COVID-19 update: Riverside Gardens and Cedar Place

Our Nambucca and Kempsey aged care homes are experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19.

NVC Group takes seriously its obligation to implement infection prevention and control measures in its residential aged care facilities to keep residents safe.

Presently there are residents with COVID-19 at Riverside Gardens in Nambucca Heads and Cedar Place in Kempsey.

NVC Group Executive Care Manager Brooke Roberts said the organisation has in place strict processes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

“I would like to thank our residents, their family and friends for their patience and support as we best manage these isolated COVID-19 outbreaks,” Ms Roberts said.

“I would like to reassure our residents and our community we are taking the necessary steps to get our residents and staff through this outbreak as safely and as quickly as possible.

“And please don’t read this news update and be alarmed if you have a loved one at Riverside Gardens or Cedar Place aged care homes. Should your loved one have been impacted by COVID-19, their primary contact would have been directly communicated with by a representative from the home.”

Residential Aged Care Facility visitation policy*

NVC Group’s Residential Aged Care Facility visitation recommendations have recently been reviewed in line with the recommendations of the advice received by NSW Health.

NVC Group recognises that receiving visitors is essential for residents’ wellbeing and helps reduce the impacts of social isolation on mental health. NVC will still adhere to scheduled visits with a limit of two adults and two children at any one time for each resident at Riverside Gardens and Cedar Place. If visitors are not vaccinated against COVID-19, we strongly encourage the visits to occur in one of the facilities’ outdoor areas such as courtyards. NVC also requests that all visitors wear a mask, to protect our most vulnerable residents and staff. At the direction of staff from the home, visitors may be requested to wear full PPE (personal protective equipment) for the duration of their visit. We also ask visitors to maintain physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres while in the facilities.

Before staff or visitors can enter a NVC Residential Aged Care Facility, they must do a RAT test before presenting. If the RAT test is negative, it is dated and photographed, and entry is permitted. If the RAT test is positive, the person must stay at home and adhere to the current Public Health Order, if active, and if the person is a staff member, contact NVC Group’s Quality Coordinator.

Staff working in the sections of NVC Group’s Nambucca and Kempsey Residential Aged Care Facilities impacted by this COVID-19 outbreak must wear full PPE and N95 masks to further reduce the risk of transmission.

Currently residents impacted by this COVID-19 outbreak are still able to be visited by essential visitors in the resident’s room or outdoors only, however this does expose the visitor to increased risk, which is outlined beforehand.

Visitors, when visiting residents impacted by COVID-19, must wear a provided N95 mask, and only interact with the resident they are visiting. NVC Group is encouraging residents and their loved ones to have telephone calls and video calls at this time to further reduce the risk of exposure.

*Visitation and entry processes to our Residential Aged Care Facilities are subject to change with advice received and elevation of potential risks.