Updates to visiting in Aged Care Homes
Aged care residents should now have access to one visitor at all times.
According to the revised Industry Code for Visiting in Aged Care Homes, restrictions should only occur:
- when a COVID-19 outbreak occurs in your home
- when there are high levels of COVID-19 in your local community (directed by state or territory government officials)
If restrictions are in place, an Essential Visitor should still be allowed to visit you. This includes lockdown periods.
All residents should always have access to at least one visitor. To achieve this, the Code defines certain visitors as Essential Visitors:
- Partners-in-Care – a person who frequently visits a resident in aged care to provide companionship and routine care, such as support with meals.
- Named Visitor – If a resident does not have a Partner-in-Care, they may nominate one person to be a Named Visitor. Aged care homes and families should also consider a backup Named Visitor where the usual Named Visitor becomes unwell or is unable to visit for another reason. A Named Visitor may include a volunteer if the resident desires.
Aged care providers should enable each resident to be always visited by an Essential Visitor, even during outbreaks or exposures. Visiting hours for Essential Visitors should be available for those that work full time and include weekends. The length of time an Essential Visitor can visit should not be restricted.
At all times end of life visits should be allowed
Anyone should be able to visit residents at, or approaching, the end of life. These visits should not be time limited. This may include out of hours visiting.
