Carers NSW is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the ongoing government response and the wide ranging impacts it has on carers. Below is our latest COVID-19 information and resources for carers.
General information
The Australian Government Department of Health website provides daily updates, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), the latest news, current facts and figures, travel advice and contact details. Visit www.health.gov.au for more information.
NSW Health provides the latest information and advice on the coronavirus (COVID-19) on their website at www.health.nsw.gov.au
The NSW Department of Communities and Justice have information for seniors, people with disability and carers on their website.
Carers can visit these websites or call the National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080 (or the National Relay Service on 1300 555 727) for up to date advice about the present level of risk and recommended precautions.
Latest information from Friday 24 July 2020
Wearing a face mask in Australia is now recommended by health experts in areas where community transmission of COVID-19 is high or whenever physical distancing is not possible.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare has released a document outlining the use of facemasks.
The most important things that you can do to protect yourself and others are to:
The Federal Government announced it will extend the JobKeeper payment for a further six months to March 2021. Support will be targeted to businesses and not-for-profit organisations that continue to be significantly impacted by COVID-19.
JobSeeker payments
New economic modelling from The Australia Institute has shown that if the government removed the Coronavirus Supplement in September 2020, it would be forcing more than 650,000 Australians, including 120,000 children, to live in poverty, 21 percent below the poverty line. At present, the Coronavirus Supplement has lifted 425,000 people out of poverty.
The Greens have continued to voice their concerns regarding the reintroduction of the assets test and liquid asset test in relation to JobSeeker payment eligibility. Senator Rachel Siewart has expressed particular concern for those who are older and ineligible for JobSeeker based on the reinstated asset tests, and the fact that they may be forced to use their personal savings before they are able to access income support, impacting their financial security as they enter retirement.
Council on the Ageing (COTA) has called on the Federal Government to reverse its decision to reinstate the Liquid Assets Waiting Period from the end of September, at least for unemployed mature workers, who will be among the most vulnerable amid what will be a long term recession.
Anglicare Australia and GetUp have also raised concerns on this issue and note that the reduced payments will push many Australians and their children into poverty. The Australian Council of Social Services has commented that the reductions in JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments do not provide people who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic with economic certainty or security.
Mental health
The Mental Health Council of Tasmania has developed a #Check in website for Tasmanians to check in on their own mental health, on a friend or family member, and on what’s happening in their local community. By answering some easy questions on the website, people can find guidance around what supports and information is available in Tasmania to help with their mental health and/or of someone they care about.
Specific information for carers of older people
The Department of Health has advised that home care service providers must maintain vigilance to prevent COVID-19, as outbreaks continue to emerge in Victoria and NSW.
NSW Health recommends the following measures:
Staff with fever / respiratory symptoms (even mild symptoms) should be excluded from work, advised to isolate at home and be tested.
The Australian Government is prioritising Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) distribution from the National Medical Stockpile to aged care services that are most in need.
Due to COVID-19, Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) are taking a flexible approach to the delivery of assessments. If necessary, ACATs can use emergency provisions under the Aged Care Act 1997 during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing a person to enter an aged care home for respite care without an ACAT approval.
Residential aged care facilities in the south-western Sydney local government areas have been advised not to allow any visitors until at least the end of July, 2020. Visitation restrictions will apply to anyone who has been in Fairfield, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Camden, Wingecarribee and Wollondilly in the previous two weeks, as well as to people who have been in Victoria. Measures such as phone or video calls are encouraged to be made available to all residents, to enable communication with family and friends.
Dementia Australia is calling for greater vigilance and care for people living with dementia during COVID-19. Impacts of the pandemic on people living with dementia include:
Impact of the pandemic on carers:
Dementia Australia are encouraging aged care to work closely with carers and family to support people living with dementia through the pandemic.
Specific information for carers of people with disabilities
The National Disability Insurance Agency has released new advice on facemasks, which is available here. Most information is directed towards Victorian participants, given the mandatory wearing of face masks. While NSW Health has advised disability services providers in South Western Sydney wear masks when delivering supports, this has not been mentioned by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
NDIS funding cannot be used to fund Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), unless it was already part of the disability related needs prior to COVID-19.
Despite the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, there has been no mention of reinstating COVID-19 NDIS provisions, such as the COVID-19 10 percent price loading, cancellation policies or extended Medium Term Accommodation options, which ceased on 1 July 2020.
The Department of Health has published a Guide to personal protective equipment (PPE) for disability care providers – it is broadly aimed at both formal and informal carers of people with disability.
New COVID-19 resources in the form of short illustrated stories for children with disability can be found here https://www.autismlittlelearners.com/search/label/Blog?m=1
Other
Youth Action NSW is conducting consultations with young people about COVID-19 in the final week of July, including:
The prevalence of domestic violence among women during the COVID-19 pandemic is a new paper that presents the findings from an online survey of 15,000 Australian women about their experience of domestic violence during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An article in the UK has reported on how COVID-19 has opened the eyes of everyday Britons to those who are working full time while caring for a family member or friend. The article states, “The coronavirus crisis has opened our eyes to numerous things over the past few months. Notable among them for many people is the difficulty of juggling full-time care – and of course homeschooling – with a full-time job. But for many other workers, this is far from a new reality, and in fact they’re used to coping with an even more demanding balancing act: that of caring for an ill, elderly or disabled family member, partner or friend, while holding down a job.”
If you need individual information or support, please phone Carers NSW on 02 9280 4744 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or call Lifeline at any time on 13 11 14 for 24-hour emotional and crisis support.
You can also provide feedback and your views by completing the Carers NSW online Policy Advice Form survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/policy_advice_form or email Carers NSW on contact@carersnsw.org.au.
Carers NSW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land, Elders past and present and all Aboriginal people.