearly 180 according to federal health data, with the sector warning the impact of the current wave will likely be felt “into September”.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF FACILITIES AND HOW THEY’VE BEEN IMPACTED

Nationally the ratio of aged care homes battling Covid-19 outbreaks has increased week-on-week from one in five to one in three.

And with the aged care industry struggling to hire and retain staff, the biggest fear is a repeat of the Omicron wave in January — when a third of shifts were going unfilled due to illness.

It has prompted the industry peak body, Aged Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA), to call for the federal government to extend the presence of the military past the mid-August end date.

While the mission is still running, the number of personnel deployed has whittled down to 15 nationally as of recent days, compared to the 106 deployed across Queensland on a single day at the end of February according to data obtained via Freedom of Information.

Arcare Parkinson, has a high number of Covid cases among residents and staff. Photo Steve Pohlner

In Queensland, 178 aged care homes out of the state’s approximately 500 facilities were battling active outbreaks as of the week ending July 15 up from 161 the week before.

ACCPA interim chief executive Paul Sadler said the figures were set to “continue to go up over the next few weeks as community transmission accelerates”.

But aged care homes are better prepared due to a high level of Covid-19 booster coverage (70 per cent of residents have had a fourth dose) and the availability of antiviral medications.

The biggest issue is staff shortages, with the data showing 270 aged care personnel in Queensland contracted Covid-19 in a week compared to 151 residents.

“Our genuine concern is that the next few weeks could see us return to those levels of 30 per cent of rosters being unfilled across home care and residential care with the consequent impact on the care of older people,” Mr Sadler said.

Australian Army medic Private Aliesha Hendy from 4th Health Battalion assists a resident of an aged-care facility in Brisbane as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist. .

The military, as part of Operation Aged Care Assist, have been actively helping the sector since February but the mission is due to end in mid-August.

Mr Sadler said the mission would “almost definitely” need to be extended, and called on the relevant ministers to make it happen.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells last week signalled the government would be willing to extend the ADF’s presence in facilities if needed.

She said extending the military’s time in aged care homes was one of the first acts of the Albanese government and the option remained “available” if that’s what the medical advice demanded.

On Sunday, Ms Wells also confirmed the health department was “increasing the pool of deployable surge workforce available to facilities with an outbreak”.

“I have made it clear that I want no stone left unturned in responding to this latest Covid wave,” she said.

“I will be talking with all my Ministerial colleagues about what is required for our older Australians in care.”

Federal health data revealed Varsity Views Care Community was experiencing the largest active outbreak in the state, with 64 residents and 25 staff infected so far. There has been one death.

Arcare Parkinson. Photo Steve Pohlner

An exhausted worker at the facility confirmed “some floors” were “completely locked down” but otherwise it was business as usual.

“Everyone’s either had it or got it right now,” they said.

A visitor said his father, aged 98, had caught the virus in the outbreak but had since made a full recovery.

“Sure they’ve got a few numbers here, but the staff have been great, and I’m not worried,” he said.

Opal Healthcare, which run Varsity Views, was contacted for comment.

Other large active outbreaks in Queensland include Bupa Tugun (61 infected residents, 21 infected staff over the life of the outbreak) and Ozcare Villa Vincent (57 infected residents, 37 infected staff).

Sunnymeade Park Aged Care Community and Palm Lake Care Bargara have the largest active outbreaks among staff, with 40 workers infected at each facility so far.

Outside the aged care system the number of people hospitalised for Covid-19 and the flu in Queensland hit 930 on Sunday, including 876 being cared due to Covid-19 and 54 for the flu.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said there was “concern” about the third wave, with people encouraged to wear masks if they cannot social distance — particularly on public transport or closed spaces.

“There is a lot of Covid out there at the moment and we want to knock the top off this third wave as much as we can,” he said.

Originally published as Aged care sector calls for military mission to be extended amid third Covid-19 wave