Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Important Information

We understand many of our Carers, Clients and Seniors may be concerned about Coronavirus (COVID-19) – a new respiratory illness – and what it might mean for them. We’d like to share with you some services that may be of help to our Carers, Clients and Seniors:

• A short-term emotional and psychological phone-based counselling service is available to support our Carers in their caring role. This service is free and confidential, available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm with professional counsellors available to talk through any concerns you may have. Contact the Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 or the Carers Association on 1800 242 636 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm).

• The Carer Gateway Community Forum is also available to assist carers connect to other carers and share stories, knowledge and experience. Please visit the Carer Gateway Website.

• Households receiving government benefits including the Carer’s Allowance may also be eligible to receive a $750 cheque from 31st March as part of the Morrison Government’s $17.6 bullion coronavirus stimulus package.

Our priority is the health and safety of our Carers, Clients and Seniors, and at this stage all scheduled programs and services will continue to run as planned. We will advise all of our Carers, Clients and Seniors if Department of Health medical advisory changes. If you are feeling sick or unwell, please contact us as soon as possible on 8433 9555 to cancel your program or service to help your recovery and prevent exposure to others – we will endeavor to reschedule you on the program or service when safe to do so. For Carers, Clients and Seniors worried about COVID-19, at the outset we recommend that you discuss any queries or concerns with your GP or health professional and where appropriate, consider having a flu vaccination for yourself and family. We recommend you regularly check the following Australian Government websites, for information about COVID-19, including how to protect yourself and minimising your risk:

• www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
• www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources
• www.smartraveller.gov.au (for travellers)

We also suggest if you are travelling, that you contact your travel insurance provider to see what they cover regarding medical illness. The World Health Organisation website - www.who.int has general advice for the public regarding precautions, other concerns and handy FAQs. Please feel free to reach out to our team Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm with any additional questions you may have.