Anglicare’s Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Page up to date: 18/10/2021

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as Anglicare continues implementing a range of measures to help minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19. This includes screening of all staff and visitors upon entry to our sites.

For further information about how this relates to our various services, please click the links below.

Residential Aged Care

Retirement Living & Housing 

Anglicare At Home

Community Services

Chaplaincy & Pastoral Care

Further Information, Useful Resources, Tip Sheets & Videos

�
Residential Aged Care

Visitation at our residential care homes in NSW

As COVID-19 cases continue to affect the community, Anglicare is following the advice of NSW Health and taking precautionary measures to keep your loved ones safe. This includes screening visitors upon entry.  

For updated information on visitation in residential aged care homes, visit Advice to residential aged care facilities - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) (nsw.gov.au).

Visitors
Residents are permitted to have two fully vaccinated visitors aged 12 years and over, plus two children aged under 12 years per day.

• Visitors aged 12 years and over must have received a second dose of a COVID vaccination at least 14 days prior to their visit.
• Visitors are strongly encouraged to get a booster vaccine if they are eligible for one, and to have a negative Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) prior to each visit
• Up to 2 children under 12 years are permitted to visit provided they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated person.
• All visitors must wear a surgical mask over their nose and mouth while visiting indoors. For reasons when masks can be removed please see Additional Advice – Mandatory mask wearing.
• Wherever possible, the visit should be in an outdoor area. Visits should not be in any inside communal areas.
• People who are providing a service to the resident (including a health or other professional service) are not counted as a visitor.
• Existing requirements in the Public Health (COVID-19 Care Services) Order 2022 on visiting residents who are at end of life remain in place.

Read the Fact Sheet for visiting our residential care homes if you have further questions.

Bookings for in-person and online visits

To help manage visits to our homes, visitors will need to pre-book their visit. For visitors who are unable to visit in person, we can assist you to connect with your loved one by video calls. Please book these through the online booking system or call the residential care home.

Book your next visit

If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please contact the Residential Manager of your home, email us at [email protected], or call us on 1300 111 278.

[Back to top]

Retirement Living & Housing

We encourage all retirement living and housing residents across our Villages to be aware of the risks of COVID-19. We also work closely with them to ensure they understand and follow Public Health Orders and advice and cooperate with our COVID-19 Prevention and Management Procedures.

[Back to top]

Community Services

Community Services offices are providing the following services at this time:

• The majority of our Op-Shops are open as they are an essential service providing affordable clothing and pantry items for people who are struggling financially.
• Most of our Food and Financial Services have moved to a remote service delivery model. We continue to offer food programs in partnership with churches (Mobile Community Pantries) as possible and following public health guidelines. Some Op Shops offer food pantries and limited food delivery is also available for people unable to access shops.
• Essential face to face services are continuing.

[Back to top]

Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care

We continue to provide as much chaplaincy and pastoral support as we can while ensuring the safety of clients and Anglicare staff. Where face-to-face support is restricted our chaplains and pastoral carers are ministering via Skype and by phone. Staff who minister at non-Anglicare sites (including hospitals and prisons) follow the relevant procedures and precautions applicable to their place of ministry.

[Back to top]

Further information

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

For the latest information about COVID-19, refer to the Australian Department of Health and the NSW Department of Health.

Useful resources

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

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
 

Anglicare tip sheets & videos

Youth Resources

Our Anglicare Youth Services and Take Love youth initiative have teamed up to develop what we hope will be some helpful resources for young people during this coronavirus pandemic.