Author: micheller

The NSW State Government has recently updated their guidelines around COVID-19 and Influenza procedures for Residential Aged Care.

As always, your safety and wellbeing is our highest priority, and we have updated our visitation and vaccination requirements as summarised below. Please note, this does not apply if our care home is in an outbreak.

1. Visitors

• Residents are welcome to have 2 adults and 2 children visit them each day – approval for additional visitors may be provided in special circumstances with approval from each Home’s  Management
• Visitors are still required to complete a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to entering our Homes and wear PPE as advised by staff
• For everyone’s safety, visits should occur in resident rooms instead of in common areas

2. Vaccinations 

• We strongly recommend all relevant vaccinations for both COVID-19 and Influenza for all visitors
• Non-vaccinated visitors are able to visit their loved ones in our Homes, only with the prior approval of the Homes’ management, and these visits must occur in an outdoor area wearing N95 masks and face shields
• In the event that a non-vaccinated visitor cannot complete their visit in an outdoor setting, the visit should occur in resident rooms with N95 masks and face shields worn at all times. This requires approval from the Home’s Management.

Thank you for your continued understanding as we all strive to keep our residents and staff safe.

The Whiddon Team

As we have all heard in the media, we are seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 as well Influenza cases across the state.

This year it is even more important than ever to stay up-to-date with your vaccinations.

The current advice from Government includes:

• 4th COVID-19 booster – an additional booster (4th dose) is now available to people 30 years and older and is strongly recommended for people over 50 years – find out more & book here
• Annual Flu Jab – with “Flu season” now in full swing, make sure you protect yourself,  our residents and clients with your annual Flu Vaccine – find out more here

Older Australians are at the highest risk from influenza and COVID-9. Our priorities are to keep our residents, clients and employees healthy and vaccines are something we can get to keep us all safe.

We thank you for everything you do and your efforts to protect our people and residents this Winter!

10 July 2022

We have had 2 residents  test positive to COVID-19 at Whiddon Wee Waa. Families of residents who have tested positive have been notified.

We are currently working with the Public Health Unit to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff. For now, visitation is limited to one nominated partner-in-care. Partners-in-care must book their visits prior to visiting our care home. All visitors are required to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry, wear an N95 mask and may be asked to wear additional PPE at this time such as a face shield. Please refrain from visiting if you are unwell.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.

4 July 2022 

We have had a number of residents test positive to COVID-19 at Whiddon Moree.  We are currently working with the Local Public Health Unit to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff and are following their advice to manage this outbreak.

For now, visitation  is limited to one nominated partner-in-care. Partners-in-care may be asked to wear additional PPE at this time such as a face shield. Please refrain from visiting if you are unwell.

Please note, this is also impacting on our staff and from time to time our administration team have not been available to assist you or to answer the phone. We sincerely apologise for this and thank you for your ongoing support as we work through this situation. Please do not hesitate to also send an email to moreegroup@whiddon.com.au if you wish to leave an additional message

We want to also remind you that all visits must be pre-booked. All visitors are required to complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry and wear an N95 mask.

We thank you for your patience and assistance during this time and will provide an update later in the week.

4 July 2022

Whiddon is participating in an exciting project called Design for Care. The project is being led by researchers and psychologists from Curtin University (Perth) and the University of Sydney. This project will help us better understand how to support wellbeing in the aged care sector and provide you with an even better employee experience.

We are holding an information session on Tuesday, 5 July at 11.30am at Whiddon Redhead and encourage you to attend. Below is more information about the Design for Care Survey.

We also have a video for you which you can watch here: Design for Care

26^th June 2022

We have had two residents test positive to COVID-19 and have a number of staff in isolation.  We are currently working with the Public Health Unit to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff.

We are undertaking Rapid Antigen Tests of all residents and all staff are also continuing to conduct a Rapid Antigen Test prior to their shift commencing.

For now, we are restricting visitation to one visitor per resident at this time (for compassionate or essential visits only). These visits must be pre-booked and visitors are required to undertake rapid antigen testing as a condition of entry and will be asked to wear an N95 mask and face shield, which will be provided upon entry to the home.

We thank you for your ongoing understanding, and will provide you with a further update during the week.

24^th May 2022

Further to our last update, we continue to have a number of residents test positive to COVID-19 at Whiddon Largs and we are working closely with the Public Health Unit (PHU) to ensure the safety of our residents and staff.

Further PCR testing was completed yesterday for residents who are currently testing negative to Rapid Antigen Tests and we are currently waiting on results.  Please be assured that if your loved one has, or does, test positive to COVID-19, you will be contacted directly by the Registered Nurse on duty.

Residents who tested positive at the beginning of the outbreak will shortly be reviewed and we will await further instruction from the PHU.

Visitation continues to be restricted to one visitor per resident at this time (for compassionate or essential visits only).  As a reminder, you can call us Mon-Fri to book in partner-in-care visits which are available  between 8am and 3.30pm on weekdays. Partners-in care will need to wear full PPE and complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry, and be escorted to the resident’s balcony for the visit.

We are also welcoming Australian Defence Force personnel to Whiddon Largs to provide us with additional support during this time.

We are continuing to work closely with the local PHU and will provide a further updates once we have received the results of the PCR tests. 

We do ask for your patience at this time when contacting us, and if possible, please limit calls to essential calls only at this time. Please be assured that our team will contact you directly to discuss any concerns.

We understand that this is a challenging time and we thank you for your ongoing support understanding.

23 May 2022

Please be advised that we have had a small number of employees, and a resident in the Violet Wing of Whiddon Beaudesert Star test positive to COVID-19. At the advice of the local Public Health Unit, all residents in the Violet Wing are being asked to stay within the Violet Wing for now as a precaution. PCR testing of residents in the Violet Wing will be undertaken as soon as possible. Please be assured that if your loved one tests positive to COVID-19, you would be contacted directly by our clinical team.

For now, as per the advice of the local Public Health Unit, only compassionate visits such as end-of-life visits are permitted in the Violet Wing.

All visitors are required to undertake rapid antigen testing as a condition of entry to Whiddon Beaudesert and will be asked to wear an N95 mask and face shield, which will be provided upon entry to the home. All visits to Whiddon Beaudesert must be pre-booked.

We ask all visitors to monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms and remind visitors to please refrain from visiting if they are unwell.

We thank you for your ongoing understanding, and will provide you with a further update during the week.

23 May 2022

Please be advised that we have had a resident test positive to COVID-19  at Whiddon Narrabri Robert Young.

As this is considered low risk, there are no changes to visitation, resident activities or outings, unless there are any changes to the situation.

Visits must be pre-booked and visitors must complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry, and wear an N95 mask which will be supplied.

Employees must continue to wear N95 mask and face shields routinely, and full PPE when caring for a COVID-19 positive resident, close contact or suspected positive resident. They must also complete a rapid antigen test, and social distancing must be observed at all times.

We thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.

23 May 2022

Please be advised that we have had a resident test positive to COVID-19  at Whiddon Narrabri Robert Young.

As this is considered low risk, there are no changes to visitation, resident activities or outings, unless there are any changes to the situation.

Visits must be pre-booked and visitors must complete a rapid antigen test as a condition of entry, and wear an N95 mask which will be supplied.

We ask all visitors to monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms and remind visitors to please refrain from visiting if they are unwell.

We thank you for your ongoing understanding, and will provide you with a further update during the week.