Update on current procedures at BlueWave Living during the Coronavirus epidemic.

Dear Resident, Family and Friends,

I would like to update all on our current situation relating to the Coronavirus, and the risk it presents to our residents.

With the situation rapidly developing, and the first case of Coronavirus identified on the coast recently, we are taking further steps to reduce risks to our residents in care.

Firstly, visiting hours will become restricted to Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm only. The facility will be in lockdown outside these hours including weekends, and no visitor access is permitted. This is to help us manage and reduce the risk to residents in care. We also anticipate this may be further restricted in the near future – likely when schools are closed, and/or other restrictions put in place by the Government.

To help you stay in touch with your loved ones in care, we have a number of tablets available, which can facilitate “face time’’ or “skype”. To make a booking to utilise this service, please email;RAO@bluewaveliving.org.au

We would also ask that residents defer from taking social leave, and defer from going out in the community. Doing so not only places the individual at risk, but also places all the other residents in care at risk.

Please be patient and understanding of our staff as we work through this challenging time. The world has not seen a situation like this since 1919, and the extreme measures that are being rolled out nationally are indicative of this. We are taking considered steps to help protect our residents to reduce the risk to them in contracting the coronavirus.

We are also expecting to experience staffing shortages over the coming months, as staff remain away if feeling unwell, or have to juggle commitments due to their children being home from school etc. We are taking steps to minimise disruption to the care of our residents as much as possible during this time.

Our residents in care remain our primary concern, many of whom have weakened immune systems and other underlying health issues, which places them in a much higher risk category than the broader society.

Also a reminder again, that we encourage all our residents, staff, family and friends to have the annual Flu Shot when this becomes available. Reducing the risk of other infections will also assist in the broader management of the Coronavirus.

Yours sincerely,
Matt Downie
CEO