29 July 2022
Dear family member/resident representative,
Thank you for your ongoing support as we manage your loved one’s aged care centre in accordance with our outbreak management plan.
Sadly, since writing to you on Wednesday, one of our residents who was diagnosed with COVID-19 has passed away. The resident, in their late nineties, was on a palliative pathway before testing positive to COVID-19 and was receiving additional support from palliation specialists.
On behalf of everyone at IRT I would like to pass on my sincere condolences to all of the resident’s family members and friends, including our Greenwell Gardens residents and staff, who are saddened by their passing.
As they always do when one of our residents passes away, staff will go about their work today caring for all our residents, and in quiet moments will reflect on what they knew of the resident and their long life, well lived.
You will recall that I let you know that all residents in the care centre were being tested yesterday. We have received all results and pleasingly there are no new positive cases in Cambewarra or Coolangatta Houses. There was however, one positive result for a resident in Callala House.
To ensure early detection of any other cases all residents who have not yet tested positive in Callala House will be included in another round of tests tomorrow, along with those in Cambewarra and Coolangatta Houses.
We are currently caring for eight residents from across the centre with the virus as they manage symptoms ranging from none at all to moderate.
All residents in these houses are still being encouraged to remain in their rooms where staff provide support with their care needs; activities to suit a range of interests, and help where needed to connect with family and friends by phone or video calls.
I will provide another update early next week when we hope to have the results of tomorrow’s tests. As I have explained before, if your loved one returns a positive result, staff will let you know by phone, and a member of staff will continue to provide you with a daily update regarding their progress.
Visiting arrangements
Coolangatta, Cambewarra and Callala House
With the addition of a new positive case in Callala House, it is also closed, along with Coolangatta and Cambewarra House while the risk of virus transmission. Special arrangements can be made with the Care Manager.
All other areas of the care centre
As previously explained, you are strongly discouraged from visiting at this time. If you do proceed with your plans to visit please be aware of the following:
- All visits are by appointment only – please call the care centre in advance to arrange your visit.
- Two visitors per resident.
- No children under the age of 12 years.
- All visitors are asked to show proof of a negative rapid antigen test before entering the care centre.
- All visitors are asked to wear a P2/N95 mask when visiting and other PPE (which could include a face shield) as directed by staff.
- Please wear your PPE as instructed by staff.
Please do not visit your loved one if you are experiencing any symptoms or are feeling unwell, even if the symptoms are mild. Even if you have a negative COVID-19 test result you may still have influenza or another virus which is highly contagious.
Farewell and thank you to our Care Manager
I would like to take this opportunity to also let you know that your loved one’s Care Manager, Elizabeth Lowey (Liz) is leaving IRT at the end of next week. We are all going to miss her as she takes a step away from work for a while to spend more time with her young family.
Liz joined IRT in 2011, and successfully completed her cadetship with us to become a Registered Nurse, and was then appointed to the role of Care Manager of IRT Greenwell Gardens in early 2018.
If you have the opportunity, please join me in thanking Liz for her efforts in building a strong team of care staff at Greenwell Gardens and please support Jennifer Gilkes, our Senior Clinical Manager who will act in the role while we recruit for Liz’s replacement.
Please pass this message on to others as you consider appropriate and if you have any questions please contact your Care Manager.
Thank you for your support.
Yours sincerely
Nia Briguglio
EGM – Aged Care Centres
