Coronavirus Information – Home Care

* 10 August 2020 *

I hope you are keeping safe and looking after yourself during this very difficult time. There have been further changes to government advice and regulations, and the following information summarises the current situation for our Home Care consumers.

 

Services Update

Please be assured that our Home Care Services will continue as normal, as this is as an essential service. Face masks must be worn by all care staff attending at all times. Also, those people who have cleaning and gardening services in their package will continue to receive these services.

However, please note that non-essential home maintenance will be put on hold during Stage 4 restrictions.

Our Care Advisors will continue to contact you every fortnight to check in and see how you are getting on. Of course, you can call the office on 03 9810 5536 at any time, if you have any concerns.

 

Keeping Yourself Well and Safe from the Virus

It is really important that you do everything you can to look after yourself.

1. Do you have any symptoms?

Mild Symptoms: if you have a cough, a sore or scratchy throat, a runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, fever, chills, fatigue or a reduced sense of taste or smell, please phone your GP immediately. Even mild symptoms can mean you have the virus.

Severe Symptoms: if you experience severe symptoms, including shortness of breath, dial 000 for an ambulance immediately.

 

Note: So that our staff are kept informed, please contact the Home Care Program during business hours on 03 9810 5536, to let us know about any symptoms you have had, and if you have had a test for COVID-19.

 

2. Have you had contact with anyone who is now in self-isolation?

If so, call and inform us immediately. We will take appropriate measures to ensure our staff are protected, so we do not put other vulnerable members of our community at risk.

 

3. Stay home as much as possible and observe the curfew

The only reasons we are allowed to go out are the four reasons: essential shopping, exercise, work/study and medical treatment (eg to see the GP). Observe the curfew from 8pm to 5am every day.

If you do have to go out, you must wear a face mask. 

During this time, we strongly recommend that you do NOT accompany your care staff on errands, such as shopping. It is important for you to avoid any unnecessary risks.

 

Please Remember

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day.
• Maintain physical distancing as far as possible – at least 1.5m from other people. Care staff will also maintain 1.5m distance from you as much as possible.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue, throw it away safely and wash your hands.
• If you must travel by car, sit in the back, as far from the driver as possible.
• Wear a face mask if you have to leave you home.

 

Other Support Available

The following service has been set up to support older Australians: if you are feeling sad, lonely, anxious or distressed, please call:

Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line        1800 171 866

8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday

 

Contact us

If you have any questions or concerns, please call our team on 03 9810 5536 during office hours or email us on homecare@vaseyrslcare.org.au.

Please continue to maintain your guard against this terrible virus.

 

---

---

* 5 May 2020 *

We are pleased to report at this time we have no reported or known cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in any of our consumers or staff working with our community. However, we must remain cautious and continue best practice to keep everyone as safe as possible.

We continue to receive regular updates from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) along with up-to-date information from the State and Federal governments in regards to the virus. These result in adjustments that we must make to ensure the safety of our Home Care Consumers.

Our core goal during this time, continues to be to assist all Home Care Consumers to remain independent and well at home.

 

Actions to Safeguard Our Community

As an organisation, we are aware that this is an essential service for many people and as a result have taken many actions to safeguard our community:

1. We now contact all consumers via telephone on a weekly basis to check on wellbeing
2. If we have concerns about a consumer, with consent from the consumer, we notify the relevant family member/representative immediately
3. We continue to advise consumers on safe measures to use for physical distancing, hand hygiene and other good hygiene practices
4. We advise consumers to sit in the back of any vehicle for transport assistance to essential medical appointments
5. We advise consumers that carers will maintain 1.5 meters distance where possible as part of social distancing recommendations
6. We notified all consumers how to recognise Coronavirus 
7. We provided advice on what the consumer should do if they are unwell
8. We informed consumers about social isolation requirements, not to attend social gatherings and to remain at home, as current government instructions demand
9. We provided information on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and when use is appropriate
10. We obtained consent to contact all consumers’ GPs for current medical histories to maintain up-to-date clinical information
11. We record details about consumer flu vaccination for clinical records
12. We have updated all emergency contact details

This has enabled us to provide the best possible care to our Home Care consumers during this especially difficult time. 

 

Our Service Providers

We have also set requirements for organisations providing services and confirmed that:

1. All staff are screened for COVID-19
2. There is a flu vaccination program for staff
3. Staff have received recent training in Infection Control Procedures
4. Staff are aware of social distancing requirements and remain vigilant in maintaining a suitable distance from consumers where possible
5. Staff have undergone recent hand hygiene training as available through DHHS and that they are washing their hands with soap and water upon entering and leaving a consumer’s home
6. Staff have adequate supplies of PPE as required for any infected individuals and staff have undergone recent training in its use
7. Any concerns regarding staff and their health are reported to Vasey RSL Care, where this is appropriate from a contact perspective

Concerns about Consumers

1. All staff have been notified that any concerns about a consumer’s health must be reported to their head office, and 
2. Any concerns about consumers must be reported directly to Vasey RSL Care immediately.

 

Other Support Available:

Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line – 1800 171 866

A new Older Person’s COVID-19 Support Line provides assistance to older Australians during this time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COTA Australia, National Seniors, Dementia Australia and the Older Person’s Advocacy Network have come together to deliver this service with support from the Australian Government.

Senior Australians, their families and carers can freecall 1800 171 866 if they:

1. would like to talk with someone about what COVID-19 means for them or a loved one
2. are feeling lonely or distressed
3. are caring for someone and need information or a listening ear about what COVID-19 means in your circumstances
4. are worried about what COVID-19 means for their usual aged care service
5. are worried about a friend or family member living with dementia
6. are unable to access information on the internet and would like up-to-date advice.

 

Contact us 9810 5536

If you have any questions or concerns, please call our team on 03 9810 5536 or contact us via email to homecare@vaseyrslcare.org.au.

Please look after yourselves.

 

---

 

* 18 March 2020 *

Your Health and Wellbeing are Our Priority

As a member of the Vasey RSL Home Care community, our responsibility to you is to do everything we can to help you maintain your health and wellbeing during this unprecedented crisis.

 

Protect Yourself

Good hygiene practices are very effective for reducing the chance of catching viruses.

Here are some simple things that we can all do:

• Cough or sneeze into your elbow, or into a tissue and dispose of it immediately
• Wash your hands often, with soap and water, including before and after eating, and after going to the toilet 
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitiser 
• Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces
• If you are unwell, avoid contact with other people: stay more than 1.5m away from them

 

Recognising Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Symptoms can range from mild to very serious. Some people will recover easily while others will become very unwell very quickly. People with Coronavirus may experience:

• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, fatigue
• Shortness of breath

If you are unwell and think you may have Coronavirus

1. Call your GP and follow their instructions.
2. Avoid contact with other people – avoid visiting other people or having them visit you

For more information about Coronavirus:

• Call the Coronavirus Health Information Line, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1800 020 080 
• If you would like to speak to a registered nurse about your health concerns, you can call the Healthdirect Hotline (available 24 hours, seven days a week): 1800 022 222

 

What You May Encounter from Carers and Health Care Professionals

• You may receive a phone call before any scheduled visits: you will be asked if you have been overseas in the last 14 days, if you have been in contact with anyone who has been overseas in the last 14 days, if you have any contact with a person who has COVID-19 (coronavirus) and if you have any flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue
• Carers and others may wear a plastic gown, mask and gloves when they visit
• You may be asked to put on a mask during their visit
• The carer will wash their hands before and after their visit

 

How We Can All Help

Social Distancing

This is a new concept that encourages us all to keep our distance from other people by:

• Avoiding shaking hands, hugging and kissing
• Avoiding contact with others – if unwell, stay more than 1.5m from other people

Self-isolation 

• If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus, you must self-isolate for 14 days
• If you have returned from overseas (any location) you must self-isolate for 14 days

 

Your Home Care Package

If you are worried about your Home Care package, please contact our staff on 03 9810 5500.

 

---