Our response to COVID-19

The Forrest Centre is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. Our primary concern is the wellbeing and safety of our residents, community consumers, family members and staff.

As an established aged care provider, we are well versed in infection control and management and have reviewed all policies and procedures to best cope with the COVID-19 challenge. We are taking the advice of both federal and state health departments and industry peak bodies to take appropriate precautionary measures, including visitor restrictions at our residential facilities.

We thank you for your cooperation in helping us protect all those in our care.

Click this link for the latest visitors information from NSW Health.

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/racf-latest-advice.aspx

We maintain our adherence to NSW Health advice. Please be assured we will continue to provide our high level of care in a compassionate, cheerful and professional manner to our nursing home residents and in-home community care clients. If you have any questions about your loved one, or opportunities to visit, please call our team at Loreto Home of Compassion on 02 6971 5715, Mary Potter Nursing Home and The Forrest Centre Hospice on 02 6932 3011 and Forrest Community Services on 02 6932 3009.


Advice on COVID-19 and visiting residential aged care facilities can change quickly.

Please stay up to date with NSW Health’s latest advice.

Until further notice all residential aged care facilities must:

  • must consider advice of the Chief Health Officer when deciding on the persons allowed to enter or remain on premises

  • ensure that legible records are kept of visitor and staff entry into the facility for contact tracing purposes

  • should ensure that residents are provided with appropriate PPE and infection control advice if they need to leave the facility.

All visitors must sign in while in a residential aged care facility and record contact details when entering.

Friends and family wishing to take Residents out of the facility must advise staff to ensure appropriate infection control precautions can be maintained upon the Resident’s return.

Our wonderful staff will be making sure our residents understand these restrictions and ensure they are well cared for.

We will keep you updated with any further developments and ask that you pass this information on to family and friends who may have wished to visit our facilities.

Thank you for your ongoing support at this challenging time.

How are our The Forrest Centre services affected?

  • Loreto Home of Compassion and Mary Potter Nursing Home continue to provide expert care to our residents. Visitor restrictions apply until further notice.

    Our beloved residents are being supported to understand the need for visitor restrictions.  While external contact may be limited, we are actively reviewing our activities programs and pastoral care services to ensure social and emotional support is available to all.

    Day-to-day resident social networking will continue unchanged and staff are on hand to help residents with phone and video calls to loved ones.

    Our staff adhere to strict hygiene requirements and social distancing where practical.

  • The Forrest Centre Hospice continues to provide expert care to our hospice residents. Special visitor provisions are in place for families of those receiving palliative end-of-life care.

    Our staff adhere to strict hygiene requirements and social distancing where practical.

  • Forrest Community Services continues to provide expert care to our consumers at home. Our staff adhere to strict hygiene requirements and social distancing where practical. If you have any questions please call us during office hours on 02 6932 3009.

What are the current visitor restrictions?

The health and safety of our residents and the people who care for them is paramount. As such, visitor access is restricted until further notice.

Visitors will be allowed to enter our residential care facilities while restrictions are in place adhering to the following guidelines.

Please note that you will not be allowed entry if:

  • You have a temperature higher than 37.5℃ or symptoms of acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath) .

  • You live in a household with a person who is currently self-isolating.

  • You are a close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19 and are within their self-isolation period.


    The following precautions will apply to all approved visits:

  • Visitors will be required to complete a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) prior to entering the facility.

  • Please phone us to make an appointment for your visit. This helps us to manage the number of visitors in the facilities at any one time, and we can be ready for you to conduct a RAT test, without further delays. Call us at Loreto Home of Compassion on 02 6971 5715, Mary Potter Nursing Home and The Forrest Centre Hospice on 02 6932 3011.

  • children of all ages are permitted to visit - all visitors, including children, must adhere to restrictions on visitor numbers, social distancing, personal hygiene and vaccinations.

  • Visits can only occur in a resident’s room, outdoors or in a specific designated area, and not in communal areas where the risk of transmission to residents is greater. Visitors will not venture to other areas of the facility.

  • Visitors are required to use social distancing practices where possible, including remaining 1.5 metres from others

  • Visitors will be required to complete a wellness declaration and have their temperature checked prior to entering the facility.

These restrictions are in place to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents and staff and have been effective in ensuring the ongoing care of residents and operation of our nursing homes.

What are we doing to minimise the impact of social isolation?

To safeguard our older Australians, we are complying with restrictions and urge all people to be mindful of social distancing when it comes to elderly relatives and friends.

But we also want to remind people that social isolation is particularly challenging for older people. That’s why we have been implementing some extra services to support our residents and community consumers:

  • Our activities staff are offering safe and engaging social distance-friendly activities to meet the needs of our residents.

  • We have increased our program of activities for residents with some new additions including movie days, extra bingo sessions etc.

  • Our therapy staff are focused on additional exercise programs to boost physical and mental wellbeing of residents

  • Our pastoral care team has committed to being more on-hand than ever to meet the personal and spiritual needs of our residents

  • We are supporting our residents to keep in touch with friends and family via phone or video calls.

  • Our Forrest Community Services team are making additional welfare calls to consumers to ensure they have all they need at home. 

For more information

The National Coronavirus Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can provide information and advice about COVID-19: 1800 020 080. If you require interpreting services, call 131 450.

For the latest news at The Forrest Centre, visit our news page.

Email address for resident contact: activities@forrestcentre.com.au.