COVID-19 Precautions – Update on visits to facility

Dear Valued Resident Representatives

This is to provide an update on visits to the facility during the escalation of infection in the Brimbank Council which has been identified as one of the ‘hotspots’ in Victoria in recent days.

Key points:

1. No one under the age of 16 years is allowed on the premises (or property) of the facility except for end-of-life support for a resident of the facility.
2. No one without a 2020 influenza vaccination certificate is allowed to visit.
3. No one who is unwell or is diagnosed with COVID-19 and not yet given clearance or have been in contact with person(s) who have tested positive to COVID-19 within the past 14 days, is allowed on the premises of the facility
4. No one who has recently returned from a place outside Australia until after 14 days preceding the entry into Australia is allowed on the premises of the facility
5. No one who has a temperature higher than 37.5C is allowed to visit
6. Safe distancing if visiting. No contact during visits.

There are other standard entry screening steps which you are already familiar with and will continue.

Types of Visits:

1. Skype video sessions remain as is. Please call to book in advance as the sessions are popular.
2. Air-lock visits sessions will remain until about 23 July or further notice. This is due to construction activity which will require the area to be hoarded. We are actively searching for alternate safe areas or solutions.
3. In-person ‘Meeting Place’ visits remain as is. Please call to book in advance as the session are popular. These visits are only available during business hours.

Kalyna Care has been updating families and the community about its efforts to minimise any breach of the virus to the facility via social media and newsletters. Staff are totally committed to this cause.

While there are easing of restrictions by the Federal and State governments to help the economy to recover, please understand that nothing has changed in aged care and for Kalyna Care. Elderly residents remain vulnerable to the virus.

We are acutely aware of the frustration by some visitors and families. We respectfully ask for your cooperation. We also respectfully ask that you allow our staff to ‘get on with their jobs’ and if you have any concerns to speak with myself or Julie Speirs in the first instance.

The lessons learnt and shared by our fellow providers in NSW who were impacted by an outbreak was to ensure we prevent a breach as best we can.

The Communicable Diseases Network Australia (CDNA) and Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) require facilities to be primarily responsible for managing a COVID-19 outbreak. We are required to detect and notify of an outbreak, self-manage an outbreak, confirm and declare an out-break, provide advice on infection control measures and use of PPE and confirm and declare when an outbreak is over.

At Kalyna Care – we aim to first prevent as best we can, rather than to have to manage an outbreak.

There has been queries regarding the builders on site. All builders and tradesmen undergo identical (and daily) entry screening including temperature checks and flu vaccination authentication. Builder–resident contact is minimised as a practice.

We believe that the restrictions at Kalyna Care will remain for the foreseeable future.

We understand that the restrictions may not be acceptable to families and visitors.

However, we will continue to provide updates on any changes in visitor access as soon as we can.

We appreciate your assistance to convey this message to all family and friends of your resident at our facility at Kalyna Care.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Please feel free to call Julie Speirs, 0411 469 900 or myself, 0406 424 618.

Thank you,
Pearl Forrester CEO