COVID-19 Aged Care Information

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Emergency residential aged care facilities

Click here to view the current Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities) Direction.

The Direction outlines restrictions which impact staff requirements at residential aged care facilities, along with visitation rights to these facilities.

Urgent COVID19 update

Below are links to relevant SA Health information that members should refer to for measures in acute and aged care.

SA Health COVID-19 website

PPE Matrix and Infection Control Recommendations

COVID-19 Strategy for Residential Aged Care Facilities

Pandemic payments to be made available nationally

The Federal Government will allow other states and territories to join Victoria in accessing $1,500 pandemic payments for workers without sick leave, reports SBS News.

Victorian workers will be able to access the payment designed to give workers the financial capability to stay home while isolating.

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ANMF Principles for Safe and Compassionate Entry into Nursing

Health emergencies, such as infectious diseases outbreaks, put health and aged care systems and their ability to deliver health, social and aged care services under strain. Currently, health and aged care services around the globe, including in Australia, are being confronted with increased demand generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The significant health risk for vulnerable older Australians from COVID-19 is of particular concern for services providing care to older people and the broader Australian community.

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ANMF Information/Fact Sheets

Retention Bonus Information Sheet  (Updated 1 September)

On 20 March 2020 the Federal Government announced $444.6m to go towards supporting Aged Care providers, residents, staff and families. As part of this support funding the government indicated that $234.9m will be dispersed as payments to eligible workers in residential care and home care during COVID-19 to help retain them in the workforce.

Aged Care Support Information Sheet  (Updated 9 June)

On 20 March 2020 the Federal Government announced $444.6m to go towards supporting Aged Care providers, residents, staff and families. This funding was announced in addition to a $101.2m share of broader health funding announced in response to COVID-19.

Aged Care COVID-19 CPD module now available

This module is directed primarily to the aged care sector and will explain what the virus is and how it is transmitted. It provides information on how to protect yourself and residents, detailing the precautions workers should take in residential aged care to prevent and, where necessary, contain COVID-19. The module will provide advice on how to involve residents and visitors in minimising transmission.
Complete the module online now.
Free for members. Members must log in to view the CPD website.

Dementia Australia - Tips for People Living with Dementia

Update: 27 March

Dementia Australia Chief Executive Maree McCabe is urging aged care providers to do all they can to find alternative ways to keep residents with dementia in touch with society and Dementia Australia has released ‘help sheets’ to navigate these tough times.

“There is confusion in the community and new rules announced daily to keep pace with this rapidly evolving situation,” McCabe said.

“For people living dementia this can create even more uncertainty.

“We have developed these Help Sheets to provide clarity on what people can do to achieve the best possible outcomes for people living with dementia.”

The sheets include; tips for people living with dementia, Tips for carers, friends and family, tips for providers and tips for home care providers.

Read more

Residential Aged Care facilities new visitation restrictions

On Thursday 19 March, the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, and the Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck, released information on the restrictions to apply to visits in residential aged care facilities to combat the spread of COVID-19. You can view the Minister's statement on the Department of Health website. Further details can be found in the statement from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC).

ANMF calls for immediate stop on all non-essential visits to nursing homes

On Wednesday 18 March, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) is calling for a temporary ban on all non-essential visits to chronically understaffed nursing homes, in a concerted, community-led effort to shield vulnerable older Australians from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Read the full article.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) health package announced

On Wednesday 11 March, the Prime Minister, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, announced a health package designed to protect all Australians, including vulnerable groups such as senior Australians, from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Importantly for the aged care sector, the package includes $101.2 million to:

• Educate and train aged care workers in infection control, and enable aged care providers to hire extra nurses and aged care workers for both residential and home care.
• Make available additional aged care staff for deployment to facilities as needed, where an urgent health response is required and to provide extra support for staff and training.
• Provide additional funding for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to work with providers on improving infection control.
  

Read the full release.

ANMF calls for urgent aged care action on coronavirus

On Wednesday 4 March, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) announced they are working with the Federal Government, health departments and industry stakeholders on contingency plans to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the aged care workforce and vulnerable nursing home residents.

Read the full article.