The 95-year-old woman has become NSW’s ninth COVID-19 death – four weeks after the first diagnosis at the BaptistCare aged care home.
CEO Ross Low (pictured above) sent this message to residents, families and staff:
“It is heartbreaking to learn of another resident passing away. To be faced with this loss is incredibly difficult, especially knowing just how hard everyone is working to care for our residents and staff. I have spoken with the family to share my condolences with them during this devastating time. Their words of support to me and the staff at Dorothy Henderson Lodge were incredibly uplifting.”
The resident from their nearby Willandra Village who was diagnosed last week is also improving in hospital, but one other resident and four staff members have been advised by NSW Health to self-isolate.
A second Willandra resident is also in self-isolation after an unrelated close contact with a member of the wider community.
BaptistCare says it is advising all its residents at Willandra to stay home wherever possible and are working to help those who need support accessing food and other essential items.
But as pointed out by MinterEllison’s Robin Lyons, retirement villages have no powers to force residents to stay at home.
