Uniting Communities is proactively monitoring updates on COVID-19 as they become available and as the situation unfolds.

We want to assure our clients and their loved ones, our staff and volunteers, our funders and partners, and the broader community that we are following the Department of Health’s advice to implement measures that will best support the community’s safety and wellbeing.

To this end, we are focused on minimising exposure of the community, whilst allowing our services to continue wherever possible. We are encouraging all staff and volunteers within our organisation to proactively help manage the spread of COVID-19 by:

• being particularly mindful of hand hygiene, especially when working with vulnerable people

• limiting close contact with others, particularly when in large groups

• reducing non-essential travel.

We are also following the advice of the Federal Government provided on Sunday 15 March, requiring people entering Australia from midnight Sunday 15 March to self-isolate for 14 days.

Regarding our aged care residences, we are following the Federal Government’s advice on visitation, but have requested that residents only receive one visitor at a time. We have also asked residents and their guests to meet in the resident’s room rather than communal areas, and have directed that children under the age of 16 do not visit – as a result, we have cancelled non-essential events, such as the Family by Family playgroup at the Aldersgate residence, for the time being. With the situation changing rapidly, we will await further advice and update our arrangements as needed.

We thank our residents, their families and loved ones, and our staff for their cooperation and understanding.

For further updates from Uniting Communities about our services, please check our social media channels.