While many are celebrating the removal of mask requirements, spare a thought for rest home workers who must remain ‘masked up’ to protect residents from Covid-19.

Along with rest home staff, people visiting primary care, urgent care, hospitals, pharmacies, and disability-related residential care are still required by the government to wear a mask.

Rest homes across Central are working hard to keep elderly people safe, and advice for whānau is to check individual facilities visiting hours, and requirements prior to visiting. 

Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) chief executive officer Jo O’Neill said healthcare workers were keeping the health of vulnerable older people top of mind.

Chief executive officer Jo O’Neill from PSO, who operate nine residential aged care homes in Otago delivering rest home, dementia and hospital level care services

“We are relieved that Covid-19 cases are reducing in the community. 

“However, we are seeing seasonal illnesses amongst our staff and their families, which is adding to the staffing crisis we continue to experience in the health sector. 

“We are doing everything we can to alleviate the effects of this crisis, including continuing to advocate with the government to allow more overseas nurses to come to New Zealand easily.”

Jo said she was grateful for the community’s continued respect and cooperation on mask wearing in a healthcare setting.

Cromwell’s Golden View Care manager Juliette Towers said her facility was no longer requiring N95 masks, and surgical masks were fine to wear for a visit.

“We’re being really vigilant with any residents who may have been exposed…especially as now there is no requirement for household contacts to isolate.”

Juliette said aged care residents were resilient and taking it in their stride.

“They’ve been through harder times than we’ve known.

“We’re all pleased things are going slightly back to normal… van trips are happening and we’ve got musicians coming in.” 

Golden View Care has 48 (dual purpose) rest home/hospital rooms, a specialist and secure 11 room dementia unit.

Ripponburn Home manager Julia Russell said they had not opened up yet for full visiting but she was pleased they had no recent sickness in their residents. 

“It’s been interesting getting used to going back out again.

“[Some elderly people] are hesitant about doing stuff… it’s amplified because it's gone on for so long.”

She said the rules being different in various places was contributing to anxiety for older people.

“[However] we were out in the vans yesterday enjoying the sun and general ambience.”

Julia said staffing was still a major challenge for the aged care sector, with people needed for housekeeping and healthcare positions. 

People aged over 65 and Māori and Pacific people over the age of 50 have greater access to antivirals for Covid-19 now, after an agreement for an additional 40,000 more anti-viral medicine courses was signed by the government.

Covid-19 minister Ayesha Verrall said this means more than double the number of New Zealanders will be able to access these medicines if they need them than previously.

Have you got a story to share about the aged care sector in Central? Email: [email protected]