Author: despinao

On 1 February 2022 the Australian Government announced that it was providing $210 million to support the Aged Care workforce, in recognition of their dedication in continuing to care for older Australian’s through the Covid-19 Pandemic. Payment of the Aged Care Workforce Bonus of up to $800 was to be provided to all employees who worked in eligible roles in residential aged care (RAC) and community care (CC) during the census period.

Unfortunately, not all roles were considered eligible as part of the bonus payment, which included roles that did not provide direct care, food or cleaning services in residential aged care. These roles included administration, store persons and gardeners. Your role was identified as one of the ineligible roles.

We acknowledge and share the dissatisfaction you may have felt with regards to the eligibility criteria that the Australian Government determined for this Aged Care Workforce Bonus Payment. Whilst we too were disappointed with this decision, it is important to note that we recognise the valuable contribution of all frontline aged care employees and the importance that each role plays in supporting our residents and clients.

As per previous correspondence, Whiddon would be providing those workers that were not eligible to receive the bonus a $250 gift voucher as a recognition and appreciation of your efforts and commitment not just to Whiddon, but the aged care industry.

We are pleased to advise that the gift vouchers will be delivered to you via SMS and to the mobile phone we currently have on file for you. It will appear as an SMS from GiftPay so please keep an eye out for this message.

If you have any questions on the Aged Care Workforce Bonus, the amount you have received or the gift voucher please reach out to your Director of Services or Community Care Coordinator in the first instance who will be able to answer all your questions.

Thank you again for your ongoing commitment to our residents, our clients and to Whiddon.

 

Kind regards,

Chris Mamarelis

CEO

We are pleased to advise that we have received payment of the Aged Care Workforce Bonus from the Government. This will be paid into your nominated bank account on Monday 2 May 2022.

As a reminder, the bonus of up to $800 will be paid to all eligible residential aged care and community care employees. This bonus is in recognition of the significant commitment the Aged Care Workforce have made to the care of our senior Australians during the pandemic.

1. What are the Bonus amounts?

The bonus is due to be paid in two instalments of up to $400 each based on the eligibility requirements below. The amount of the bonus will depend on whether you are employed in residential aged care or community care and will be prorated based on the highest number of hours worked in a single week out of the four weeks leading up to the census dates. Examples of how to work out the bonus payment amount you will receive can be found in the FAQ document which is available to you at your place of work.

The bonus payment amounts are as follows (where an employee qualifies for both instalments 1 and 2):

** Employees may qualify for either one or both instalments. However, should an employee only qualify for one instalment then the maximum amount will be half of that in the above table.

2. Who is eligible?

Full time, part time and casual employees who have worked in residential aged care (RAC) or community care (CC) including direct care workers, food services workers and cleaners in residential care and who are employed with Whiddon on the census dates being 28 February 2022 and 28 April 2022 will be eligible for the bonus. Those employees who are not eligible to receive the bonus are outlined in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) which is available to you at your place of work.

As previously mentioned, Whiddon is disappointed to see that not all roles have been recognised for eligibility for the bonus. To recognise the valuable contribution of all frontline aged care employees and the importance that each role plays in supporting our residents and clients, Whiddon will be providing those employees that are not eligible to receive the bonus a $250 gift voucher as a recognition of your efforts and commitment not just to Whiddon but the aged care industry.

The gift vouchers will be delivered around the same time that the first instalment bonus is paid. Those eligible for gift vouchers will be communicated with directly via SMS, with the gift voucher delivered via SMS to the mobile phone we currently have on file so please ensure your details are up to date.

3. When will the second instalment be paid?

The second census date of 28 April 2022 has just passed so we will start preparing the government submission for payment of the second instalment of the bonus. We don’t anticipate the processing of this payment to take too long however we will continue to keep you updated as we progress through the submission process.

4. Further information

If you have any questions on the Aged Care Workforce Bonus, the amount you have received or the gift voucher please reach out to your Director of Services or Community Care Coordinator in the first instance who will be able to answer all your questions.

Thank you again for your ongoing commitment to our residents, our clients and to Whiddon.

Kind regards,

Chris Mamarelis
CEO

 

29 April 2022

Since our last update, we have had a resident at Whiddon Hornsby test positive to COVID-19. As a precaution, we have once again activated our COVID-19 management plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are in place.

We are working closely with the Public Health Unit and, for now, visitation is limited to one visitor per resident (partner-in-care).  Visitors will be required to wear an N95 mask and face shield. Residents are also strongly encouraged not to leave the care home at this time, as a precaution.

The planned meeting with residents and families, on Tuesday 3^rd May at 11am, will still go ahead. However, the meeting may need to be in a different format, so we will keep you updated.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and understanding.

28 April 2022

In pleasing news, we are now able to welcome back all visitors to Whiddon Wingham. This is on advice from the Public Health Unit, as we have not had any further residents test positive to COVID-19. This means that visitors are now permitted in all areas of the care home.

We thank you for your patience and understanding, as we know it has been a challenging time.

Please be reminded that visits must be pre-booked and we ask that you follow our guidelines when visiting, which includes wearing PPE when required and other important precautionary measures to help keep everyone in our family safe.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

27 April 2022

Further to our update yesterday, we are pleased to advise that all Rapid Antigen Tests have come back as negative for our residents. As a result, we are excited to share that visitation requirements resume as normal prior to yesterday.  

We will be continuing to monitor residents and ask that you also remain vigilant within your communities.

As a reminder, please do not visit if you are feeling unwell as the safety of our residents and employees remain a priority. We also want to take this opportunity to remind visitors that bookings are essential.

We thank you for your support and understanding.

26 April 2022

We have had an employee at Whiddon Casino test positive to COVID-19. We are working closely with the local Public Health Unit and following their advice, and have activated our COVID-19 outbreak management plan to ensure all necessary precautionary measures are implemented.

We’re pleased to note that after conducting our risk assessments, we have identified the risk of transmission as low as a result of PPE Compliance and minimal time exposure. In addition, the employee did test negative to their Rapid Antigen Test prior to starting their shift.

Our robust COVID-19 management plan means that we have strict protocols in place to avoid potential spread of the virus across our care home. We are conducting Rapid Antigen Testing to the Ground Floor Cedars West wing as an extra precaution. For now, we are requesting that visitations occur for essential reasons only.

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 support and understanding.

26 April 2022

We are pleased to advise that the current COVID outbreak at Whiddon Moree has concluded.

Residents are now able to de-isolate from their rooms and move freely around the care home. We will also continue to monitor all residents daily.

Visitors are free to visit their loved ones, however, as advised by the Public Health unit, will be required to complete screening and a rapid antigen test prior to entry to the home, as well as wear full PPE.

We thank you for your ongoing care and assistance in helping to limit the impact of this recent outbreak.

10 February 2022

We have been advised that another staff member has tested positive to a Rapid Antigen Test. All residents have continued to test negative to COVID-19.

Based on the advice of the local Public Health Unit, visitation does remain limited to compassionate grounds or for essential caring only. Please speak to the Director Care Services directly to gain the necessary approval to visit.

Our team is committed to keeping you connected with your loved ones wherever possible, via video and phone calls at this time. If you would like to book in a phone or video call with your loved one, please speak to our team.

We will provide a further update to you soon and we thank you for your continued patience, understanding and support.

14 January 2022

We have been notified that an employee at Whiddon Casino has returned a positive PCR test today. Employees are wearing full PPE, and we have closed Whiddon Casino to visitors for now, including visits booked this weekend. Only visits for essential caring or on compassionate grounds will be permitted, and residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the care home for now.

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 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.

Employees must wear N95 masks, face shields and gloves, and full PPE, 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.

14 January 2022

We have been notified that an employee at Whiddon Casino has returned a positive PCR test today. Employees are wearing full PPE, and we have closed Whiddon Casino to visitors for now. Unfortunately, this does mean that all weekend visits are also cancelled. Only visits for essential caring or on compassionate grounds will be permitted, and residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the care home for now.

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

We thank you for your understanding and support.