Boandik Lodge staff have been making enormous sacrifices working on the frontline during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Boandik St. Mary’s enrolled nurse Crystal Palmer is one member of staff that knows the struggles of working on the frontline of a pandemic all too well.

“There is no denying or sugar-coating the COVID-19 pandemic has been very challenging and exhausting for all front-line workers,” she said.

“In aged care, on the front line, it is all about protecting and caring for our most vulnerable. Dealing with staff shortages and the restrictions have been very hard all of us as an organisation.

“It can be difficult to focus on the positives during such a challenging time, but we have been very lucky to still have some visitors enter the home and it is very important for our residents to maintain that connection.

“It has been lovely to see some of the residents connecting with their families through face time and video calls set up by our dedicated staff. I love seeing the residents’ faces light up via face time – it is very sweet.”

Boandik Lodge chief executive officer Gillian McGinty said the facility had already gone a long way to achieving compliance after the Federal Government Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) applied a sanction exclusively to Boandik Kessal on Lake Terrace in relation to a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility earlier this year.

The facility is ineligible to receive Commonwealth subsidies for any new care recipients until the compliance issues are addressed.

“We have a four-month period to become compliant with those standards,” she said

“We have a strong focus on infection control and human resource management, particularly training and have already made huge steps towards achieving that,” she

said.