Until at least 11.59pm on Monday 6 January residential aged care facilities in the Greater Sydney area (including Nepean, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong) will need to restrict visitors as directed by NSW Health.

Based on their location, the following Bupa homes will be limited to no more than two visitors each day per resident. All visitors must now wear a surgical mask while onsite.

• Ashbury
• Ashfield
• Bankstown
• Bateau Bay
• Baulkham Hills
• Bexley
• Clemton Park
• Dural
• Greenacre
• Maroubra
• Mosman
• North Rocks
• Queens Park
• Roseville
• Seaforth
• St Ives
• Sutherland
• Willoughby

UPDATE Monday 11 January 2021

The majority of our NSW care homes have now re-opened to visitors with some restrictions still in place to help protect the health and safety of our residents and employees.

Please check our COVID Safe Plan website for the latest visitor arrangements at each home, and contact the care home directly for any questions or to arrange a visit.

UPDATE Wednesday 30 December 2020

Until at least 11.59pm on Wednesday 6 January all residential aged care facilities in the Greater Sydney area (including Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong City Council) must exclude visitors.

Based on this directive and their location, the following Bupa homes will be closed to visitors other than essential workers or due to exceptional circumstances, including palliative care.

• Ashbury
• Ashfield
• Bankstown
• Bateau Bay
• Baulkham Hills
• Bexley
• Clemton Park
• Dural
• Greenacre
• Maroubra
• Mosman
• North Rocks
• Queens Park
• Roseville
• Seaforth
• St Ives
• Sutherland
• Willoughby

Until at least 11.59pm on Wednesday 6 January 2021 no visitors from Greater Sydney are permitted to visit residents in regional residential aged care facilities.

The following list of homes can continue to accept visitors from regional NSW only, providing they have not visited the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast areas in the past 14 days.

• Armidale
• Ballina
• Banora Point
• Berry
• Eden
• Griffith
• Kempsey
• Pottsville
• Tamworth
• Tumut
• Waratah

All permitted visitors must provide accurate information when making a booking and comply with all entry screening protocols. Visitors must sanitise their hands on entry, wear a mask throughout their visit, maintain a social distance of 1.5m at all times and comply with any directions from our registered nurses.

For those NSW homes listed outside of the Greater Sydney area, visits will be limited to two people from one household for up to an hour per day.

No Bupa Edithvale team members or residents have tested positive to COVID-19 for well over a month. There are currently no active cases within the care home.

The COVID-19 outbreak at Bupa Edithvale has been officially closed since Thursday 17 September.

UPDATE Thursday 24 September 4:00pm

After two months of tireless work and dedication from employees at Bupa Edithvale, the COVID-19 outbreak is now officially closed.

Lexie Dennis, General Manager Bupa Edithvale, reflected on how the home has come out the other side of the outbreak.

“This is like nothing we’ve ever seen before in aged care. You can’t underestimate the importance of being prepared when you face into something like this. We’ve been lucky to have the broader support of other departments and medical experts within Bupa, as well as the state and federal departments, and the Frankston and Rosebud hospitals. It’s really something you can’t manage alone,” Lexie said.

While the outbreak has been tough on residents and their loved ones, Lexie was impressed by the resilience and strength residents showed throughout the process.

“Our residents have been through so much in their lifetimes, that when it came to COVID-19, they really took it in their stride. It was obviously disruptive and they needed more support from staff than during regular times, but on the whole, they adapted really well.

“I have a great team who has been able to meet the needs of our residents and support them throughout. Other staff who came into our home to help during the outbreak all stepped up and took on our work ethic to make sure we kept the level of care high for our residents,” Lexie added.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the care home has had to find new ways to keep residents connected with their families and friends.

While it was unusual to residents at first, video calls are now a regular part of their days and something that Lexie thinks will stick around long after COVID restrictions are lifted.

“It’s not always easy for families who live far away to come in and visit their loved one, but now residents are used to seeing them on the screen, I think it will make it easier for them to stay in touch no matter where they live.

“We also set up a Facebook group earlier in the year where we share pictures and videos from the home for relatives to see. It’s been a great way to keep relatives updated quickly and show them all the fun activities we’ve still been able to run in the home during the lockdown,” Lexie said.

While the outbreak has been a mammoth challenge, Lexie believes the whole experience has brought the Bupa Edithvale community together more than ever before.

“We’ve all been through this same trauma and I think it’s brought us closer together. Our team is really focused on being there for our residents and each other. We’ve mourned for those we’ve lost, but there’s also a common feeling that we’ve made it through this together.

“We’ve also built a closer relationship with relatives and the broader Edithvale community. Their support has been amazing. We’ve received care packages that are dropped off with a note simply signed from ‘the Edithvale community’ to let us know they’re thinking of us.”

Now, as the home returns to a sense of normality, they turn their minds to acknowledging and respecting the events they have been through. Lexie hopes to commission a piece of art or sculpture from a local artist to commemorate the residents who have passed away and the effects the outbreak has had on the home.

“From the bottom of our hearts, I just want to thank everyone near and far who have supported us in any form along the way. We couldn’t have done this alone. To have family support, resident support and the support of the wider Bupa community has been the key to us getting through this,” Lexie added.

UPDATE Friday 4 September 3:00pm

Bupa Edithvale received welcome news from the Department of Health yesterday, advising that the care home has now been de-escalated to the ‘active surveillance’ stage.

This means residents can now move more freely around the home and take part in group recreational activities.

The team continues to monitor residents’ health closely and remains diligent in their use of personal protective equipment.

We thank our employees, residents and their loved ones for their unwavering support and patience throughout the outbreak.

UPDATE Friday 21 August 2:00pm

Since our last update, unfortunately a further five residents and four employees have tested positive to COVID-19.

We are in close contact with our residents’ loved ones to keep them updated on the situation, and we continue to work closely with health authorities.

While it continues to be an extremely challenging time at the care home, we are grateful to our team, residents and their relatives for their ongoing patience and support as we do everything possible to fight this virus.

UPDATE Wednesday 12 August 11:00am:

Our latest test results have shown that unfortunately ten more residents and two more employees from our Edithvale aged care home have tested positive to COVID-19.

We continue to work closely with health authorities from both the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments to manage the situation.

We again thank our dedicated employees, our residents and their families, and the Edithvale community for their support and understanding.

UPDATE Sunday 9 August 10:00am:

We have received the sad news that four more of our team have tested positive to COVID-19. They are isolated away from the care home in their family homes, and we are supporting them in their recovery.

We thank the relatives of our residents who have been supportive towards our efforts, and to both the Commonwealth Department of Health and the Victorian Public Health Unit who have been working constructively with us during this difficult time.

UPDATE August 7 6:00pm:

Following additional testing, we have received results that show a further five residents have tested positive to COVID-19. Two more of our team members have also tested positive to COVID-19.

Several residents are being cared for within the home’s own dedicated COVID-19 Care Unit, while other residents are being treated in hospital. Affected staff have entered self-isolation and we are keeping in close contact with them to ensure they’re properly supported.

We have now set up five separate zones within the home that are completely isolated from each other. Staff assigned to each of these zones include a registered nurse, personal carers and a cleaner.

The Commonwealth Department of Health and the Victorian DHHS are supportive of our measures.

We thank our staff for their dedicated efforts, and our residents, their families, and the Edithvale community for their messages of support during this most difficult period.

UPDATE Friday 7 August 3:30pm:

In addition to our daily communications with relatives, Suzanne Dvorak, Managing Director Bupa Aged Care Australia, held a teleconference with the relatives of Bupa Edithvale residents earlier this week and followed up with a letter today. Read her letter below:

Dear Relatives and Friends,

It has been a difficult few weeks for those that call Bupa Edithvale home. I acknowledge how tough it has been for our residents, for our team and for you, the relatives and friends who support our residents and team every day.

Notwithstanding our best efforts, the dreaded coronavirus has inserted itself in our care home. We have been working closely with both the Commonwealth and the Victorian government health departments, as we are in this battle together to eliminate this virus from our home and minimise its impact as best we can.

Despite these efforts, we have sadly lost three of our much-loved residents since the coronavirus entered our home. These residents were transferred to hospital prior to their passing, and they were COVID-19 positive. While we believe their pre-existing or unrelated conditions most likely contributed to their passing, we don’t look past the sadness of their passing at this time.

Our thoughts go out to all of their families during this very difficult time. We have contacted their loved ones to send our condolences and will stay in contact with them to provide any assistance they may need.

As many of you would know, following the communications that we have sent and the teleconference that we held on Monday 3 August, the situation is currently quite serious in our home. We are doing everything we can to protect your loved ones and ensure that they are safe. You have my personal guarantee that we will not stop working to protect your loved ones and our team. This is a battle that we are determined to win.

I thank you for trusting us to care for your loved ones. We take this responsibility very seriously.

Kind Regards,

Suzanne Dvorak
Managing Director
Bupa Aged Care

UPDATE Thursday 6 August 10:00am:

We are sad to confirm that following the receipt of the latest results, unfortunately a further five residents and four staff members at Bupa Edithvale have tested positive to COVID-19.

Affected residents are being cared for either in hospital or in the home’s dedicated COVID Care Unit, away from other residents. The conditions of all residents in the home are being closely monitored by care staff.

Residents who are currently COVID-19 negative were tested again yesterday, and there will be more testing in the home today for staff.

Employees who test positive immediately enter self-isolation and we are in regular contact with all impacted employees to offer our support. Employees who receive positive test results will not return to the home for at least two weeks.

Communities within the home have been physically separated from one another as part of our Outbreak Management Plan and residents are undergoing clinical observations twice daily.

Staff members are wearing PPE at all times during their shifts, as they have been for several weeks, including gowns when administering close care to residents. All staff are temperature screened on arrival at the home, and deep cleaning of all hard surfaces has been arranged, along with increased frequency of cleaning shifts.

The team members at Bupa Edithvale have been working tirelessly to care for their residents under extremely difficult circumstances. We are proud of the way they have embraced the challenge and the care and dedication they show to our residents and to each other.

While all our Victorian care homes have been temporarily closed to visitors since Wednesday 8 July, Bupa is ensuring residents can continue to communicate with their loved ones through virtual means.

We’re in regular contact with relatives of our residents to keep them informed and we thank them for their ongoing support and good wishes.

UPDATE Monday 3 August 10.00am:

Since our most recent update, we have received further test results and unfortunately a further ten residents and three employees from our Edithvale home have tested positive.

Most of these residents have been taken to hospital, with some remaining in the home in our dedicated COVID-19 Care Unit, well separated from all other residents.

We are in continual contact with our residents’ families and their GPs to ensure they are involved in any decisions about their care.

Any employees who test positive immediately enter self-isolation and will not return to the home for at least two weeks, and once a series of negative test results have been received. We remain in close contact with these team members to ensure they’re properly supported.

We are still waiting on some test results and will update our relatives accordingly.

We thank our dedicated employees, our residents and their families, and the Edithvale community for their support and understanding.

UPDATE Monday 27 July, 12pm:

We have now received all the second round COVID-19 test results at Bupa Edithvale and can confirm that unfortunately a further six residents and three employees have tested positive.

We are in contact with the residents’ families and their GPs to ensure they are involved in any decisions about their care. As a result of these discussions, all COVID-19 positive residents are being transferred to hospital.

Two of the employees who tested positive have been self-isolating since Monday 20 July and we are in contact with all impacted employees to offer our support. Employees who receive positive test results will not return to the home for at least two weeks.

People can often test negative to COVID-19 in the very early stages of infection, which is why this second round of testing has been so important to pick up these additional cases. We expect a third round of testing will be organised shortly, as per the Public Health Unit’s process.

UPDATE Wednesday 22 July, 11am

We have now received test results for all Edithvale residents. Unfortunately, a further two residents have tested positive to COVID-19.

The two residents remain in our care at the home. We are in close contact with their families and GP to ensure they are receiving the right level of care.

The resident who tested positive on Monday remains in hospital.

We have received the majority of employee test results, and so far, they are all negative.

A second round of testing for residents and employees will occur later this week.

We’re in regular contact with all relatives of the home and we thank them for their ongoing support and well wishes.

Watch this video to learn more on Bupa’s COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan.

UPDATE Tuesday 21 July, 1:00pm

We are saddened to update that a resident at Bupa Edithvale has tested positive to COVID-19.

They began to display symptoms on Sunday morning and were transferred to hospital where they were tested and received their positive result the next day.

We are offering our support to the resident and their close friends within our care at Bupa Edithvale.

We have now received most resident and employee test results and are pleased that all others received so far are negative. We are still waiting on some test results for residents and employees. We continue to monitor the health of our residents closely.

The two team members who previously tested positive continue to self-isolate, and will not return to work for at least three weeks from the date of their positive tests, and on further advice from the public health unit.

This is an extremely difficult situation for the resident, their family and friends. We appreciate everyone respecting their privacy during this time.

UPDATE Sunday 19 July

Three team members at Bupa Edithvale and Sunshine care homes record positive COVID-19 tests

One contractor and one employee at Bupa’s Edithvale (VIC) aged care home, and one employee at Bupa Sunshine (VIC) care home have recorded positive COVID-19 tests.

• The Edithvale contractor’s last shift was on Thursday 16 July. They were not showing symptoms at the beginning of their shift, but developed a temperature and left early to get tested. It is not known where they contracted the virus from.

• The Edithvale employee had not worked at the care home for over a week when they received their positive test on Saturday 18 July. They were tested as a close contact of a positive case not connected to our care home, and have not displayed any symptoms. At this stage, we do not believe these two cases in Edithvale are connected.

• The Sunshine employee last worked at the home on Sunday 12 July and they did not have any symptoms at the time. Other members of their household were informed on Tuesday 14 July that they’d tested positive, and the Bupa staff member was notified of their positive result late on Wednesday 15 July.

Bupa continues to maintain contact with the three team members to offer support. All are now in self-isolation.

Bupa’s Outbreak Management Plan:

Bupa immediately activated its COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan at both homes and is working closely with the Department of Health & Human Services to minimise the risk of other potential infections in the homes.

All residents at Bupa Sunshine have returned negative tests. We are awaiting some staff test results.

All staff and residents at Edithvale will undergo COVID-19 testing today, Sunday 19 July.

We continue to closely monitor the health of all residents and staff at both homes.

Communities within each home have been physically isolated from one another as per our Outbreak Management Plan and residents are undergoing clinical observations twice daily.

Staff are wearing PPE at all times during their shifts, as they have been for several weeks, including gowns when administering close care to residents. All staff are temperature screened on arrival at the home, and deep cleaning of all hard surfaces has been arranged, along with increased frequency of cleaning shifts.

Staying in touch with residents’ loved ones

We are in regular contact with the relatives of both homes to keep them informed and to offer support.

While all our Victorian care homes have been temporarily closed to visitors since Wednesday 8 July, Bupa will ensure residents can continue to communicate with their loved ones through virtual means.

We thank our employees, residents and their families community for their support and understanding during this challenging time.

For more information on Bupa Sunshine, click here.

For more information on COVID-19 and Bupa Aged Care, click here.

The COVID-19 outbreak at Bupa Traralgon is officially closed. Over the weekend the Public Health Unit confirmed the news following several rounds of negative testing and an ‘active surveillance’ period.

Bupa is proud of the way our Traralgon team handled the outbreak and the constant care and support they showed for our residents, and for each other.

We thank our residents and their loved ones for their patience and support over this challenging period.

UPDATE Wednesday 16 September 4pm

We are pleased to say Bupa Traralgon has had its status de-escalated by the local health authorities and the home is now in ‘active surveillance’.

The Traralgon team continues to closely monitor the health of all residents and remains diligent in their use of PPE and overall infection control measures.

We are grateful to our residents and their families for their support and patience during this time. We also thank our team for all of their amazing work and care.

UPDATE Monday 31 August 12pm

Over the weekend we advised our employees, residents and their relatives that one further team member has tested positive to COVID-19. We are in contact to offer our support while they isolate at home.

All residents have returned negative test results, but we continue to monitor their health closely and do everything possible to help minimise the spread of infection.

All residents and employees will now undergo further rounds of testing as directed by the Public Health Unit. Our team continue to provide dedicated care for our residents and we thank them and their families for their support.

UPDATE Friday 28 August 1pm

We are pleased that Bupa Traralgon has not recorded any positive cases in the care home since the last update.

Residents and employees were tested on Tuesday this week and we are awaiting a very small number of results, but so far all are negative.

UPDATE Tuesday 18 August 10am

Yesterday we shared the news with our residents and their relatives that one further resident of Bupa Traralgon has tested positive to COVID-19.

This resident is being cared for in the home’s dedicated COVID Care Unit.

Encouragingly, all other test results received yesterday were negative.

We again thank our dedicated staff for their hard work and dedication, our residents and their relatives for their kind words and offers of support.

UPDATE Friday 14 August 12pm

Yesterday we shared the upsetting news with our employees, residents and their relatives that sadly one of our Bupa Traralgon residents, who was COVID-19 positive, passed away. While we believe pre-existing conditions most likely contributed to their passing, this does not lessen our sadness at this time.

The resident’s family has given Bupa consent to share this news, but has asked for privacy, and we thank everyone for respecting those wishes. The thoughts and deepest sympathies of all of us at Bupa are with them at this time.

Earlier in the week, we let relatives know that another employee at Bupa Traralgon, who has been self-isolating at home since Monday 3 August, tested positive to COVID-19. The employee was isolating as they were identified as a close contact of an employee who had previously tested positive. They have not been in the care home for more than ten days. We are in contact with them to offer support during their recovery.

All residents and employees were tested again yesterday, and their relatives will be kept across the results as soon as they’re available.

UPDATE Wednesday 12 August 11am

Yesterday, we advised our residents and their relatives that sadly one more resident has tested positive to COVID-19 at Bupa Traralgon.

We are in contact with the resident’s family to discuss their care and offer our support. They are currently being cared for in the homes COVID-19 Care Unit which has been established as part of our Outbreak Management Plan to help separate COVID-positive residents from other residents in the home.

All other residents returned negative test results, but we continue to monitor their health closely.

We are still waiting on a number of employee results from Monday’s testing, but so far all received have been negative.

This news is extremely sad for all connected to our care home and we thank everyone for their support, patience and well wishes. Our team continues to work tirelessly and I’m proud of the way they continue to care for our residents and each other.

UPDATE Monday 10 August 3pm

We have now received all results from the most recent testing, and unfortunately one further team member has tested positive. We are in contact to offer our support while they isolate at home.

Yesterday’s planned testing for all residents and employees was postponed by the Public Health Unit and will instead take place today, Monday 10 August.

We will keep our employees, residents and their loved ones informed once we have results this week.

Our team continues to do everything possible to help minimise the spread of infection and support our residents during this challenging time.

UPDATE Sunday 9 August 10am

Unfortunately, this weekend we have had another three Bupa Traralgon employees test positive to COVID-19. We are in contact with them and are offering our support with their recovery while they isolate at home.

All residents and employees will now undergo another round of testing today.

Given how challenging this uncertainty can be on our residents and their relatives, we are also offering for relatives to care for their loved ones, who have tested negative to COVID-19, at the family home during this time if they would prefer. Of course, we will happily welcome them back once the outbreak is over.

While some families may choose this option, for those who remain in our care, we continue to do everything possible to eliminate this virus and minimise its impact as best we can. We will not stop working to protect our residents and employees.

UPDATE Saturday 8 August 10am

We have now received all resident test results from Thursday’s testing and unfortunately one further resident has tested positive.

We are in contact with the resident’s family, and have updated all our residents and their relatives.

All other resident results were negative, and all employee results received so far have also been negative. We are still waiting on some employee test results.

The resident is being treated in the home’s COVID-19 Care Unit, along with two other residents who had previously tested positive. This area is separate from other residents in the care home, and is staffed by dedicated members of the Bupa Traralgon team.

This is an extremely difficult time for all connected to the care home, and we thank the relatives for their kind words and offers of support throughout the past couple of weeks.

UPDATE Thursday 6 August

Following COVID-19 testing at Bupa Traralgon over the weekend, we have been in touch with our residents, their relatives and our employees to let them know that a further two team members have now tested positive.

Another team member, who has been self-isolating and hasn’t been in the care home for almost two weeks, also returned a positive test during this time.

We have been in contact with each of them to offer our support while they isolate at home. They will not return to the care home for at least two weeks from the date of their positive test, and on advice from the Public Health Unit.

While this news is difficult for all involved in the care home, our team is maintaining our strong focus on infection control including regular deep cleaning, separating of communities and the use of full personal protective equipment. We continue to monitor the health of all our residents closely.

All residents and employees will undergo further testing today, and we will be in touch with residents and their loved ones as soon as their results are available.

Again, we thank our residents, their relatives and our Bupa Traralgon team for their patience and support during this challenging time.

UPDATE Tuesday 4 August

Bupa can confirm that following the most recent round of testing, residents at its Traralgon aged care home have returned two further results positive to COVID-19.

The residents are currently being cared for in the home’s COVID-19 Care Unit, away from other residents. We are in contact with their family and GP to ensure they are receiving the right care.

We’ve also let all residents, their loved ones and our employees know of the test results.

The team at Bupa Traralgon has been working tirelessly to care for residents under extremely difficult circumstances. We are proud of the way they have stepped up to the challenge and the dedication they continue to show to caring for our residents and each other.

We also thank our residents’ loved ones who continue to offer their patience, support and words of kindness to our team.

UPDATE Monday 3 August

We have now received the resident and employee results from the second round of COVID-19 testing at Bupa Traralgon and unfortunately one additional resident has tested positive. All other results were negative.

The resident is currently being cared for in the home’s COVID-19 Care Unit, away from other residents. We are in contact with their family and GP to ensure they are receiving the right care.

We’ve also let all residents, their loved ones and our employees know of the test results.

All residents and employees underwent a third round of testing yesterday, Sunday 2 August. We expect to have these results in the next couple of days.

The team at Bupa Traralgon has been working tirelessly to care for residents under extremely difficult circumstances. We are proud of the way they have stepped up to the challenge and the dedication they continue to show to caring for our residents and each other.

We also thank our residents’ loved ones who continue to offer their patience, support and words of kindness to our team.

UPDATE Tuesday 28 July 

We have now received all employee and resident test results and are pleased to confirm there have been no further positive results recorded.

All residents and employees will undergo another round of testing on Thursday this week.

We continue to monitor the health of all our residents closely while we wait for the next round of testing.

UPDATE Monday 27 July 11am

Following testing of all residents and employees at Bupa Traralgon, we have been in touch with relatives of the home to confirm that one resident and one employee have tested positive to COVID-19.

We have now received the majority of results and all others received so far have been negative.

The resident has been transferred to hospital following discussions with their relatives and GP who we are in close contact with. We are also supporting the employee while they self-isolate.

We are continuing to maintain strict infection control procedures within the home including increased cleaning and wearing full personal protective equipment.

All residents and employees will undergo a second round of testing later this week.

This is an extremely difficult time for all involved with our care home and we thank them for their ongoing patience and support.

UPDATE Wednesday 22 July

COVID-19 testing to occur at Bupa Traralgon

A health professional who last visited the Bupa Traralgon aged care home on Thursday 16 July has tested positive to COVID-19.

They did not have any symptoms at the time.

As a precaution, all residents and employees will be tested for COVID-19 in the coming days.

We have activated our Outbreak Management Plan and are working closely with the Public Health Unit and Commonwealth Department of Health to take necessary steps to protect their health and safety.

This includes deep cleaning of the home, employees continuing to wear personal protective equipment, as they have been for several weeks and separating communities within the home.

We have updated relatives of the home and we thank them for their support and patience during this unsettling time.

Watch this video to learn more on Bupa’s COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan.

Bupa is pleased to share that the COVID-19 outbreak at our Templestowe home is now closed.

This has been confirmed by the Department of Health following several rounds of negative testing and a two-week period of active surveillance.

This is great news for our home and a credit to the hard work of the team as well as the continued understanding and support from our residents and their loved ones.

We sincerely thank everyone connected to the home for their patience and support throughout this time.

UPDATE Monday 24 August 5pm

The Victorian Public Health Unit has now de-escalated Bupa Templestowe’s status to ‘active surveillance’ as it has now been two weeks since the last positive case was recorded in the home.

The team continues to closely monitor the health of all residents and remains diligent in their use of PPE and infection control.

We are grateful to our residents and their loved ones for their support and patience over the past month, and we are thankful to our team for their hard work and focus on protecting our residents.

UPDATE Tuesday 11 August 11am

Following a second round of testing at Bupa Templestowe over the weekend, one more employee has unfortunately tested positive to COVID-19.

We are in contact with the employee, who is asymptomatic and is awaiting the results of a follow-up test, to offer our support.

We are pleased that all residents and all other employees returned negative results.

A further two team members, who have been isolating since Wednesday 29 July due to their close contact with the initial employee who tested positive, have also returned positive results during this time. We are also supporting these employees.

All residents participated in another round of testing yesterday, Monday 10 August, and employees will be re-tested today. We are closely monitoring the health of all residents and maintaining our strict infection control processes.

While this is an uncertain time for Bupa Templestowe, we are proud of our team’s work so far to protect the health of our residents, and we are grateful to our residents and their relatives for their ongoing support.

UPDATE Monday 3 August 3pm

Following the positive COVID-19 test result of an employee at Bupa Templestowe late last Tuesday (28 July), we are saddened to update that three residents and an additional employee have also tested positive.

We are in close contact with the residents’ family members and their GPs, and are offering support to all residents in our care. We are also in contact with the two employees.

All other residents have returned negative test results, as have the majority of employees. We are still waiting on some employee test results, and will update employees, residents and their loved ones as soon as we have these.

The home has activated its Outbreak Management Plan and is working closely with the Public Health Unit and the Commonwealth Department of Health to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect the health of residents and employees.

This includes regular deep cleaning, the use of personal protective equipment at all times and twice daily clinical observations for all residents.

We continue to keep our residents’ relatives informed and we thank them for their ongoing support and patience during this challenging time.

For more information on COVID-19 and Bupa Aged Care, click here.

Bupa Sunshine remains closed to visitors while Melbourne is in Stage 4 restrictions, but residents aren’t letting that get their spirits down.

Mary Parkinson, pictured, has been keeping in touch with her daughter Aileen via video calls.

“Well there’s nothing much we can do about the lockdown really, we don’t get to see our family much but keeping in touch via the telephone or iPad is a great way to see their faces.

“I’m Looking forward to getting home after lockdown to see my cat Annie and daughter’s dog, Sadie and give my great granddaughter Remy a great big hug,” said Mary.

UPDATE Friday 21 August 11:00am:

We are pleased to update that the COVID-19 outbreak at Bupa Sunshine has now been closed.

Bupa Sunshine received the advice from the Department of Health on Thursday 20 August, following negative testing and a period of active surveillance.

While this is great news for our care home, and a credit to the hard work of the team, we remain vigilant in our infection control processes.

We thank everyone connected to the home for their patience and support throughout the past month.

UPDATE Thursday 6 August 4:00pm:

Bupa is pleased to advise, after a third round of COVID-19 testing at our Sunshine (VIC) aged care home, all residents’ and staff results have been received, with all results determined as negative.

The Victorian Public Health Unit has now confirmed that the home will be de-escalated to an ‘active surveillance stage’. 

Our residents at Bupa’s aged care home in Sunshine are in good spirits and are now permitted to move freely around the home, while still maintaining social distancing rules.

Our care staff will continue to follow the home’s outbreak management plan, and to closely monitor the health and safety of all our residents and team members. This means remaining vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms and continuing to undertake and record daily clinical observations.

While receiving the negative test results is a pleasing outcome and a testament to the strict infection control protocols our staff have maintained, we will continue to do whatever is necessary to keep our residents safe. This means maintaining the highest levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) procedures, cleaning and infection control. The home is resourced to be able to do this.

Bupa Sunshine wishes to thank its dedicated staff for their courage and dedication, and its residents, their families, and the Sunshine community for the support and goodwill extended in the past weeks.

UPDATE Thursday 30 July 1pm:

We are pleased to advise that following a second round of COVID-19 testing at Bupa Sunshine, all residents have again received negative results.

We are expecting a third round of testing to take place in the coming days and will let those connected to the home know as soon as we have a date confirmed by the Public Health Unit.

UPDATE Monday 27 July, 12pm:

We are still waiting on results from second round testing and will be in touch with relatives with loved ones in the home as soon as we have more information.

UPDATE Wednesday 22 July, 11am

To date, all test results we have received have been negative. A second round of testing will occur later this week.

Watch this video to learn more on Bupa’s COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan.

UPDATE Tuesday 21 July, 1:00pm 

We have been in contact with relatives of Bupa Sunshine to let them know that all residents have returned negative tests.

We are awaiting some staff test results, however all those received so far have also been negative. We will update again when we have more information.

The Bupa Sunshine employee who previously tested positive continues to self-isolate, and will not return to work for at least three weeks from the date of their positive test, and on further advice from the public health unit. 

UPDATE Sunday 19 July

Three team members at Bupa Edithvale and Sunshine care homes record positive COVID-19 tests 

One contractor and one employee at Bupa’s Edithvale (VIC) aged care home, and one employee at Bupa Sunshine (VIC) care home have recorded positive COVID-19 tests.

• The Edithvale contractor’s last shift was on Thursday 16 July. They were not showing symptoms at the beginning of their shift, but developed a temperature and left early to get tested. It is not known where they contracted the virus from.

• The Edithvale employee had not worked at the care home for over a week when they received their positive test on Saturday 18 July. They were tested as a close contact of a positive case not connected to our care home, and have not displayed any symptoms. At this stage, we do not believe these two cases in Edithvale are connected.

• The Sunshine employee last worked at the home on Sunday 12 July and they did not have any symptoms at the time. Other members of their household were informed on Tuesday 14 July that they’d tested positive, and the Bupa staff member was notified of their positive result late on Wednesday 15 July.

Bupa continues to maintain contact with the three team members to offer support. All are now in self-isolation.

Bupa’s Outbreak Management Plan:

Bupa immediately activated its COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan at both homes and is working closely with the Department of Health & Human Services to minimise the risk of other potential infections in the homes.

All residents at Bupa Sunshine have returned negative tests. We are awaiting some staff test results. 

All staff and residents at Edithvale will undergo COVID-19 testing today, Sunday 19 July.

We continue to closely monitor the health of all residents and staff at both homes.

Communities within each home have been physically isolated from one another as per our Outbreak Management Plan and residents are undergoing clinical observations twice daily.

Staff are wearing PPE at all times during their shifts, as they have been for several weeks, including gowns when administering close care to residents. All staff are temperature screened on arrival at the home, and deep cleaning of all hard surfaces has been arranged, along with increased frequency of cleaning shifts.

Staying in touch with residents’ loved ones

We are in regular contact with the relatives of both homes to keep them informed and to offer support.

While all our Victorian care homes have been temporarily closed to visitors since Wednesday 8 July, Bupa will ensure residents can continue to communicate with their loved ones through virtual means.

We thank our employees, residents and their families community for their support and understanding during this challenging time.

For more information on Bupa Edithvale, click here.

For more information on COVID-19 and Bupa Aged Care, click here.

COVID-19 outbreaks at our care homes in Woodend, Thomastown and Greensborough have been officially closed this week. Bupa Sunshine’s outbreak was also closed on Thursday 20 August.

In each case, our care home teams were able to ensure the virus didn’t spread within the home beyond the initial infection. We are pleased that no residents tested positive at any of these homes.

Our homes are now back to operating as usual, under Melbourne’s stage 4 lockdown restrictions, and we remain vigilant in our infection control processes.

We thank our employees, residents and their loved ones at each of their homes for their ongoing support.

UPDATE Friday 14 August 2020

This week, the Victorian Public Health Unit has confirmed that Bupa Woodend and Bupa Greensborough have both been de-escalated to an ‘active surveillance stage’.

Woodend and Greensborough join Bupa Sunshine and Bupa Thomastown in active surveillance, with no further positive COVID-19 cases since the initial team members tested positive.

Our teams at each home will maintain their strong focus on infection control including daily clinical observations for residents.

This is great news for these four care homes and we are extremely proud of the work of our teams in each home. We are also grateful to our residents and their relatives for their ongoing patience and support through this time.

UPDATE Monday 10 August

We are pleased that over the weekend, the Victorian Public Health Unit confirmed that Bupa Thomastown will be de-escalated to an ‘active surveillance stage’. The home has not had any further positive COVID-19 cases since the initial team member tested positive.

Our team continue to follow the Outbreak Management Plan and closely monitor the health of all residents, remaining vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms and continuing to undertake daily clinical observations.

We are proud of the work our team has done in the home to maintain strict infection control protocols while keeping residents’ spirits up during the past few weeks, and we thank our residents and their relatives for their support.

Bupa Woodend and Bupa Greensborough have also had no further positive COVID-19 results since the initial cases.

UPDATE Friday 7 August

A team member from Bupa Greensborough, one from Bupa Thomastown and three from Bupa Woodend have recently returned positive COVID-19 test results. As per Bupa’s agreed COVID-19 protocols, each home implemented its Outbreak Management Plan and tested all staff and residents. To date, no residents from these homes have tested positive to COVID-19.

In these homes, Bupa team members are wearing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), are observing strict hygiene measures and are being watched for any symptoms. Testing of all staff and residents will continue until the Public Health Unit determines that this is no longer required.

Any Bupa aged care employee who tests positive to COVID-19 immediately enters self-isolation and will not return to the workplace for at least two weeks, and after a series of negative test results have been received.

Media Reference Number: 20/091

Protecting the health of our residents is our biggest responsibility. We do not take this lightly.

We are committed to keeping our residents and their loved ones informed throughout this unfolding situation.

Suzanne Dvorak, the Managing Director of Bupa Aged Care Australia, shared this video with relatives of our care home residents recently to update on how we’re supporting our homes.

For more information on Bupa’s COVID-19 Outbreak Management Plan, watch this video.