Presently there are 17 nursing homes stretched across Australia that have been forced to shut down due to the residents and medical staff being diagnosed with Coronavirus (COVID-19). People are losing lives, and the general dealings of the nation are being affected. The situation itself is no longer a joke – people are losing lives and suffering as a result of this pandemic. A big portion of those who are suffering heavily from the outbreak is those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable that places implications on their immunity to such diseases. And unfortunately, the people who are the most affected are those who are innocent and helpless, with no support or hope in the face of this outbreak.

During times like these outbreaks, it is very easy to simply point fingers at the authorities of our nation for their apparent ‘oversight’. But while the authorities may accept a slight portion of the responsibility, it should be known that whether we are successful or not in this fight against coronavirus depends solely on what we do. We should all be taking all of the precautions on social distancing enforced by our Government in such a condition, as failure to do so will not cost the Government, but us too. As Australians, we are fortunate to have a Government who has put enforcement and guidelines in place for to safety and protection of our citizens. however, whether we emerge successfully from this fight against coronavirus or not depends on whether we follow them or not.

Businesses like supermarkets have fortunately been working to protect our most vulnerable through initiatives like a special shopping hour and online deliveries. Neighbours have been coming together to look out for each other and help with essential tasks that may require leaving the house. But everyone needs to do their part to protect those in need. When people refuse to take this seriously and continue socialising in groups against the advice of the government, they are thinking of themselves only and the disruptions to their own life – not the very real threat their actions pose to those most at risk.

Like every healthcare business, this is a challenging period for us, but we are looking at ways we can help our clients and carers stay connected in the comfort and safety of their homes. Our employees are our family and we are doing everything in our power to maintain the jobs of our staff while keeping them connected with our vulnerable care clients they have been carefully matched with based on factors like languages spoken, personal interests and so on.

We’ve introduced a number of new health and safety measures, as well as offering support from afar in the form of video-enabled connection with our care clients.

Here are 4 ways we can all support the elderly through this pandemic:

1. Stay home The more of us that remain in our homes instead of out unnecessarily, the faster we can contain this virus and return to normality.

2. Offer your neighbours help – from a distance Many aged and care clients at risk need help to do grocery shopping and other tasks. Reach out to your neighbours and see if anyone needs help.

3. Have an emergency plan in place for if main support person falls ill This should detail medications, tasks requiring support, emergency contact numbers and so on. If the client is with Flexihome Care we will have this detailed in our notes for a handover.

4. Ensure any support people are taking additional safety measures Our carers will all complete an online learning module on safe hygiene specific to coronavirus, wear additional personal protective equipment and will not be permitted to work if they exhibit any cold or flu-like symptoms or have come into contact with anyone returning from overseas. Check that your carers are doing the same.
On a concluding note, we are all affected in one way or another and are together in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Without forgetting the tragic loss of life that has resulted, it is a good opportunity for us all to relax, take a break and find rejuvenating comfort in the things that closest to us. Our families, our friends, the roof over our heads; we now have time to think about what is truly important in life, and how we can change our world for the better, from the inside out.