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Providers of aged care across the country are opting not to relax restrictions on visits despite advice from the Chief Medical Officer and the Prime Minister, industry groups say.
Key points:
- Aged care facilities are vowing not to relax visitation restrictions just yet
- Care providers say while the situation is tough on families, it's in the best interests of residents
- Some providers say there is mixed messaging from state and federal authorities
Scott Morrison issued a "strong reminder" to aged care providers on Tuesday not to impose harsher visitor rules than those recommended by health experts.
"The decision was to not shut people off or to lock them away in their rooms," he said.
But many care providers are not budging, on the grounds the safety of their residents could still be at risk if restrictions were to ease too soon.
"We are acutely aware of the hardship being faced by many families and residents in aged care," said Patricia Sparrow, chief executive of Aged and Community Services Australia.
"[But] our first priority will always be the health and safety of the vulnerable older Australians in our care."
The Aged Care Industry Association said a "majority of providers" in South Australia were sticking to the status quo.
"The situation is one where we need to be careful, taking precautions and managing risk. It's not a case for panic but it's also not a case where we can abandon all restrictions," chief executive Luke Westenberg said.
"Providers across Australia are taking similar measures and leaving their restrictions unchanged. We require further clarity … because the current restrictions are causing confusion and distress."
Care provider Eldercare, which runs 12 nursing homes in South Australia and looks after about 1,000 residents, is only allowing end-of-life and medical visits but said residents were regularly in contact with families via the telephone and online means.
"General visiting is not happening. We'll stick to that and then what we'll do is assess the situation and when it's safe to relax the visiting we will do that," chief executive Jane Pickering said.
"We're still not convinced that the risk is completely gone."
The original advice from National Cabinet was that residents could have a maximum of two visits a day from close relatives, friends or support services.
"The directive for Tasmania is different to the national guidelines — it's a stronger directive," said Lucy O'Flaherty, chief executive of Tasmanian provider Glenview Community Services.
"Where there are medical grounds, and certainly at end-of-life, there are visits. It's not like we've locked the door totally, there are exceptions."
Eldercare said the SA Government's emergency management directions were also at odds with federal advice and recommended only one visit per day.
"That's where there is a lot of confusion, because of some of the messaging that's happening between the states and Federal Government," Ms Pickering said.
'I'm absolutely happy with the lockdown'
Helping Hand is another provider that has decided not to relax visiting rules, and CEO Chris Stewart said keeping visitors away was the best step to ensure the provider's 850 residents stayed safe.
"It has been absolute carnage overseas and we have to avoid that from happening here in Australia so that's why we've taken such a strong position and that's why we're getting so much support from families," he said.
But Mr Stewart said suggestions that residents were being locked up in their rooms were unfounded.
"Nothing could be further from the truth. We've really stepped up efforts to keep people connected with their families and friends."
However, the restrictions have been tough on many family members — including Adelaide resident Jackie Bone-George — who are being kept away from their loved ones.
She has not been able to visit her mother who has dementia and only one functioning lung, but she supports the tougher restrictions.
"If she gets COVID-19 through visiting she will die and so I'm absolutely happy with the lockdown," she said.
"It's hard on her but I go and take her dog and stand outside her window and we have a chat on the phone so she can see her puppy."
Another resident unable to interact with her family in person is Patricia Kenyon, who on Wednesday celebrated her 94th birthday with a party at a retirement home in Adelaide.
Her daughters and granddaughter stayed outside, behind a window.
"Unfortunately we can't take her out for a lovely lunch and have all the extended family there. We've had morning tea outside of the window and now we're waving while she opens her parcels inside," daughter Sue Bullivant said.
"The restrictions are there for a good reason and we want them to be protected, so we're very happy they are here even if we can't get in."
Premier calls for 'right level of visitation'
SA Premier Steven Marshall said he believed there was evidence some care homes have overstepped the mark and put in higher restrictions than necessary.
He said the bans are inevitablly causing stress to people unable to visit their family members.
"We'd like to see more visitation especially because we do have very low community transmission in South Australia," he said.
"That should be giving the owners of those residential aged care facilities the confidence that they need to make sure that we have the right level of visitation."
A person aged in their 20s who returned from overseas several weeks ago was the only new confirmed coronavirus case in South Australia on Wednesday.
However, Mr Marshall stopped short of forcing providers to change their policies.
"I don't think rocking up and demanding is the right way to go. As I've said, we've got to have a level of kindness and respect during this — we're in it for the long haul," he said.
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Topics: community-and-society, aged-care, health, diseases-and-disorders, covid-19, adelaide-5000, sa
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