Ms Jamison told the hearing that six residents had died from COVID-19 during the pandemic and the residents and staff battled “wave after wave”.
“COVID has been the biggest challenge we have had to face and we have worked extremely hard to protect our residents and staff,” she said.
Ms Jamison said at one stage residents in one facility were locked in a very small room for six weeks, isolated from each other and their families.
“Of course, it impacted on them,” she said.
Asked if pandemic orders have impacted on the human rights of aged care residents, Ms Jamison agreed they did.
“Absolutely, to tell people they can’t leave their rooms, that is effectively restraining them,” she said.
Ms Jamison reserved her highest praise for staff, who cancelled or returned from leave and worked long hours when at times 20 per cent of the usual workforce was unavailable due to COVID-19.
While the Omicron wave is subsiding, the committee heard that Shepparton Villages is still dealing with the impacts of the past two years.
Ms Jamison said workers were exhausted and used the term “spent”.
Many were reducing their hours and recruiting new staff at all levels has become problematic.
The pandemic has led to a loss of $1 million in revenue which Ms Jamison and board chair Jeannette Powell said was due to not being able to admit people during lockdowns, and reputational damage to the sector because of the high number of deaths associated with aged care.
“People are not sending their loved ones into care because they are worried about what will happen to them,” Mrs Powell said.
Ms Jamison urged the committee to get Commonwealth and state governments to speak with one voice and have one clear plan for the sector.
She gave the example of the vaccine rollout, which for public aged care was managed by the Victorian Government, while private aged care such as Shepparton Villages had to wait for the Commonwealth rollout, which was assigned to primary health networks and then contracted out to a third party.
Changes to pandemic orders that allow up to five visitors to aged care with negative rapid antigen tests, but two without a test were described as “ludicrous” and contradictory.
“We’d spent all this time and effort trying to protect our residents,” Ms Jamison said.
Shepparton Villages said aged care workers needed to be paid more which would help with recruitment and retention.
Ms Jamison said the organisation hadn’t relied on agency staff prior to the pandemic but was now spending $15,000 a week to fill workforce gaps.
Suzanna Sheed is the chair of the committee but spoke during the lunch break as the State Member for Shepparton.
“It is horrendous to hear quotes like that coming from people,” she said.
Ms Sheed said lockdowns in the pre-vaccination period also provided protection and a sense of safety in aged care.
She said the evidence highlighted the need to implement recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care.
