Anglicare’s Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Find the information you need:

Residential Aged Care

Anglicare At Home

Community Services

Retirement Living

Housing

Mission & Partnerships

Volunteers

Visitors

Other Resources

 

Residential Aged Care

Older people are at a heightened risk of severe illness and death if they contract COVID-19, so to protect our residents, their families and our staff Anglicare made the difficult decision to lock down our Residential Aged Care homes from midnight Monday 23 March 2020.

While there is no official Department of Health directive to lock down residential care homes at this stage, direction from the NSW Government encouraged further action to reduce visitation to aged care facilities and avoid movement of residents except for “vital care reasons”. Many other providers are moving to lock down their facilities if they have not already done so, and we have taken this step to protect everyone in our homes.

Under lock down, only staff (employees and volunteers) will be permitted to enter an Anglicare Residential Aged Care home, and then only after being screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Any other visitor or family member will only be permitted to enter the facility under exceptional circumstances or where the resident has enacted an End of Life Care Plan.

What lock down means for residents:

• Residents are NOT isolated in their rooms unless unwell with an infectious illness. They remain free to move anywhere within the perimeter of the village, including the garden.
• External medical appointments may continue, but Anglicare requires that any resident who leaves the home must remain in their rooms for 14 days upon their return. Specialists are encouraged to visit the home but must follow our screening and hygiene procedures, and follow social distancing protocols where feasible.

Following government directives, we continue to require all employees and volunteers who have returned from travelling anywhere overseas, including travel on cruise ships, in the past 14 days to NOT come to work nor visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires that all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 must self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.

We are working hard to ensure you remain connected with your loved ones. As part of this, we are purchasing more electronic devices and exploring innovative ways to keep you connected with your family, friends and the wider community, at a safe distance. These include:

• $25,000 for each home has been made available through the Anglicare Aged Care Foundation so that each home can purchase items to assist residents to keep physically active and socially engaged.
• Anglicare is setting up a new communication platform called CareApp to bring residents and families closer together. Through CareApp, members of your Anglicare team will be able to send you information, updates and photos of special moments, and a personal, reassuring window into the care of your loved one.
• Anglicare has also invested in additional tablets and smart phones to support more video calls between you and your loved one.
• Small group activities and exercise programs will continue with appropriate social distancing in place.
• EVOKE radio now has new program inclusions to increase variety including monthly musical themes and a new radio serial. We are soon going to launch Evoke TV which will feature quite a few half hour programs. These programs will be streamed to residents on their televisions and will include 30-minute concerts, armchair exercise classes, as well as some devotions.
• Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care staff continue to be available to residents and families.  

From 1 May 2020 Anglicare is following government advice and will require all staff and visitors to have had a flu vaccination in 2020 in order to enter an Anglicare Residential Aged Care site.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

This is a challenging time for our residents, their families and the community at large. Anglicare takes the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff very seriously and we ask all people to cooperate with these requirements.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

 

Anglicare At Home

Anglicare At Home Care Workers are implementing Anglicare’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Management Procedure to ensure the safety of all our clients.

As part of this, upon arrival at a client’s home, the Care Worker will ask about the client’s general wellbeing and check to see if they have had visitors since the Care Worker’s last visit. Our care workers also screen themselves each morning before presenting to work and will not carry out a service if they are feeling unwell in any way or answer yes to any of the screening questions.

Anglicare is committed to continuing to deliver the essential care that so many of our clients rely on, but these services may need to be adapted to ensure the safety of our clients and staff during this time. We are committed to responding to clients’ social needs, especially during this time of disconnection. Please contact your Care Advisor or Care Coordinator by phone to discuss your individual situation.  

How the latest government recommendations affect Anglicare At Home services:

• Personal care services such as showering will continue, under new conditions to protect our clients and staff.
• The health and safety of our clients is a priority and we will minimise traffic through clients’ homes by modifying cleaning services and help around the home to essential tasks only.
• We will continue to shop for our clients, but clients will not be able to accompany the care worker.
• Anglicare has temporarily suspended our centre services and will not be running any social groups until further notice, but social support is available on a one-to-one basis.
• Transport services will not be available unless your travel is deemed essential.

In cases where clients receive services from our preferred agencies, we are working closely with them to ensure their prevention plans meet our standards. If any client receives in-home services organised by another service provider (outside of your agreement with Anglicare), we encourage clients to request assurances from them about their prevention plans.

Anyone who has travelled overseas in the last 14 days may be a carrier of Coronavirus.

Anglicare requires that any employee, volunteer, client, agency staff, contractor or visitor be screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) before entering an Anglicare site or proceeding with a client home visit.

• Where an Anglicare At Home client is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose), the Care Worker must NOT enter the client’s home.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT receive Home Care services or visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT receive Home Care or visit an Anglicare site during that time.
• Anyone who lives with someone who fits any of these criteria must contact Anglicare At Home Services to review alternate service plans.

Anglicare At Home will continue to provide as much service as we can while ensuring the safety of clients and Anglicare staff. Being able to support our clients in their homes is what brings us joy and we are working on new ways to support our clients while maintaining physical distance where possible.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

For further questions, please call our Response Team on 1800 11 22 73.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

 

Community Services

To protect our staff, clients, customers, residents and volunteers, Anglicare has implemented our COVID-19 Prevention and Management Procedure across all sites and services.

From Monday 30 March 2020 Community Services staff will be providing remote service delivery to clients.  This will include assistance by skype, phone and other electronic media. Please contact your nearest Service Centre by phone for assistance.  

Community Services offices will not be providing face to face services until further notice. Specifically, this means:

• Anglicare’s Op Shops are now closed until further notice.
• Playgroups, ESL classes, client group work and client transportation services (except in Northern Inland) have now ceased.
• Food and Financial Services have primarily moved to a remote service delivery model. Anglicare is continuing to run food programs in partnership with churches (Mobile Community Pantries) as possible and following public health guidelines.

Anglicare requires that any employee, volunteer, client, customer, contractor or visitor who fits the following criteria not enter an Anglicare site, and any person who fits these criteria not visit a client home or access face to face services.

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

Please notify your Manager by phone if you meet any of the above criteria. We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

Anglicare is committed to continuing to provide assistance to our clients and customers, as we are able, during this challenging time.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

 

Retirement Living

In view of the most recent NSW Public Health Order, effective from 31 March 2020 until 29 June 2020, all retirement village gatherings must not take place.

In particular, the Public Health Order means:

• No more than two persons are permitted to gather together, either inside or outside, at any time. This does not apply to members of the same household.
• All residents are directed to not leave their place of residence, except for a small number of specified reasons, as directed by the Minister for Health & Medical Research.

We understand that these restrictions will have an impact on residents and may create a sense of social isolation. Anglicare is in the process of facilitating connections for more isolated individuals and providing solutions to facilitate shopping and food delivery requirements. Our Villages’ management teams are still working hard for the benefit of our residents during this difficult time.

Anglicare continues to require that any employee, volunteer, agency staff, contractor or visitor be screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) before entering an Anglicare site.

Anyone who has travelled overseas in the last 14 days may be a carrier of the virus.

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

We also encourage all Anglicare Retirement Living residents to be aware of the risks of COVID-19, and cooperate with our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Management Procedure:

• For the health and safety of all residents in Anglicare Villages, we request that if you are a resident who has returned from travelling overseas in the last 14 days to please follow the NSW Department of Health advice and self-isolate for 14 days. If you develop symptoms of the virus, please seek medical advice and inform your Village Manager by phone.
• If you are expecting visitors, we encourage you to screen them for the above criteria for your safety and the safety of others at the Village.
• If you receive in-home services from Anglicare At Home, your Care Worker will be implementing COVID-19 prevention procedures to ensure your safety. If you receive in-home services from another provider, we encourage you to request assurances from them about their prevention plans.

Please speak with your Village Manager for further information.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

 

Housing 

In view of the most recent NSW Public Health Order, effective from 31 March 2020 until 29 June 2020, you must stay home unless you are going to work or education (where working remotely is not an option), shopping for food and essentials, attending to medical needs or the care of others, or exercise.

It is very important to follow this Public Health Order.  This is for your benefit and for the benefit of your fellow residents.  It is a criminal offence to ignore this and severe penalties apply.

In particular, the Public Health Order means that no more than two persons are permitted to gather together, either inside or outside, at any time. This does not apply to members of the same household.

Anglicare is committed to continuing to provide assistance to our clients, as we are able, during this challenging time:

• Anglicare can help you access online food delivery services.
• Anglicare staff will continue with regular visits, but staff will be required to follow Anglicare’s procedures and screen you before continuing with the visit.

Anglicare encourages all Housing residents to become familiar with the signs and symptoms of Coronavirus and minimise your contact with potential carriers of the virus by following the below screening criteria:

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

Please notify your Case Manager by phone if you meet the above criteria.

We encourage all Housing residents to be aware of the risks of COVID-19 and cooperate with our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Management Procedure:

• If you are expecting visitors, we encourage you to screen them for the above criteria, for your safety and the safety of others in your community.
• If you receive in-home services from Anglicare At Home, your Care Worker will be implementing COVID-19 prevention procedures to ensure your safety. If you receive in-home services from another provider, we encourage you to request assurances from them about their prevention plans.

Please speak to your Case Manager for further information.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health. 

Mission & Partnerships

 

Anglicare’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Management Procedure is in place to ensure as far as we are able the safety of our staff and all those we serve. These requirements reflect the advice being issued by the NSW and Australian Departments of Health. Depending on the location in which they minister, Mission and Partnerships staff will need to follow additional specified procedures.

Home visitation

While almost all chaplaincy and pastoral care visits for Anglicare At Home clients have been temporarily suspended, where visitation is permissible then upon arrival at a resident’s home, all Mission and Partnerships personnel (including Parish Village Chaplains) are required to screen clients prior to the commencement of each visit.

Chaplaincy and pastoral visits should not occur if the client/resident/anyone in the household:

• has travelled overseas in the last 14 days
• is self-isolating
• is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose)
• has had contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19.

Anglicare sites

Anglicare requires that any employee, volunteer, client, agency staff, contractor or visitor be screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) before entering an Anglicare site.

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

Hospitals, Prisons and other Public Institutions

In addition to standard precautions applicable to everyone in the community, Mission and Partnerships staff who minister at non-Anglicare sites will need to follow the relevant procedures and precautions applicable to their place of ministry.

Anglicare will continue to provide as much pastoral support as we can while ensuring the safety of clients and Anglicare staff. Alternative service arrangements are being explored, including Skype and phone meetings.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

For further information, please contact your chaplain or pastoral carer by phone or email.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health

Volunteers

We want to encourage all volunteers to continue to come to Anglicare if you are well. We appreciate your ongoing support for each other and the people in our care.

However, as a valued volunteer, if you do not feel comfortable coming to your usual site in the current situation, you do not have to. We ask that you please contact your Manager and let them know your concerns. Our highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of our residents, clients, customers, volunteers and employees.

Anyone who has travelled overseas in the last 14 days may be a carrier of Coronavirus.

Anglicare requires that any employee, volunteer, client, agency staff, contractor or visitor be screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) before entering an Anglicare site.

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

Please note that after 1 May 2020 anyone who volunteers in residential aged care will be required to have had a flu vaccination in 2020 in order to enter an Anglicare residential aged care site.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

Contact your Manager if you have further questions.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

Visitors

There are no confirmed cases at any Anglicare site.

To protect our staff, clients, customers, residents and volunteers, Anglicare has implemented our COVID-19 Prevention and Management Procedure across all sites and services. We have been making regular program changes to manage the impact of COVID-19 and adapt to new information being released by the Australian and NSW Governments.

As such, some of our sites are closing or being locked down in order to ensure the ongoing safety of our residents and clients and the staff who care for them.

• Residential Aged Care homes have been locked down since midnight Monday 23 March. Under lock down, only staff (employees and volunteers) will be permitted to enter an Anglicare Residential Aged Care home, and then only after being screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Any other visitor or family member will only be permitted to enter the facility under exceptional circumstances or where the resident has enacted an End of Life Care Plan.
• Selected Anglicare At Home services are continuing but with appropriate screening protocols for all people accessing services.
• Community Services sites have been closed to face to face service provision since Monday 30 March, but we can still provide clients and customers with essential services. Please contact your nearest Service Centre by phone for further information or assistance. 
• Retirement Village residents are being strongly encouraged to follow government advice and screen visitors. All outings and group activities have been cancelled, following the NSW Public Health Order, effective from 31 March 2020.
• Housing residents are being strongly encouraged to follow government advice and screen visitors. All outings and group activities have been cancelled, following the NSW Public Health Order, effective from 31 March 2020.

When visiting, Anglicare requires that you be screened for symptoms and risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) before entering an Anglicare site.

Anyone who has travelled overseas in the last 14 days may be a carrier of Coronavirus.

• Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of the virus (sore throat, cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, body aches, headache or runny nose) must NOT enter any Anglicare site.
• Anyone who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas, including cruise ships, in the past 14 days must NOT visit an Anglicare site. In addition, the Australian Government requires all people who returned from overseas travel after midnight Sunday 15 March 2020 to self-isolate at home for 14 days from their date of return.
• In addition, Anglicare requires that any employee or volunteer who has returned from travelling anywhere overseas, including cruise ships, in the past 14 days must NOT enter an Anglicare site. Employees and volunteers must contact their Manager for further information and guidance about work arrangements.
• Anyone who has been in contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19 must NOT enter an Anglicare site.

We encourage all people to self-monitor for symptoms and seek medical attention if necessary.

For the latest information, please refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

Other resources

COVID-19: What Anglicare is doing to protect residents, clients, staff and volunteers

World Health Organisation Handwash, Handrub Guide

Cough Etiquette

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What you need to know

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Know the signs

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Home isolation guidance for close contacts and recently returned travellers

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Returning to your community