What is Ballarat Hospice Care doing?
We are taking precautions to keep our community, patients, their households, our staff and volunteers safe.
We will screen prior to every home visit for the risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
If we visit a home, our staff and volunteers will wear a mask. If required our staff will wear full personal protection.
We expect that patients and carers will wear a mask or a face covering when we attend a home visit.
We are supporting and connecting with our patients using telehealth video calls and the phone.
We are reviewing each patient on a case by case basis.
We will temporarily stop non-essential visits to our administration office (at 1836 Sturt Street in Alfredton) when there are high COVID-19 cases in our community. Please call 5333 1118 if you have questions or concerns.
IN PREPARATION FOR A HOME VISIT
- we expect that patients and carers will wear a mask or a face covering when we attend a home visit
- patients and carers need to provide their own mask or face covering
- to maintain physical distancing we expect there will be no more than three people in the room (i.e. the patient, one carer and our staff member or volunteer).
Note: There are exemptions to the requirement to wear a mask. Please ask us if you have any questions.
Here is a guide for patients, carers and families regarding our BHCI COVID-19 Home Visits during the pandemic.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF ANYONE IN THE HOME
- is COVID positive or
- has a fever or an acute respiratory infection (eg cough or shortness of breath) with or without fever
- is isolating due to COVID-19 exposure
- is a household contact during the last 7 days with a positive case of COVID-19
Please let us know before we visit.
COVID-19 does not stop our work; we can use the phone and telehealth to provide support when needed.
YOU MUST ISOLATE
- if you have tested positive to COVID-19 using a Rapid Antigen Test or a PCR Test for seven days from the date of the positive test
- if you are a household contact of someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 for seven days and have a Rapid Antigen Test on days 1 and 6.
More information if you test positive or have been in contact with a positive COVID-19 person.
HOUSEHOLD CONTACT OF A PERSON WHO TESTS POSITIVE TO COVID-19
A household contact is someone who has spent more than 4 hours with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 in a house, accommodation or a care facility.
Follow the current Victorian guidelines which are available here.
The Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 (24 hours, seven days a week) can assist.
More information on staying safe and isolation.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- stay at home and get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19, however mild
- get your vaccination for COVID-19 and the flu
- practise good hygiene; wash your hands frequently, cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
- keep your distance – stay 1.5 metres away from anyone you don’t live with
- wear a face mask when you unable to maintain a 1.5 meter physical distance
- follow the current public health measures which are available here.
