Year: 2021

18 December 2021

We have been informed that an employee at Whiddon Redhead has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees are wearing full PPE and we have closed our care homes at Whiddon Redhead to visitors for now, while we assess the risk of potential exposure.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and following their advice, and have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. Our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid spread of the virus across our care homes.

We have also been conducting rapid antigen testing onsite since Tuesday, to complement our strict screening processes and robust COVID-19 protocols. This will continue at this time.

Those considered contacts of the employee who tested positive, will be contacted directly. We understand that this is a challenging time for everyone, but we want you to know that it is our highest priority to keep everyone in our family safe and well, and we are doing everything we can to achieve this.

We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and will provide a further update once we know more about the situation.

17 December 2021

With a significant number of COVID-19 cases now being reported each day, it is vital that we all take steps to keep our residents, employees and visitors safe. We all have a role to play in this.

We ask that you please consider delaying your visit for now if you can. This will help us to reduce the risk of COVID-19 from entering our care homes at this time. Our teams can support you to stay connected via video and phone calls where possible. We also have the Whiddon Connect app that you can download and book a video call in with our team.

If you do need to visit at this time, please ensure that you take all steps possible to help us reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 in our care homes.

Please note that this advice may change if NSW Health mandates any changes to visitation.

Please ensure:

• you do not visit if you are unwell or have been to any locations of concern
• show evidence of having the required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
• you wear a mask at all times when visiting, and visit with your loved one in one of our outdoor areas rather than inside the home if possible. Please refrain from meeting in common areas, or visiting other residents.
• that if you are travelling to our regional homes, to please remain vigilant and take steps to avoid the potential spread of the virus in these areas
• you do not visit if you are awaiting a COVID-19 test result, are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 unless they have completed their self-isolation and testing requirements.
• you do not visit if you have been to an overseas country of concern in the last 14 days or have been to other overseas countries (not of concern) in the previous 14 days, unless they are: fully vaccinated and have received a negative PCR test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW

We know this is a challenging time for all, however these are very important measures to help us keep your loved one safe, and you, as COVID-19 remains a threat in our communities.

We thank you for your support and cooperation. We will provide a further update next week.

17 December 2021

We have been advised by Queensland Health that masks will be made mandatory from tomorrow for all visitors to aged care homes in Queensland. Please ensure you wear a mask at all times when visiting.

As a reminder, please ensure the following when visiting:

• Visitors over 16 years of age must show evidence that they have had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine when visiting
• Please book your visit in prior to visiting
• Please refrain from visiting if you are unwell
• Ensure that you maintain social distancing, practice good hygiene
• Please meet in the resident’s room or outdoors, not in common areas
• Please sign-in when visiting
• Do not visit if you have been in an interstate area of concern in the last 14 days or since the identified start date (whichever is shorter)
• Do not visit if you have had a COVID-19 PCR test and are waiting for the result (except for tests due to surveillance testing obligations)
• Do not visit if you are a close or secondary contact of a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, unless their quarantine period has ended
• Do not visit if you have returned from overseas in the last 14 days (excluding safe travel zone countries) unless an exemption has been granted

We thank you for your support and understanding.

16 December 2021

Further to our update yesterday, we wanted to highlight that while we are able to welcome visitors that are not fully vaccinated, the following rules apply:

• Visits with loved ones must take place outdoors if a visitor is not fully vaccinated
• Visitor must wear a mask at all times
• Visits must be pre-booked
• All visitors must have a rapid antigen test on arrival and sign-in
• Please ensure that you practice social distancing at all times

It is important that we continue to stay vigilant and all take steps to help keep everyone safe.

We thank you for your understanding and support.

15 December 2021

You would have seen that a number of COVID-19 restrictions in NSW were eased today. We wanted to let you know what this means for visiting Whiddon Easton Park.

Under these changes, we are now able to welcome visitors that are not fully vaccinated. However, visitors must continue to wear masks at all times when visiting, take a rapid antigen test upon arrival and pre-book their visits. We also ask that you ensure:

• Visits take place in residents’ rooms only, or outdoors. Please do not meet in common areas or visit other residents that you haven’t booked in to see. We ask that if you are not fully vaccinated, that your visit takes place outdoors.
• Please ensure that you check in when visiting, using the Service NSW QR code AND our visitor sign-in system
• Please refrain from visiting if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting a COVID-19 test result, have been to any locations or venues of concern, or are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 (unless they have completed their self-isolation and testing requirements).

As a reminder, Taylor House is currently not permitting visitors. It is expected that we will be able to welcome back visitors there on Tuesday 21 December. If anything changes, we will let you know.

It is important that we continue to stay vigilant and all take steps to help keep everyone safe.

We thank you for your understanding and support.

14 December 2021

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases identified in the Hunter region, as a precaution, we will be introducing rapid antigen testing at Whiddon Largs, Whiddon Belmont and Whiddon Redhead for all visitors, from today.

This testing adds an important, additional layer of protection at this time. Please arrive 20 minutes prior to the time you are booked in to visit, to take the test. We do appreciate this, as it does help to keep everyone in our family safe, which is our highest priority.

We wish to remind you of the following when you visit:

• Please wear a surgical mask (supplied by Whiddon) at all times
• Bookings are essential
• Visits are to be in residents’ rooms only – please do not meet in common areas, do not visit other residents that you haven’t booked in to see, or stop to chat in corridors or the cafe etc. We know that this is difficult, but it is an important safety measure at this time
• Please ensure that you check in when visiting, using the Service NSW QR code AND our visitor sign-in system
• Please refrain from visiting if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting a COVID-19 test result, have been to any locations or venues of concern, or are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 (unless they have completed their self-isolation and testing requirements).

We thank you for your understanding and support. We do know that this is a challenging time and genuinely appreciate you taking the important steps above, to help us protect our residents, visitors and employees.

14 December 2021

With the festive season just around the corner, we kindly request that you please let us know if you will be taking your loved one home for Christmas Day, or overnight, so arrangements can be made, and we can help make this experience as enjoyable as possible for you and your loved one.

We also want to let you know that two family members are invited to enjoy either morning or afternoon tea in your loved one’s room on Christmas Day. Please note that relevant COVID-19 screening requirements will apply.  Please confirm with us if you would like to attend, so we can book this in for you.

Thank you, Whiddon Laurieton

13 December 2021

Following our last update to you on 10 December, we are pleased to let you know that we have received the COVID-19 test results from further testing on Saturday of the employees and residents in Taylor House that were identified as contacts. These all produced negative results, which is welcome news.

Residents and employees have been tested again today. If all results are negative, we will move to 72-hour testing, which would take place this Thursday and Sunday. This is in line with the advice of the local Public Health Unit.

If all results continue to be negative, we will come out of lockdown in Taylor House on 21 December.

For now, as a precaution, visitation is still restricted to Taylor House. We do understand that this is a challenging time. Our teams will continue to help residents stay connected to their loves ones wherever possible.

We continue to conduct rapid antigen testing of employees at the start of their shift. This adds an important layer of protection at this time, in addition to our robust screening protocols.

We will provide a further update to you later in the week, or earlier, if anything changes.

Thank you again for your support and understanding.

13 December 2021

With the festive season just around the corner, we are asking you to please notify us as soon as possible if you plan to take your loved one out for Christmas. This allows our team to prepare for residents going out, so we can help to make this experience as enjoyable as possible.

Also, we do remind you that visits must be pre-booked, including on weekends. This is important as we need to ensure that there is only a certain amount of visitors at one time, and that all families have the opportunity to visit. We have one hour bookings, please do call our team to make your booking. This is much appreciated.

10 December 2021

Following our last update to you on 8 December, we are pleased to let you know that additional COVID-19 testing undertaken yesterday of employees and residents in Taylor House that were identified as contacts, have returned negative results. This is welcome news once again.

At the advice of the local Public Health Unit, we are required to conduct further testing of these residents and employees as a precaution, every second day.

At a meeting with the Public Health Unit today, they advised us that visitation to Easton Park must be restricted until Tuesday 21 December. We understand that this is challenging, but it is an important precaution at this time.

Please note that while visitors are permitted at Arthur Webb Court, Easton Park Units and Sir David Martin, they are not permitted to go between other care homes on our campus for now.

As mentioned, the Public Health Unit has confirmed that there is no requirement for employees at Taylor House to self-isolate at this stage and as such all employees not directly impacted can continue to come to work and attend their normal shifts.

Christmas party postponed

In light of the situation, it is with sadness that we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Christmas party. At this stage, we have tentatively rescheduled this for 14 February 2022. We know this is disappointing news, however, it is important that we take this step, with the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Easton Park, our highest priority. We do look forward to delivering this exciting event to you in the new year. We know it will be a great celebration.

We will provide a further update to you next week. If anything changes, we will update you sooner.

We thank you for all you do, for your response to this situation and your understanding and support.