As a home or workplace to many First Nation residents and team members, who also helped design the new uniforms, which celebrate the Gimuy-walubarra yidi people by featuring symbols and flags of the local tribe, as well as the Aboriginal and Australian flags.

Bupa Villages and Aged Care Managing Director Andrew Kinkade said: “We want our homes to be a reflection of their local communities and with a strong First Nations community in Cairns, we want our residents and team members to be able to celebrate their culture."

“We are also incredibly proud to see our Cairns based homes bringing our First Nations employment plan to action through our new partnership with members of the Mornington Island community. As part of this partnership, members of the community will come to Cairns for paid work experience in our homes.”

The aim of this program to give community members exposure to a career in caring, where they can eventually undertake a formal traineeship in our homes or take the experience they’ve gained back to their local community.”

The recruitment, retention and advancement of First Nations people is a key focus for the Cairns homes and is part of the strategy in Bupa’s third Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for 2023 - 2026 which was launched earlier this year.

The “Stretch RAP”, developed in consultation with Bupa’s RAP Working Group, First Nations Employee Network and external First Nations consultancy 15 Times Better focuses on improved health equity, Indigenous employment and procurement along with cultural awareness and education.

“The development of our latest Reconciliation Action Plan has been an important one for us, empowering our people to grow our understanding and awareness of First Nations cultures and reflect on the true histories and challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families, and communities,” Mr Kinkade said.

 However, many of those working in the aged care sector are not eligible for this wage increase, including the chefs, cooks, lifestyle coordinators, and other admin and support staff that are providing critical care and support to people in our homes. We call on the Commission to include all aged care workers – not only carers and nurses – in their final decision.

As the Government has recognised, addressing the significant workforce shortage today and making a career in aged care attractive for the next generation requires a broad suite of reforms and Bupa would welcome the opportunity to contribute. 

Aged care is about people – the residents and the teams that care for them – and having the best people working in the aged care sector and appropriately compensating them for their work. 

Yet, it has never been harder to find and retain people in the aged care sector. Especially as a registered nurse can earn more working at a local hospital and a carer can earn more under NDIS doing the same work, or in industries such as retail, hospitality, or general business support roles, that are less physically and emotionally demanding.

An increase in aged care wages will support efforts to improve recruitment and retention of aged care employees both now and in the long-term, helping deliver higher standards of care for older Australians.

We commend the Australian Government for demonstrating its commitment to addressing this workforce challenge and committing to fund the cost of increased wages.

Kia ora residents, families and whānau, 

Hope you are doing well as winter approaches. 

I wanted to update you on the COVID-19 situation at Bupa, and the protocols we have in place to keep everyone safe.  

Like many of you, we are adjusting to the new normal of, managing our lives around COVID-19 or living with COVID-19. 

Throughout this pandemic we have strived to reach a balance between best practice infection prevention and control protocols, Ministry of Health and DHB requirements, and the wellbeing of our residents and people.  We feel now is the right time to revisit our approach and modify it to reflect our new reality.  

In doing so, we’ve had the benefit of being able to work with our colleagues in Australia, who are about 3-4 months ahead of us in the COVID-19 cycle and see what from their approach might benefit us.  

As we move into this new phase, our strict infection prevention and control protocols continue, but there is a greater self-responsibility around COVID-19 risk management and as such we will be adjusting our protocols in care homes and villages.   

From 2 June, visitors will no longer be required to RAT test.   

We have undertaken a thorough review of this process and believe the time is right to stop testing visitors. The overwhelming evidence shows that masks are the best tool to stop the spread of this airborne virus, along with good hand hygiene and not visiting when symptomatic.  The first and most accurate sign of COVID-19 is when the person starts experiencing symptoms. The tens of thousands of RAT tests we have undertaken in recent months have validated that it is at this stage that people test positive, not before. And because our visitors know not to come when they are symptomatic, we have had very few visitors test positive at the care home door.  This change will also bring us into alignment with DHB practices and visitor requirements for hospitals.  

Revised visiting guidance from 2 June 

Our revised visiting guidelines will allow you to spend more time with your family and friends. However, there are some requirements in place as we continue to keep our residents safe and well.  

•  Visitors must wear surgical masks at all time. If you do not adhere to our mask policy, you may be asked to leave the care home. 
• Do not visit if you feel unwell, have any symptoms (scratchy or sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, temperature, body ache, fatigue, or shortness of breath), or if you potentially are a household or close contact. 
• You will be required to sign the Health Declaration to state that you are well and symptom free. 
• Hands must be sanitised on arrival and on leaving.  
• Residents can have up to 2 visitors at a time. Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing. 
• Visiting hours will no longer be restricted, unless there are specific circumstances communicated by your care home manager. 

Second COVID-19 Booster 

On Friday 27 May, The Government announced a second booster will be made available from July for those most at risk from serious illness from COVID-19, including aged care residents. The recommendation is for the booster to be given either 6 months from your initial booster or 3 months after COVID infection.  We will be working with our GP’s and local providers to administer the second booster to our residents who qualify. 

The vaccine has done an incredible job in minimise the impact of the virus and we would encourage anyone who is eligible to have a second booster shot to keep their immunity up. 

Flu Vaccination  

It is predicted that this winter will bring a bad flu season. Please take the opportunity to get a flu vaccination - it is an important tool in minimise the spread and also the severity of flu symptoms. 

As you may remember from previous years, if two residents test positive for influenza in our care homes it is declared an outbreak and we close the home to visitors. We want to try and take every possible step to minimise this occurring. We are also actively working with our GP’s and local providers to ensure our residents have their flu vaccine should they wish to. 

Thank you 

We cannot overstate how much our team have appreciated the support and kindness that has been shown by our residents and families. We understand that people are getting tired of all-things-COVID. We are not out of the woods, but we are using all our experience to learn how to live with it. Our teams have and continue to work incredibly hard to protect our residents every day and we remain as determined as ever to keep everyone safe.  

Thanks for your support and please, don’t forgot your masks when visiting our care homes or villages.  

Update to Bupa Village Residents

Kia ora Bupa Village Residents,

I hope you are doing well as winter approaches.

I wanted to update you on the COVID-19 situation at Bupa, and the protocols we have in place to keep everyone safe.

Like many of you, we are adjusting to the new normal of, managing our lives around COVID-19 or living with COVID-19.

Throughout this pandemic we have strived to reach a balance between best practice infection prevention and control protocols, Ministry of Health and DHB requirements, and the wellbeing of our residents and people.  We feel now is the right time to revisit our approach and modify it to reflect our new reality.

In doing so, we’ve had the benefit of being able to work with our colleagues in Australia, who are about 3-4 months ahead of us in the COVID-19 cycle, and see what from their approach might benefit us.

As we move into this new phase, our strict infection prevention and control protocols continue, but there is a greater self-responsibility around COVID-19 risk management and as such we are adjusting our protocols in care homes and villages. 

Changes in our villages

We are trying to minimise restrictions in our communal areas and from now on we will only close when there has been a high degree of risk of transmission to a number of residents. We will assess each situation carefully and ask that you will be understanding of our decision.

The overwhelming evidence shows that masks are the best tool to stop the spread of this airborne virus, along with good hand hygiene and not socialising when symptomatic. We will no longer require you to wear a mask in the communal areas in the village, however we strongly recommend that you still do so in order to keep yourselves safe.

Please remember to let your Village Team know if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or if you are feeling unwell, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 yourself. We will support you through your isolation period as much as possible.

Revised visiting guidance for our care homes

We also want to let you know that we have revised visiting guidelines for our care homes which will allow people to spend more time with their family and friends, this includes:

• Visitors must wear surgical masks at all time. If you do not adhere to our mask policy, you may be asked to leave the care home.
• Do not visit if you feel unwell, have any symptoms (scratchy or sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, temperature, body ache, fatigue, or shortness of breath), or if you potentially are a household or close contact.
• You will be required to sign the Health Declaration to state that you are well and symptom free.
•  Hands  must be sanitised on arrival and on leaving.
• Residents can have up to 2 visitors at a time. Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing.
• Visiting hours will no longer be restricted, unless there are specific circumstances communicated by your care home manager.

Second COVID-19 Booster

On Friday 27 May, the Government announced a second booster will be made available from July for those most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. There will be further communication regarding the details of eligibility coming from the Ministry of Health that we will notify you of. 

The vaccine has done an incredible job to minimise the impact of the virus and we encourage anyone who is eligible to have a second booster shot to keep their immunity up.

Flu Vaccination

It is predicted that this winter will bring a bad flu season. Please take the opportunity to get a flu vaccination - it is an important tool to minimise the spread and also the severity of flu symptoms.

Thank you

We cannot overstate how much our team have appreciated the support and kindness that has been shown by our residents. We understand that people are getting tired of all-things-COVID. We are not out of the woods, but we are using all our experience to learn how to live with it. Our teams have, and continue to work incredibly hard, to protect our residents every day and we remain as determined as ever to keep everyone safe. 

Thanks for your support.

At 66-years-old, Pam could retire, but as Unit Coordinator at Bupa Cashmere View Care Home, in Christchurch, she’s not quite ready to give up the job she loves.

“I love being able to make a difference each day in the lives of other people, and that comradery working with very likeminded people within the profession,” she says.

Pam joined Bupa in 1999. Prior to this she worked at Christchurch, Nelson, Westland and Southern Cross Hospitals, and ran a Health Clinic at a local High School.

Initially starting one day a week as a Registered Nurse at Bupa Cashmere View, it wasn’t long before Pam was helping set up the care home’s two Psychogeriatric Units and moving into the full-time role of Unit Coordinator.

In this role she gives clinical support to people with advanced brain disease, who are in the late stages of their illness, and to the team that she works with.

“Everybody’s brain disease, and progression of that, is really unique and different to them. So, the role of myself and the team is to ensure that every one of those people has the best plan of care around them so that right up until the end, they can maintain a quality of life. A big part of that is also helping support the families through that journey as well,” she says.

While a lot has changed since Pam trained as a nurse at the age of 17 in the 1970s, one thing hasn’t – the essence of nursing.

“Over the 40 plus years, I haven’t seen that change at all – the nurses’ role is still to give the best quality care and to continuously seek the best outcomes for their patients. While the way we train nurses may have changed, what we train nurses for hasn’t,” she says.

When Pam looks back over her career, she is proud to have been able to provide care, compassion and education to patients, their families, and her colleagues.

“I’ve worked with thousands of patients and colleagues over the years, and I think I grew and developed in my nursing career, but at the same time I can look back and see how my nursing career grew and developed me as an individual,” she says.

“I’ve learnt not to judge anybody and that everybody has a story and a history that shapes them and makes them uniquely who they are. I think that is a remarkable thing to gain from a job that you love.”

Her love for the job also extends to a love for Bupa Cashmere View, having chosen to remain working at the care home for over 20 years.

“I love Bupa Cashmere View as employees have been here for many, many years, so we’ve been able to develop and grow teams who are very committed,” she says.

“There’s also never been a reason why I would leave, because anything I have wanted to achieve in terms of training or leadership, I’ve been able to achieve here.”

For anyone contemplating a career in nursing, Pam says, “It’s rewarding, it’s exhausting and it’s life changing. Only another nurse can really understand what it is to be a nurse and the joys, frustrations and complexities of the job – but I love it, so go for it”.

The community tree planting locations will be at Pirimai Walkway Planting Project in Napier, Waiwhakareke Heritage Park in Hamilton, and the Te Pae ō Ahuriri Project in Christchurch.

As we celebrate World Earth Day (Friday 22 April 2022), each legacy forest is intended to create green spaces for the use and enjoyment of future generations. The community projects will also enable New Zealanders to get involved with planting native tree spaces that contribute to biodiversity, health and wellbeing and fighting climate change.

Bupa Interim Managing Director, Julie Sellar says the three planting projects are spread across New Zealand and confirms the partnership between the Bupa Foundation and Trees That Count announced back in February 2022.

“These legacy forests in addition to the 5,000 native trees that will be planted through community projects will collectively see more than 15,000 native trees planted, supporting New Zealand as we look to a more sustainable future. We couldn’t be more committed to such important and positive work.”

The Bupa Foundation, which has been operating in Australia since 2005, has invested more than $35m (AUD) in over 130 different health and care projects and organisations. Bupa recently announced the new directions for the Foundation which will focus on building mentally healthy and resilient communities and creating a healthy planet for healthy people. This also included expanding the work of the Foundation to support activities in New Zealand.

The first legacy forest planted will be part of the Waiwhakareke Heritage Park in Hamilton, with planting scheduled for Sunday 10 July 2022.  Followed by Pirimai Walkway Planting Project in Napier on Sunday 17 July and Te Pae ō Ahuriri Project in Christchurch on Sunday 28^th August.

More details on the events and how you can get involved to be announced in June.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Crush

External Communications Manager, Bupa

Email: stephanie.crush@bupa.co.nz

Mob: 027 801 9377

About Bupa 

Bupa is an international healthcare group which has been committed to a purpose of longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world for more than 70 years.

With 37 retirement villages and 49 care homes across New Zealand, Bupa offers residents the life that's right for them, backed by the care they deserve. Bupa employs 4,000 people to support more than 5,500 residents throughout New Zealand, living in independent apartments and villas, or warm and welcoming care homes.

For more information, visit www.bupa.co.nz

About the Bupa Foundation

Since 2005, the Bupa Foundation has invested more than $35 million to support more than 130 health and care projects in Australia and New Zealand.

In Australia and New Zealand, Bupa supports more than 6 million customers through a broad range of health and care services including health insurance, aged care, dental, optical, hearing and medical visa services. 

Employing more than 22,000 people, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of Australians and New Zealanders through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care.

As we are not listed, we’re able to have our profits reinvested in health and care initiatives for current and future customers. Since 2002 we have reinvested around $6bn in Australia and New Zealand.

Please see below for the key points on what changes for our care homes in ORANGE:

• There is no limit for indoor or outdoor gatherings.
• Mask wearing continues to be required for all visitors and employees at aged residential care facilities. For further guidance on where masks are required please see the covid19.govt.nz website.

All other visiting requirements and precautions that were in place at RED remain, including:

• We will be continuing to ask all visitors, including children, to undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) on arrival at the care home and before visiting their loved one. We will provide this test.
• Visiting hours at our care homes are between 11am and 2pm, with visiting on the weekend on [Saturday/Sunday]. If you are unable to visit during these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit.
•  Visitors must wear a surgical mask at all times. If you are unable to wear a mask, we ask that you please don’t visit our care homes at this time.
•  Residents can have up to 2 visitors at a time. Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing.
•  Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are a household contact of someone with COVID-19, or are a confirmed case.

For our villages the  key points on what changes in ORANGE are:

•  There is no limit for indoor or outdoor gatherings.
• Mask wearing continues to be required for all visitors and employees at aged residential care facilities. For further guidance on where masks are required please see the covid19.govt.nz website.

All other visiting requirements and precautions that were in place at RED remain, including:

• All residents and visitors are required to wear a surgical mask in the village communal spaces (unless eating and drinking) and sanitise their hands on arrival.
• Visitors and residents should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are a household contact of someone with COVID-19, or are a confirmed case.

Dear residents, families and whānau,

Last week we communicated some changes to the Government’s Omicron response plan and restrictions in place under ‘Red’ in the Traffic Light System. 

Please see a reminder below of the key changes coming into place from 11.59pm this evening, Monday 4 April.  

• Visitors will no longer be required to present a My Vaccine Pass at our care homes or villages.
•  In our care homes this means, both vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors may resume visiting under the same visitor guidelines (as below).

The following visiting requirements remain in place at all Bupa Care Homes

• We will be continuing to ask all visitors, including children, to undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) on arrival at the care home and before visiting their loved one. We will provide this test.
• Visiting hours at our care homes are between 11am and 2pm, with visiting on the weekend on [Saturday/Sunday]. If you are unable to visit during these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit.
• Visitors must wear a surgical mask at all times.
• Residents can have up to 2 visitors at a time. Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing.
•  Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are a household contact of someone with COVID-19, or are a confirmed case.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update to Bupa Village Residents

Dear village residents,

Last week we communicated some changes to the Government’s Omicron response plan and restrictions in place under ‘Red’ in the Traffic Light System. 

Please see a reminder below of the key changes coming into place from 11.59pm this evening, Monday 4 April.  

·         Residents and visitors will no longer be required to present a My Vaccine Pass at our villages.

·         In our villages this means, all residents and visitors will be able to access all common areas and resume all activities.

The following visiting requirements remain in place at Bupa Villages

• All residents and visitors are required to wear a surgical mask in the village communal spaces (unless eating and drinking) and sanitise their hands on arrival.
•  Any inside gatherings have a restriction of up to 200 people, based on 1m distancing.
• Visitors and residents should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are a household contact of someone with COVID-19, or are a confirmed case.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely,

Now that the  New Zealand moved to Phase 3 in its Omicron response. I’m writing to update you on what this new phase means for our residents at Bupa and their families.

Currently at Bupa a number of our care homes are temporarily closed to visitors, and our villages are operating under restrictions, while we navigate various exposure incidents and outbreaks.

Our team members have been working incredibly hard and we are so grateful for their continued dedication to our residents while we navigate working in full personal protective equipment (PPE) and applying outbreak precautions and additional infection prevention control measures.

What Phase Three means for us at Bupa

Only confirmed cases of COVID-19 and their household contacts will be required to self-isolate. All other people are asked to monitor for symptoms but are not required to self-isolate.

The use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) is increasing. At Bupa, we require all our team members and all contractors to take a RAT test on arrival at work, before they begin working.  Our team members, together with other critical healthcare workers across the country, are able to continue to work if they are household contacts so long as they are asymptomatic (or have very mild symptoms) and return a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) before starting work each day.

With widespread community transition now in New Zealand, we have also decided to make some slight changes to the visiting guidelines for our care homes so we can best protect our residents. We will be asking all visitors to please undergo a RAT test on arrival at the care home and before visiting your loved one.

Please note, unvaccinated visitors will still be required to wear full PPE while visiting under compassionate grounds within the care home. However, they are not required to wear full PPE if the visit happens outside.

In order to further protect our residents, we will be limiting visiting hours at our care homes to between 11am and 2pm each day. If you are unable to visit during these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit.

What you can do to protect yourself at all phases

·       Get your booster as soon as possible. 

·       Wear a mask, scan in, and present your pass everywhere you go.

·       Keep up healthy habits such as washing hands, physical distancing and staying home if you are sick.

Please know we are doing everything we can to look after the health and wellbeing of our residents and our team members during these challenging times. Thank you for your support.

Ngā mihi,

Caro

Carolyn Cooper

Managing Director – Bupa NZ Care Homes and Villages

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

As you will know, at midnight last night (23 January), New Zealand moved into the RED setting in the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”), following the community spread of Omicron in the Nelson/ Marlborough and Auckland regions. 

While this is not the news any of us wanted to hear, we want to assure you that we’ve been doing all we can to prepare, and our priority remains the health and safety of our residents and team members. 

The Omicron variant has spread worldwide rapidly and is now present in many countries. Evidence suggests that it is likely to be more transmissible than previous variants of the COVID-19 virus.

Bupa has been dealing with Omicron in the UK and Australia for several months now, so we are in a valuable position to draw on their learned experiences. Over the past weeks, the Bupa NZ Leadership Team have also been working to strengthen our supplies of critical items (including Rapid Antigen Tests and PPE), develop workforce contingency plans, and carry out refresher training regarding infection prevention control measures. 

Reminder of what life looks like at Bupa Care Homes in the RED setting: 

Visiting our care homes 

·       There will be set visiting hours:  

o   Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm 

o   Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm 

o   Outside these times the care home doors will be locked. If you can only visit outside of these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit. 

·       Residents can have up to 2 vaccinated visitors at a time, and visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing. 

·       Please scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as register with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting. 

·       All visitors to our care homes must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at reception before entering.   

·       All visitors will be required to wear a surgical mask and sanitise their hands on arrival. If you do not have a surgical mask, we can provide you with one. 

·       Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation for COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation for COVID-19 or a confirmed case. 

Unvaccinated visitors 

·       Any unvaccinated visitors will need to contact the Care Home Manager, prior to visiting, so that a COVID-safe visit can be arranged. This may be outside or through glass, for example, to facilitate the safety of our residents and employees in the care home. 

·       However, when your visit is in relation to an immobile resident or very frail resident, who cannot easily be moved to a suitable area, unvaccinated visitors will now be able to visit these residents inside the care home. These visitors must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours before visiting and will be required to wear PPE while visiting. 

Respite services 

·       Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care are available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on arrival at the care home, and limit socialisation with other residents during this time. 

Van trips and personal outings 

·       Resident outings with families will be considered on a case-by-case basis to support our residents’ mental health and wellbeing.  

o   When approved, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure they scan in, wear a mask and follow all public health measures. 

o   Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on their return and limit socialisation with other residents during this time. 

·       Resident van trips will continue for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g., parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g., cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to). 

Hairdressers 

·       Hairdressers and other external services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses. They cannot serve unvaccinated residents. 

Remember, if you are eligible to have your COVID-19 vaccine booster, please make a booking to have this as soon as possible. The Government is recommending a 4-month gap after your second dose. This is the best way to protect yourselves and others from COVID-19. 

As we face into this new phase together, we are prepared and here to support you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

Update sent to Village residents

Dear Village residents,

As you will know, at midnight last night (23 January), New Zealand moved into the RED setting in the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”), following the community spread of Omicron in the Nelson/ Marlborough and Auckland regions. 

While this is not the news any of us wanted to hear, we want to assure you that we’ve been doing all we can to prepare, and our priority remains the health and safety of our residents and team members. 

The Omicron variant has spread worldwide rapidly and is now present in many countries. Evidence suggests that it is likely to be more transmissible than previous variants of the COVID-19 virus, including Delta.

Bupa has been dealing with Omicron in the UK and Australia for several months now, so we are in a valuable position to draw on their learned experiences. Over the past weeks, the Bupa NZ Leadership Team have also been working to strengthen our supplies of critical items (including Rapid Antigen Tests and PPE), develop workforce contingency plans, and carry out refresher training regarding infection prevention control measures. 

Helping you prepare: 

The Government has prepared some advice, including a checklist to prepare your household for COVID-19. Please find a copy of this alongside this letter, with more information available on the covid19.govt.nz website. Some key points to consider are:

·       Check your stocks of masks, gloves, hand sanitiser, disinfectant, rubbish bags, cleaning products, and toilet paper.

·       For sore throats/ cough/ sinus; tissues, ice-blocks, throat spray or lozenges.

·       For fever; Panadol, Nurofen, electrolyte replacement sachets, and cool packs.

·       Self-care; Easy to heat meals and soups, peppermint or ginger tea or other fluids.

·       Ensure you have sufficient supplies of prescribed medications on hand at all times.

Remember, if you are eligible to have your COVID-19 vaccine booster, please make a booking to have this as soon as possible. The Government is recommending a 4-month gap after your second dose. This is the best way to protect yourselves and others from COVID-19. 

If you become a close contact or get COVID-19:

Under the unfortunate circumstance you become a close contact of someone with COVID-19, or are confirmed to have COVID-19, please let your Village Manager know immediately and remain in your villa or apartment at all times. We will be here to support you wherever possible, including with shopping or meal deliveries. 

If you do become unwell, please consult your GP by phone. Remember rest is crucial, and you may lose your appetite, but try to eat nutrient rich food and avoid sugar (inflammatory) caffeine and alcohol. We suggest keeping a journal of the symptoms you are experiencing each day until completely recovered.

Reminder of what life looks like at Bupa Villages in the RED setting: 

Visiting our villages 

·       Visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as register with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that they are well at the time of visiting. 

·       All visitors will be required to wear a surgical mask and sanitise their hands on arrival. If you do not have a surgical mask, we can supply them with one. 

·       Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation for COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation for COVID-19 or a confirmed case. 

Village facilities and events 

·       Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only. Entry will be granted by showing your “My Vaccine Pass”. 

·       Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated, and have a “My Vaccine Pass”, before they enter a community centre and/or communal area. 

·       Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable. 

·       For your safety, please keep your masks on for all indoor functions. We’ll be capping the gathering limit for any function at 100 people. 

·       Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the village’s communal spaces. 

·       If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities or attend Bupa run activities or events.   

As we face into this new phase, we are prepared and here to support you. We know as in the past, we will get through this together. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Northland will move to ORANGE at 11.59pm tonight, Thursday 20 January.

The rest of the country will remain in Orange.

We welcome these changes, with Orange meaning a relaxation of visiting restrictions for fully vaccinated people, which will be wonderful for our residents, but stricter controls will remain for unvaccinated visitors.

Please see below for visiting restrictions at all Bupa Care Homes in ORANGE:

·       There will be set visiting hours:

o   Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm

o   Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm

Outside these times the care home doors will be locked. If you can only visit outside of these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit. Please be mindful that after hours our clinical team members may be with a resident or otherwise attending to other matters, so please be patient and we will let you in as quickly as we can.

·       Please scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

·       All visitors to our care homes must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at reception before entering. 

·       Any unvaccinated visitors will need to contact the Care Home Manager, prior to visiting, so that a COVID-safe visit can be arranged. This may be outside or through glass, for example, to facilitate the safety of our residents and employees in the care home.

·       However, when a visit is in relation to an immobile or very frail resident, that cannot easily be moved to a suitable area, unvaccinated visitors will now be able to visit these residents inside the care home. These visitors must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours before visiting and will be required to wear PPE while visiting.

·       All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

·       Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

·       Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care is available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on arrival at the care home, and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.

·       Resident outings with families can now occur. However, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

o   Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on their return and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.

o   For our unvaccinated residents living with dementia - while we understand that families want to take their loved ones out of the care home, we would ask that you consider limiting the number of times this occurs, due to the challenges of testing and limiting social engagement in our dementia communities on their return.

o   Vaccinated residents may go on outings with unvaccinated family members, but we ask that you please remain outdoors, and wear a mask. Outings should not go ahead if the family member has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

·       Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

·       Hairdressers and other external services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge the developments with the Omicron strain of COVID-19 and assure you that we are doing all we can to prepare in case the virus takes hold in New Zealand. We will communicate with you further next week on the Government’s, and Bupa’s, state of preparedness.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update sent to Village residents

Dear Village residents,

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Northland will move to ORANGE at 11.59pm tonight, Thursday 20 January.

The rest of the country will remain in Orange.

The restrictions at all Bupa villages in ORANGE, are the same as in Red. The only change for villages is there will no longer be a restriction on gatherings of up to 100 people.

A reminder of restrictions is below:

·       Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.  

o   The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

o   If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

o   Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated and have a “My Vaccine Pass” before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

o   Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

o   If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

o   Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.

·       Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.

o   If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events. 

·       All visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

·       All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

·       Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

·       Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

·       During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

·       Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge the developments with the Omicron strain of COVID-19 and assure you that we are doing all we can to prepare in case the virus takes hold in New Zealand. We will communicate with you further next week on the Government’s, and Bupa’s, state of preparedness.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update sent to Care Home residents, families and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to ORANGE at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will remain in Orange.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

Please see below for visiting restrictions at all Bupa Care Homes in ORANGE:

• There will be set visiting hours:
  • Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm
  • Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm

Outside these times the care home doors will be locked. If you can only visit outside of these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit. Please be mindful that after hours our clinical team members may be with a resident or otherwise attending to other matters, so please be patient and we will let you in as quickly as we can.

• Please scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors to our care homes must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at reception before entering.

• Any unvaccinated visitors will need to contact the Care Home Manager, prior to visiting, so that a COVID-safe visit can be arranged. This may be outside or through glass, for example, to facilitate the safety of our residents and employees in the care home.

• For unvaccinated visitors, visiting inside the care home on compassionate grounds, may be permitted by arrangement with the care home. These visitors must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours before visiting and may be required to wear PPE while visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care is available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on arrival at the care home, and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.

• Resident outings with families can now occur. However, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.
  • Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on their return and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.
  • For our unvaccinated residents living with dementia - while we understand that families want to take their loved ones out of the care home, we would ask that you consider limiting the number of times this occurs, due to the challenges of testing and limiting social engagement in our dementia communities on their return.
  • Vaccinated residents may go on outings with unvaccinated family members, but we ask that you please remain outdoors, and wear a mask. Outings should not go ahead if the family member has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• Hairdressers and other external services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update sent to Village residents

Dear Village residents,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to ORANGE at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will remain in Orange.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

The restrictions at all Bupa villages in ORANGE, are the same as in Red. The only change for villages is there will no longer be a restriction on gatherings of up to 100 people.

A reminder of restrictions is below:

• Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.  

• • The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

• • If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

• • Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated and have a “My Vaccine Pass” before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

• • Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

• • Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.

• Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events.

• All visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

• Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

South Island and all North Island regions staying at Orange

Update sent to Care Home residents, families and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced the whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will remain in ORANGE.

Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to Orange at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

As such, visiting restrictions at our Care Homes in ORANGE will remain the same, with a couple of slight changes for unvaccinated residents, and respite for unvaccinated people:

• Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care is available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on arrival at the care home, and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.

• Resident outings with families can now occur. However, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.
  • Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on their return and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.
  • For our unvaccinated residents living with dementia - while we understand that families want to take their loved ones out of the care home, we would ask that you consider limiting the number of times this occurs, due to the challenges of testing and limiting social engagement in our dementia communities on their return.
  • Vaccinated residents may go on outings with unvaccinated family members, but we ask that you please remain outdoors, and wear a mask. Outings should not go ahead if the family member has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update sent to Village residents

Dear Village residents,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced the whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will remain in ORANGE.

Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to Orange at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

As such, visiting restrictions at our Villages in ORANGE will remain the same.

A reminder of these restrictions is below:

• Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.  

• • The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

• • If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

• • Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated and have a “My Vaccine Pass” before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

• • Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

• • Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.

• Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events.

• All visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

• Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Northland

Update sent to Care Home residents, families and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Northland will remain in RED.

Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to Orange at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

As such, visiting restrictions at our Northland Care Homes in RED will remain the same, with a couple of slight changes for unvaccinated residents, and respite for unvaccinated people:

• Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care is available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on arrival at the care home, and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.

• Resident outings with families can now occur. However, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.
  • Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to undergo Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) for 5 days on their return and limit socialisation with other residents during this time.
  • For our unvaccinated residents living with dementia - while we understand that families want to take their loved ones out of the care home, we would ask that you consider limiting the number of times this occurs, due to the challenges of testing and limiting social engagement in our dementia communities on their return.
  • Vaccinated residents may go on outings with unvaccinated family members, but we ask that you please remain outdoors, and wear a mask. Outings should not go ahead if the family member has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Update sent to Village residents 

Dear Village residents,

We’d like to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that Northland will remain in RED.

Auckland, and all other regions currently in Red – excluding Northland – will move to Orange at 11.59pm on Thursday 30 December.

The next Government review of the Traffic Light System will occur during the week of 17 January.

As such, visiting restrictions at our Northland Villages in RED will remain the same.

A reminder of these restrictions is below:

• Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.

• • The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

• • If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

• • Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated, and have a “My Vaccine Pass”, before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

• • Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

• • Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.
  • In RED, any gatherings have a restriction of up to 100 people, based on 1m distancing.

• Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.
  • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events.

• Visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

• Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

We thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

Visiting Bupa care homes under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (“Traffic Light System”)

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that all of New Zealand will be moving to the Traffic Light System at 11.59pm this Thursday, 2 December.

The districts moving to RED in the traffic light system include: Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will be moving into ORANGE.

The Government will review these traffic light regions on Monday 13 December.

We welcome these changes with open arms, as the new system means a relaxation of visiting restrictions for fully vaccinated people, which will be wonderful for our residents, but stricter controls will remain for unvaccinated visitors.

Please see below for our new visiting restrictions at all Bupa Care Homes in RED:

• There will be set visiting hours:
  • Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm
  • Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm

Outside these times the care home doors will be locked. If you can only visit outside of these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit. Please be mindful that after hours our clinical team members may be with a resident or otherwise attending to other matters, so please be patient and we will let you in as quickly as we can.

• Residents can have up to 2 vaccinated visitors at a time, and visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing.

• Please scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors to our care homes must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at reception before entering.

• Any unvaccinated visitors will need to contact the Care Home Manager, prior to visiting, so that a COVID-safe visit can be arranged. This may be outside or through glass, for example, to facilitate the safety of our residents and employees in the care home.

• For unvaccinated visitors, visiting inside the care home on compassionate grounds, may be permitted by arrangement with the care home. These visitors must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours before visiting and may be required to wear PPE while visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Where applicable, respite care may occur following risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to isolate for 5 days on arrival at the care home.

• Resident outings with families will be considered on a case-by-case basis to support the resident’s mental health and wellbeing.Visiting Bupa villages under the Red COVID-19 Protection Framework
  • When approved, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.
  • Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to isolate on return for 5 days.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• Hairdressers and other external services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge how challenging the past few months have been for everyone, especially for our residents and team members in Auckland and other places going in and out of Level 3 lockdown. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to follow the Government guidelines and keep our residents safe. We truly appreciate the support we have received from our residents and their families and w

hānau and thank you for sticking with us through this!

Visiting Bupa villages under the Red COVID-19 Protection Framework

Dear Village residents,

Visiting Bupa villages under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (“Traffic Light System”)

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that all of New Zealand will be moving to the Traffic Light System at 11.59pm this Thursday, 2 December.

The districts moving to RED in the traffic light system include: Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will be moving into ORANGE.

The Government will review these traffic light regions on Monday 13 December.

Please see below for restrictions at all Bupa villages in RED:

• Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.

• • The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

• • If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

• • Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated, and have a “My Vaccine Pass”, before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

• • Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

• • Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.
  • In RED, any gatherings have a restriction of up to 100 people, based on 1m distancing.

• Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.
  • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events.

• Visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

• Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge how challenging the past few months have been for everyone, especially for our residents and team members in Auckland and other places going in and out of Level 3 lockdown. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to follow the Government guidelines and keep our residents safe. We truly appreciate the support we have received from our residents and their families and whānau and thank you for sticking with us through this!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Visiting Bupa care homes under the Orange COVID-19 Protection Framework

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

Visiting Bupa care homes under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (“Traffic Light System”)

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that all of New Zealand will be moving to the Traffic Light System at 11.59pm this Thursday, 2 December.

The districts moving to RED in the traffic light system include: Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will be moving into ORANGE.

The Government will review these traffic light regions on Monday 13 December.

We welcome these changes with open arms, as the new system means a relaxation of visiting restrictions for fully vaccinated people, which will be wonderful for our residents, but stricter controls will remain for unvaccinated visitors.

Please see below for visiting restrictions at all Bupa Care Homes in ORANGE:

• There will be set visiting hours:
  • Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm
  • Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 4pm

Outside these times the care home doors will be locked. If you can only visit outside of these times, please contact the care home to organise your visit. Please be mindful that after hours our clinical team members may be with a resident or otherwise attending to other matters, so please be patient and we will let you in as quickly as we can.

• Please scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors to our care homes must show proof that they are fully vaccinated at reception before entering.

• Any unvaccinated visitors will need to contact the Care Home Manager, prior to visiting, so that a COVID-safe visit can be arranged. This may be outside or through glass, for example, to facilitate the safety of our residents and employees in the care home.

• For unvaccinated visitors, visiting inside the care home on compassionate grounds, may be permitted by arrangement with the care home. These visitors must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test 48-72 hours before visiting and may be required to wear PPE while visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Where applicable, planned respite services and urgent respite care is available following a risk assessment using the COVID-19 screening form. Please note, if the person is unvaccinated, they will be required to isolate for 5 days on arrival at the care home.

• Resident outings with families can now occur. However, residents/family are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.
  • Please note, unvaccinated residents who leave the care home, other than for an outpatient medical appointment, will be required to isolate on return for 5 days.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• Hairdressers and other external services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge how challenging the past few months have been for everyone, especially for our residents and team members in Auckland and other places going in and out of Level 3 lockdown. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to follow the Government guidelines and keep our residents safe. We truly appreciate the support we have received from our residents and their families and whānau and thank you for sticking with us through this!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Visiting Bupa villages under the Orange COVID-19 Protection Framework

Dear Village residents,

Visiting Bupa villages under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (“Traffic Light System”)

We are pleased to provide an update on changes to our visiting requirements under the COVID-19 Protection Framework (the “Traffic Light System”).

As you will know, the Government has announced that all of New Zealand will be moving to the Traffic Light System at 11.59pm this Thursday, 2 December.

The districts moving to RED in the traffic light system include: Northland, Auckland, Taupō and Rotorua Lakes Districts, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts.

The whole of the South Island, and the rest of the North Island, will be moving into ORANGE.

The Government will review these traffic light regions on Monday 13 December.

Please see below for restrictions at all Bupa villages in ORANGE:

• Village community centres and communal areas (including gyms, pools, cafes, dining rooms, and libraries) will be open to fully vaccinated residents and fully vaccinated visitors only.  

• • The Village Manager will arrange for each vaccinated resident’s “My Vaccine Pass” to be scanned in order to grant them access to the community centre and/or communal areas.

• • If you don’t have a “My Vaccine Pass” there are instructions at the bottom of this letter on where to access it, or please reach out to your Village Manager for assistance.

• • Residents will be responsible for ensuring their visitors are fully vaccinated, and have a “My Vaccine Pass”, before they enter a community centre and/or communal area.

• • Masks are required to be worn during indoor functions, in line with Government requirements. 

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not access the common facilities.

• • Any unvaccinated residents living in an apartment that is part of the main building, or unvaccinated visitors, must move through the building without accessing the communal spaces.

• Residents will also be required to show their “My Vaccine Pass” to attend any functions arranged by Bupa e.g. “happy hour” and morning teas. Please note, this applies to indoor and outdoor events, and activities within a co-located care home, if applicable.

• • If you are unvaccinated, the Government Health Orders require that you do not attend Bupa run activities or events.

• All visitors must continue to scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet to declare that you are well at the time of visiting.

• All visitors will be required to wear a mask and sanitise their hands on arrival.

• Visitors should stay at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are under investigation of COVID-19, or a close contact of someone who is under investigation of COVID-19 or a confirmed case.

• Resident van trips will resume for vaccinated residents, where applicable, to outdoor spaces e.g. parks and beaches, but not to indoor public places around others e.g. cafes. The driver and residents will need to wear masks while in the van (unless medically unable to).

• During personal outings, residents are encouraged to only visit places with vaccination certification requirements or outdoor areas, and should ensure contact tracing, mask wearing and adherence to all public health measures.

• Hairdressers and other village services can operate, but they must follow Government guidelines for close contact businesses i.e. they must be vaccinated and wear a mask, and all customers/residents must provide proof of vaccination. Hairdressers cannot serve unvaccinated residents.

If you have not yet requested your “My Vaccine Pass” you can do this online through https://mycovidrecord.health.nz/, visiting a local pharmacy or calling 0800 222 478.

Lastly, we want to acknowledge how challenging the past few months have been for everyone, especially for our residents and team members in Auckland and other places going in and out of Level 3 lockdown. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to follow the Government guidelines and keep our residents safe. We truly appreciate the support we have received from our residents and their families and whānau and thank you for sticking with us through this!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Following the announcement of eight community cases of COVID-19 in the Lake District, Bupa has been advised by the Lakes District Health Board to close its care homes in the area to all external visitors.

Therefore from 11.59pm tonight, Tuesday 16^th November, The Gardens Care Home,  Redwood Care Home and Liston Heights Care Home will be closed to visitors.

The only exceptions are visits to residents in end-of-life or palliative care or visits for compassionate reasons. Please let me know if you’d like to arrange a visit in these circumstances.

The Government continues to gather information on these new cases to identify close contacts and any locations of interest. Please regularly check these and if you have attended one of the listed locations during the relevant timeframes, follow Ministry of Health advice.

We understand this has been sudden and has an impact on our residents, their whānau and our people, however we ask for your understanding and patience as we manage this situation together.

In the meantime, we will have digital devices available for our residents so that they can stay connected with their families.

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that from 11.59pm tonight, Tuesday 16 November, Waikato will be moving back to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

We are really pleased to be re-opening our doors to visitors and reuniting loved ones.  Thank you for working with us through these latest restrictions. We appreciate it has been a difficult time for you and your loved ones.

I wanted to let you know about some of the visiting requirements that are still in place at Alert Level 2. It goes without saying but, to keep our residents and our people safe, please do not visit if you feel unwell or if you have been at a location of interest or have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19. The same applies if you are living with someone who is isolating or being tested for COVID-19. Thank you for your understanding.

When you do visit, please wear a mask and santise your hands when you arrive at the care home. We ask that you please enter through the main reception and scan in using the Government’s COVID-19 tracer app, as well as registering with Bupa via our EVA app or on the paper-based contact tracing spreadsheet.

We do recommend that the visit takes place in the resident’s room and please maintain physical distancing.

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

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Information sent to village residents

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that from 11.59pm tonight, Tuesday 16 November, Waikato will be moving back to COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

I hope you all enjoy the increased freedom that Alert Level 2 brings and that you will enjoy inviting visitors to the village once more.

Below is a reminder of the visiting requirements in place at Alert Level 2:

• All visitors must:
  • scan into the Government NZ COVID-19 tracer app,
  • register as a visitor through the EVA app or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet.
• Entry must be through the main reception and visitors are required to sanitise their hands-on arrival.

• The Community Centre and communal areas will re-open, but as an extra precaution please observe personal hygiene and physical distancing of 1 metre where possible.

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

• Van outings can resume but we recommend you do not visit high density venues, and that everyone wears a mask outside of the van, wherever possible.

• If applicable, respite, day care and wellness clinics are now available.

• 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.

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

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

In WWII, George joined the army at the age of 18, along with his Dad and two brothers. He was initially posted in Papua New Guinea in 1942 as a gunner.

During the war, George saw some terrible things and had to hide in the trenches for days, which George does not like to talk about. He was airlifted to Sydney Hospital after being injured and later moved to the repat hospital in Adelaide for seven months. He celebrated his 21st birthday in hospital.

After discharged from hospital, George went to stay with his mother in Gawler and it was there that he met his wife Joan.

He then moved to Renmark to work on a farm, where sadly PTSD surfaced. His trauma resulted in him being fearful to even cross the road by himself. Highlighting the lasting horrors of war, to this day George still suffers many traumatic memories from his time in the war.

George returned to Gawler and found a job as tubemaker, which he did for 36 years. George and Joan married and moved to Blair Athol to raise their three sons.

George and Joan both moved into Bupa’s Enfield care home in September 2019. Joan goes over to the Memory Support Unit (where George lives) every day to sit with him in the garden and they enjoy each other’s company.

Joyce Audrey Scott

Joyce was born on the 27 April 1923 in Prospect, South Australia.

Joyce joined the Army as a nurse when she was 23. Joyce reflected on this time, and said she saw “awful things during her time as a nurse at Heidelberg Military Hospital”.

Joyce says she was extremely happy to have been able to help people during the War.

After the war, in 1952, Joyce married her husband, who was in the Airforce. After her husband’s death, Joyce worked at David Jones, in the men’s department.

Joyce moved into Bupa Enfield in May 2001. Joyce still attends all the home’s activities and every ANZAC Day she proudly lays the wreath during the home’s memorial service.

Bupa Enfield will observe a minute’s silence on the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month, in dedication to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation.

We will remember them.

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

Following the closure of our Christchurch Care Homes on Friday evening, we have reviewed the COVID-19 outbreak situation in Christchurch and due to the minimal spread of the virus in the community, we have decided to re-open for visiting and return to Alert Level 2 guidelines.

Below is a reminder of the visiting restrictions in place at Alert Level 2:

• Please do not visit if any of the below apply to you:
  • If you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms,
  • If you have been at a location of interest associated with a COVID-19 case,
  • If you have been in contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19,
  • 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, so please either bring your own mask or we will provide one.

• Entry must be through the main reception and you will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must:
  • scan into the Government NZ COVID-19 tracer app,
  • register as a visitor through the EVA app or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet.

• Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing. Alternatively, visits held in the lounge should be with appropriate physical distancing.

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

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

29 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

Following the announcement of four community cases of COVID-19 in Christchurch, in an abundance of caution, to make sure we keep our residents safe, we have decided to close our Christchurch Care Homes (including Rangiora) to all external visitors, effective from 11.59pm tonight, Friday 29 October.

The only exceptions are visits to residents in end-of-life or palliative care or visits for compassionate reasons. Please let me know if you’d like to arrange a visit in these circumstances.

The Government continues to gather information on these new cases to identify close contacts and any locations of interest. There have already been 13 Christchurch locations added to the Ministry of Health list. Please regularly check these and if you have attended one of the listed locations during the relevant timeframes, follow Ministry of Health advice.

This decision will be reviewed on Monday 1 November once we have received more information from the Government and have a clearer picture of the outbreak in Christchurch.

We understand this has been sudden and has an impact on our residents, their whānau and our people, however we ask for your understanding and patience as we manage this situation together.

In the meantime, we will have digital devices available for our residents so that they can stay connected with their families.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha

27 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Waikato will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3, but from 11.59pm tonight, Wednesday 27 October, there will be a few changes to Level 3 restrictions.

While the Government announced a slight lessening of Alert Level 3 restrictions for Waikato, we need to continue to keep our residents and people safe, and to contain the virus as much as possible. This means there will be no changes to the restrictions in place at our Care Homes.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions and what they mean for our residents and families here at Bupa. We are very mindful of wanting our Waikato Care Home residents reunited with their loved ones as soon as it is safe to do so.

In the meantime, we wanted to remind you about what the continued Alert Level 3 restrictions mean for you and your loved ones:

• Visits to the care home, on compassionate grounds, remain available. Please let me know if you’d like to arrange a visit in these circumstances.
• Now, more than ever, it is important to keep in touch with loved ones using digital devices. The use of a laptop and/or smart phone is available so that families can stay connected. We welcome families providing their loved one with a device if you wish to do so.

We are very aware that these continued restrictions mean that you’ve spent a large amount of time away from your loved ones, and we cannot thank you enough for your understanding and support.

We continue to do our best to care for our residents during these times and to provide them with fun and meaningful activities, as well as ways to keep in touch with family and whānau.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha

27 October 2021 - information sent to village residents

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Waikato will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3, but from 11.59pm tonight, Wednesday 27 October, there will be a few changes to Level 3 restrictions.

The changes for Waikato are:

• Outdoor social gatherings between 2 households can go ahead, with a maximum of 10 people.
• You can travel throughout the region you are in for day trips to do an expanded range of outdoor recreation activities.
• Outdoor exercise classes, for example, yoga, should be limited to 10 people (from up to 10 households), including the instructor. Everyone must stay 2 metres apart.
• Early learning centres can reopen to all children, with a maximum of 10 children in each bubble.

While a lessening of restrictions is a welcome change, we need to continue to keep people safe and to contain the virus as much as possible. This means we are keeping our Care Homes closed to visitors.

We wanted to remind you what Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• If you have a care home on site, the doors between the care home and village will remain closed.
• Any community centres or communal areas will remain closed. However, the Government’s announcement means that you and your household may now meet one other household, outdoors, at one time, up to a maximum of 10 people. This is a welcome opportunity for you to meet with friends and family, but please remember to stick to the rules, wear a mask and keep your distance from other households gathering outdoors. We encourage you to record who you are meeting with and when.
• There continue to be no resident activities or van outings.
• Visitors who are in your exclusive extended bubble under Alert Level 3, and who you invite into your home, need to sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually, and observe hygiene protocols.
• If applicable, Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available.
• If your village offers a meal service, this will continue to be available through contactless delivery. Milk deliveries will continue.

We hope you enjoy being able to connect with wider family and/or friends, outdoors.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions and what they mean for our residents and families here at Bupa. We will let you know of any changes as soon as possible.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions. I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

12 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau

Dear residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Auckland will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3 for another week. This Alert Level will be reviewed next Monday 18 October.

This means there continues to be no changes to the restrictions in place at our Care Homes.

We will continue to keep up to date with Ministry of Health advice and review the situation as more information is provided.

We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of what Alert Level 3 restrictions mean for you and your loved ones:

• Visits to the care home, on compassionate grounds, remain available. Please let me know if you’d like to arrange a visit in these circumstances.
• Now, more than ever, it is important to keep in touch with loved ones using digital devices. The use of a laptop and/or smart phone is available so that families can stay connected. We welcome families providing their loved one with a device if you wish to do so.

We are very aware that these continued restrictions mean that you’ve spent a large amount of time away from your loved ones, and we cannot thank you enough for your understanding and support.

We continue to do our best to care for our residents during these times and to provide them with fun and meaningful activities, as well as ways to keep in touch with family and whānau.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

12 October 2021 - information sent to village residents

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Auckland will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3 for another week. This Alert Level will be reviewed next Monday 18 October.

This means there continues to be no changes to the guidelines in place at our Retirement Villages.

We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you what Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• If you have a care home on site, the doors between the care home and village will remain closed.
• Any community centres or communal areas will remain closed.
• There continues to be no resident activities or van outings.
• Visitors who are in your exclusive extended bubble under Alert Level 3, and who you invite into your home, need to sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually, and observe hygiene protocols.
• If applicable, Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available.
• If your village offers a meal service, this will continue to be available through contactless delivery. Milk deliveries will continue.

We will continue to keep up to date with Ministry of Health advice and review the situation as more information is provided.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

Northland and Waikato Alert Level 3 Extension

12 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau 

Dear residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Waikato and Northland will stay at Alert Level 3 for the next three days, with the intention to move down Alert Levels at 11.59pm on Thursday 14 October, but this will be confirmed on Wednesday.

For all our Care Homes and Villages in Waikato and Northland, for now, there is no change to what we are doing – our Care Homes remain closed to all external visitors.

We will continue to keep up to date with Ministry of Health advice and review the situation as more information is provided.

Below is a reminder of what Alert Level 3 restrictions mean for you and your loved ones:

• Visits, on compassionate grounds, remain available. Please let me know if you’d like to arrange a visit in these circumstances.
• Now, more than ever, it is important to keep in touch with loved ones using digital devices. The use of a laptop and/or smart phone is available so that families can stay connected. We welcome families providing their loved one with a device if you wish to do so.

We continue to do our best to care for our residents during these times and to provide them with fun and meaningful activities, as well as ways to keep in touch with family and whānau.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha

12 October 2021 - information sent to village residents 

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Waikato and Northland will stay at Alert Level 3 for the next three days, with the intention to move down Alert Levels at 11.59pm on Thursday 14 October, but this will be confirmed on Wednesday.

This means there is no changes to the restrictions in place at our Retirement Villages.

Below is a reminder on what Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• If you have a care home on site, the doors between the care home and village will remain closed.
• Any community centres or communal areas will remain closed.
• There continue to be no resident activities or van outings.
• Visitors who are in your exclusive extended bubble under Alert Level 3, and who you invite into your home, need to sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually, and observe hygiene protocols.
• If applicable, Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available.
• If your village offers a meal service, this will continue to be available through contactless delivery. Milk deliveries will continue.

We will continue to keep up to date with Ministry of Health advice and review the situation as more information is provided.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Northland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm this evening (Friday 8 October), for an initial period of 4 days.  

This change in alert levels comes after a community case of COVID-19 has been found to have travelled extensively in the region, including Kamo, Paihia, Kawakawa and Whangarei.

We wanted to touch base with you to remind you that at Alert Level 3 all our Bupa Care Homes in the area will be closed to all external visitors, unless they provide essential services.

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

• We will 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 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 reach out to me if you need support or have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

8 October 2021 - information sent to village residents at Merrivalle Village for Alert Level 3 change from 11.59pm this evening

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Northland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm this evening (Friday 8 October), for an initial period of 4 days.  

This change in alert levels comes after a community case of COVID-19 has been found to have travelled extensively in the region, including Kamo, Paihia, Kawakawa and Whangarei.

As a reminder, 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 be closed. There is to be no movement between Villages and Care Homes.  
• The community centre and communal areas will be closed to everyone, including residents.
• There will be no resident activities and van outings are suspended.

• 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 may 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 please wear a mask.
• 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, observe hygiene protocols and sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or manually.

• The Wellness Clinic are not available.

• The meal service to Village residents will be available through contactless delivery. If you require assistance with shopping please let the Village Manager know.

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,

8 October 2021 - information sent to village residents at Totara Village for Alert Level 3 change from 11.59pm this evening

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Northland will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm this evening (Friday 8 October), for an initial period of 4 days.  

This change in alert levels comes after a community case of COVID-19 has been found to have travelled extensively in the region, including Kamo, Paihia, Kawakawa and Whangarei.

As a reminder, 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 community centre and communal areas will be closed to everyone, including residents.
• 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 may 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 please wear a mask.
• 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, observe hygiene protocols and sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or manually.

• If you require assistance with shopping please let me know.

• Our partner, Securely, will answer any call bells and arrange ambulance services, if required. 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,

Auckland Alert Level 3 change

5 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Auckland will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3, but from 11.59pm tonight, Tuesday 5 October, there will be a few changes to Level 3 restrictions.

While the Government announced a slight lessening of Alert Level 3 restrictions for most Aucklanders, we need to continue to keep our residents and people safe, and to contain the virus as much as possible. This means there will be no changes to the restrictions in place at our Care Homes.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions and what they mean for our residents and families here at Bupa. We are very mindful of wanting our Auckland Care Home residents reunited with their loved ones, as soon as it is safe to do so.

In the meantime, we wanted to remind you about what the continued Alert Level 3 restrictions mean for you and your loved ones:

• We will continue to have exceptions for visits to the care home on compassionate grounds. Please 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. This is so important when face-to-face visits are not possible so please let me know if I can help you set up a video call. We welcome families providing their loved one with a device, if you wish to do so.

I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

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

Stay safe. Kia kaha

5 October 2021 - information sent to village residents 

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Auckland will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3, but from 11.59pm tonight, Tuesday 5 October, there will be a few changes to Level 3 restrictions.

The changes for Auckland are:

• Two households may meet outdoors at one time, up to a maximum of 10 people.
• People may now travel anywhere in the Auckland region for exercise, sports or recreation outdoors.
• Early Learning Centres may reopen to all children, with a maximum of 10 children in each bubble.

The changes in Auckland signify the first phase in a three-step 'roadmap' out of lockdown restrictions, with more information of these phases available at covid19.govt.nz.

While a lessening of restrictions is a welcome change for Aucklanders, we need to continue to keep people safe and to contain the virus as much as possible. This means we are keeping our Care Homes closed to visitors.

We wanted to remind you what Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• The doors between the Care Home and Village will remain closed.
• The community centre and communal areas will remain closed. However, the Government’s announcement means that you and your household may now meet one other household, outdoors, at one time, up to a maximum of 10 people. This is a welcome opportunity for you to meet with friends and family, but please remember to stick to the rules, wear a mask and keep your distance from other households gathering outdoors. We encourage you to record who you are meeting with and when.
• There continue to be no resident activities or van outings.
• Visitors who are in your exclusive extended bubble under Alert Level 3, and who you invite into your home, need to sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually, and observe hygiene protocols.
• Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available.
• The meal service to Village residents will continue to be available through contactless delivery. Milk deliveries will continue.

We hope you enjoy being able to connect with wider family and/or friends, outdoors.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions and what they mean for our residents and families here at Bupa. We will let you know of any changes as soon as possible.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions. I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

Hamilton and Cambridge at Alert Level 3 

5 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau in Hamilton and Cambridge for Alert Level 3 

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has announced that Hamilton City, Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly and Ngāruawāhia will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3. The easing of Alert Level 3 restrictions in Auckland will not extend to the Waikato Alert Level 3 area.

For all our Care Homes and Villages in the above regions, for now, there is no change to what we are doing – our Care Homes remain closed to all external visitors.

Our extension of the Alert Level 3 restrictions to Bupa St Kilda Care Home, in Cambridge, also remains in place.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions in place and hope to see our Waikato residents reunited with their loved ones as soon as it is safe to do so.

We wanted to remind you about what Alert Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• 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. This is so important when face-to-face visits are not possible so please let me know if I can help you set up a video call. We welcome families providing their loved one with a device, if you wish to do so.

I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

5 October 2021 - information sent to village residents in Hamilton for Alert Level 3

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that Hamilton City, Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly and Ngāruawāhia will be staying at COVID-19 Alert Level 3. The easing of Alert Level 3 restrictions in Auckland will not extend to the Waikato Alert Level 3 area.

For all our Care Homes and Villages in the above regions, for now, there is no change to what we are doing.

We wanted to remind you about what this Alert Level 3 means for you and your loved ones at Bupa:

• The doors between the Care Home and Village remain closed.
• The community centre and communal areas remain closed.
• There are no resident activities and van outings remain suspended.
• Please remember to keep your bubble exclusive and only include people where it will keep you and them safe and well.
• Visitors who are in your exclusive extended bubble under Alert Level 3, and who you invite into your home, must observe hygiene protocols and sign in with the Government NZ COVID-19 Tracer app, or sign in manually.
• Respite, Day Care and Wellness Clinics are still not available.
• The meal service to Village residents will continue to be available through contactless delivery.

I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing the restrictions in place and we will let you know of any changes as soon as possible.

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 - Alert Level 2

5 October 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whāna

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

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

However, the Level 2 rules will be changing so the 100-person cap on gathering will be removed from Wednesday.

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, to sanitise their hands on arrival and complete contact tracing.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing our restrictions and will let you know of any changes as soon as possible.

I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

5 October 2021 - information sent to village residents 

Dear residents,

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

However, the Level 2 rules will be changing so the 100-person cap on gathering will be removed from Wednesday.

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.

• 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.

As more information is provided over the coming days and weeks, we will be constantly reviewing our restrictions and will let you know of any changes as soon as possible.

I appreciate your continued understanding and support as we navigate these Alert Level restrictions together.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

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,

Dear Care Home residents and whānau,

The Government has announced that from 11.59pm tonight (Tuesday 7^th September), all of New Zealand, except Auckland, will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 2. Auckland will be staying at Alert Level 4.

The Government will review these Alert Levels on Monday 13^th September.

The move to Alert Level 2 will be welcomed by many of you, and it will be lovely for family and friends to reunite with each other and with our residents.

For all of our Bupa Care Homes under Alert Level 2, we will be open for visiting, but with the below restrictions in place:

• Please do not visit if any of the below apply to you:
  • If you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms,
  • If you have been at a location of interest associated with a COVID-19 case,
  • If you have been in contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19,
  • 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, so please either bring your own mask or we will provide one if needed.

• Entry into our Care Homes must be through the main reception and you will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must:
  • scan into the Government NZ COVID-19 tracer app,
  • register as a visitor through the EVA app or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. This not only acts as our visitor registration system but also is a way for visitors to confirm they have read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.

• Visitors are encouraged to visit residents in their room, where possible, and maintain 1 metre physical distancing. Alternatively, visits held in the lounge should be with appropriate physical distancing.

• When residents leave the Care Home, they must use the Government NZ COVID-19 tracer app for each location they visit.

• We will accept day-care and people for respite at this time, but they must meet the requirements of the COVID-19 Screening Tool as per the Ministry of Health guidance.

• We accept parcels dropped off for residents and family members may resume washing residents’ personal clothes, if desired.

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

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

7th September 2021 - information sent to village residents outside of Auckland and Northland for Alert Level 2

Dear residents,

The Government has announced that from 11.59pm tonight (Tuesday 7^th September), all of New Zealand, except Auckland, will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 2. Auckland will be staying at Alert Level 4.

The Government will review these Alert Levels on Monday 13^th September.

The move to Alert Level 2 will be welcomed by many of you, and it will be lovely for family and friends to reunite with each other.

For all of our Bupa Retirement Villages under Alert Level 2, we will be open for visiting, but the below restrictions remain in place:

• All visitors must:
  • scan into the Government NZ COVID-19 tracer app,
  • register as a visitor through the EVA app or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. This not only acts as our visitor registration system but also is a way for visitors to confirm they have read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.
• Entry into our villages must be through the main reception and visitors are required to sanitise their hands-on arrival.

• The Community Centre and communal areas will re-open, but as an extra precaution please observe personal hygiene and physical distancing of 1 metre where possible, with a maximum of 50 people in the space at one time.

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

• Van outings can resume but we recommend you do not visit high density venues, and that everyone wears a mask outside of the van, wherever possible.

• Respite, day care and wellness clinics are now available.

• The meal service will resume as normal.

• 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 apply extra caution wherever you can. Alert Level 2 guidance can be found at covid19.govt.nz.

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

Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

“Keeping connected and maintaining relationships are important to everyone’s health and wellbeing but even more so for older New Zealanders during lockdowns,” says Carolyn Cooper, managing director, Bupa.

Across the country, care homes are providing extra activities and video calling capabilities to keep residents connected with friends and families. But at Bupa we would love to provide residents with the extra joy that comes from receiving mail and so are calling for friends and whānau to get in touch via the post. For our residents without family we would love the public to send correspondence to their local care home.

“Receiving and sending letters is a really positive thing that anyone can do. From my conversations with residents I know how much joy it brings them. This is a generation where people often communicated by writing and while it’s not something the younger generations do, it’s undisputed that whenever any of us receive a letter or card in the mail it makes us feel very special,” says Carolyn.

For Dorothy Retter from Bupa Hillsborough Care Home, it’s always a thrill to open a letter, to see who it’s from and what news they bring her.

“Whether it’s family or friends it’s always quite exciting when a letter appears on my table. I think it’s really important that we keep on writing letters. I write letters myself because I think that people who are sick or who are lonely just love getting them and I get a lot of comments from people that I write to.”

Letters and cards have the added bonus of not being reliant on people’s ability to use technology, such as email or social media, like Facebook. It is also an easier mode of communication for the significant number of people (1 in 3) who suffer from hearing loss as they get older.

Bupa resident, June Ryan, finds letters to be a helpful way to stay in touch.

“I love receiving mail, particular from friends as they keep me up to date with what’s going on. It’s all very well to have a phone call but you can put the phone down and lo and behold you think of something you haven’t told them, but in a letter it is much easier then talking.”

“What is more, I feel that handwriting these days is something that’s been lost. And I think its lovely to have a look at everybody’s handwriting at times. Because it’s one way of expressing our feelings, in the way that we write,” adds June.

Vitolia Tauai adds that she mainly receives letters from her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. “I look forward to it as they tell me what they’re doing and how they’re going. It’s really important to me to receive these letters to see how they are…in this time of COVID-19.”

Carolyn also suggests that people send residents photos or pictures.

“Without doubt, all our residents love receiving photo updates or pictures. It helps people connect with what’s happening in the world, especially what’s happening with younger generations in the family,” says Carolyn.

“Not only do you get the initial enjoyment of receiving photos or pictures, but they can then be hung up in people’s rooms and shown around to their fellow residents, starting conversations.”

With all the kids at home at the moment, this is also a good excuse to get them involved and entertained. There are several creative ways they can share what they are up to with the older members of their family:

• Create a lockdown day-in-the-life cartoon
• Collages / pictures of their favourite lockdown activity
• Even an update on what they have learned this week, book they have read or TV show they are watching

The full list of care homes and their address can be found on our website here. Either address letters to a specific resident or put c/o Lockdown Letterbox at the top. Our care home managers will then distribute your letters or drawings to our residents in most need of connection.

31 August 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau outside of Auckland and Northland for Alert Level 3

Dear Care Home residents, families and whānau,

The Government has confirmed that all areas of New Zealand, outside of Auckland and Northland, will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm tonight, 31 August. Auckland and Northland will be staying at Alert Level 4.

We wanted to touch base with you 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

31 August 2021 - information sent to village residents outside of Auckland and Northland for Alert Level 3

Dear residents,

The Government has confirmed that all areas of New Zealand, outside of Auckland and Northland, will be moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm tonight, 31 August. Auckland and Northland will be staying at Alert Level 4.

The Government will review Alert Level 3 for areas outside of Auckland and Northland on Monday 6 September.

I’m sure many of you will welcome the Alert Level change from tomorrow, and the opportunity to expand your bubble to connect with loved ones.

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.
• 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,

31 August 2021 - information sent to all care home and village residents in Auckland and Northland for Alert Level 4 extension 

Dear residents, families and whānau,

The Government has confirmed that Auckland and Northland will be staying at Alert Level 4.

The Government will review this Alert Level for Northland this Thursday 2^nd September, with a potential move to Alert Level 3 that evening. If the Alert Level changes, further communications will be sent out to our Northland Villages and Care Homes following the announcement.

Auckland will remain at Alert Level 4 until a Government review on 13^th September.

For now, there is no change to what we are doing.

We know continued lockdowns are challenging. Rest assured, we will keep you updated on any changes to these current restrictions as soon as they are made.

Please let me know if you have any queries or concerns in the meantime. Our teams are here to help, in any way they can.

Thank you all very much for working with us through these challenging times.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

Dear residents, families and whānau,

You may have seen from the Government announcement this afternoon that Alert Level 4 will be extended for all of New Zealand, until 11.59pm Tuesday 31^st August.

The Government then plans to move all regions south of the Auckland boundary to Alert Level 3, after that date, with Auckland and Northland remaining at Alert Level 4.

For now, there is no change to what we are doing. We remain at Alert Level 4 and we will be in touch with you again next week with further information.

Our teams are working really hard to keep everyone safe and our infection prevention controls remain in place. Under Alert Level 4, we have increased our team members’ pay by $2 an hour, to recognise all they are doing during this time.

Thank you all very much for working with us through these challenging times, to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe and protected from the risk of infection.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please stay safe.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Kia kaha,

27 August 2021 - information sent to village residents under Alert Level 4 

Dear residents,

You may have seen from the Government announcement this afternoon that Alert Level 4 will be extended for all of New Zealand, until 11.59pm Tuesday 31st August.

The Government then plans to move all regions south of the Auckland boundary to Alert Level 3, after that date, with Auckland and Northland remaining at Alert Level 4.

For now, there is no change to what we are doing. We remain at Alert Level 4 and we will be in touch with you again next week with further information.

Our teams are working really hard to keep everyone safe. Under Alert Level 4, we have increased our team members’ pay by $2 an hour, to recognise all they are doing during this time.

Thank you all very much for working with us through these challenging times.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay safe. Kia kaha,

The on-site clinics began last week, following approval via the Federal Government tender process, with first doses of Pfizer provided to team members at 52 of our 63 homes so far.

As of today, nationally Bupa’s aged care employee vaccination level is at 83% with some homes already hitting 100%. This figure will increase as clinics take place at remaining care homes.

The vaccination teams will return to all Bupa homes in the coming weeks to provide the second Pfizer doses.

In line with National Cabinet’s directive, all aged care workers must have received at least one dose of the vaccine by 17 September. Team members who have not received their first dose will be unable to work in aged care beyond that date. Bupa has repeatedly shared this information with all impacted team members and is working closely with those remaining team members to receive the vaccine as soon as possible.

Dear residents, families and whānau,

We are now one week into our second COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, with the Government announcing this afternoon that this will be extended for 4 days for all of New Zealand, until 11.59pm Friday 27^th August.

Auckland will stay in Alert Level 4 until 11.59pm Tuesday 31^st August.

As you know, under Alert Level 4 our Care Homes and Villages will remain closed to all external visitors, unless they provide essential services.

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.

Thank you all very much for working with us through these challenging times, to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe and protected from the risk of infection.

We will continue to offer the use of a laptop and/or smart phone so that families can stay connected at this time. Again, please reach out to me if you need support setting up digital contact with a loved one.

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

If you have any questions or if I can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

23 August 2021 - information sent to village residents and whānau under Alert Level 4 

Dear residents,

We are now one week into our second COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, with the Government announcing this afternoon that this will be extended for 4 days for all of New Zealand, until 11.59pm Friday 27^th August.

Auckland will stay in Alert Level 4 until 11.59pm Tuesday 31^st August.

As you know, under Alert Level 4 our Care Homes and Villages will remain closed to all external visitors, unless they provide essential services.

Thank you all very much for working with us through these challenging times, to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe and protected from the risk of infection.

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

If you have any questions or if I can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

Dear Care Home residents and whānau,

The Government has announced that New Zealand will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 from 11.59pm tonight, 17^th August.

These Alert Levels will be in place for an initial period of three days, except for Auckland and Coromandel who will be at Alert Level 4 for an anticipated seven days.

This means that starting from tomorrow, Wednesday 18^th August, we will be closing our Care Homes and Villages to all visitors.

We appreciate that the move to Alert Level 4, and not being able to see family and friends, is not easy.

At the Manager’s discretion, we may allow exceptions for families of those residents nearing end of life or similar circumstance, on compassionate grounds.

If you are a partner, or family member in this position, please contact me regarding the guidelines for visitors in these circumstances, which include the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and contact tracing requirements. Please do contact the Care Home first to set up your visit before coming to the home. Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging time.

Our wonderful team members are committed to caring for you and your loved ones through this time. Aged Care Homes are essential services that will continue to operate while many other workplaces are closed.

Please be assured that our employees and other essential health workers attending the Care Home continue to comply with stringent health disclosure rules and respiratory etiquette to protect against the risk of infection.

We will provide our residents with alternative ways to stay connected with their whānau through use of cell phones, tablet/iPads, and laptops.

Please do remember that at Alert Level 4 we will not accept food, general parcels or laundry deliveries from families for their loved ones. This is to protect you and your loved ones from the risk of infection. However, we will accept courier parcels, as they are set up with the necessary hygiene protocols and utilise contactless delivery.

The Ministry of Health will review this Alert Level in the coming days, and we will update you accordingly.

We appreciate your understanding about this change, and we will continue to communicate with you about your loved one and the steps we are taking to keep them safe. You can also refer to bupa.co.nz for the latest updates.

17 August 2021 - information sent to village residents and whānau under Alert Level 4 

The Government has announced that New Zealand will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 from 11.59pm tonight, 17^th August.

These Alert Levels will be in place for an initial period of three days, except for Auckland and Coromandel who will be at Alert Level 4 for an anticipated seven days.

This means that starting from tomorrow, Wednesday 18^th August, we will be closing our Care Homes and Villages to all visitors.

Our wonderful team members are committed to caring for you through this time, as aged care services are considered essential and will continue to operate while many other workplaces are closed.

Given the move to Alert Level 4, we will be implementing a number of restrictions in order to keep you safe and reduce the risk of infection. These restrictions are as follows:

• We are closing our Villages to all visitors.

• There is to be no movement between Retirement Villages and Care Homes, and any common facilities will not be available for use.

• The Government strongly recommends that people over 70 stay at home. We ask that you please stay in your apartment, villa or unit to stay safe. Your Village Manager will support you to access groceries and essential supplies if needed.

• The meal service to Village residents will be available through non-contact methods.

• Our wellness clinics are closed until further notice.

• Our community centres will be locked where they can be and are not available until further notice.

• Please be vigilant in following the Ministry of Health guidelines, which includes not congregating in groups, not leaving the Village unless for exercise or grocery shopping, and continuing good hand hygiene.

• Van outings are suspended.

We appreciate that the move to Alert Level 4, and not being able to see family and friends, is not easy.

Thank you for your understanding regarding these temporary changes and restrictions. They are in place to keep you, and your fellow residents, safe.

The Ministry of Health will review this Alert Level in the coming days, and we will update you accordingly.

Thank you again for your understanding and support at this time.

Dear Care Home residents and whānau

Following an increase of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and respiratory type illnesses in our Care Homes, we have made the decision to increase our restrictions around visiting at all Bupa Care Homes.

This is a proactive step we are taking to keep our residents and teams safe. We will continue to closely follow the updates and will revise our instructions as new information comes to hand.

In order to minimise the risk of further spread of these viruses, we are implementing the below precautions:

The points below are in place at ALL of our Bupa Care Homes:

• Mask wearing: We require all visitors to wear masks, so please either bring your own masks or we will provide one if you do not have one.

• We continue to recommend that children under 12-years-old do not visit at this time. This does not mean children are banned from our Care Homes, but we ask you to please consider the appropriateness of their visit and the risk this may pose to our residents at this time.

• We continue to ask that you please limit the number of visitors as much as possible.

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our Care Homes must be through the main reception and you will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement. We also recommend that anyone visiting our sites use the Government NZ COVID Tracer app.

• Residents have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving our Care Homes to visit family and whānau, for completion while out. We also strongly encourage them to use the NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location they visit.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us to keep our residents and team members safe from infection.

“Having a good friend helps your social wellbeing and general health; it can protect you from things like depression and can have other health benefits by keeping you thinking clearer. We also know that if you’re having fun, you’re more likely to be resilient when adverse events happen,” says Dr Maree Todd, Bupa’s geriatrician.

“For older people, it is often harder to keep friends at this stage of their life, which puts them more at risk of loneliness. They are more likely to live alone if they’re not in aged residential care. Illness often restricts their ability to get out and about and connect with people. They are also at an age when peers, spouses and friends are passing away,” says Maree.

However, there are a number of things we can all do to help older people maintain friendships and keep loneliness at bay.

Put it in the post

“Receiving and sending letters is a really positive thing that anyone can do. This is a generation where people often communicated by writing and while it’s not something the younger generations do, whenever any of us receive a letter or card in the mail it makes us feel very special,” says Maree.

Letters and cards have the added bonus of not being reliant on people’s ability to use technology, such as email or social media, like Facebook.

It is also an easier mode of communication for the significant number of people (1 in 3) who suffer from hearing loss as they get older.

Send photos

Another great tip from Maree is to send photos.

“Without doubt, all our residents, whether they are in a care home or a retirement village, love receiving photo updates. It helps people connect with what’s happening in the world, especially what’s happening with younger generations in the family,” says Maree.

“Not only do you get the initial enjoyment of receiving photos, but they can then be hung up in people’s rooms and shown around to their fellow residents. These images become a talking point and a way to connect and learn about each other, which is a key part to forming bonds. Research does show that asking questions increases likeability.”

Ways to share photos:

• Send photos in the post
• Ask your care home if you can send them photos to print off and give to residents
• For the tech savvy, you can set up shared albums on your iPhone or iPad or a WhatsApp chat.

Say yes!

“Making new friends and maintaining old friends takes effort; you have to be proactive. For older Kiwis, our key advice is to say ‘yes’ to social activities – if you don’t try it, you don’t know what it’s like and the social interaction might allow you to develop a new friend.

“So, give yourself the challenge of going out and speaking to somebody new today,” adds Maree.

Always take an interest

“For our Bupa teams, today is a good reminder of the role we play in helping our residents to feel connected and part of a community”, adds Maree.

Clinical data (interrail) for New Zealand shows that for older Kiwis living at home, loneliness is quite high, over 22%, but is significantly lower in care homes.

“For our residents, this drop in loneliness reflects the Person First approach we take. Every day, we work hard to have meaningful interactions, to create activities and build social connectedness. All core things for building friendships and why the opportunities to make new friends is higher in care homes than someone housebound with illness at home. For example, my mother has made more friends in the last six weeks then in the last ten years,” concludes Maree.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Crush
External Communications Manager
Email: stephanie.crush@bupa.co.nz

Mob: 027 801 9377

 About Bupa

Bupa is a diverse health and care group, which has been committed to a purpose of longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world for more than 70 years. In New Zealand, Bupa supports thousands of residents and clients through a range of health and care services including aged care, independent living, and dental services. Employing more than 4,000 people in New Zealand, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of New Zealanders through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care.

For more information about Bupa visit bupa.co.nz

“We welcome and fully support the decision to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for aged care workers to better protect residents,” Ms Dvorak said.

“It is vital that access to the vaccine is fast-tracked, for not only our team members, but for all health professionals and anyone, including family members, who come into regular contact with the elderly, vulnerable and sick.

“As community transmission and outbreaks continue, we all must act quickly to protect our older Australians in aged care, including facilitating on-site vaccinations via the Government tender process which is currently underway, Ms Dvorak said.

29 June 2021 - information sent to care home residents and whānau under Alert Level 2 (greater Wellington Only)

Dear residents and whānau,

The Government has today announced that the greater Wellington region will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from 11:59pm tonight.

The points outlined below come into effect at this time.

Updated visitor guidelines

At Alert Level 1 most restrictions are removed and there is no requirement for physical distancing or visitor mask wearing.

The following guidelines are still in place:

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry to the facility must continue to be through the main reception/ entrance way.
• You will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.
• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement. We also recommend that anyone visiting a Bupa site use the Government NZ COVID Tracer app.
• Residents can have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving the facility to visit family and whānau, for completion while out. We also strongly encourage them to use the NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location they visit.

Thank you again for understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment for your loved ones in our care home.

29 June 2021 - information sent to village residents under Alert Level 2 (greater Wellington only)

Dear Resident.

The Government has today announced that the greater Wellington region will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from 11:59pm tonight.

At this time all Bupa Retirement Villages will return to normal at Alert Level 1. Contact tracing will remain in place for all external visitors.

The Government advice that remains in place is:

• If you’re sick, stay home. Do not socialise.

• Practice good hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces.

• Keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and kindness to your fellow residents and our team as we navigate the continuing COVID-19 alert level restrictions together.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Dear Care Home residents and whānau,

The Government has announced that the greater Wellington region will move to Alert Level 2 from 6pm tonight (Wednesday 23^rd June), until 11.59pm on Sunday 27^th June.

The greater Wellington region includes the Wairarapa and Kapiti Coast, up to north of Otaki. As a precaution, Bupa has also made the decision to extend the region to our Care Homes located in Levin.

For all of our Bupa facilities under Alert Level 2, we are still open for visiting, but we will be implementing visitor mask wearing.

This is a proactive step we are taking to keep our residents and teams safe. We are closely following the Ministry of Health (MoH) updates and will revise our instructions as new information comes to hand.

• Mask wearing: We require all visitors to wear masks, so please either bring your own masks or we will provide one if you do not have one.

• The Ministry of Health have released a list of locations of interest related to the COVID-19 case. Please make sure you have reviewed this list, which can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

• People who have attended one of the listed locations of interest during the relevant timeframes are asked to please stay at home and follow MoH advice. 

The points below remain in place at ALL of our Bupa facilities:

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our facilities must be through the main reception and you will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement. We also recommend that anyone visiting our sites use the Government NZ COVID Tracer app.

• Residents have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving our facilities to visit family and whānau, for completion while out. We also strongly encourage them to use the NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location they visit.

The Ministry of Health will review this Alert Level in the coming days and we will update you accordingly. Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment for your loved ones in our care.

23 June 2021 - information sent to village residents under Alert Level 2 (greater Wellington Only)

Dear Residents,

The Government has announced that the greater Wellington region will move to Alert Level 2 from 6pm tonight (Wednesday 23^rd June), until 11.59pm on Sunday 27^th June.

The greater Wellington region includes the Wairarapa and Kapiti Coast, up to north of Otaki.

From 6pm tonight, the below guidance applies to visiting a Bupa Village in this region:

• Communal areas remain open, but as an extra precaution please observe personal hygiene and physical distancing.

• Visitors can continue to visit using communal spaces.

• Van outings and meal service will continue.

• Respite, day care and wellness clinics will continue to be open.

• We continue to ask that people do not visit if they feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our facilities must be through the main reception and visitors are required to sanitise their hands-on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement. We also recommend that anyone visiting our sites use the Government NZ COVID Tracer app.

• 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 you do not have one.

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

The Ministry of Health will review this Alert Level in the coming days, and we will update you accordingly.

“Mrs Kennedy was a wonderful Matron and a wonderful person. The advice she gave me was you have to have heart to be a nurse. It’s good to have the medical side and know what you should and shouldn’t do but you have to have heart.”

Nursing training was certainly different for Kitty, where she lived in a dormitory in the nursing training school with the other students.

“I was always interested in the human body and I liked looking after people.”

Kitty tried to continue her hospital nursing in New Zealand but put family first as her daughters were starting a new school in a new country and she didn’t drive so couldn’t do district nursing.

Even though Kitty went on to a career at the British High Commission, she fondly remembers one famous patient she nursed - a grandmother to one of the Beatles.

“I remember the woman wouldn’t take medicine and so when I said let's both take the medicine in water. I ended up with her water thrown all over me. She wasn’t stupid.”

Kitty was treated to a glass of wine and cake to celebrate International Nurses Day this week with the Registered Nurses who care and support her in her Upper Hutt care home.

“We strongly support initiatives that will help attract and retain a long-term, caring and compassionate workforce, as well as those designed to professionalise the sector.

Workforce

“I’ve said for some time that an appropriately funded aged care sector would enable us to increase the time our nurses, carers and other team members spend with our residents.

“So, the announcement that providers will be funded to offer residents 200 minutes of direct care per resident per day is very significant.

Move to professionalise sector

“Investments that improve standards of care, quality and governance will go a long way towards professionalising what has traditionally been a cottage industry.

“This is about ensuring quality providers can not only survive, but also improve and grow as we address the demand that will come from baby boomers entering residential aged care.

Boost for residential care welcome

“We support the choice of people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but for many, this is not an option. The proposed investment in residential care is a positive step forward, but ongoing investment is critical to ensure long term sustainability of the sector.

Consider User-Pays Model

“Caring for older Australians is a responsibility the community shares. We welcome universal access to high quality care and additional government funding, but also recognise the importance of users contributing more to the cost of their own accommodation and living expenses, where they can afford to do so.” Mr El-Ansary added.

Mr El-Ansary said as the Budget had just been released, Bupa would take some time to consider its impact. To view Bupa’s advocacy paper visit here.

“If a resident becomes agitated, I now understand what might have triggered the behaviour and feel more confident in dealing with certain situations.”

Recent positive changes at Rossendale Care Home have been welcomed by the two nurses as the focus is directly on the residents.

Leslie Rose (29) has been working at Rossendale for more than two years and says she regularly sees flashes of lucidity in her residents when memories suddenly come back to them.

“We have a few residents who were Registered Nurses. When we talk about medicals or medications it can trigger flashbacks for them. We can then have a regular and coherent conversation about nursing with them which is quite amazing actually.”

The nurses also acknowledge the vital support they receive from their caregiving team around them.

“Without caregivers we cannot finish a single shift. Good teamwork, commitment and open communication is so important,” says Leslie Rose.

On International Nurses Day 2021, both nurses agree a simple thank you or smile from a resident or their family member makes the job fulfilling as they work in the only psychogeriatric care home in the Waikato region.

“I’m really pleased, it’s time that we actually show everyone that it’s safe, effective and that it’s the right thing to do.”

The vaccination rollout is well underway throughout the country, with residents and Bupa teams lining up for their doses.

Michael said he’d had no side effects from the first dose and was ready to roll up his sleeve three weeks later for his next.

“I felt great after the first vaccination, this is about protecting not just myself but also my residents and the team working alongside me,” Michael says.

Caro praised the Waikato District Health Board on its excellent coordination of vaccine delivery at the Te Rapa Racecourse vaccination centre.

After the quick jab which they both hardly felt, they were given lollipops and kept in observation for 20 minutes before waving their Waikato District Health Board vaccination team goodbye.

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.

“The first thing Dad would say to me on video calls was ‘when are you coming to see me’. We both cried when we saw each other again, it was very emotional.”

Akber Sahib has been a resident of the Mangere East care home for seven years and had been enjoying regular visits every four to six weeks from his eldest daughter before Covid hit. Rehana says even though her Dad has had a number of health and mobility issues over the past few years, he’s still his jovial self.

“He’s been much brighter since I’ve been back and it’s just been so wonderful to hold his hand and hug him again.”

“Marjorie mentioned the display and I thought what a good idea, that sounds just lovely to make,” May (93) says.

May has a personal connection to war as her husband was a World War Two veteran, and her father served in World War One. The smaller knitted poppies were finished in half an hour, with the larger ones taking almost two hours due to the double knitting wool and stitching needed.

Marjorie (91) says she quickly discovered a new method of knitting the poppies to find their unique flower shape.

“Instead of knitting them round, i knitted a strip of wool, then I pulled the bottom strip tight and stitched it up the top. Then I finished it by putting a little button in the middle,” Marjorie explains.

The knitting duo insist the art of knitting came about because they had to knit their own jerseys and clothes for their children too.

Activities Assistant, Loren Riley-Sykes says Cambridge RSA will be coming into the care home on Anzac Day for a one hour service. The service will include wreath laying, hymns and a bugler to play the Last Post.

The meal ideas have not only come from the team members themselves but also the residents with a wide variety of cuisines already covered such as Indian vegetarian and street food, Mexican, Spanish, Nepalese, and Vietnamese delicacies.

Ngaire Burgess has been living in the care home for a year now and asked staff to make sure there weren’t any seeds in her meal. The resident says it’s the first time she had tried the latest cuisine of both sweet and savoury Indian dishes but found them very flavourful.

“I liked the different tastes and it’s not spicy for me which is good. I find it’s nice to try something different sometimes and to watch how they make it,” Ngaire says.

Bupa Sunset Care Home Manager Pauline Mellor has praised her team for coming up with the idea to do weekly cooking demonstrations and for keeping it fresh with new food ideas too.

“The residents really do look forward to it and it’s great to see so much engagement from them too. Food is so important to them and they love to see how it’s prepared and made.”

The team have also noticed lots of reminiscing from residents about cooking in their own kitchens in days gone by. The cooking demonstrations trigger strong memories of big family gatherings and large amounts of food prepared. Caregiver Kulbir Gill says resident involvement and the variety in foods from different countries has meant the audience for their demonstrations within the care home has grown.

“Today they helped to roll out the dough and roti for us, they really like to get involved and of course to have a sample taste before we break for the full lunch,” she says.

The team all agree when they know if a dish was well liked… empty plates.

Graham grew up in the road next door to the village, on a 17 acre farm in Blakes Road and was there until 1955. He then moved away for his job when he worked for Linwood Logo Railway, cleaning five steam engines used for the South Island Royal Tour of 1953 and 54.

After 12 years working for NZ Rail, the retired Graham is pleased to be nearby the land he grew up on, and that he gets to keep his prized train possessions around him.

“I have my framed photo on the wall of the last steam engine I drove from Springfield to Christchurch in 1965. I also keep my engine driver hat close by. It’s funny to be living in a village on a street called Stationmasters Way. It’s like it was meant to be,” Graham explains.

The couple say they chose their two bedroom villa in Prebbleton as it was close to the supermarket and was ‘nice and cosy’. The 83 year old is also excited to be able to continue his long association with a Workingmen’s Club. The village manager has organised a new membership for Graham to the local club in Hornby.

The tsunami threat to coastal areas of New Zealand is now lowered and our Whakatane based Mary Shapley residents and staff will return to their care home and village over the course of today. Beach and marine areas remain areas to avoid at this time.

Thank you to everyone who helped our response to this threat today.

11:05am - Friday 05 March 2021 

We are following the instructions ad under the guidance of Police and Civil Defence due to the threat of tsunami waves.

In Whakatane at our Mary Shapley site, this means moving location for some of our residents, in other cases we will be holding in place.

We will update information on our website bupa.co.nz ( b-u-p-a dot co dot nz)

Here is a list of numbers for those people requiring more contact at this time

• For Mary Shapley Residents and their Families – call Sue on 027 452 0132
• For any matter related to Bupa employees call Margaret 027 856 7896
• For any other matter - please call Suzy at Corporate Affairs on 021 767 789

9:57am - Friday 05 March 2021 

Due to the immediate evacuation order from Civil Defence and Police in Whakatane, we are moving all our Mary Shapley residents to a safe place. We are working with Police who are on site at the village and care home.

The number for you to call for information is 0800 336 377.

Please do not ring the care home at this time.

Please know and trust that we will protect and care for your loved ones as our utmost priority.

We will be in touch with you as soon as we have more information. 

You can also find the latest Civil Defence updates HERE

“When your house and garden becomes a maintenance problem, for goodness sake move. We decided it would be better to move into a village together rather than one at a time,” John says.

After researching a few other local retirement villages, the couple realised the apartments on offer weren’t as nice as the brand new two bedroom apartments at Bupa Parkstone Retirement Village.

“We had a look at a couple of apartments and opened the door on this particular one which had a view, large lounge, two bedrooms and I turned to the village person and said YES, when do you want the money?” Glenys explains with a smile.

The couple, who are in their 80’s, moved in last year and have made a real effort to meet their village neighbours. Glenys has played the village bingo and joined the knitting group, while John has taken up regular swimming in the onsite village pool, as well as keeping up his regular tennis, golf and walking.

Glenys and John are also happy that they’re still able to live in the same local area where they’ve lived all their married lives. Even though they now have a large family (three children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren) to keep them active and engaged, the decision to move into a village still had them considering the future.

“Another reason for us to come to this village was that it has a care home attached. Many other big ones don’t have that and we felt, with our age, we needed to think about that,” adds Glenys.

Dear Residents and Relatives,

Our Clinical Services Team is currently working with the District Health Boards (DHBs) to gather the necessary information needed to roll-out COVID-19 vaccinations at our Care Homes.

Each DHB is working on a plan for their region, with many signalling that vaccinations will start in aged care facilities from mid-April and into May.

The COVID-19 vaccination is currently not mandatory, but we are strongly encouraging all Bupa employees and residents to be vaccinated.

To help you make an informed decision, we recommend you discuss the COVID-19 vaccination with your family/ whānau or your General Practitioner. For your reference, the vaccination consent form is attached.

Please note, we must have all consent forms completed before the COVID-19 vaccinations are conducted at our home. Even if you, or your loved one, chooses not to have the COVID-19 vaccination, we will still need you to complete the COVID-19 vaccination consent form and clearly state by the ‘Declaration’ section that you are not consenting to receive the vaccine.

If you, or your loved one, chooses to have the vaccination, but you become unwell, you may need to be vaccinated at a later time.

If you would like more details about the COVID-19 vaccine you may find the following websites helpful:

• https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccines/
• https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines

Here is a link to a short video that Clinical Services Director Katherine Foulkes recorded that may answer some of your questions. It can also be found on the Bupa.co.nz website.

12 March 2021 - information sent to care home residents, families, and rehabilitation clients in Auckland

Dear residents, clients and whānau,

The move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 announced by the Government today marks a significant and welcome step forward for Aucklanders.

The points outlined below come into effect from midday today.

Updated visitor guidelines

At Alert Level 1 most restrictions are removed and there is no requirement for physical distancing. The following guidelines are still in place:

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry to the facility must continue to be through the main reception.
• You will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.
• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.

• You will no longer be required to wear a mask while moving through the facility.

• Residents and clients can have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving the facility to visit family and whānau, for completion while out.

Thank you again for understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment for your loved ones in our home.

12 March 2021 - information sent to retirement village residents in Auckland

Dear Resident,

The move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 announced by the Government today marks a significant and welcome step forward for Aucklanders.

From midday today, all Bupa Retirement Villages will return to normal at Alert Level 1, however contact tracing will remain in place for all external visitors.

The Government advice that remains in place is:

• If you’re sick, stay home. Do not socialise.

• Practice good hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces.

• Keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and kindness to your fellow residents and our team as we navigate the continuing COVID-19 alert level restrictions together.

05 March 2021 - information sent to care home residents, families, and rehabilitation clients in Auckland under Alert Level 2 from 6am Sunday. 

Dear Care Home residents, Rehab clients and whānau

The Prime Minister announced this afternoon that Auckland is moving down to Alert Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand to Alert Level 1, from 6am Sunday 7^th March.

For all Bupa facilities in Auckland now under Alert Level 2, visitors are again welcome during specified visiting hours, and mask wearing for visitors is effective immediately.

Important points:

1. Masks - Visitors must wear a mask, either their own or one we provide for them.
2. Visiting hours are between 10am – 5pm
3. No children under 12 to visit at this time
4. Day-Care: In Alert Level 2, day care services are suspended. We will be able to resume day care services when Auckland is in Alert Level 1. Please remember our residents are in their “care home bubble” and we are doing everything we can to keep them safe from any potential outside infection source.

The points below remain in place at ALL of our Bupa facilities:

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our facilities must be through the main reception and you will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.

• Residents have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving our facilities to visit family and whānau, for completion while out. We also strongly encourage them to use the NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location they visit.

The Ministry of Health will next provide an update on these current Alert Levels at the end of next week. After this time, we will review our guidance and be in touch with you if the above changes in any way. Thank you again for your understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment for your loved ones in our care.

05 March 2021 - information sent to retirement village residents in Auckland under Alert Level 2 from 6am Sunday. 

Dear Residents,

The move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 announced by the Government from 6am Sunday 7^th March marks a significant and welcome step for those of us in Auckland.

As you would expect, this move down alert levels again has implications for the measures in place at our Bupa Retirement Villages and how we go about our day to day lives.

From 6am Sunday 7^th March the below guidance applies to visiting a Bupa Retirement Village in Alert Level 2 regions:

• Communal areas are now open again, but as an extra precaution please observe personal hygiene and physical distancing.

• Visitors can now visit using communal spaces.

• Van outings and meal service now resume.

• Respite, day care and wellness clinics are now open.

• We continue to ask that people do not visit if they feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our facilities must be through the main reception and visitors are required to sanitise their hands-on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.

• At Level 2 all visitors to our Care Homes are required to wear masks and to visit during the hours of 10am-5pm. If you wish to visit someone within the Care Home, please either bring your own mask or we will provide one if you do not have one. We also cannot permit children under 12 to visit at this time.

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

The Government will review these current Alert Levels at the end of next week and we will update you accordingly.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for your ongoing support.

05 March 2021 - information sent to care home residents, families, and rehabilitation clients in New Zealand (outside of Auckland) under Alert Level 1 from 6am Sunday.

Dear residents, clients and whānau,

The move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 announced by the Government today marks a significant and welcome step forward for those outside of Auckland.

The points outlined below come into effect from 6am Sunday 7^th March.

Updated visitor guidelines

At Alert Level 1 most restrictions are removed and there is no requirement for physical distancing. The following guidelines are still in place:

• We continue to ask that you do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry to the facility must continue to be through the main reception.
• You will be required to sanitise your hands on arrival.
• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration and Privacy Statement.

• You will no longer be required to wear a mask while moving through the facility.

• Residents and clients can have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving the facility to visit family and whānau, for completion while out.

Thank you again for understanding and for helping us maintain the safest possible environment for your loved ones in our facility.

05 March 2021 - information sent to retirement village residents (outside of Auckland) under Alert Level 1 from 6am Sunday. 

Dear Resident,

The move to COVID-19 Alert Level 1 announced by the Government today marks a significant and welcome step forward for those outside of Auckland.

From 6am Sunday 7^th March, all Bupa Retirement Villages outside of Auckland will return to normal at Alert Level 1, however contact tracing will remain in place for all external visitors.

The Government advice that remains in place is:

• If you’re sick, stay home. Do not socialise.

• Practice good hygiene measures, including washing your hands, coughing or sneezing into your elbow and cleaning surfaces.

• Keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and kindness to your fellow residents and our team as we navigate the continuing COVID-19 alert level restrictions together.

28 February 2021 - information sent to care home residents, families, and rehabilitation clients in New Zealand (outside of Auckland) under Alert Level 2.

Dear Care Home residents, Rehab clients and whānau

Further to the change in alert levels last night (Auckland Alert Level 3, rest of New Zealand Alert level two), we wish to inform you of some important changes to visiting at our care homes outside of Auckland.

At Alert Level 2, we are still open for visiting, however for these next 7 days our proactive steps are:

• Visitor mask wearing is compulsory
• At every visit you must read and sign a declaration form that you have not been in Auckland anytime from the 1st of February until now, or someone you regularly interact with has not been in Auckland anytime from the 1st of February until now.
  • If the answer is YES then you must not visit at this time. Alternative ways for you to contact your loved one can be accessed (phone or video calling).
• Visiting hours are now between 10am – 5pm
•  No children under 12 to visit
• For visitors, where possible conduct visits in resident’s rooms, maintain 1m physical distancing, or if you can physically distance in lounges.

Please remember our residents are in their “care home bubble” and we are doing everything we can to keep them safe from any potential outside infection source. We know that these restrictions have an impact on everyone, however they are purely for our residents’ safety. We are closely following the Ministry of Health updates and will review our instructions as new information comes to hand.

The points below remain in place at ALL of our Bupa facilities:

• Do not visit if you feel at all unwell, e.g. have a temperature or have any gastro / cold / flu symptoms.
• Entry into our facilities must be through the main reception and you are required to sanitise your hands on arrival.

• All visitors must sign in via the EVA Visitor Registration App at reception, or on the paper-based Contact Tracing Spreadsheet. As part of this, all visitors must read and agree to a Health Declaration (with an additional condition as mentioned above) and Privacy Statement.

• Residents have the option to take a Contact Tracing Form when leaving our facilities to visit family and whānau, for completion while out. We also strongly encourage them to use the NZ COVID Tracer QR code for each location they visit.

Thank you again for your understanding and for your ongoing help to maintain the safest possible environment for all loved ones in our care.

27 February 2021 - information sent to care home residents, families, and rehabilitation clients in Auckland under Alert Level 3 from 6am 28 February. 

Dear Clients, Residents and Whānau,

The Prime Minister announced this evening that from 6am tomorrow, Sunday 28^th February, Auckland will be moving back up to COVID-19 Alert Level 3, and the rest of New Zealand will be moving back up to Alert Level 2. These Alert Levels will be in place for the next 7 days.

We will be closing to all external visitors across our Auckland Care Home and Rehabilitation sites for the seven-day period, commencing tomorrow, Sunday 28th February.

This decision will be reviewed once further information is released by the Ministry of Health, and we may decide to extend our closures to a wider region if necessary.

We understand this is another very sudden change which has a real impact on you, our residents and clients, and your whānau. We ask please for your understanding and help to keep everyone safe as we manage this situation together.

We know it will be disappointing to hear you are unable to visit your loved ones this week, but we want to kindly remind you that we will again be offering our residents the use of computers and phones to help families stay connected.

We are operating in alignment with Ministry of Health guidance, who are focussed on identifying and stamping out this community occurrence of COVID-19 as quickly as possible.