Resident Circular: The Year in Review

Looking Back at 2022

Dear Residents
 
This coming year will begin our thirtieth year caring for older Australians. During these years, we have enjoyed looking after you and making sure that care is always delivered at the right time and in the right way.  At all times we have relied upon the services of a wonderful group of managers and nurse managers to lead this care.  They, in turn, have been supported by outstanding carers, lifestyle staff, housekeepers, kitchen staff, laundry staff, maintenance staff and ancillary staff.  It has been a great privilege for us to lead this whole team through 2022.
 
Indeed, we have greatly needed the support of our whole team during the 2020– 2022 years: and, that support has been given!  Because, without any doubt these years in aged care have had their own special issues, due to the challenges imposed by Covid-19.

 Of course, during 2020 – 2021, we had waited with great anticipation for the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.  We had initially been led to believe that once a person had the vaccine, then that person would not catch Covid-19.  During 2021 and earlier this year all staff and most residents at Cheltenham Manor enthusiastically submitted to vaccination.  Then we had our second vaccination, then our third and residents have also had their fourth.  Then the different variants to the virus began presenting themselves and we all began to realise that the pandemic would not be over for our aged care world in 2022.  This realisation has been difficult for management, staff and residents to have had to deal with.  We will have to carefully keep considering how to deal with it in 2023.  

 
Now you all recall that the first of the major variants swept into the Victorian community in December 2021 and January 2022.  It was during early
January that our first outbreak occurred when several residents came back from New Year’s functions at restaurants with the virus.  You all know that this would not be our only outbreaks.  Nevertheless, we are proud to report that all but two of the outbreaks have been confined to the one, two or three residents who returned to the Manor with the virus or who first became sick with the virus after catching it from visitors coming to the Manor.
 
In keeping the virus outbreaks to such tiny numbers, we want to thank all of the key nurses and administrators who formulated the infection control protocols.  Without those protocols, it is almost certain that we would have had many more serious outbreaks affecting the Manor and many more deaths.
 
In essence, the infection control protocols revolved around quarantine of residents returning to the Manor, the testing of all visitors and staff
coming to the Manor and the wearing of N95 face masks by all non-residents at the Manor.  We will be interested to hear from you at the upcoming end-of-year meetings as to what view you have of these protocols and whether they need to last into 2023.
 

Although Covid-19 has been a very important feature of 2022, it is not the only feature of the year.  We have been greatly encouraged by the fact that through each of the waves of the virus our basic services within the Manor were delivered.  Furthermore, your support and the support of our staff have kept a strongly positive spirit around the Manor while those services were delivered.

We have much to look forward to in 2023.  This is because we are hopeful that we have got through the worst of the pandemic and we are hopeful that life at the Manor will be able to return to more normal times.  Regardless, we will continue to maintain all the care and services that you require.
 
In 2023 we will also complete the upgrade to fire fighting hardware on the Bendigo Street side of the Manor.  Also, one half of the Bendigo Street side of the Manor has already been re-roofed.  In 2023, the other half of the roof will be re-roofed.  On the Wilson Street side of the Manor, we will be renovating the Wilson 1 courtyard in the early part of 2023.  We will endeavour to minimise any inconvenience to you as these upgrades are
completed.
 

Brett McMahon 
(Assistant Manager)