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Care Opinion

Making visitor restrictions easier

Posted By velaqz58

"Making visitor restrictions easier"

About: Rural Northwest Health Rural Northwest Health Yarriambiack Lodge

(as other),

Hello Ishbell and Keshia and Alison,

First, welcome to Warracknabeal, Ishbell!

Thank you for holding a ‘Meet and Greet’ session at Warracknabeal recently and inviting us to submit feedback via Care Opinion that you can respond to.

Secondly, recognising that RNH has much to deal with in regard to COVID protocols (which are constantly changing), I am keen to understand the process for ‘returning to normal’ regarding visiting some of our parishioners who are in RNH Care - both in Residential services and Acute Ward.

As a Pastoral Care Practitioner, I am concerned about the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of people in RNH Care where there is continuing isolation due to restricted visiting protocols. Understanding that it is vitally important to keep patients and residents in your care safe and protected from COVID infection, I would find it helpful to have some visiting guidelines clarified or be able to establish respectful protocols that would allow more regular visiting of parishioners or those seeking emotional support if they do not have family or friends in Warracknabeal.

In recent weeks, I have had several positive experiences where staff have been most helpful in negotiating special access for myself and another member of our parish team to visit people in RNH Care - which we and the recipients have been most grateful for. We believe this has helped in providing the holistic health care I believe is required and desired by RNH.

We are also grateful for the time you allow us to conduct the Anglican Service every week in Warracknabeal and every month in Hopetoun, and we believe this has a significant benefit to your residents who choose to attend.

In closing, I feel that the Team at RNH are doing everything they can in helping deal with the shifting COVID situation with a good spirit and gentle humour.

Kind regards

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Responses

Response from Handy Hakim Widjaja, Procurement Administration Officer and Acting Quality and Risk Manager, Rural Northwest Health 2 years ago
Handy Hakim Widjaja
Procurement Administration Officer and Acting Quality and Risk Manager,
Rural Northwest Health

Submitted on 24/03/2022 at 12:19 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 28/03/2022 at 12:37 PM

Dear velaqz58,

Thank you for your message.

I would like to thank you for the support you continue to provide to our residents.

As you mention, directives regarding visitation to aged care facilities continue to be subject to change. The current visitation requirements are below for your information:

Changes to care facility visiting

Updated pandemic orders now apply for people visiting care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic:

*Visitors over 18 need to produce a negative rapid antigen test on the day of visitation.

*Visitors under 18 are required to have a parent or guardian make a declaration that they meet all the criteria for entry.

What must visitors do?

The number of visitors is limited to 2 in hospital settings and up to 5 in care facilities (but limited to four at any one time). Visitors must stay in the patient/resident’s room and limit movement around the building, apart from quick trips to the bathroom or to purchase food.

If the patient is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used by visitors.

Important – when visiting is not allowed

Individuals must not visit anyone in a hospital or care facility, even if they are on the allowed to visit list, if they:

*have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have not completed 7-day self-isolation

*have had known contact with a person who has COVID-19 in the previous 7 days, are fully vaccinated and have not produced a negative PCR or rapid antigen test

*have had known contact with a person who has COVID-19 in the previous 14 days, are not fully vaccinated and have not produced a negative PCR or rapid antigen test

*have had known contact with a close contact of a person who has COVID-19 and have not produced a negative PCR or rapid antigen test

*have been tested for COVID-19 and have not had the results given to them

*have returned to Australia from overseas in the last 14 days

*do not meet the requirements to gain access to visit a patient or resident

*have a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees or symptoms of acute respiratory infection such as:

*breathing difficulties such as breathlessness

Exceptions currently described in the pandemic orders include:

*a person receiving end of life care can have a maximum of two visitors in hospitals and five visitors in care facilities ( but limit to a maximum of four visitors at any one time).

*a person who is a parent, Carer or guardian of a patient

*a person who is a support person or partner of a pregnant patient of the hospital

*a person who is an immediate family member of a patient whose medical condition is life threatening

*a person providing professional care

I hope this assists. We will also update our Facebook with the above information.

Kind regards,

Ishbell

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Response from Handy Hakim Widjaja, Procurement Administration Officer and Acting Quality and Risk Manager, Rural Northwest Health 2 years ago
Handy Hakim Widjaja
Procurement Administration Officer and Acting Quality and Risk Manager,
Rural Northwest Health

Submitted on 28/03/2022 at 10:22 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 10:24 AM

Dear velaqz58,

Please note Industry Code for Visitation in Aged Care Homes has been updated and can be accessed via the below link;

Industry Code for Visiting Aged Care Homes.

Regards

Ishbell

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