COVID-19 Important Notice

As you would be aware in recent days we have again seen a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria. 

This morning the team have met to discuss the current visitor restrictions in our aged care facility, this includes the Lakes Hostel and Kowree Nursing Home. In light of the most recent reports we have received showing that most of the documented deaths are from the aged care demographics.

The decision has been made to return to Phase One (see attached) of visitor restrictions effective as of 5pm today.

Phase One restrictions mean:

• No face to face visits to occur at the facility. Face to Face visits on compassionate grounds will be exempt.
  
• Relatives can visit resident’s via visits through the glass at scheduled times
• Facetime calls can occur and are set up via a schedule
• Phone calls can occur whenever a resident or relative chooses.
  

People living in residential aged care are particularly susceptible to any viral illness. Even when organisations actively work to prevent outbreaks occurring, many external factors can lead to residents and staff contracting the virus.

The visitor restrictions in the Acute Care section of the facility has also changed. The following will also apply effective at 5pm today:

No visitors can enter the facility except for:

• A support person for a pregnant woman
• A carer of a person with disability
• A parent or carer of a child patient (under 18)
• Compassionate reasons or emergency decisions

Other services are as follows:

• Our Urgent Care Centre is open but will only be accessible via the urgent care entry on Elizabeth Street. You are encouraged to phone ahead before presenting and when you arrive you will need to press the Nurse on Call button to gain entry. You will be assessed and triaged prior to entry to the facility.
• The hospital will continue to have acute patients however there are to be no visitors except the above exemptions
• Group exercise classes have been suspended
• Our social worker is available for appointments via telehealth
• Visits by Allied Health Services (including the dietician, dentist, speech pathologist, physiotherapist, radiologist etc.) and other external services providers are to remain the same.
• All visitors to the facility will be temperature checked, required to complete a self-declaration form, provide evidence of having had the flu vaccination and wear a face mask.
• Any visits to the facility must be arranged with the head of the department prior to arriving

Please call Emergency 000 If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, and ask for an ambulance.

Allied and Community Health is now closed until further notice, staff will be conducting welfare checks with consumers.

Please take care everyone and most importantly STAY HOME.