Author: Belinda Howell

7 January 2022

In our last update to you, we advised you that a resident at Greenstone Lodge had tested positive to COVID-19. We conducted PCR testing of residents and employees at Greenstone Lodge as a precaution, and as advised by the local public health unit. While we are waiting on a small number of tests to still be returned to us, all test results to date for residents have come back negative. Unfortunately, an employee has returned a positive test result.

As a precaution, visitation remains restricted for now (this applies to Greenstone Lodge only). Only visits on compassionate grounds such as end of life are permitted and residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice. As previously mentioned, we have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented and our employees are wearing full PPE.

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 will provide you with a further update early next week. As always, if you have any questions at all or would like to contact our team to arrange a phone video call with your loved one, please do so.

Thank you for your understanding and support at this time.

7 January 2021

Further to our update to you yesterday, we have had an additional employee at Whiddon Largs test positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, and on the advice of the public health unit, we are restricting visitation to Whiddon Largs for now. Only compassionate visits for end of life will be permitted at this time. Residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice. As previously mentioned, we have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented and our employees are wearing full PPE.

Employees must continue to wear full PPE (N95 masks, face shields, gown and gloves), complete a rapid antigen test, and social distancing must be observed at all times, including the staff room and nurses station.

We ask that if you have any concerns to please speak to your manager in the first instance. Please also remember our confidential EAP service contactable 24/7 on 1800 818 728.

We encourage you to have your Booster shot and send evidence of your vaccination to payroll@whiddon.com.au at your earliest convenience. Eligibility for booster shots are for those that have had their second dose at least 4 months ago.

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to Whiddon Largs.

7 January 2022

Further to our update to you yesterday, we have had an additional employee test positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, and on the advice of the public health unit, we are restricting visitation to Whiddon Largs for now. Only compassionate visits for end of life will be permitted at this time. Residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice. As previously mentioned, we have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented and our employees are wearing full PPE.

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

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.

7 January 2022

We wanted to inform you that two employees from Whiddon Wingham have tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees are wearing full PPE and completing a rapid antigen test before they commence their shift.

We have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented and are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and following their advice. While potential exposure to residents is not considered high risk, we are restricting visitation to compassionate visits only for now, such as end of life, and residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

Employees must wear full PPE (N95 masks, face shields, gown and gloves), complete a rapid antigen test, and social distancing must be observed at all times, including the staff room and nurses station.

We ask that if you have any concerns to please speak to your manager in the first instance. Please also remember our confidential EAP service contactable 24/7 on 1800 818 728.

We encourage you to have your Booster shot and send evidence of your vaccination to payroll@whiddon.com.au at your earliest convenience. Eligibility for booster shots are for those that have had their second dose at least 4 months ago.

7 January 2022

We wanted to inform you that two employees from Whiddon Wingham have tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees are wearing full PPE and completing a rapid antigen test before they commence their shift.

We have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. While potential exposure to residents is not considered high risk, we are restricting visitation to compassionate visits only for now, such as end of life. Residents are currently staying in their rooms as a precaution at this time and we are strongly encouraging residents not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and following their advice.

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 thank you for your understanding and support.

7 January 2022

Further to our last update to inform you that a resident at Whiddon Hornsby had tested positive to COVID-19, we have now had three more residents test positive. These residents are doing well and are being closely monitored.

As a precaution, visitation remains restricted for now. Only compassionate visits for end of life will be permitted at this time. Residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

Employees must continue to wear full PPE (N95 masks, face shields, gown and gloves), complete a rapid antigen test, and social distancing must be observed at all times, including the staff room and nurses station.

We ask that if you have any concerns to please speak to your manager in the first instance. Please also remember our confidential EAP service contactable 24/7 on 1800 818 728.

We encourage you to have your Booster shot and send evidence of your vaccination to payroll@whiddon.com.au at your earliest convenience. Eligibility for booster shots are for those that have had their second dose at least 4 months ago.

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to Whiddon Hornsby.

7 January 2022

Further to our last update to inform you that a resident at Whiddon Hornsby had tested positive to COVID-19, we have now had three more residents test positive. These residents are doing well and are being closely monitored.

As a precaution, visitation remains restricted for now. Only compassionate visits for end of life will be permitted at this time. Residents are strongly encouraged not to leave the care home for now, again as a precautionary measure.

We continue to work closely with the local Public Health Unit and follow their advice. As previously mentioned, we have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented and our employees are wearing full PPE.

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

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 will provide you with a further update early next week.

6 January 2022

We want to thank you for your support and understanding in pre-booking your visits and completing a rapid antigen test when attending Whiddon Mudgee Pioneer. We appreciate your cooperation as we take these additional, and important, precautionary measures to help keep everyone safe.

Implementing these measures does add extra pressure on our teams, so we do ask for your patience at this time. As a result of the additional pressure on our teams, we respectfully request that visits take place during business hours and wherever possible, not on weekends. This will greatly assist us with our screening processes at this time, when the risk of COVID-19 is high in our community.

We also want to apologise for any inconvenience you may have experienced in contacting us on Monday, or last Friday, via telephone. This issue has been escalated and is currently being reviewed. We do hope that this is rectified as soon as possible, to ensure that this does not occur on the next public holiday.

Thank you again for your support and understanding.

6 January 2022

An employee at Whiddon Largs has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees must continue to wear N95 masks and face shields and social distancing must be observed at all times including the staff room and nurses station. We have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented.

The risk is considered low, and as such, visitors are still welcome to attend Whiddon Largs. We have asked visitors to follow our guidelines when visiting, and stay vigilant due to the heightened risk in our communities currently.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care homes.

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 ask that if you have any concerns to please speak to your manager in the first instance. Please also remember our confidential EAP service contactable 24/7 on 1800 818 728.

This is a timely reminder to all of us that COVID-19 is still very much with us. We encourage you to have your Booster shot and send evidence of your vaccination to payroll@whiddon.com.au at your earliest convenience. Eligibility for booster shots are for those that have had their second dose at least 4 months ago.

6 January 2022

An employee at Whiddon Largs has tested positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, employees continue to wear appropriate PPE and we have activated our COVID-19 response plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented. The risk is considered low, and as such, visitors are still welcome to attend Whiddon Largs. We do ask that you follow our guidelines and stay vigilant due to the heightened risk in our communities currently.

We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care homes.

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.

Please be reminded of the following guidelines when visiting:

• Residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over only, per day
• Visitors must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit
• Visits must not take place in communal areas and wherever possible, visits should occur in an outdoor area
• All visitors must wear a N95 mask and face shield when visiting
• Visitors will be asked to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry
• Unvaccinated visitors are only permitted to visit a resident who is at the end of life. Please speak to your loved one’s Care Manager directly to gain the necessary approval to visit

Please ensure that you:

• pre-book your visits. Please note that the number of visitors allowed into a home at any one time may be restricted to enable management of capacity limits
• refrain from visiting if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• refrain from visiting you are a close or casual contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, unless they have completed their isolation and testing requirements. Close contacts should not enter high risk settings for at
• least 14 days since their exposure to a COVID-positive person
• do not visit if you have been overseas in the previous 14 days, unless you are fully vaccinated and have received a negative PCR test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW
• refrain from visiting if you are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• practice good hand hygiene and socially distance
• check in to the Service NSW app AND Whiddon’s check-in system when you visit

We are also committed to keeping you up-to-date of the situation and thank you for your understanding and support.