Category: Uncategorized

CEO interview on SBS German

Posted on August 23, 2020 by - Uncategorized

As a multicultural organisation, we also embrace the media diversity in Australia. So, when SBS German came knocking to find out how Martin Luther Homes is handling the Covid-19 pandemic, our CEO, Birgit Goetz, didn’t shy away from answering questions in German.

The key message of the interview is that we have introduced strict social distancing regulations and a duty to wear clinical masks early on, long before it was mandatory for the rest of the community in Melbourne.

Our CEO has also stressed that, even though we have successfully managed to keep the Coronavirus outside of our facility, as a society, we need to get used to the fact that we will have to live with the virus for a long time to come. However, should there be a positive case at Martin Luther Homes, we are prepared and we are also very well set up as all of our residents have their own rooms with private en-suites, therefore, isolation is much easier to implement and control, should there ever be a need to do so.

To listen to the full interview with Wolfgang Mueller from SBS German, please click this LINK.

Coronavirus Response

Posted on July 8, 2020 by - Uncategorized

There has been no case of Covid-19 recorded at Martin Luther Homes thus far. A result that speaks for itself and for the commitment that our management, staff, residents and their families have put on display since the start of the pandemic in Melbourne in late February 2020.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Martin Luther Homes has increased infection control and social distancing measures. We have adapted our policies, rules and guidelines around our services and granted accessibility according to the advice of the Department of Health and industry experts.

We frequently communicate with our residents, their friends and families, and our staff. While we have been in lockdown during the early stages of the pandemic, we have also eased restrictions as soon as the situation and official advice allowed us to do so.

However, putting the safety of our residents and staff first also means that we have to tighten restrictions again if the situation requires these steps, such as in early July 2020.

The major issue for our residents is to stay in touch with their families during necessary lockdown periods. Whenever personal visits were possible under the new tightly restricted personal distancing measures, we have ensured that residents had as many visitors as possible.

In addition, we have also organised many window visits that are safe, yet more personal than a simple phone call. However, the most successful and popular way of staying in touch with our residents has been the introduction of video chats. This gives our residents the opportunity to have a regular face-to-face contact through digital means. Our Activities staff have supported all our residents who needed a hand with the new technology and until now, there have been hundreds of video chats between our residents and the ‘outside world’.

The software we use is Google Duo and if you would like to book a video chat, simply contact oheuthe@martinlutherhomes.com.au with your name, the name of our resident, and your mobile number.