A special advisor has been appointed in Victoria to make sure families of residents in COVID-19 impacted aged care facilities are kept in the loop.
The Commissioner for Senior Victorians, Gerard Mansour, has been appointed as an advisor to the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC) to ensure families are kept informed about the welfare and care needs of their loved ones.
VACRC has been established at the State Control Centre in Melbourne to co-ordinate and expand resources across the Australian and Victorian governments to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 in aged care services.
Mr Mansour will provide advice and consultation for engaging with families of residents in severely COVID-19 impacted aged care facilities, and help connect them to available supports including Elder Rights Advocacy and the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement.
He will also work alongside other advocacy groups including the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN). He will also assist with communication and provide timely and ongoing feedback to VACRC, as well as help to promote further prevention measures with staff working in aged care facilities that have not had outbreaks.
Mr Mansour said he understands how challenging it is for so many families. "It is vital that residents and families receive appropriate and timely communications and I will work to ensure we will embed this into the response work."
He will also engage with the Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Vivienne Nguyen, to ensure appropriate supports are provided to families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
On Monday, Victoria recorded 429 cases of coronavirus and another 13 deaths as the state entered its first day of stage four lockdown.
The new deaths included a man in 60s, two males and a female in their 70s, two males in their 80s and five females and two males in their 90s. Eight of the deaths were linked to known outbreaks in aged care facilities.
Federal Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said Mr Mansour's appointment was one way in which the government was mobilising resources to help senior Australians manage the impacts of COVID-19.
"Mr Mansour's extensive networks in Victoria will be invaluable to our collective efforts," he said.
Victorian Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, Luke Donnellan, said in responding to the urgent health needs of older Victorians, it was vital to keep families informed "and ensure their emotional needs are front of mind too".
"We've got the best emergency, medical and nursing teams on the job, and I know Gerard will ensure the rights of these older Victorians and their families are not forgotten in this response."
The former chief executive of Leading Age Services Australia, Mr Mansour was the inaugural appointment as Commissioner for Senior Victorians in 2013 and is also Victoria's Ambassador for Elder Abuse Prevention, advocating for the needs of those older people at risk of elder abuse.
The announcement comes on Tuesday, as Mr Colbeck is due to give evidence to an inquiry into the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
There have been 800 cases of COVID-19 in aged care facilities nationally so far, with 136 residents dying.
As well, there have been 54 cases recorded at in-home care, including five deaths.
Senator Colbeck is one of a number of high-profile witnesses to front the Senate committee on Tuesday, along with the acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and head of the health department Professor Brendan Murphy.
The committee will also speak with Janet Anderson, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner.
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Geraldine Cardozo
Features Editor at The Senior.
Features Editor at The Senior.
