Sara McDonnell • December 9, 2020
EDMH Visitor Restrictions to ease - 3 December 2020
Visitors are welcome
Edenhope & District Memorial Hospital (EDMH) Director of Nursing Joseph Bermudo is pleased to be able to announce that visiting restrictions to the facility, which includes the hospital and residential aged care, will be reduced in line with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines.
“We are proud of and grateful to the community and staff for their support of the visitor restrictions that we have had in place to keep our patients, residents and community safe.”
"2020 has not been an easy year since the COVID-19 Pandemic has hit, whilst decision around restrictions to visitors have been hard, they have been necessary and we thank you all for the sacrifices you have made.”
Now that the risk of COVID-19 in the community is low we are taking steps to open up to visitors again.”
As of today, the 3rd of December 2020, there will be no restrictions on visitors to the facility, however as per DHHS guidelines the below must be followed.
Visitors must:
- wear a fitted face mask (this includes anyone aged 12 and older) provided by the facility
- visit only the resident and follow instructions from staff regarding what areas of the facility you can access
- 1 person per 4 square meters when in rooms.
- keep at least 1.5 metres away from everyone at the facility, including the resident, while visiting
- if you cannot do this, for example if you help the resident with eating, you may be directed by staff to wear personal protective equipment (PPE)
- follow staff instructions to prevent crowding and ensure physical distancing.
- wash or sanitise your hands regularly and as directed by staff.
- Visitors are encouraged to have an up-to-date influenza vaccination.
- All visitors must make a declaration that they:
- do not have any coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms
- are not a close contact of someone who has coronavirus (COVID-19)
- are not currently required to quarantine or isolate.
You must not visit the facility if you:
- are unwell or have even the mildest symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), such as:
- fever or temperature over 37.5 degrees
- loss or change in sense of smell or taste, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and/or runny nose
- have coronavirus (COVID-19) and you are currently required to isolate
- have been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus (COVID-19) within the last 14 days and you are currently required to quarantine
- have been tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) and have not yet received your result
- arrived in Australia from overseas in the last 14 days.
Leaving the Facility
- Residents can leave their facilities for any reason, provided they comply with current restrictions https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/ in Victoria.
When residents leave the facility, they are to follow public health advice, including:
- physical distancing (maintaining 1.5m distance from others)
- wearing a fitted face mask when indoors, and when 1.5m distance cannot be maintained outdoors. This means always carrying a mask
- observing limits on private and public gatherings
- not seeing or visit people who are unwell
- not visiting people who are in quarantine or isolation.
- Excursions
- Travel in vehicles, such as minibuses, for group outings can occur. Face masks should be worn while in the vehicle.
- The destination for any excursion must also be permitted by the public health directions.
- For more information about permitted activities visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) roadmap for reopening <https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-roadmaps>
- Residents will be screened upon their return to their facility, for example by having their temperature checked, just like any other person entering the facility.
“Again, I would like to thank the community for their support and adherence to these guidelines, although the risk of COVID-19 is currently low we would like to remind people not be become complacent and to continue follow these measures so that we can all stay safe” said Mr Bermudo.
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Kath Atwell has intimate knowledge of the pain and all-consuming responsibility involved with caring for someone with dementia.
Most of us have been touched by the cruelty of cancer, but few more so than Marg Warren.
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Nausheen Hashmi is walking proof that one’s size is no indicator of one’s impact.
Gwyn Bascuit had no plans to leave her home city, in the Philippines.
