COVID-19 Update-Residential Care

Visiting Resthaven residential aged care homes

Current visiting arrangements at Resthaven:

Visiting hours are:

• Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm
• Weekends and Public Holidays between 1 pm – 3 pm 

All visitors must comply with the entry requirements and visitor restrictions as required by the South Australian (SA) Emergency Management (Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) No. 9) (COVID-19) Direction 2020, enacted by the State Coordinator, Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens, on 24 September 2020 to limit entry into residential aged care facilities in South Australia. This Direction is now in effect in South Australia. It is an offence to breach this Direction. The Direction states:

“Care and Support Visits:

In relation to a resident of a residential aged care facility, means a visit made to the resident by one person, or two persons together, for the purposes of providing care and support to the resident (and includes a visit by a family member or friend of the resident for the purposes of providing social support to the resident).”

You cannot enter a Residential Aged Care Facility if you have:

• not been vaccinated against 2020 seasonal influenza.
• have undertaken a COVID-19 test and are awaiting the test result.

View the Visitor Restrictions and Residential Aged Care Homes factsheet.

Resthaven has actioned requirements of this Direction. One requirement of the Direction includes:

• A person who provides nursing, medical, allied health or personal care services to a resident of a RACF must wear appropriate personal protective equipment, in accordance with the Australian Guidelines, at any time that they are providing those services and cannot maintain a distance of more than 1.5 metres from the resident. 

The South Australian (SA) Department of Health advise that this means a surgical mask is to be worn as part of this aspect of the Direction by nursing, personal care, allied health staff and doctors when providing care to a resident, so you will see these people wearing masks.

Should you have any particular concerns or queries, please raise them with the Manager Residential Services.

South Australian (SA) Department of Health advise positive cases transfer to hospital

SA Health advise that if a resident tests positive to COVID-19, they will be transferred to hospital by the SA Ambulance Service. This action ensures the resident will have access to appropriate medical care as needed, and protects others from exposure to COVID-19.

The Commonwealth Department of Health have also assured immediate assistance.

Information for Retirement Living Residents

Retirement villages and their residents must comply with the restrictions set out under the South Australian (SA) Emergency Management (Public Activities No 9) (COVID 19) Direction 2020 enacted by the State Coordinator, Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens.

Any gathering in a community centre at a retirement village is deemed a private function being held in a public venue. Limitations on the maximum number of people able to attend, due to social distancing guidelines, are indicated on posters placed at the entry to communal areas.

Indoor public meetings and gatherings are also required to keep a record of attendees in anticipation of the need to conduct contact tracing. The SA Health guidelines require all persons attending to provide their name and phone number on the Visitor Sign-in sheet. This is located at the entrance to each meeting room.

COVID Marshals and a COVID-Safe Plan are also required for a defined public activity that takes place in the meeting areas within our villages.

Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line

For additional assistance, an Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line has been set up to provide information, support and connection for older people during this period. COTA Australia, National Seniors, Dementia Australia and the Older Person’s Advocacy Network have collaborated to deliver this service, supported by funding from the Australian Government. Older Australians, their families, friends and carers can FREECALL 1800 171 866 to discuss COVID-19 related concerns.

For the latest public advice, visit www.health.gov.au or call the National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.

For more information visit the SA Health website.