As governments refer to Bethania’s Jeta Gardens as a numbers game – 100 Covid-19 cases, 15 deaths – residents say a human side of the equation is being forgotten.
The aged care facility is in lockdown, an advisor is helping comply with its legal obligations, and nursing staff are to receive extra training to prevent further infection.
But just next door, residents of the company’s retirement villas say the silence is deafening.
A resident of the villas said management of Jeta Gardens wrote a letter to residents on Friday (February 4), attaching a media release which stated the aged care watchdog, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, first heard of a Covid-19 outbreak at the facility on January 1.
“That’s at least five weeks of silence,” one resident said.
“The first we heard about all this was on the television news this week, so you can imagine why the community is now living in fear.
“We’re not being told anything, which means there is a great deal of uncertainty.”
The resident, who asked not to be named, said nothing was being humanised.
“Nobody is offering us advice. We don’t know what to do except follow government rules,” he said.
“These people who’ve died. We know them, they’re our friends, but nobody is telling us who they are. Where is the humanity in all this?”
It is believed one resident moved out of the villas last week. Others were wondering how they might be able to sell.
“Our staff … are working extremely hard, but unfortunately, over the past few months we have had over 80 staff test positive to Covid,” CEO Wesley Carter told residents in his letter on Friday.
“Thankfully, nearly all staff that tested positive have recovered and are back to work.”
As of Friday, there were no reported deaths at Jeta Gardens for the previous four days. There were believed to be four active cases of Covid among staff.
A further statement to media said: “In recent weeks we have worked closely with the Federal Health Department, and for the week of January 28 to February 4, the department assisted with a ‘surge workforce’ team that assists aged care providers to continue clinical care when staff numbers are depleted.
“As of today, February 5, no additional resources remain on site at Jeta Gardens, as most of our staff are recovered and available for shifts, and we have had four days of no new cases of Covid among residents or staff.”
Jeta Gardens would not be closed or evacuated, the statement said.
A Health Department spokesperson said Jeta Gardens had appointed an advisor to the facility who has a team to assist, including two clinicians.
Residents yesterday met at 2pm Sunday in order to map a plan of action.
“We have independent living here in the retirement villas,” a resident said. “All we’re asking of management is that they keep us informed about the health risks, how they might apply to us, and what options we’ve got to ensure we keep safe.”
