Update on our response to Coronavirus
* 2 April 2020 *
Please note that we currently have no confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Our aged care homes have been in lockdown for two weeks and despite the disappointment and inconvenience, residents have taken it with good grace and families have been very supportive of these measures: thank you.
I hope that you have found these weekly communications helpful. From today, we plan to move to fortnightly communications as things settle into a pattern. However, if there is something we need to communicate, we will of course be in touch.
Influenza (Flu) Vaccinations
The government has now mandated that everyone entering an aged care facility on or after 1 May must have the current flu vaccination. This will apply to everyone, including our suppliers, allied health care providers, and our residents’ families and friends.
We will be expected to substantiate that visitors have been vaccinated by sighting their statement or record from their health care practitioner or their immunisation history on the Express Plus Medicare mobile app (this app is free and can be downloaded to your phone).
Our staff flu vaccination program is going well and our programs for resident vaccinations are in hand.
I urge you to book your own flu vaccination as soon as you can. The vaccination is free of charge for anyone 65 or over, those aged 6 months to 5 years, and people with certain health conditions.
Flu is a serious condition and can be fatal, especially in older people: we must all do everything we can to keep ourselves healthy and keep our hospital beds available for those with Coronavirus. So please book your flu vaccination TODAY.
Visiting Restrictions
Thank you for your support and understanding as our residential lockdown continues.
Visiting a resident who enters end-of-life care is still permitted as long as those visiting meet the screening requirements as set by government. Our staff will be in touch with you if this applies to your loved one. They will make arrangements so that you and your loved one are supported and cared for in the best possible way in these difficult circumstances.
We may also able to accommodate special occasions such as residents’ milestone birthdays: please contact the Residential Manager if this applies to your loved one.
If there is some other reason a physical visit is unavoidable, call the relevant Residential Manager about your situation: strict protocols must be observed, including appointments, ‘concierging’ of visits, limited duration, physical distancing, hand-washing and meeting in specific locations, in addition to the government-established health-related access conditions. Note also that your temperature may be taken on arrival and your ID and contact details requested to enable us to comply with our legal obligations.
Please bear in mind that every person who enters any of our aged care homes adds an unknown risk to everyone here.
Communications Options
Our Lifestyle and IT staff have been busy setting up new ways for residents to keep in touch with their families and friends, and we’ve had dozens of people take up these options already!
‘Keep In Touch’ at Vasey RSL Care *
Many residents have experienced an iPhone or a tablet for the first time this week!
We have had a few teething troubles as we get this new system running but we are getting better at it and we’ve had great feedback on the system. Please see note below regarding systems offered.
You can book a 10 minute call during the times 10am to 12 noon and 1 to 3pm Monday to Friday (when we have more staff available to assist our residents) – at this stage, a weekly call is the most we can accommodate using this system (please consider purchasing a phone or iPad for your loved one – see more details below).
Book a call by email, indicating your preferred time/date.
Brighton keepintouchbrighton@vaseyrslcare.org.au
Brighton East keepintouchbe@vaseyrslcare.org.au
Bundoora keepintouchbundoora@vaseyrslcare.org.au
Frankston S. keepintouchfs@vaseyrslcare.org.au
Ivanhoe keepintouchivanhoe@vaseyrslcare.org.au
Note: if you don’t have email, please call the relevant Lifestyle Coordinator to arrange your video call.
Window Visits
All five residential homes have got this in place and many of you have had a window visit with your loved one already.
It doesn’t matter where the resident’s room is – we have locations that we can bring them to so that they can enjoy this option.
Contact the Lifestyle Staff at your residential home to organise a visit.
‘Pen Pals!’
We have letter boxes at all residential homes where your letters can be posted. These are emptied regularly and items quarantined for 24 hours before delivery to your loved one. (Note: testing has shown that no traces of the Coronavirus existed on paper after 24 hours.)
With schoolchildren now on holiday, great/grandchildren who are looking for meaningful activities might like to send a message, drawing or painting to their loved one or a more general one to all the residents.
‘Keep In Touch’ at Vasey RSL Care – Systems
* Our preferred option is Zoom. This is FREE of charge for you. All you need to do is to download it to your phone/tablet/PC.
How safe is Zoom? In response to questions about security, our IT providers have confirmed that this is a secure product that works well and is user-friendly. They tell us there is no chance of personal details being lost or shared for marketing purposes or any other risk to computer security. The good thing about Zoom is that the call recipient (the family member) does not even have to sign up to take part in a video call.
Our second preference is Facetime: however, we can only provide this on phones and the size of screen and quality of call is not as good for residents.
Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate other systems.
More Technology!
Residents with their own Mobile/Tablet/PC
If your loved one already has a smart phone, tablet or PC but is not able to set up a video call, please let us know and we will assist them to see if this is possible.
Providing New Technology for your Loved Ones
Please consider helping your loved one get ‘online’ if they are not already. Tablets (eg iPads or similar) are the easiest option for residents as they give a good screen size and are more straightforward than laptops. Please be aware that if you provide a phone or tablet, it must have its own sim card and phone plan, and laptop PCs must have an Internet dongle to provide connectivity. (Unfortunately, residents cannot use our Wi-Fi as many of our GPs/clinical practitioners have moved to online services and our Wi-Fi is close to capacity.)
Contact us to arrange a time to drop the item off, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (when we have more staff on duty): make sure it is clearly labelled with the resident’s name and we will contact you once your loved one is up and running with their new technology.
Note: bear in mind that if there were an outbreak, we would no longer be able to share common equipment and therefore, having a personal phone or tablet would enable continued communication if your loved one were in isolation.
Lifestyle and Leisure Program
Our Lifestyle and Leisure Program has been practicing social distancing! Our residents are graciously accepting the changes and we are continuing to provide a range of activities to suit all tastes.
Armchair Leisure
Our new program is up and running! We have a wide choice of viewing and this will be changing each week. We are fortunate to live in an era when so much is available online. Our Armchair Leisure program is available in all TV rooms with multiple screenings of each item, giving all residents a chance to enjoy it, while observing social distancing requirements.
Armchair Leisure Program – April 2020
Easter Preparations
Easter will be very different this year and our lifestyle teams have had their thinking caps on! I would like to thank them for their creativity and the way they are continuing to support our residents during these trying circumstances.
Thank you once again for your understanding and support of the Vasey RSL Care community – thank you for continuing to stay away and giving our residents the best possible chance of avoiding Coronavirus.
Regular Email Communication for Family Members
We are sending an email to family members of residents when we have important information to share. If you are not currently receiving this and would like to, please send an email to communications@vaseyrslcare.org.au and indicate which home your loved one is living at.
