For many families, visits to loved ones in nursing homes have become scarcer or otherwise limited due to coronavirus restrictions in place to protect the elderly residents from COVID-19.
Since the Federal Government’s announcement in late March, restricting visits to residents to one per day of no more than two people, the sector providers’ response has been mixed across Australia, with some reportedly banning visits altogether or enforcing rigid lockdowns.
In response to this ‘new normal’, efforts are intensified at the St Basil’s nursing homes to keep spirits high for residents and communication with their loved ones going.
“We are trying in any possible way to maintain communication channels between the residents and their families,” the aged care provider’s CEO, Fr. Nicholas Stavropoulos, tells SBS Greek.
Technology has come to the rescue, with video-chats through Skype or other platforms favoured, but more traditional methods are also used with families encouraged to write letters for example.
“The residents read them again and again and they truly enjoy it," says Fr Stavropoulos.
One of the most recent communication ‘stunts’ deployed at the Lakemba centre in Sydney, saw residents addressing short heartwarming messages to loved ones in an ‘old school’ fashion.
In photos posted on the aged care centre’s Facebook page, a group of Greek grandmas pose next to blackboards with their handwritten messages.
“Our residents found a creative way to show their love to their families and to reassure them that they are safe and well, while having a great time in our homes!”, the Facebook post reads.
Source: Facebook
“I’m well and being looked after. I want you all to be well and may God be with you,” 89-year-old Anastasia writes.
“Stay well, stay safe. I love you,” reads another one from yiayia Georgia.
Fr. Stavropoulos gives credit to US-based aged care facilities for the idea, where they saw it first, and in fact, he says it has been widely used even before the coronavirus outbreak.
Source: Facebook
Photos of the likes of the ‘blackboard portraits’ are sent to the relatives of those pictured as a daily update on how their loved ones are doing.
“For instance, say when we had a music performance at the centre, we would send them a photo of their mother during the concert, to see her smiling, having a good time and reassure them they’re in good hands”.
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In relation to the provider’s approach under COVID-19 conditions, Fr Stavropoulos says they are investing more in creative forms of communication and connection “in order to minimise visits as much as possible to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission”.
Following the restrictions on aged care visits announced by the National Council, visits at St Basil’s were limited to 30 minutes in compliance with the two-person rule, allowing for one visit per visitor each week.
Furthermore, they check peoples’ temperature prior to entering the facilities and ask them about any recent overseas travel.
“Most families have thanked us for enacting these [measures]. There are some who were not satisfied, but we’ve explained that we wouldn’t want to end up in a scenario where we’d have to close our doors.
“Realising that this situation is going to drag for months, we decided from the beginning to take proactive measures to avoid such a scenario,” he explains.
At a press conference on 21 April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave a “strong reminder” to nursing homes not to go over and above the health experts advice imposing harsher visitor rules.
"There is great concern about the isolation of elderly people in residential care facilities where they have been prevented from having any visitors.
Aged care visits are being limited to contain COVID-19's spread. Source: AAP
"[It] is not good for their wellbeing, [it] is not good for their health," Mr Morrison stated.
Fr Stavropoulos says that the PM’s message was directed to providers who chose to close their doors.
“This has never been our position. Our approach was always informed by a love and protection mandate for our residents, trying to find a solution somewhere in the middle minimising the risk and maintaining contact.”
Please note, from 1 May 2020, anyone visiting an aged care facility must have had their influenza vaccination.
Visits are also not allowed for:
Visitors who have returned from overseas in the last 14 days
- Visitors who have been in contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days
- Visitors with a fever or symptoms of a respiratory illness
- Children 16 years and under, except in special circumstances, for example, where the aged care resident is in palliative care
Up-to-date information and advice on how to protect older people in aged care facilities can be found .
