How RetireAustralia is responding to COVID-19

Last updated: 17 February 2021.

The health and wellbeing of our residents and team members is our top priority. Here’s what we are doing in response to COVID-19. 

Prevention

• Reviewed and enhanced our Infection Control policies and procedures.
• All employees are required to complete training on our Infection Control policies and procedures.
• All employees are required to complete hand washing training.
• Village employees are required to sign a health declaration each time they come to work.
• Implemented clear guidelines for employees about not coming to work if they have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, have travelled overseas or have any symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu.
• Arranged for Support Office employees to be able to work from home.
• Increased education, reminders and promotional materials for residents, visitors, employees and suppliers about hand washing, cough etiquette and staying home if you are sick.
• Communications and visible signage to self-assess before entering our communities.
• Increased hand washing stations in communal areas in villages.
• Suspended non-essential employee travel.
• Regular employee and resident communication specifically about COVID-19.
• Free flu vaccinations for employees.

Preparing to care for our residents if they become unwell with COVID-19

• Scenario planning to prepare for caring for residents, containing any infection and looking after the wellbeing of people during self-isolation.
• Contingency planning to maintain essential services and supplies.
• Village outbreak kits including PPE and other essential items.

Our emergency response team is closely monitoring the situation and proactively responding to developments.

Please get in touch with your village manager if you have any questions, or email us here. If your enquiry is urgent, please call our COVID-19 hotline on 1800 325 046.

Updated: 14 July 2021

We need your help to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents, many of whom will be vulnerable to COVID-19.

Please do not visit if:

• You have returned from overseas or a COVID-19 hotspot/ area of high risk in the last 14 days.
• You have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• You have any COVID-19 symptoms – a fever, a cough, sore throat, tiredness or shortness of breath.
• You have any signs of illness.

When you visit, please:

• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently
• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Avoid shaking hands or kissing
• Maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from others
• Follow the latest advice for mask wearing

Thank you for helping us keep our communities safe and healthy.

Updated: 17 May 2021

RetireAustralia has adopted a village specific responses to COVIDSafe protocols.

This is because restrictions in each state is slightly different and within each of our villages we have to consider the unique factors of the built environment, location and proximity to COVID-19 cases/ outbreaks and the make-up of our resident community. Our number one priority continues to be the health and wellbeing of our residents and team members.

Individual responsibilities

We all need to keep each other safe by continuing to:

• Maintain 1.5m physical distancing
• Wash and dry hands often and thoroughly
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Follow the latest advice for mask wearing
• Use the QR code check-in/ sign-in sheet
• Stay at home if you’re feeling sick and get tested if you have any COVID-19 symptoms.
• Continue to stay at home as much as possible, especially if you are over 70 or have underlying health conditions.

Cleaning and sanitation

Additional cleaning and sanitation of community facilities and common areas will be carried out.

Record keeping for contact tracing

Logs of dates, times and names for sales related visits and access to BBQs, internal community facilities (including pools), hair salons and primary care services will be kept to assist with contact tracing if required.

Thank you all for your cooperation as we take extra precautions to keep our communities safe and healthy.

If you have any questions about community activities and access to village facilities, please contact your Village Manager.

Updated: 17 February 2021

Any residents returning from overseas, or from an area identified by government as a hotspot/ high risk area, will be required to self-isolate or quarantine for 14 days. These measures have been put in place by state and federal governments to slow the spread of COVID-19.

If any of our residents are affected by this, we would like to hear from you. Please contact your Village Manager so they can help make arrangements for your return to your community.

What does quarantine mean?
Quarantine means staying in a government mandated facility, generally a hotel, and not leaving your room for 14 days unless it is an emergency or critical situation. Your meals and essential supplies will be delivered to your room.

What does self-isolation mean?
For residents, self-isolation means not taking part in any village events, staying in your home and not visiting your neighbours.

How to self-isolate?
You should familiarize yourself with the Australian Government guidance on what self-isolation means: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-isolation-guidance.

If you are planning to use public transport to get from an airport to your village, please take note of specific guidance on this: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-drivers-and-passengers-using-public-transport

Last updated: 14 July 2021

We are pleased to be able to offer COVIDSafe property inspections and tours of our community facilities in line with the latest government advice.

If you’ve found a property you’d like to call home, please reach out to us and depending on the latest COVID-19 advice, we’ll arrange a virtual appointment or a visit to the village  under a few special conditions which your consultant will talk you through.

If you’re interested in finding out more about our communities, please call us on 1300 687 738 or fill out an enquiry form.

Last updated: 17 February 2021

The situation concerning COVID-19 is ever changing. We’re paying close attention and being responsive to additional measures we need to introduce to keep our residents and our communities safe and healthy.

Independent contractors

Any non RetireAustralia contractors that visit residents’ in their homes are required to sign in to the village at reception before proceeding to the unit/ villa. Examples of independent contractors includes carers, cleaners, maintenance people, grocery delivery people and health professionals such as doctors, nurses, pathologists, podiatrists or physio therapists.

This is a workplace health and safety requirement that was in place prior to COVID-19. However, for COVID-19 contract tracing purposes, it is now more important than ever before.

RetireAustralia contractors and suppliers

Effective Friday 18 March 2020, each day you attend a village, you will be required to:

• Contact Village Reception by phone, before you begin any work or visit any residents
• Sign a health declaration

It is important that you do not enter  if:

• You have been overseas in the last 14 days
• You have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19
• You have any of the COVID-19 symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath or a sore throat
• You have any signs of illness

When in our villages, please:

• Exercise the principles of social distancing, including maintaining a distance of 1.5 metres from residents and staff wherever possible.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Avoid physical contact with staff and residents.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping everyone safe.

Last updated: 17 February 2021

If a confirmed case of COVID-19 were to occur in a village, we would continue to act in full compliance with the Australian Government, local and state health authorities.

We have infection control procedures and contingency plans in place. These include:

• Anyone with COVID-19 will be isolated and transferred to hospital if necessary.
  • Care apartment residents will be isolated in their rooms, with infection control measures in place.
  • We will ask independent living residents to self-isolate in their homes and will support them in any way we can.
• Anyone the infected person has been in contact with will be isolated and cared for.
• We will arrange for family members to keep in touch with loved ones.

Please get in touch with your village manager if you have any questions.

For all media enquiries, please contact Brooke Chapman:

Mobile: 0429 903 015
Email: Brooke.Chapman@retireaustralia.com.au

Last updated: 17 February 2021

• Australian Department of Health – https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-current-situation-and-case-numbers

• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Smart Traveller) –  https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

• The National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
  Operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For translating/ interpreting services, call 131 450.

• NSW Dept. of Health 13 77 88
  https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

• Qld Dept. of Health 13 COVID (134 268)
  https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/

• SA Dept. of Health 1800 253 787
  https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/response