Visitor restrictions for residential aged care services

Communicating with residents, families and others about the visitor restrictions is important so that everyone understands why the restrictions have been put in place and what impact they will have on the way families communicate with their loved ones.

Aged care services are including regular information about the visitor restrictions and other matters associated with COVID-19 on their websites and in their newsletters for residents and families.

Some services are going further in their communication. For example, Opal has developed an animation to explain the reasons for the visitor restrictions and other ways that families can keep in contact while they are in place.

During the visitor restrictions families can be worried about the mental and physical health of their loved ones and concerned that they will not be able to see them in person. Enabling face-to-face visits is important for quality of life for residents, and can reduce anxiety for families.

Face-to-face visits in accordance with the AHPPC guidance can be safe if appropriate precautions are taken. These precautions include screening visitors, ensuring hygiene measures are in place such as hand washing and appropriate cough etiquette, and appropriate use of personal protective equipment if warranted. 

Approaches services have taken to support safe face-to-face visiting include:

• Creating a ‘window of love’ where families can see their loved ones and communicate by phone
• Enabling visits outside the service, for example having visits in a garden or other open space where physical distancing can be maintained
• Having a booking system so visits can be planned and physical distancing can be supported inside the service.

Watch the short video below that details how HammondCare aims to maintain face-to-face contact for its residents.

The video below, from Bupa Villages & Aged Care Australia, underlines the importance of a 'flu passport' that ensures visitors will be allowed into an aged care service.

When there are limits on face-to-face contact many services are going back to what may be seen as ‘old-fashioned’ forms of communication, through letters and postcards. 

As well as having families write to their loved ones, some services have reached out to local communities and schools to encourage them to write to residents. 

Services are providing pictures of their residents with messages for their families so that they can see that they are well.

Many services have encouraged families to provide care packages as a way of reminding their loved one that they are thinking of them. These care packages can include personal items, cooking or flowers.

Watch the video below to learn how Bupa Villages & Aged Care Australia keep aged care recipients in touch with their loved ones. 

Many aged care services have put in place technology-based alternative communication arrangements while the visitor restrictions are in place. These can involve:

• Obtaining iPads and other devices and helping residents use them for video calls using platforms such as Facetime, Zoom and Skype, as well as the use of apps 
• Creating a private Facebook page for each service 
• Enabling residents to participate in online social gatherings such as an online café for people with dementia and their carers 
   

Watch the video below to see how HammondCare is making technology work for their residents when it comes to keeping in touch.

While the visiting restrictions are in place it is important for services to ensure that they maintain the quality of life, and emotional, mental and physical health of residents. This may require additional activities, or repurposing of existing activities to meet the requirements of the visitor restrictions, and general community restrictions. 

Examples of lifestyle initiatives that have been introduced during the visitor restrictions include livestreaming concerts, holding online guitar lessons, supporting online participation in religious services, and virtual trivia games between different services.

The Leisure and Lifestyle team at BlueCross Baradine in Victoria worked with residents to create messages that were then put up on the fence outside the home for residents to share their message of love to their families, and as a sign of encouragement to the community.