Shining A Light On Our VIC Superstars Trivia Swag Selfie

Staff Matters

September 4, 2020 Issue 273 Week 10 CARING ABOUT OUR STAFF

SHINING A LIGHT ON OUR VIC SUPERSTARS

Thanks to the continued dedication and hard work from our Melbourne staff members, Afford has been able to run the business as usual and continue to provide supports and services to our two Victorian residents who recently tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the selfless nature of our Lifestyle Assistants Geneva Kara and Fraol Woldemikael, our residents recently returned home safely and smiling after being cleared of the virus.

The challenges from the pandemic have been difficult for our team in Victoria and banding together in these hard times is important. A few weeks ago, the news that two of our supported accommodation residents in Victoria tested positive to COVID-19 and as a result were immediately relocated to another Afford property to avoid spreading the virus to the other residents and staff in the home. Unfortunately, the virus didn’t only infect our two residents Jesse and Michael, but also our Lifestyle Assistant Geneva. Many people are not aware that COVID-19 can react with your body in different ways. Some people can experience extreme symptoms such as difficulty breathing while others may not notice a difference to their overall health and may just feel like the flu. Geneva took Jesse to get tested for the virus and her diligence in caring for Jesse was wonderful. Unfortunately, Geneva became very unwell and tested COVID-19 positive, after going into hotel quarantine. Her health quickly deteriorated to the point where she was admitted into the ICU. Afford supports not only our clients but also our staff. During this difficult time, we supported Geneva and her family so her primary focus was on getting better. Thankfully she is on the road to recovery and is now back home with her loved ones.

With Geneva being admitted to hospital, we still needed an LSA to provide support to our two clients. Lifestyle Assistant, Fraol Woldemikael volunteered to move into the home temporarily to provide support and care around the clock for Jesse and Michael until they recovered. Fraol tested negative to COVID-19 and did not contract the virus over the two weeks that he was providing support. He was diligent, sticking to strict guidelines to keep himself safe while supporting our clients. Fraol’s use of correct PPE and proper COVID safe procedures ensured him to stay safe and still provide care when needed. “Wear your PPE at all times and follow the protocols that are in place and sanitise every hour, not every two!” said Fraol. Fraol is back in the comfort of his own home and is in isolation for the next two weeks. “Michael and Jesse are back in their homes as well and are doing well and their families are super happy,” said Edward Boghikian District Manager. Our thoughts and prayers have always been with Geneva and we are so happy she's returned home safely to her family and is recovering well. Two of our other stars in Victoria are LSA’s Farai Chikosi and Feruth Beletse. In true Afford fashion, their strength of character shone through when they unselfishly stepped up to live in the Trafalgar Group Home for two weeks with our other two clients who were in close contact. Their dedication to continue providing supports for our residents for such a long period of time, even in the face of this awful global pandemic, is a testament to their amazing commitment to our client's ongoing care needs. A big shout out also goes to the families of our stars, who we know supported them through these difficult times so they could ensure our residents received the very best of care.

In the face of unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 global pandemic, we say a massive thanks to our Victorian staff as they continue to provide our award-winning disability supports and adapt to new operating environments. You are superstars and on behalf of our CEO, Steven Herald and all of Afford we cannot thank you enough for being our Victorian heroes!

In This Issue

1

Shining A Light On Our VIC Superstars Trivia Swag Selfie

2

Annual Report Photo-Shoot Staff Profile

3

Access Pay - What You Need to Know Reminder

4

Kicking Goals at Windsor Selfies Of The Week Upcoming Events Afford Trivia Answer