A message from our Clinical Director

Dear Ananda Residents, Families & Resident Representatives & Staff

Today, I write to you with an update of our senior clinical structure. I know you will join me in recognising the incredible leadership and skills that Karen Daniels-Goddard and Michael Page bring to our organisation allowing for best practice care and services for our residents. Both Karen and Michael have also both nominated to be Infection Control Leads within our homes and we will support them to undergo further training and development in this important domain.

We continue to live in uncertain times in South Australia and we recognize the significant threat that COVID19 pandemic poses for our vulnerable elderly. We have been proactive to develop continuous improvements and take opportunity to refine our infection control practices ongoing. For this reason, I am opting to keep our organisation at a heightened level of COVID19 risk until December 1, at which time this will be reviewed and this includes restricting movement of senior staff between our homes as much as possible.

Karen Daniels-Goddard will continue to be available to you as our Director of Nursing supporting staff, families and residents with clinical aspects including care provision, quality monitoring and compliance and clinical communication with all stakeholders for best practice resident care and wellbeing. Karen will continue to take clinical lead across the organisation, and while she is currently based at our Findon home, we hope this will change to be across both our homes before year end.

Michael Page and Karen Daniels-Goddard

Michael Page complements our senior leadership at Ananda in his Workforce Executive role across Ananda Aged Care. He takes lead on workforce training & development, recruitment, administration and human resources, workplace safety and compliance and progression of ongoing opportunities for staff education especially dementia care and infection control. At the present time, Michael is based at our Hope Valley home, but we envisage this too will change in December.

Do not hesitate should you have any questions and I trust you will continue to take care of yourselves and help us to keep our residents safe in South Australia.

Kind regards,

Dr Pooja Newman, Clinical Director.

COVID-19 Update

As we all know we are “not out of the woods yet” with the Parafield Cluster being far outreaching with a number of schools and businesses closed for 14 days quarantine.

As our Hope Valley home is located in the vicinity of the schools impacted by the Parafield Cluster and a number of our staff and families having children (and grandchildren) that go there we made the unprecedented decision last week to swab test our staff and residents at Hope Valley in an effort to reassure our community and safeguard our residents and staff during this time.

I am very pleased and relieved to report all results to date have been negative.

We have a second swab test being conducted on Wednesday 25th November in line with the recommended swab test on days 2 and 12.

Our initial prescribed ”state lockdown” was scheduled for 6 days but in light of information obtained by SA Health that was decreased and the “Stay at Home” Directive was revoked on Sunday 22nd November at 00.01am which was a relief for all South Australians.

However in Aged Care we are very much still on high alert as we care for the most vulnerable people in the state.

The Emergency Management Directive (COVID-19) Form 14 came into effect from Sunday with specific obligations around entry and access to Residential Aged Care Homes.

I am very pleased to announce we are re-opening our homes to support families visit their loved one, for short 30 min intervals initially and as well monitor the current situation we hope we will be able to increase those visits.

All families must book into a visit via our friendly Reception Staff with booking from 1pm to 5pm (4.30pm being the last booking).

Face masks must be worn when at either of our homes as well as adhering to the Site Entry Checklist including a temperature check.  If your temperature if above 38 degrees you will not be permitted on site.

Please ensure you practice social distancing and sanitise your hands on entry and on exit of the home.

Visits will take place in a resident’s room (if in a single room) or alternatively in a designated area or one of our gardens.

We will continue to support additional and extended visitation for our residents receiving palliative/end of life care,

We ask that if you become ill within three (3) days of visiting our homes you notify us immediately and please go and get a COVID-19 swab test – the risks otherwise are too great.  This allows us to more diligently trace contact to ensure the safety of our community.

We will continue to separate our homes with a dedicated staffing model working in each area.  I can appreciate it is difficult to not have access to the whole home, but by limiting full access to the home we can reduce a potential outbreak.

It has been great to see so many residents and families taking up the offer of Face time and Skype a great way to stay in contact with your loved ones it you are unable to visit.

Please also contact us via contactananda@anandaagedcare.com.au for further information.

Once again thank you all for your support and patience during these very challenging times.

Ananda Management

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