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Assured Home Care continues to be committed to delivering quality services adapted to meet our client’s support needs whilst maintaining safety and wellbeing for clients, families, caregivers, and our staff.
With ongoing COVID 19 government changes, if you have any questions or need further information on your services, please contact us on 8374 2444.
For The Latest SA Government COVID-19 Information:
We thank you for your partnership through this period of COVID-19. Though a challenging time, we are continuing to provide essential services, while abiding by Federal and State Government mandates and recommendations (as at 08.04.2020), to ensure the safety of all our workers and the clients we serve.
Pre-service Safety Checks
We have, like many others, introduced new procedures and are currently following a number of precautionary measures to ensure that we minimise any risk of the virus being spread to and/or through our workers.
We are implementing a pre-service safety check that poses a number of questions to be asked before a service is delivered by our staff.
All workers have been instructed to ask the following questions before commencing support with all new clients:
New Clients
For Existing Clients:
This letter is to advise you that our staff will ask the following at each shift or service:
Our staff will be advised that where a client answers “yes” to any of these questions, the Assured Home Care Office is to be informed on 8374 2444 so that a decision can be made regarding safe delivery of services to this client.
Continuation of Services
We wish to advise that as of 08.04.2020, we are continuing with the following services:
• Bathing and personal hygiene, dressing and grooming, assisting with mobility
• Assisting with medication management where this is a requirement of a service / care plan
• Assistance with shopping for essentials e.g. food
• Meal preparation
• Domestic Housework
• Basic gardening
• Transport to essential shopping or routine medical appointments
• Assisting with routine medical appointments.
• Plan Management (via telephone correspondence)
• Specialist Support Coordination (via telephone correspondence)
• Continuation of Supports Program +65 Case Management (via telephone correspondence)
Please note we will not transport any client who has symptoms of COVID-19.
Should you be concerned about any development of signs and symptoms you may experience, please contact your General Practitioner, Health Direct on 1800 022 222 or the COVID-19 Hotline 1800 020 080 for advice.
We are adhering to the Federal and South Australian government guidelines around how we deliver our services. For a detailed list of changes that we have applied to our services provision, please see the attached table.
Standard Precautions
We have instructed our workers in safe practice for good hygiene. This includes:
• Washing hands often with soap and water, including before and after eating, after going to the toilet, and when they have been out to shops or public areas
• Using alcohol-based hand sanitisers, where available
• Where possible, stay 1.5 metres away — 2 arms’ length — from other people.
This is an example of social distancing.
• If they are sick, they are to stay at home and avoid contact with others. Avoiding non-essential travel.
We appreciate your understanding in regards to the changes that have been made for the ongoing safety, health and wellbeing of clients, staff and members of the community, and apologise for any inconvenience experienced through the application of our new COVID-19 precautionary measures and processes.
In addition to these changes, we wish to ask for your cooperation in communicating these new precautions to all relevant persons, and to inform us immediately should any person that our staff be in contact with during the provisions of support services, become unwell with COVID-19 symptoms and/or has been positively tested with COVID-19. Communication of such an instance can be made via phone to our office on 8374 2444.
If you wish to discuss any of the changes contained within this letter, you are encouraged to email your concerns to safety@assuredhomecare.com.au or alternatively call the office via phone, 8374 2444, and talk to one of our staff.
Sincerely
Julie De Jong
Chief Executive Officer
Assured Home Care
List of Support Services & Changes
Domestic Assistance
Your usual service can continue using social distancing of 1.5 m minimum with all present in your home.
We will be advising our staff to work in each area of your home, on their own without you. This will assist in keeping you safe and our workers safe.
Please provide our workers with domestic rubber gloves for all wet cleaning tasks and access to soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
We will not provide a domestic service where someone in your home has signs or symptoms of respiratory illness or there is a proven case of COVID-19.
Social – In Home
Your usual social service can continue using social distancing of 1.5 m minimum with all present in your home.
Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
We will not provide a social service where someone in your home has signs or symptoms of respiratory illness or there is a proven case of COVID-19.
Social – Out of home
Unfortunately, your out of home social service is affected by the current government mandates.
We will not be providing an out of home social service to:
• cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels
• food courts
• gyms – indoor and outdoor, swimming pools
• cinemas,
• galleries,
• museums,
• community halls
• libraries
• RSL or gaming venues
• parks and play centres of any kind
• or any other places as the Government directs
The Federal Government have advised that people should stay home unless they are going out for personal exercise in their neighbourhood, on their own or accompanied by one other person.
For example, your Assured Home Care support worker.
The Federal Government have also have stated that non-essential gatherings such as this social service is limited to 2 people.
The rule of social distancing of 1.5 m minimum must be kept at all times.
Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
As per Federal Government recommendations on non-essential travel, we will not provide transport for social drives or accompanied use of public transport until further notice.
Respite – In Home
Your usual respite- in home service can continue using social distancing of 1.5 m minimum with all present in your home.
Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
We will not provide a respite- in home service where someone in your home has signs or symptoms of respiratory illness or there is a proven case of COVID-19.
Respite – Out of home
Unfortunately, your out of home respite service is affected by the current government mandates.
We will not be providing an out of home social service to :
• cafйs, restaurants, pubs, clubs, hotels
• food courts
• gyms – indoor and outdoor, swimming pools
• cinemas,
• galleries,
• museums,
• community halls
• libraries
• RSL or gaming venues
• parks and play centres of any or any other places as the Government directs
The Federal Government have advised that people should stay home unless they are going out for personal exercise in their neighbourhood, on their own or accompanied by one other person.
For example, your Assured Home Care support worker.
The Federal Government have also stated that non-essential gatherings such as this social service is limited to 2 people. The rule of social distancing of 1.5 m minimum must be kept at all times.
Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
As per Federal Government recommendations on non-essential travel, we will not provide transport for social drives or accompanied use of public transport until further notice.
Transport
Your usual transport service is affected by the current government mandates.
A client and support worker can still travel to go shopping as long as it is deemed to be an essential item or attending a routine medical appointment.
Clients must travel in the back seat of the car, diagonally opposite to the driver, to maintain appropriate social distancing.
The car is to have only fresh air intake in action – no recirculated air/ air-conditioning is to be used.
Where a support workers car does not permit the client to sit in safely the back seat, the transport service will not be provided.
The client is recommended to use an accessible taxi at their own expense.
Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
As per Federal Government recommendations on non-essential travel, we will not provide transport for social drives or accompanied use of public transport until further notice.
Shopping
Your usual shopping service is affected by the current government mandates.
A client and support worker can still travel to go shopping as long as it is deemed to be for essential items.
Please be aware that many retailers will only accept card payments (contactless) where possible.
Whilst shopping please maintain social distancing of 1.5 m minimum at all times.
Clients must travel in the back seat of the car, diagonally opposite to the driver, to maintain appropriate social distancing.
The car is to have only fresh air intake in action – no recirculated air/ air-conditioning is to be used.
Where a support workers car does not permit the client to sit in safely the back seat, the transport and shopping service will not be provided. We may be able to reschedule another support worker with a more suitable vehicle to assist, but may not be able to guarantee this.
As per Government Guidelines, we will not provide transport for social shopping or non-essential shopping or accompanied use of public transport for shopping – until further notice.
On return from the shops our support workers will ask to be able to wash their hands. Please provide our workers with soap and water to wash their hands before, during and after your service.
We recommend that clients also wash their hands when they return from shopping.
We will not be able to undertake unaccompanied shopping.
Where a client has an existing medical condition and is unable to shop themselves – we recommend that you contact your coordinator for support to obtain online shopping approval.
Personal Care (essential service)
We appreciate that supporting your personal care requires being somewhat close to our worker – within the 1.5m space.
To complete the required standard of personal care, our support workers will wear gloves for all contact with private parts, mucous membranes, any broken skin or where they are supporting the care of catheters, tube feeds etc.
As per Federal Government guidelines, it is not necessary to ask your support workers to wear face masks.
Face masks must be worn by clients who show symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Please note that we have trained our support workers not to attend any client service should they the worker be unwell.
Assistance with medication management (essential service)
When we provide assistance with medication management it may require our support workers being somewhat close to you – within the 1.5m space.
To complete the required standard of medication administration, our support workers will wear gloves only for assisting with blood glucose monitoring, assisting with medications via tube feeds or for bowel medication insertion.
As per Federal Government guidelines it is not necessary to ask your support workers to wear face masks.
Face masks must be worn by clients who show symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Please note that we have trained our support workers not to attend any client service should they the worker be unwell.
Meal Preparation (essential service)
Our staff will provide meal preparation with food safety in mind using social distancing of 1.5 m minimum with all present in your home.
Good hand hygiene practises will be used such as washing of hands, use of disposable gloves only when the worker has a skin condition/wound/ dressings/ bandages/ band aids present.
Food safety principles will be followed for all meal preparation services.
Please note that we have trained our support workers not to attend any client service should they the worker be unwell
We want to take a moment to acknowledge the amazing Assured community, of which you are a vital part, and express our sincere gratitude.
We understand the last few months have been confusing and at times difficult with all the changes. Assured’s Senior Management Team truly appreciates how clients, caregivers and all our employees and their families pulled together and rose to the challenge of keeping everyone safe…. thank you.
Assured continues to be committed to delivering high quality services to meet support needs, whilst maintaining safety and wellbeing for clients, families, caregivers and our staff.
Walt Disney once said, “Do what you do so well that they will want to come back and bring their friends.” This is how the Assured community to continues grow.
Disability Home and Community:
• To support our Home and Community clients, Assured has created teams of workers who work in conjunction with Disability Support Partners (DSP), under the management of the Disability Community Manager.
• Regular contact to safeguard client welfare is conducted through home visits, phone calls, emails or texts by our team of DSPs and the Disability Community Manager.
• Our teams are trained in identifying and reporting any irregularities in a client’s welfare.
• Workers can report 24hrs a day via a phone app or to the DSP directly by phone if there is an irregularity, and the Disability Community Manager is notified.
• Extra welfare checks are also conducted when necessary.
• We encourage feedback from our clients so we can continue to improve. This can be submitted in a variety of ways to ensure feedback is received.
• Additionally, at the time of a NDIS review, a Disability Support Partner can attend if the client requires assistance.
Supported Independent Living (SILS):
• To support our SILS clients, Assured creates teams of Support Workers who work in conjunction with Senior Support Workers (SSW), Disability Support Partners (DSP), under the management of the SILS Accommodation Manager.
• Accommodation team workers visit clients daily, where SILS clients are not involved with activities or work out of the home. Weekly calls are made to all clients from the Accommodation team, based in the office.
• SILS houses contain communication logs which are used to record all activities. Teams are trained in identifying and reporting any irregularities in a client’s welfare. Logs are submitted to the office weekly for review.
• Cleaning charts are maintained for all clients in houses and food checks conducted by different members of the Accommodation team.
• SILS clients are visited by a Senior Support Worker (SSW) weekly in most cases to enable feedback on the service provided and to check on client welfare.
• SILS clients have regular visits to a GP and other allied health agencies for regular check-ups and, if medication is required, medication charts are maintained and checked by SILS workers, SSW’s and independently checked by Assured nursing team.
• Assured encourages regular family visits and community participation.
• We encourage feedback from our SILS clients, their families, guardian or trustee so we can continue to improve the SILS service. This can be submitted in a variety of ways to ensure feedback is received.
Support Coordinator’s/ Plan Managers:
• As part of our service offering to NDIS clients, Assured also provide Support Coordination and Plan Management. Assured can provide a home visit or zoom meeting for our clients.
• Assured Support Coordinator’s/ Plan managers are trained in identifying and reporting any welfare concerns of clients.
Assured will continue to strive for excellence and we always appreciate your feedback.
This can be done by:
Ringing us:
Phone: (08) 8374 2444
Monday-Friday between 9.00am – 5.00pm
Writing to us:
Email:
Post:
20 Rosslyn Street, Mile End, SA, 5031
Again, thank you for being a part of the Assured community.
Regards
Senior Management Team
Assured Home Care
Policy Statement and Purpose
Assured Home Care (AHC) is committed to protecting our clients, employees and stakeholder’s health and wellbeing during AHC service delivery and standard work practices. AHC’s commitment to prevention of COVID-19 infection of client and workers is of the utmost priority, and AHC will apply appropriate risk management procedures in order to safe guard all clients and workers, should any individual contract and / or be in contact with any person who has tested positive to the COVID-19 Virus.
The purpose of this policy is to describe what AHC is doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and what has been put in place to ensure that all AHC clients, workers and anyone else within the AHC working environment are kept safe. The following is a summary:
The AHC Covid-19 procedure will provide you with more details on the above.
Scope
This policy applies to all AHC employees, contractors, students on work placement or work experience and volunteers, and, any individual that may be visiting any of AHC places of work, including any persons that has use of any training and / or meeting facility or venue
The policy relates specifically to the COVID-19 Pandemic, and any future event that may cause risk of COVID-19 infection.
Disclosure of Personal Information
In the event of any COVID-19 related incident, any relevant personal information retained by the organisation will be used or disclosed on a ‘need to know’ basis. AHC will only information as is reasonably necessary for the purpose of preventing or managing COVID-19. This includes information that the Department of Health or other relevant government authority requires to identify risk and implement appropriate controls to prevent or manage COVID-19 to assist the authorities in the engagement of contact tracing; for example:
• Basic information relating to a person’s identity
• Whether the individual or a close contact has been exposed to a known case of COVID-19
• Whether the individual has recently travelled overseas or interstate.
It is a requirement of all persons who engage in any activity associated with AHC to comply with SA Health guidelines in relation to the management and prevention of any COVID-19 incident and or outbreak. This includes, but not limited to, rules and guidelines associated with:
• Social Distancing
• Disclosure of personal illness
• COVID-19 Testing
• Universal precautions, infection control and hygiene practises
• The appropriate, management, stock control and distribution, and use of personal protective equipment.
This policy is valid at the time of writing and will be updated as required.
Assured Home Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders today.
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