28/04/2020
Dear Residents, Whanau, Volunteers and Friends of Shalom Court
At the end of last week Mary and I were interviewed by the Auckland District Health Board Assessors regarding Shalom Court’s COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and its incorporation into our Emergency Management Planning. The hour-long Zoom interview went smoothly and did not flag any areas of concern. We feel confident that our documentation, policies, and procedures met all the Ministry of Health criteria.
Today, New Zealand reverted to Alert Level 3 indicating a continued high risk with the disease not yet contained and consequently our conduct should reflect this risk.
Given that community transmission might still be a possibility and new clusters may still emerge, Age Care nationally will remain on high alert as our residents are predisposed to infections and are still considered the most vulnerable group.
Hospitals and Care Homes are also more susceptible to rapid transmission of viruses and therefore the following visitation restrictions will remain in place:
- There will be no general family visits allowed at national Alert Level 3, due to heightened risk for residents and staff.
- Only family visits for end of life/palliative care residents are allowed, but on a case-by-case basis pending approval from Management. Visits will be by appointment only and with a maximum of one family member visiting at one time.
- When visiting, it is important to follow Alert Level 3 precautions such as good hand hygiene, cough/sneezing into elbow/tissues, physical distancing of 2 metres including the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as managed by clinical staff. Please do not bring your own PPE.
We strongly encourage relatives to make use of Zoom and Skype sessions to stay in touch with your loved ones. Please arrange a timeslot with either Mary, Michal or one of the Registered Nurses.
Thank you for your continued cooperation to keep our residents safe.
Best wishes
Malindy
