There is no doubt that 2020 will long be remembered for the COVID-19 pandemic and the dominos that fell around the world as a result – especially in aged care.
Residents of aged care facilities are in the high-risk category when it comes to COVID-19 and any outbreaks in a centre can potentially be devastating, which has changed the way we operate these facilities right across Australia (and the globe).
These measures are likely to be with us for life, so here is what you need to be aware of if you are planning a career in aged care.
New COVID-19 measures you need to know about
The first changes are fairly straight forward and common across the board. They are centred around improved hygiene measures.
While working in an aged care centre it is a requirement to wash and sanitise your hands regularly, including before and after eating, going to the toilet or making contact with any person or surface.
All coughs and sneezes should be into your elbow, all tissues disposed of immediately and physical distancing measures adopted. If you have cold and flu symptoms, do not come to work.
If there are further COVID-19 outbreaks (or other viruses), there could be restrictions put in place to protect residents. This will be advised by state and territory governments as well as the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee. This would likely also mean all excursions and outings would be temporarily cancelled, but residents may be allowed to leave the facility to attend small family gatherings.
All residents that are admitted to your aged care facility will now need to be screened moving forward. If they are confirmed to have COVID-19 or other viruses and illnesses, they will be denied entry.
Emergency leave
During an emergency situation (which includes a global pandemic like COVID-19) residents at aged care centres can apply for emergency leave to temporarily remove themselves from their home and the emergency situation. During this period of time, these residents will not need to use their social leave entitlements to remove themselves from the centre and they will not be required to pay their provider further fees to secure their place.
This is an effective way to manage the headcount at your centre during an emergency, with residents that have a viable and safe place to go to. Ultimately, this removes them from the potential risk.
Managing visitors during a medical emergency
Visitors are common in aged care centres but COVID-19 means that this process has to be managed properly to minimise the risk of infection from outside the centre, be it coronavirus or other illnesses. No visitor that has returned from overseas or has been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be allowed to enter the aged care centre. Anyone showing or feeling any cold or flu symptoms should be admitted either. And flu vaccinations are mandatory from all visitors to be able to gain access to a facility.