COVID-19 Update
Update as at 6th August 2020
Warrina/Villanova have made no changes to the visitor restrictions implemented with the June 19th update.
Details are outlined below.
Warrina Innisfail/Villanova Centre – Visitor Access Arrangement
Updated Access Restrictions – Friday 19th June 2020
Coronavirus – COVID.19 – Update No.5
In light of the release of Queensland Directions for residential aged care No.6 Warrina Innisfail wishes to advise a change to visiting commencing on Monday 22nd June 2020 the following for Warrina Innisfail & Villanova Centre:
That visitors are allowed access to the facility during the periods
9am to 11 am, 1pm to 3pm (Monday to Sunday) and by appointment between 6pm to 7pm (Monday to Friday ONLY).
- That the current requirements to demonstrate that they’ve had the flu vaccination and have not been in contact with any Covid-19 hotspots are to continue.
- Children under the age of 16 who can demonstrate that they’ve had a flu vacs (or have a formal exemption) will be permitted entry.
- Residents will be allowed to leave the facilities to attend a medical appointment, a funeral, to visit with family (there is an expectation that social distancing is to be applied and the gathering will not exceed 20 people) and in the case of an emergency.
- Warrina/Villanova will consider individual cases on compassionate grounds where appropriate.
No changes to the current protocols are being proposed to other matters at this time:
- The number of visitors to any resident is limited to 2 at any one time and a visit will continue to be limited to an hour.
- No visitor will be allowed to come onto the property unless they can demonstrate that they have had a flu vaccination or that they are in possession of the necessary formal exemption. This includes “window visits”, gatherings in the garden etc.
- There will continue to be a single point of entry for Warrina Innisfail and a single point of entry for Villanova and all staff, contractors and visitors are required to use the appropriate point of entry.
Peter B Roberts – Chief Executive Officer
Survey for aged care workers on communication during COVID-19
The Department of Health is seeking your feedback on what stakeholders would find most helpful and informative as we enter the next phase of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey can be completed by anyone with an interest in the aged care.
All participants are welcome to forward the survey link onto others who may also be interested in participating.
All questions are voluntary and the survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
The survey is anonymous and will not collect personally identifying information.
We would greatly value your feedback. A link to the survey can be found here. – https://healthau.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_elj4sRqRhyUgTeB
Influenza Vaccination Information
The Government has now enacted legislation that from 1 May 2020 anyone entering a residential aged care facility like Warrina Innisfail will be required to provide appropriate evidence of a current flu vaccination.Despite all the hard work being done to combat this current pandemic, the threat of an upcoming flu season looms as another mammoth challenge.
One of the greatest defences providers such as Warrina Innisfail have against the spread of influenza is vaccinations.
The Department of Health has indicated the kind of evidence visitors will need to provide.
Appropriate evidence may be
• a statement or record from a health practitioner, or
• an immunisation history statement available from Medicare Online or
• the Express Plus Medicare mobile app.
We know many of you will be arranging your vaccine in the coming weeks.
For convenience you may wish to scan the your documentation and email to admin7@warrina.com.
To enable our mandatory Register to be kept up to date we ask, please, for you to provide the above information as soon as it is available to you.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact our office.
A reminder please to share this information with family and friends who may at some time wish to visit.
Last but not least may we once again ask should you become unwell within seven [7] days of visiting Warrina Innisfail/Villanova to please contact us immediately.
This allows our staff to take appropriate risk action for possible infection whatever it may be.
Thanking you.
Peter B Roberts – Chief Executive Officer
Influenza Vaccination – Visitor Protocol
Warrina Innisfail would like take this opportunity to thank those who have provided their Influenza vaccination evidence. The need for appropriate evidence is a requirement of the Queensland Health Department (https://www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers/aged-care)
In due course Warrina Innisfail will be providing a Vaccination Confirmation Card for those who have provided this required evidence. This will hopefully make the screening process a little less time consuming for all of us.
We also appreciate your patience and cooperation with the screening process currently in place. Please remember that it is all about minimising the risk of health problems to our resident and staff
In this ever changing world of Covid-19, we have now implemented a Visitor Protocol, based on Government legislation and advice from health authorities. We ask each of you to abide by this plan and to encourage others to do the same. Together, we can minimize the risk of spreading infection within our resident population, our staff and the wider community.
All visitors/family members must abide by the following:
- Have your seasonal flu shot. The Government has advised that anyone who has not had their flu vaccination after 1 May will not be allowed entry. Warrina Innisfail advised families, visitors, contractors, volunteers etc. on 31st March of this new Government requirement and the appropriate evidence that would need to be provided and where to deliver it.
- All persons visiting Warrina/Villanova Centre must proceed through our formal “check in” procedure including having temperature taken (All visitors are required to check in at the entrance to the Nursing Home Administration (SCU, HOSTEL, FCU & NH) or at the front door of Villanova) and completing the register.
- Stay home if you are sick. Symptoms of COVID-19 include sore throat, fever, dry cough, fatigue and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 please seek medical assistance.
- Self-quarantine for a period of 14 days after being in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVD-19.
- Use good hygiene while in our facility, by washing your hands with soap and water, or hand sanitiser, before you visit and as frequently as required during your visit. Please also wash your hands before you leave. If you sneeze or cough, please do so into your arm or if using a tissue, please dispose of it and wash your hands immediately afterwards.
- Keep visits to a maximum of two people at a time and limit the visit to 30 minutes.
- Ensure visits are away from communal areas to avoid risk of potential virus spread. The Government guidance is that visits should occur in resident’s room or outdoors.
- Practice social distancing. Please stay 1.5m apart and please avoid handshakes, hugs and kisses.
- Understand social gatherings must cease. There will no longer be any group activities, gatherings, social events or group entertainment at this time. (We are however keeping residents entertained and socially connected through other means.)
- Inform us if you get sick after your visit. Please tell us straight away if you become unwell with any respiratory issues after your visit with your loved one.
- Stay informed because the situation is changing rapidly. Please stay up-to-date by regularly visiting the Australian Government Department of Health website www.health.gov.au
In the event of special circumstances, such as an anniversary or birthday, or should there be any deterioration in your loved one’s condition or an end-of-life situation, we will make arrangements on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to discuss further.
Please do phone your loved one. Or, if they have an electronic device that enables video calling capabilities, please keep in touch with them through their device. Should one of our staff members be required to assist them with the video call, we would be only too happy to help. Please contact us to coordinate this.
We thank you for your cooperation and support of our Visitor Protocol in light of the current health emergency. Together, we can help keep the people we love and care for, healthy and well.
If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to Director of Nursing Glynis Laffy at 0740302500 during business hours.
Peter B Roberts – Chief Executive Officer
Resources
Our top priority is to remain safe and be flexible for our residents and staff in these very challenging times.
Warrina Innisfail staff pride ourselves on the care we take of our residents.
We are monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation closely, and we are doing everything we can to ensure everyone remains cared for and safe at Warrina Innisfail.
We are committed to delivering and maintaining the highest standards of clinical care, cleanliness and hygiene for residents and staff.
Additional preventative measures have been put in place, including reinforcing our strict cleaning protocols and limiting visiting hours as has been recommended by the Government.
We’re ask for your cooperation and understanding in this ever changing environment.
Should you require further information please contact us and please refer to the following websites:-
https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
Warrina Innisfail will ensure information is updated when it comes to hand.
