It’s good news! We have reopened our aged care facility to visitors as per Queensland Health’s Aged Care Direction No 9 this week.
We want to acknowledge what a difficult time this is for our families and friends and and thank you for your patience.
Obviously, this is also a very difficult time for residents and for the staff that care for them.
What are Mercy Community’s aged care visitor guidelines?
Visiting hours are Monday to Sunday from 9.00am to 4.00pm. We welcome your visit however whether you are a visitor, worker or volunteer:
“if you have visited a COVID-19 hotspot in the last 14 days, you must be in quarantine, so you must not enter an aged care facility”.
Visitors from interstate are not allowed. This is in line with current border restriction directives.
Mercy Community takes our responsibility for all residents’ safety very seriously and will continue to maintain our strict protocols related to COVID-19 infection control and management of visitors to our aged care service.
All visitors must:
- maintain social distancing rules at the entry of the building
- sign the visitor book on entry and have your temperature taken: this is an acknowledgement that you meet all criteria as set out on signs and attachments (you cannot enter the facility with an elevated temperature)
- sign out at exit
- visit residents in their room, outdoors or a specified area in our facility
- avoid communal spaces
- make sure there are no more than two visitors at a time, including doctors
- stay 1.5 metres away from residents where possible understanding that physical contact, kissing, hugging and shaking hands is not permitted
- wash your hands before entering and leaving our facility: use hand sanitizer on arrival and either use sanitizer or wash your hands at frequent intervals throughout your visit (Mercy Community has provided hand santizer in various locations throughout the facility for your convenience)
- have had the 2020 flu vaccination
- comply with all lawful directions in regard to infection control and standard precautions
- stay away when unwell.
After hour visits are the exception and must be arranged in writing via email.
Visitors should not be anyone who:
- is unwell
- has returned from overseas in the last 14 days
- has had contact with a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days
- has travelled to a COVID-19 hot spot in the last 14 days (refer to Queensland Health’s website
- has a fever (37.5 degrees or more)
- has a cough, runny nose, sore throat, breathing difficulties, loss of taste and/or loss of smell.
As always, we strongly recommend everyone with symptoms to immediately get tested. Vigilance is key to keeping community transmission out of Queensland.
Other ways to keep in touch
Family and friends can also maintain contact via Skype sessions so you can talk face to face if you are unable to visit the facility. Please note the session times and availability. Confirmation will be provided for all bookings.
We also encourage family members and representatives to use the direct phone numbers provided to residents to keep in touch. You can also post letters to your family member or friend.
Keeping informed
We encourage you to monitor Queensland Health’s website and Facebook page and continue to follow their directives to protect yourself and others. For up-to-date information on COVID-19 please go to www.health.qld.gov.au or follow their Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/QLDHealth
For information on aged care go to: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/aged-care
If you have any queries or concerns contact our Aged Care Manager via telephone during business hours on 3260 9555 or email Athena.Ermides@mercycs.org.au
