Aged care clear

Despite alarming state-wide figures for infections in aged care facilities, CEO Jan Child confirmed there are no cases of COVID-19 in Bass Coast Health’s aged care facilities.

She said she was not aware of a positive case of COVID-19 in any aged care facility in the shire.

Bass Coast Health runs two 30-bed aged care facilities – Kirrak House in Wonthaggi and Griffiths Point Lodge in San Remo.

As public sector facilities, Ms Child said staff ratios at both were defined by the Patient Care Act and were required to include nurses, and that generally staffing levels were higher in public facilities. However, she stressed that many private facilities, “particularly in our catchment area”, did supplement their care.

A range of new precautionary measures have been introduced at BCH aged care facilities to keep residents safe, with Ms Child describing the approach as “overly cautious”.

“We think we’re doing as much as we can. For example, we’re not allowing visitors from hot spot areas, and we’re communicating with relatives each time we step up our controls. We are doing more than is required. We know our strategy has to be prevention.”

She said staff were learning from the situation in Melbourne.

“We’re saying no to visitation for now, stepping up staffing levels and not letting residents out unless it is extenuating circumstances.”

And they’re taking some novel approaches to regular care and medical appointments.

“For example, we have one resident who has an eye injection every eight weeks. Normally they would go to the ophthalmologist but instead we’re taking them to the hospital theatre so it can be done in a sterile environment. The surgeon is happy to do that. We’re just trying to wrap our residents in as much PPE as we can.”

Preventative measures

Other measures introduced include temperature tests for anyone entering the facility – standard practice across all Bass Coast Health outlets at present.

Anyone entering the aged care facility must have received a flu vaccination. Any gifts brought in have to be cleaned, set aside for 72 hours and then cleaned again before being handed to the residents.

All staff are wearing masks and face shields, courtesy of Free-3D Hands. Face shields have now also been provided to residents.

In Kirrak House, which has a number of double rooms, no new residents have been accepted since February, in an effort to provide every resident with their own room.

Ms Child said there was a strong infection control focus, including getting staff to rethink the way they work.

“For example, we’ve got rid of all shared mugs and cups. We’re telling our staff – only use your own pen, don’t touch other people’s note pads – to minimise the impact of potential transmission.”

Ms Child said BCH also had “the luxury of a staff back up pool”.

“We have a loyal staff group who aren’t working anywhere else.”