RetireAustralia Coronavirus update: 17 April 2020

Published: 17 April 2020

We hope you had a good Easter.

It was heartening to hear about the alternative ways in which our communities remained socially connected while being physically distant last weekend.

The decreasing number of COVID-19 cases being reported in Australia is a strong indication of the effectiveness of the extensive social distancing restrictions currently in place.

This is positive and gives us hope that in time, we will start to see restrictions being scaled back.

However, we must still be vigilant. While the majority of people with COVID-19 are under the age of 60, tragically the vast majority of deaths due to the virus are people over 60.

This underlines the fact that COVID-19 poses a critical threat to the health of older people.

It is a reminder of why we are taking precautions and why it is important to comply with restrictions.

COVID-19 Virtual Help Desk

To assist residents and families with COVID-19 related questions and enquiries, we have established a Virtual Helpdesk.

Our friendly team of Virtual Helpdesk Operators are on hand to answer your questions from 08.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

You can reach the help desk on 1800 325 046 and at info@retireaustralia.com.au.

Remember, your first point of contact is your village team, so if your query is urgent please contact your village directly.

Help when you need it

Concerns around COVID-19 and practising self-isolation and social distancing can be stressful and impact our health and wellbeing.

Please remember, we are all in this together. It is our goal throughout this health crisis that our communities remain just that, communities.

Check-in with your friends and neighbours while exercising social distancing and remember we are here to support too.

Independent living residents – if you would like a daily wellness check-in from the RetireAustralia team, please let your Village Manager know.

Recommencement of property inspections under strict conditions

We have reviewed government guidance on social distancing and private inspections of properties and determined that, with strict conditions in place, we can conduct limited property inspections.

The majority of our sales conversations will continue to be conducted by phone or a video conference tool, like Zoom or FaceTime. We will only offer property inspections to future residents after we’ve conducted a thorough needs analysis and are confident they are a prospective buyer.

These inspections will take place under the following strict conditions:

By appointment only.
Prospective resident to sign-in at the village checkpoint and complete a health declaration.
Prospective resident to drive directly to the display unit to avoid incidental contact with current residents and staff
Our staff will exercise social distancing and strict hand hygiene throughout the appointment.
After each viewing our staff will wipe down any high-touch surfaces and display units will be thoroughly cleaned every 24 hours.

It’s important we take positive steps forward during this crisis, but we are adamant this progress will not compromise the health and safety of our residents and staff. We will be closely monitoring these revised processes to make sure they’re working effectively to meet the needs of our business while maintaining a safe and secure environment for our communities.

Keeping everyone safe requires a huge amount of work and commitment from our team, as well as the support of all our residents and their families.

We thank you all for your ongoing work and support.

If you have any questions, please speak to your Village Manager.