Dear Residents, Families and Friends,
This Sunday is a special day for many families. On this day we acknowledge and celebrate all fathers. Even though we cannot be together, it is important to keep the sentiment of Father’s Day in our thoughts.
COVID-19 has impacted us all, not least of which is our Footscray community. By way of an update, I can advise that we continue to work closely with the relevant Government agencies to develop a recovery and repatriation plan for residents and for the return of normal activities to the Home.
Part of the criteria that will provide Footscray with a COVID-19 clearance for residents and staff has now been achieved. This means the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Public Health Unit (PHU) has issued individual certificates of ‘clearance’ for each resident who had previously tested positive. Residents who tested ‘positive’ to COVID-19, are no longer required to be routinely tested however, have gone through an individual ‘clearance’ process conducted by the Public Health Unit. Now we are just awaiting final clearance for the Home itself.
As soon as we receive this advice that we are keenly awaiting, residents will then be able to move out of their rooms to have meals in the dining room and begin to socialise. Staff would no longer need to wear full Protective Personal Equipment (PPE), however they will continue to wear a mask, a face shield and gloves whilst working with residents, and are expected to maintain strict hygiene protocols. The ‘enhanced surveillance’ period will then continue for 14 days at which time Footscray will be considered to have recovered from COVID-19.
With Carlo Rizzi managing the Home through the recovery process and with the return of our Footscray staff we believe the weeks ahead will be a time of recovery and rebuilding familiar routines and joy into daily activities.
Our focus remains on strengthening the health and wellbeing of our residents and we continue to observe closely their physical and emotional health and provide additional support where this is needed.
Each resident will be advised if there is a change to their health status as will their designated family member. Please call us on 9687 6744 if you have an enquiry or concern. The email address for written questions or concerns is covid19questions@dgas.org.au.
If you or your family would like more support during this difficult time, please reach out to OPAN (Older Persons Advisory Network) on 1800 237 981. They are available 6am-10pm, 7 days a week. The other organisation that can assist you is Elder Rights Advocacy Victoria who can be reached on 1800 171 866 for support and advice.
Thankyou once again for your support during this challenging time.
Yours sincerely,
Vanda Iaconese
CEO
