Protecting Older Australians: COVID-19 update 9 October 2020

Published 13th October 2020

Federal Budget 2020-21

An additional $746.3 million was announced at the 2020-21 Federal Budget to support the aged care sector’s response to COVID-19. This includes extending the COVID-19 support payment as part of a $245 million package. Under this funding, trained infection control officers will be required, responding to the recommendation of the Aged Care Royal Commission COVID-19: a special report.

The 30 per cent increase in the viability supplement to assist providers in rural and remote areas and the residential care homeless supplement have also been extended for a further six months as part of this measure.

Read the government's full Budget fact sheet on the Aged Care COVID-19 pandemic response.

You can also view the broader collection of fact sheets on the 2020-21 Federal Budget measures for the aged care sector including measures that are not COVID related.

VACRC PPE donning and doffing posters

The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre has published new posters to assist aged care workers with correctly donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Aged care providers in Victoria are encouraged to print and display these posters, which show how to correctly put on and take off PPE when entering or leaving areas with confirmed cases (red zones), suspected cases (amber zones) or no cases (green zones).

Reminder: Translated resources available

A reminder to all aged care providers that a series of translated resources are available on the Department’s website.

We encourage you to access these resources, and where appropriate ensure that you share these translations with your workforce and aged care service users.

Aged care providers are reminded that translated versions of the Industry Code for Visiting Residential Aged Care Facilities are also available.

Source:
Unknown Author, 2020, Department of Health