Staff stepping up at Shepparton Villages

Making it a priority to keep residents connected with family and friends.

Residents at Shepparton villages were assisted by staff to hold Skype, Facetime and zoom calls with family.

While the ramifications of COVID-19 were unfolding across the globe, and the very real and potent threat to aged care residents became all too apparent, Shepparton Villages took the early steps to lock down its facilities to all visitors.

In doing so, staff from nurses and care workers through to lifestyle, administration, maintenance and hotel services all stepped up to fill the void normally taken by families and friends, juggling their normal everyday duties with new tasks.

This led to some really beautiful moments, where staff went above and beyond to make things happen for residents, to ensure every resident had someone to talk to face-to-face, that no family or resident was without the opportunity to make contact in some way, and that life inside the facilities

Continued from page 65

continued to operate with activities, exercises, fun and laughter—with social distancing and infection control.

Staff started posting photos of residents holding message boards for their family and friends on the Shepparton Villages Facebook page as a way of keeping in touch. The response was immediate and overwhelming, and suddenly staff were run off their feet capturing photos, helping residents make message boards and then delivering return messages as they came flooding in.

Staff went above and beyond to ensure every single resident had a message board and photo taken, and when families made requests for a photo it was delivered within hours. Monitoring the social media posts and requests was a fulltime job.

Soon after, the photos led to Zoom, Skype and Facetime calls utilising iPads, Smart TVs, and phones, and there was even a Tik Tok music video produced by staff, who along with residents, were all dressed in pyjamas and half way through ‘magically’ transformed into their Sunday best, complete with hair and make-up done by staff who came in on their day off to make it all happen.

“It was a learning curve, particularly with the technology aspect for a lot of staff, but everyone was so determined to persevere, and to make it happens for residents and families,” said Sarah Gaunt, Executive Manager Care Services.

“There was a collegial vibe, and the residents picked up on it too, with everyone just making the best of it.”

Shepparton Villages had purchased companion pets midway through 2019, and with the volunteer and pet therapy programs suspended, these mechanical and interactive furry friends also helped fill a void. Additionally, the lifestyle staff with the help of maintenance repurposed an old drugs trolley and set up mobile shopping canteens so residents who normally get out and about on shopping trips could independently purchase bits and pieces without bothering family to make a special trip.

In the background, managers and executive staff were sorting through the nuances of running an aged care facility—already on a tight budget—that suddenly required new processes, extra staff, new skills, additional PPE and hard to obtain supplies.

Ms Gaunt said there was naturally a nervousness amongst staff, as well as a myriad of directives from the health department that had to be implemented.

“This was in addition to our own increased infection control measures, masses of communication to residents and families and on top of the normal everyday tasks associated with caring for vulnerable people in aged care.

“Residents still needed medical care and assistance with personal care, they still needed to enjoy meals, have their laundry done and participate in activities. Life had to go on without the assistance that families and volunteers provide, plus we had this whole new level of operations, so our staff had to improvise, adapt and soldier on,” she said.

Executive Manager of Quality, Sue Cahill said despite the increased workload, Shepparton Villages was always confident in its internal processes on infection control, but the unknown component of COVID-19 required a new level of focus.

“As an industry, we already have tight infection control processes, and our staff are trained to identify and minimise risk, so we were starting from a good solid base but a new layer of control, process and measures are now part of our daily operations and will continue to be.” ■ Jo Breen is Executive Manager Community Engagement & PR, Shepparton Villages. For more information visit www.sheppvillages.com.au

Shirley Baker’s message was well received by family and friends on Shepparton Village’s Facebook page.