By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong ‘living treasure’ Merle Mitchell is thankful that her locked-down aged-care residence is Covid-19 free.
But her lingering confinement in her Waverley Valley Aged Care room brings another hardship.
Ms Mitchell, 85, has been a leading voice in hearings that formed a damning Royal Commission interim report into aged-care last year.
She is set to give further evidence to the inquiry, which is now investigating the aged-care response to Covid-19.
In Victoria, Covid-19 has swept through more than 100 aged-care facilities and infected more than 1500 residents and staff.
As a sign of their vulnerability, aged care residents make up most of Victoria’s pandemic death toll.
“People have worked very hard to keep it out of this place,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The downside is we’re very isolated. We’re cut off from family and friends. We don’t have any visitors at all.
“While it’s driving everyone mad, including me, I’ve no doubt it’s kept the infection out of the place.”
During the first Covid-19 wave in March, Ms Mitchell could at least receive visitors. The non-contact visits comprised of chats behind glass windows.
After some respite, the second Covid-19 wave has taken a terrifying toll in nursing homes.
At Waverley Valley, visitor restrictions returned and tightened to a total ban on family and friends.
Services provided by hairdressers and masseurs have ceased.
Ms Mitchell keeps in touch with loved-ones by phone. “But it’s not the same as having an ongoing conversation face-to-face.”
There’s also a toll on exhausted staff buckling under extra workloads, Ms Mitchell said.
On top of their usual work, rushed staff “bring everything to us” including trays and dishes from each resident’s room at every meal time.
Then there are the many little tasks that visiting families would usually attend to, such as putting away clothes and helping with paperwork.
Ms Mitchell is bracing for the restrictions to endure.
“My personal feeling is this is going to go on until Christmas.
“The impact on mental health is something that will live in the community for a very, very long time.”
