SIGNIFICANT changes to the state’s aged care procedures in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will affect local employees and facilities, including Eldercare at Evanston Park.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announced on Thursday that from August 27 all personal care workers at aged care homes will only be allowed to work at one facility.
Eldercare Evanston Park has 100 beds and is usually fully occupied. Eldercare chief executive Jane Pickering told The Bunyip care workers would be affected at all Eldercare sites.
“The new directions only apply to personal care workers and these staff members will only work from one site as from August 27,” she said.
“We are contacting every care worker this week to discuss the impact of this direction, so we can support them to secure as many hours as possible at one site.”
Ms Pickering said the aged care organisation was seeking clarification on a new direction requiring all doctors, nurses and personal care workers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when they come within 1.5 metres of a client.
“Eldercare’s understanding of the new state Emergency Directions is that PPE, which includes masks, are to be used in accordance with the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare 2019,” she said.
“These guidelines specify that masks are to be worn at times where additional ‘contact and droplet’ precautions are needed.
“This means staff will need to use PPE when they are caring for residents who have symptoms of an infection that transmits by droplets or direct contact.
“This does not mean that masks are worn at all times. We are clarifying this with the Department of Health… as we believe that many people may have been confused about the exact intention of this direction.”
While some may consider the changes to be extreme, Ms Pickering said Eldercare would comply with the new directions.
“Eldercare… will take any action needed to keep our residents and our staff safe,” she said.
“Prevention is certainly better than managing an outbreak, so whilst they may appear extreme, we know the dire consequences of what happens if this virus gets into an aged care home.
“Eldercare had planned ahead by procuring stores of PPE well before the State Government’s announcement, so we are well prepared for August 27.
“We have adequate supplies of PPE and have been reassured by the SA Department of Health that additional stock will be provided if needed.”
Meanwhile, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) CEO, Professor Elizabeth Dabars, said the changes unfairly targeted personal care workers.
“Whilst supporting measures to keep residents and staff safe from COVID-19, we struggle to see why restrictions on multiple employers are being applied to personal care workers but not applied to other groups of staff,” she said.
““The ANMF is concerned the new restrictions are likely to negatively impact the psychological and financial wellbeing of an already burnt-out workforce and also reduce the quality of care residents will receive.
““We are receiving multiple calls a day from members near tears as they are not sure how they are going to cope with these new restrictions in place.”
