Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Whanganui retirement facilities back in 'swing of lockdown'

Management at Summerset in the River City and other Whanganui retirement homes say residents and staff have adjusted well to lockdown. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui retirement villages have been adapting to the Covid-19 level 4 lockdown this week by introducing strategies used last year and introducing some new ones.

Kowhainui Home and Village manager Trish Boswell said there had been plenty of enjoyable activities and even a bit of shopping on the programme.

"Our recreation team is keeping residents busy with crafts, games, and baking, including delicious pizza," Boswell said.

"The newly opened shop is keeping extra busy, with residents taking the opportunity to buy their toiletries, ice creams, biscuits and treats."

David King, of Ryman Health Care, which owns Jane Winstone Retirement Village, said extra measures had been introduced for this lockdown based on the experiences of 2020.

"We are going over and above the Government guidelines to make sure our residents and staff are safe," he said.

"All the staff will be wearing PPE gear during their shifts and changing out of their uniforms before they go home. We are also providing all their meals while they are at work and they will be paid an extra $2 an hour for their shifts during the lockdown."

King said staff worked extra hard during Covid restrictions last year.

"They really rose to the challenges and we want to make sure they are looked after so they can provide the best care for residents," King said.

"We are organising Zoom calls with residents' families like we did last year."

King said 80 per cent of Ryman residents had been vaccinated for Covid-19 so far.

Summerset in the River City village manager Shelley Walls said the transition to lockdown had gone smoothly at the Whanganui East village.

"It was very easy to get back into the swing of lockdown as we are well-rehearsed at this and know what we need to do to keep our residents safe," she said.

"We already have a plan for next week to keep our residents entertained if alert level 4 is extended."

Walls said residents and staff were in good spirits and feeling confident.

"I was talking to some of the residents today, and they told me they feel very safe and don't want to go anywhere. They said this is the place you want to be in times like this."

Summerset chief executive Scott Scoullar said the village had prepared for the likelihood of a Covid re-emergence.

"A fortnight ago all Summerset villages moved to require care centre staff and visitors to wear masks, given the growing number of Delta variant cases in Australia, and we will be continuing with this extra cautious approach before letting anyone visit due to Delta's transmissibility. For this reason, we are also closed to all village and care centre admissions until further notice," he said.

"Keeping our residents safe is our number one priority, and keeping them happy and engaged is also hugely important.

"This includes such things as live, interactive music sessions to be streamed on our Facebook page, and the Summerset Big Quiz Night via Zoom next Friday," he said.

Scoullar said essential items, such as groceries or medical prescriptions, could be left by family at the main village entrance to be taken to residents.

All the facilities said they had systems in place for non-contact deliveries.