Visiting Tarago Views

The health and safety of residents is our first priority and we appreciate your support in the measures we are taking to make Tarago Views the safest possible place for older people to be.

Visits are vital in maintaining an emotional and physical connection for our residents. Neerim Health will continue to support these visits wherever we can.

It is important we remain vigilant of the risks this virus poses to older people and ensure that our Tarago Views adheres to the State and Federal Government requirements.

The Commonwealth Government is providing rapid antigen tests (RATs) to residential aged care services. RATs are an important screening tool and provide each Home with a degree of confidence that people who are infectious with COVID-19 are not coming onsite.

We ask that all our visitors, employees and contractors undertake this quick test prior to entering Tarago Views. If you are a daily visitor you can take a test every 72 hours or twice a week. Our employees can demonstrate how to take the test and read the results if you require assistance.

More information on the roll out of the RATs program can be found on the Commonwealth Government’s website.

Please do not visit Tarago Views if:

  • You, or anyone in your household, are unwell
  • You, or anyone in your household, have been told to self-isolate or self-quarantine (including because you are close contacts or are waiting on the results from a COVID-19 test)

For those unable to visit in person, please contact the Nurse Unit Manager to make alternative arrangements i.e FaceTime, Windows of Connection and phone calls for families to connect with their loved ones.

If you would like to discuss current visiting arrangements or have a particular request, please do not hesitate to speak with the Nurse Unit Manager.

The Residential Aged Care Facilities Directions can be found on the Department of Health Website.

Current Victorian Government Visiting Guidelines

As per the Government’s guidance we are able to welcome up to five people per day to our Victorian Homes, but visitors must return a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result before entering. If no RATs are available, residents will be permitted no more than two visitors.

Workers, visitors or prospective residents must not enter Tarago Views if the person had known contact with a confirmed case:

  • in the 7 days immediately preceding entry if the person is fully vaccinated and is not a household close contact; or
  • in the 14 days immediately preceding entry if the person is not fully vaccinated or is a household close contact.

If a worker is working at more than one work premises they must provide a written declaration to the Home to advise them the details of their other work.  Workers who are exposed to COVID-19 at another care facility cannot attend work at Tarago Views unless 7 days have elapsed since the exposure and they have a negative PCR test on or after 6 days of the exposure.

Residents may leave the Home for any reason, subject to the rules currently in place in the community.

We will continue to follow the Government’s guidelines and advice, and keep strict infection prevention and control processes in place across Tarago Views to keep our residents and community safe.

Due to high community transmission in Victoria and in line with the Government’s advice, all visits must occur in resident rooms or outdoor areas. We ask you to also limit your physical interactions with the resident you have come to visit to help reduce the risk of infection throughout the Home.

In light of the current levels of transmission in Victoria we will be introducing some additional requirements for visitors into Tarago Views.

If You Are Fully Vaccinated

You can visit your loved one at any time, however, we ask you to wear a surgical face mask and follow standard screening requirements. This includes bringing evidence of your COVID-19 vaccination certificate, as you may be requested to present this evidence when arriving at the Home.

If You Are Not Fully Vaccinated

As per Victorian Government guidance, we will be accepting visitation for those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Our team will do their best to ensure you have an opportunity to visit your loved one, while complying with infection prevention and control requirements.

All unvaccinated visitors must wear the same Personal Protective Equipment as our employees, which currently includes a N95 face mask and face shield. We will provide these to you on arrival.

Visits will only be permitted in outdoor areas of the Home, unless it is an end of life visit or if moving to an outdoor setting causes a risk to a resident’s health and safety. In which case, the visit will occur in the resident room.

Flu Vaccination

The Victorian Government has also strongly recommended visitors should have the 2021 influenza vaccine before entering a residential aged care home.