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PROMO | FOUR CORNERS looks at COVID-19 and aged care facilities

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Like the plague: How coronavirus spread among our most vulnerable elderly residents.

“She just kept yelling ‘Get me out of here, get me out of here’.  Screaming, holding my hand so tight. Squeezing it.   Yelling at us to get her out of there.” 

Daughter

For three months, the elderly and vulnerable residents of the Newmarch House aged care facility have effectively been locked in as coronavirus raged through their home.  The toll has been devastating – 34 staff members and 37 residents were infected and 19 of them have died, making it Australia’s second most deadly coronavirus cluster.

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“I thought of all the homes, it wouldn’t be Newmarch. And it bloody was. I still can’t believe it.” 

Granddaughter

On Monday Four Corners investigates the actions taken by the facility’s management and the health authorities as the virus spread.

“It’s a nightmare, it’s been terrible for us. We don’t know what’s going on.   Mum’s got dementia.   We don’t know exactly what’s happening. They never tell us anything or if she’s got the virus or not.” 

Son

As the disaster unfolded, Four Corners captured the experiences of several families with loved ones effectively trapped inside.   Residents were not allowed to leave the home and their distraught relatives were not allowed in.

“They wanted whatever was going to happen to stay at Newmarch and be contained and not have it any spread anywhere else in the community… I want someone to be accountable…this virus spread like the plague in there.” 

Daughter

With the facility buckling under the strain of the crisis, these families considered taking drastic action.

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“Nan’s room is just over there. I’ve been thinking about getting a ladder and climbing the fence and running up to her room you know and just talking to her through the window.” 

Grandson

The program investigates key decisions taken by the facility and the state and federal health departments about the care of residents and the treatment of those that fell ill.

“At the time we felt…that’ll be all right. They’ll be able to do everything, because that’s what I was told…That wasn’t the case, sadly.” 

Daughter

For those longing to hold the hand or see the face of their loved one, these weeks have been torture.   Health authorities have now announced they believe the crisis has passed.  But for these families, the time has come for answers.

“I’m 100 per cent positive that if this happened to young people, we would have had a whole different outcome. There would be people screaming in the streets, if anything happened, like what happened at Newmarch.”  

Daughter

It is replayed on Tuesday 23rd June at 1.00pm and Wednesday 24th at 11.20pm. It can also be seen on ABC NEWS channel on Saturday at 8.10pm AEST, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.

FOUR CORNERS: LIKE THE PLAGUE – Monday 22 June 2020 at 8:30pm

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