Calvary Haydon Retirement Community Outbreak Management Update
Wednesday 20 October 2021
We are pleased to confirm that there are now no active cases of COVID-19 at Calvary Haydon Retirement Community. Our eight residents who tested positive for COVID-19 and four COVID-positive staff members have now all recovered from the virus.
Since the beginning of the outbreak on 23 September 2021, a total of fifteen (15) residents and four (4) members of staff have tested COVID-positive. Sadly, seven (7) residents diagnosed with COVID-19 have died during the outbreak. While six (6) of these residents were in their end of life phase before testing positive for COVID-19, we know this doesn’t mean their loss will be any easier for their loved ones.
Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who have died, our residents, their families, and our staff who have cared for them during their time at Calvary Haydon.
While there are no current active cases of COVID-19 at Calvary Haydon, for resident safety the home must remain in lockdown until the outbreak is declared over by ACT Health.
Our dedicated staff continue to work diligently to keep all residents safe from infection. Our staff are trained in strict infection prevention and control protocols and continue to provide all resident care while always wearing the appropriate PPE.
We understand that lockdown is difficult for residents and families and as always, our priority is to provide residents and families with open and frequent communication and support.
To help keep residents connected with their loved ones, families are able to have window visits and speak to their loved ones via Calvary’s video call service. Our team of lifestyle staff including physiotherapists and pastoral carers, is available to all residents, to provide continued support to meet their holistic care.
We understand the current situation remains a concern for families. Our first priority and focus is the safety and ongoing health and wellbeing of the people in our care at this challenging time.
This page is regularly updated and may also be accessed via www.calvarycoronavirusupdates.org.au
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Calvary has a COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan in place for such a scenario. Once notified of the positive case, we took immediate action to contain transmission and keep residents and staff safe, including:
- Physically separated the affected person(s), including any close contacts;
- Notified the ACT Health, and other government agencies;
- Immediately closed the facility to visitors (no visitors will be allowed entry except for special end of life visits);
- Ensured residents are being cared for in their rooms and physically distanced in accordance with ACT Health directions;
- Equipped staff with full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be worn by all staff at all times;
- Commenced COVID-19 testing and continuing regular temperature checks of residents and staff;
- Continue active screening and temperature checks for any person entering the home; and
- Commenced regular intensive deep cleaning of the facility.
Our staff are trained in strict infection prevention and control procedures. Since COVID-19 entered Australia, we have been planning for such an outbreak.
Planning over the last eighteen months has included staff training, scenario testing and workforce management planning to ensure an effective response.
We also communicated what we would do in the event of an outbreak before it happened to residents, their families, our staff and local doctors.
No. There are no active cases of COVID-19 at Calvary Haydon Retirement Community. We are pleased to report that our eight (8) residents who tested positive for COVID-19 have now all been cleared as recovered. Our four (4) members of staff who tested positive are also now confirmed recovered.
Our staff continue to use screening and temperature testing and the appropriate PPE is strictly required to be worn by all staff and specially exempted visitors to reduce risk. For up-to-date information, please visit this page which is also linked from the main page at www.calvarycoronavirusupdates.org.au.
Following recent ACT Health advice, Calvary can confirm the source of the outbreak at Calvary Haydon was a resident who returned to the facility after visiting hospital. The resident was asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) prior to testing positive.
While a fully vaccinated Calvary member of staff was the first person to test positive for COVID-19 at Calvary Haydon, the staff member did not introduce COVID-19 into the home.
Any person who has been advised that they are a close contact of a COVID-19 case should follow the directions of ACT Health – i.e. seek a COVID-19 test and isolate at home until a negative result is received.
Additionally, we recommend any person who has any symptoms of COVID-19 should seek testing.
ACT Health COVID-19 Helpline (8am-8pm) can be contacted on (02) 6207 7244 to discuss your individual situation. If in doubt, the most cautious approach is to be tested and remain at home in isolation until a negative result is received.
Yes. Any staff member who was determined a close contact of the person(s) diagnosed positive received COVID-19 testing, remained at home in self-isolation, and monitored their health for 14 days.
We are pleased to report that our four (4) members of staff who tested positive are now confirmed recovered from the virus.
Yes. We have agreements in place to have staff from other Calvary facilities including our Calvary ACT private and public hospitals and other agencies to ensure the necessary care is provided to all residents.
Calvary is working closely with ACT Health, other government agencies and local GPs. Our staff have prepared for a COVID-19 outbreak and are focusing on providing resident care while adhering to our strict infection prevention and control procedures.
No. If a resident requires hospitalisation, family members will be notified immediately as usual. Hospitalisation is only required if a resident’s care needs cannot be provided in an aged care setting.
Calvary is in close communication with ACT Health and other government agencies and will inform families of any new government directives regarding the hospitalisation of residents.
No. Only the residential aged care home situated on the Calvary Haydon Retirement Community site is currently in lockdown.
ILU residents may continue to leave their home and receive visitors in line with current ACT Health directives for the ACT community.
For more information on ACT Health directives currently in place for the ACT community, including residents of Independent Living Units, please visit the ACT Government COVID-19 website at www.covid19.act.gov.au or call the ACT COVID-19 Helpline on (02) 6207 7244.
GPs may access the facility, however full PPE must be worn while on site. The facility will provide doctors with the appropriate PPE and necessary instruction upon arrival. Where possible, we advise telehealth consultations at this time.
Please email [email protected] with your name, contact details and confirm the name of your patient. A Calvary team member will call you back to arrange your visit today.
Residents are being kept safe and provided care with some changes under outbreak conditions.
For resident safety, group activities and group dining remain suspended in the affected household of Mary Potter which remains under close contact restrictions at this time. Residents who must remain in their rooms at this time continue to be provided with their meals and hydration, medicines, exercise, medical care and phone/video call contact with families in their rooms.
Our staff are equipped with full personal protective equipment (PPE) – face masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns – to keep residents and our staff as safe as possible from COVID-19 infection.
Yes. Our care staff are focusing all their attention on providing residents with their usual care with some necessary changes under the current conditions.
For resident safety, group activities and group dining remain suspended in the affected household of Mary Potter which remains under close contact restrictions at this time. These residents continue to be provided with their meals and hydration, medicines, exercise, medical care and phone/video call contact with families in their rooms at this time.
Our staff are equipped with full personal protective equipment (PPE) – face masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns – to keep residents and our staff as safe as possible from COVID-19 infection.
Families can still speak to their loved ones in the facility via their usual methods. We also have our Window Visits and WebEx video call service available to keep residents connected with their loved ones.
For information specific to your loved one, please contact Calvary Haydon directly on (02) 6264 7400. As there are now no positive cases at Calvary Haydon, we have stood down our Calvary call centre team and contact lines for families with the home have returned to normal.
In accordance with ACT Health directions, general visitation is not currently permitted under outbreak conditions. However, special exceptions have been granted for several visitors who have attended the site for visiting their loved ones at end of life.
We continue to make these opportunities available wherever possible to families. Special end of life visits are supported by our infection prevention and control staff who provide full PPE to visitors, instruction and supervision to ensure resident and visitor safety.
If end of life visits apply to your loved one, then please email [email protected] with your name, contact details and confirm the name of the resident you are enquiring about. A Calvary team member will call you back to discuss what is possible with you.
We continue to make special end of life visits available wherever possible to families. Special end of life visits are supported by our infection prevention and control staff who provide full PPE to visitors, instruction and supervision to ensure resident and visitor safety.
Families are reminded that they are required to make end of life visit arrangements with the General Manager before attending the site.
Yes. Care packages or items can be provided to the site via mail or courier. We would ask that this be done during business hours. The items will need to be left at reception and will be delivered to residents by our staff. Please ensure items are clearly labelled.
Regarding medical appointments, assessments will be made in consultation with the relevant health practitioner on a case-by case basis and based on the urgency of need. We ask that practitioners either utilise telehealth or visit their patient at the facility wherever possible.
We are pleased to be able to re-introduce window visits. Initially, window visits will only be possible for residents of St Patrick, St Margaret, St Francis and St Teresa households.
Residents of Mary Potter will be able to have window visits again once the close contact status of the household has been lifted by ACT Health.
Calvary has offered resident WebEx video call services since 2020. We will continue to support residents and families to be able to connect through this service as often as is desired.
Yes. 100% of our staff have received their first dose of vaccine, in keeping with ACT Government requirements. As of 20 October 2021, 91% of staff are fully vaccinated (both doses).
The number of fully vaccinated staff will increase as staff present for their second dose of the vaccine. Timing around the second dose is variable due to the differing time requirements between receiving the first and second dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines respectively.
We understand the importance of ensuring all staff are vaccinated, and this is a requirement of Calvary nationally.