Update #84
27 January 2022
Good afternoon to all our Residents and Family members,
We have a little good news… the residents of Jacaranda have been tested by Rapid Antigen Tests today, and apart from our known positive resident all other results in Jacaranda have been negative. Unfortunately, we have a new Covid positive resident in Waratah. This new case means we have 8 residents in Waratah currently affected by Covid-19.
All families who have a loved one impacted by Covid have been contacted with a health update by our Family Liaison team.
Pleasingly, other than the small number of residents who are already Covid positive, no other residents across The Lodge and the Manor are experiencing any Covid like symptoms. Rest assured, if a resident’s condition deteriorates throughout the day or night families will be contacted by the registered nurse on duty.
In any outbreak, the Public Health Unit (PHU) determines timeframes for PCR testing. We have been advised The Lodge and The Manor residents and any staff on site will undergo a PCR test on Sunday 30 January, 2022. The PHU also determines when we are able to welcome visitors again and unfortunately with each new Covid case that surfaces at Maroba it sadly does push this timeframe out a little further.
We continue to receive many encouraging messages via e-mail and directly to our Family Liaison team who report that families are finding this service to be extremely supportive and giving them peace of mind. Thank you, it does help us to know we have the support of the Maroba community.
Maroba assesses daily our PPE and RAT supplies for staff, and I can report that we are managing well, and we will not hesitate to contact the Commonwealth stockpile service if we feel we are running short.
Our staff are key to all that we are doing to support every single resident. The staff who are caring for your loved one are being supplied with fresh food, sandwiches and a variety of cold drinks to support their hydration and nutritional status whilst working under the physically challenging conditions of full PPE. This has been provided for staff since the first day of the outbreak across all shifts. We appreciate and thank the many staff who have cancelled their leave and who work overtime to ensure we are able to provide care and service for all in our care.
The Rapid Antigen Testing of all staff prior to shift continues and we are finding that most days another staff member is experiencing a positive RAT before starting their shift, and while some do pose an exposure risk it is assessed as very low. Others may not have been at work at all whilst in the infectious phase. I want to reassure you that we diligently continue to monitor staff wellbeing and report each case to the PHU for further advice. All care staff continue to work in full PPE for everyone’s safety.
A friendly reminder;
- Personal correspondence for residents can be emailed to connect@maroba.com.au. Correspondence will be printed and laminated for your loved one.
- All other enquiries of a health nature or to book a FaceTime or Zoom call can be directed to enquiries@maroba.com.au or phone (02) 4935 0300 to speak to a member of our Reception team. If booking a Zoom or FaceTime call, we will do our best to connect you at the agreed time. Please be patient with us.
Do take advantage of the options above to maintain some connection with your loved one. This is important for all in these challenging times and we know it is very welcomed by our residents.
Until next time, stay safe and well.
Viv Allanson,
CEO