Bupa NZ COVID Updates

Auckland

21 September 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau  in Auckland for Alert Level 3 change

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has confirmed that Auckland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm tonight, 21^st September. The rest of the country (except for the Upper Hauraki area) will be staying at Alert Level 2.

The Government will review these Alert Levels in two weeks’ time, on Monday 4th October.

For our people iPreview release n Auckland, a move down Alert Levels will come as a welcome reprieve after almost five weeks in Level 4 lockdown. This is a significant step and acknowledges the risk of contracting COVID-19 has lessened. However, the public health risk has not been fully eliminated and, therefore, we still have significant restrictions on our day-to-day lives.

We wanted to remind you that at Alert Level 3 all of our Bupa Care Homes will remain closed to all external visitors, unless they provide essential services.

A reminder about what this means for you and your loved ones:

• We will continue to have exceptions for visits on compassionate grounds, so please do reach out to me to arrange your visit if this applies to you and your loved one.
• We will continue to offer the use of a laptop and/or smart phone so that families can stay connected at this time.
• We will continue to closely follow the Ministry of Health updates and revise our instructions as new information comes to hand.

Thank you, again, for your continued support through these challenging times.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

21 September 2021 - information sent to village residents in Auckland for Alert Level 3 change

Dear residents,

The Government has confirmed that Auckland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm tonight, 21^st September. The rest of the country (except for the Upper Hauraki area) will be staying at Alert Level 2.

The Government will review these Alert Levels in two weeks’ time, on Monday 4th October.

For our people in Auckland, a move down Alert Levels will come as a welcome reprieve after almost five weeks in Level 4 lockdown. This is a significant step and acknowledges the risk of contracting COVID-19 has lessened. However, the public health risk has not been fully eliminated and, therefore, we still have significant restrictions on our day-to-day lives.

At Alert Level 3, the rules that apply to the general public also apply to village residents. However, we ask that you apply extra caution wherever you can. Please follow the below guidance:

• The doors between the Care Home and Village will remain closed. We continue to ask that there is no movement between Villages and Care Homes.  We understand this can be challenging if you have a loved one or friend you wish to visit but this restriction is in place so that we keep our residents as safe as possible from the threat of potential infection.
• The community centre and communal areas will remain closed to everyone, including residents.
• There will be no resident activities at Alert Level 3. In some Villages, residents may wish to use the library. If you would like library books, please let me know and I can get them and leave at your door.

• Please be vigilant in following the Ministry of Health guidelines which includes staying home, when possible, and taking extra precautions when leaving home or touching surfaces. You can leave the Village to exercise, go shopping, and keep medical appointments, but if you are not well, please remain in the Village (unless leaving for medical reasons). If you do choose to leave the village, please take proper precautions and wear a mask.

• The new advice from the Government is that anyone over 65 years of age is to stay home until you're vaccinated, as Level 3 poses a higher level of risk. If you have not managed to have your vaccinations yet, and would like my support in getting them, please get in touch.
• Please continue to stay in your household bubble but as per the Government’s guidance, you may now expand your bubble to connect with one other household e.g. a family/whānau member(s). Please remember to keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and well. In relation to visitors:

• • Permitted visitors are required to stay in your home and observe hygiene protocols.

• • Permitted visitors should sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually.

• Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available to Village residents.

• Van outings remain suspended.

• The meal service to Village residents will continue to be available through contactless delivery. If you require assistance with shopping please let the Village Manager know. Milk deliveries will continue at Alert Level 3.

• Our partner, Securely, will answer any call bells and arrange ambulance services, if required. Please note that our Care Home employees won't be responding to call bells from village residents at Alert Level 3.

Thank you all for working with us through this time of Alert Level changes.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about the changes.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

Rest of New Zealand

21 September 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau  for Alert Level 2

Dear Care Home residents and whānau,

The Government has announced that all of New Zealand, except Auckland and the Upper Hauraki area, will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

However, the Level 2 rules are changing to allow a maximum of 100 people to gather, including at hospitality venues (up from 50 people).

The Government will review this Alert Level in two weeks’ time, on Monday 4th October.

For all of our Bupa Care Homes under Alert Level 2, we will continue to be open for visiting, with the same restrictions in place. As a reminder the key restrictions for our visitors are:

• Please do not visit if you feel at all unwell, if you have been at a location of interest, if you have been in contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, or if you are living with someone who is:
  ● a close contact, or
  ● isolating due to being at a location of interest, or
  ● is being tested for COVID-19 as directed by a GP or the Ministry of Health.

• We require all visitors to wear masks, enter through the main reception, sanitise your hands on arrival and complete contact tracing.

We continue to closely follow the Ministry of Health updates and will revise our guidelines as new information comes to hand.

Thank you so much for your patience, tolerance and support. Together we will get through this.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

21 September 2021 - information sent to village residents for Alert Level 2

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that all of New Zealand, except Auckland and the Upper Hauraki area, will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

However, the Level 2 rules will be changing to allow a maximum of 100 people to gather, including at hospitality venues (up from 50 people).

The Government will review this Alert Level in two weeks’ time, on Monday 4th October.

For all of our Bupa Retirement Villages under Alert Level 2, we will continue to be open for visiting. As a reminder, the key restrictions still in place are:

• We require all visitors to enter through the main reception, sanitise their hands on arrival and complete contact tracing.

• Please continue to observe personal hygiene and physical distancing of 1 metre where possible in the Community Centre and communal areas, with a maximum of 100 people in the space at one time.

• Visitors and residents can use communal spaces but must continue to wear masks while doing so.

• At Alert Level 2 all visitors to our Care Homes are required to wear masks. If you wish to visit someone within the Care Home, please either bring your own mask or we will provide one if needed.

The rules that apply to the general public also apply to village residents, but we ask that you continue to apply extra caution wherever you can. Alert Level 2 guidance can be found at covid19.govt.nz.

We continue to closely follow the Ministry of Health updates and will revise our guidance as new information comes to hand.

Thank you so much for your patience, tolerance and support. Together we will get through this.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,