Update #72
11 November 2021
To our Residents and Families,
Today was Remembrance Day and although a little cold and windy for this time of year, we gathered under The Manor portico for a short ceremony to pay our respects. We paused for one minute at 11am to remember the service and sacrifice of our veterans and current serving personnel. Through the clouds we managed to catch a glimpse of the fly over from Williamtown which was a touching tribute. Our service was well attended by residents and staff and some family members joined in as well.
The Covid team met today to discuss our current visitation arrangements and plans for December and especially Christmas day.
We are pleased to advise that 77 residents received their Pfizer Booster shots this week. We will be administering further Booster shots over the coming weeks so if your loved one would like to receive a Booster shot then please complete the consent form online via our website to ensure they don’t miss out.
We have had a number of questions asked of our Reception team lately and we will endeavour to answer them here.
Are children able to visit? Now that our Booster program has commenced which adds a layer of protection, up to 2 fully vaccinated adults and 2 children under 12 can visit at any one time. If children are visiting, then these visits are to be outside visits. Your loved one is to be collected from their room and taken to an area outside (this does not include outside balcony areas). If only 2 adults are visiting, then visiting can be in your loved one’s room.
Do we have to wear masks in the facility? Yes, it is a NSW Health requirement that all staff and visitors attending an aged care facility are to wear masks at all times including in a residents room.
Are we able to make a tea or coffee in the café? No, unfortunately there is to be no congregating in communal areas, therefore the cafes are not available for use by visitors. To consume drinks and snacks would require removal of your mask which is not within the spirit of the safety measures. Therefore it is not appropriate for staff to bring you a refreshment to consume while visiting.
Do I have to make an appointment? Residents can have visitors Monday to Friday from 9-4pm with no appointment necessary. Weekend visiting is possible with an appointment made via Reception during business hours. We have two set times for visiting- 10am and 3.30pm. These times have been set to minimise disruption to care and service on the weekend. Do not arrive late for your appointment as we cannot accommodate the additional demand it places on our Registered Nurses to attend reception ,as their primary role is to support and deliver direct care to residents.
Can I consume purchased food and drink in a residents room? There is to be no eating or drinking in residents rooms as this means you will be taking off your surgical masks and masks are to be worn at all times by visitors.
I am visiting The Lodge do I have to call in at The Manor Reception first? Yes, please check in via Reception in The Manor first so that we can ensure we are adhering to the required visitation restrictions and entry surveillance as per NSW Health guidelines. Please do not enter The Lodge building without checking in first at The Manor and definitely do not enter via a resident’s external door.
What is happening on Christmas Day? Visiting is possible between the hours of 10am to 4pm as is a Video chat if you are not able to attend Maroba. In addition, you may like to take your loved one out on Christmas Day. So that we can staff and manage visitation appropriately over the 4 day holiday period we ask that the attached Christmas Intention Form be completed and returned to us no later than 1 December 2021. Residents who remain at Maroba on Christmas Day will receive a lovely Christmas lunch.
What other Christmas festivities will be planned at Maroba? We have planned for some scrumptious Xmas lunches and will schedule an outdoor concert for residents with a petting zoo. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all last year.
Can unvaccinated visitors attend Maroba? Unless a medical exemption certificate is provided, unfortunately as per NSW Health guidelines unvaccinated visitors are not able to visit aged care facilities until further notice.
Can I visit if I have been overseas? If visitors have been overseas in the previous 14 days they are not able to visit an aged care facility unless they are:
- fully vaccinated and have received a negative test 7 days or later after arrival in NSW
- a fully vaccinated international flight crew member and have a negative PCR test within 24 hours of arrival in NSW or a negative RAT taken on the same day prior to entry.
Further information can be found on the following website. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/racf-latest-advice.aspx
A friendly reminder, Social leave is possible on completion of the Day Excursion form located on the website (https://www.maroba.com.au/external-day-excursions-risk-assessment-form/). We ask that you give us at least 48 hours’ notice of the intended excursion. If the excursion is for the weekend, please ensure the form is completed and submitted by COB on the Thursday prior.
Once again, we thank you for your continued support and co-operation.
Kind regards
Viv Allanson
CEO