Shepparton Villages interim chief executive Greg Pullen said all four of the provider's sites were now closed to visitors, except limited visits for those in palliative care.
Other preventative measures include a requirement for all interior and exterior staff to wear face masks; daily temperature checks for all staff; limited interaction between administrative and care staff; and regular hand-sanitising and cleaning of surfaces.
Mr Pullen said the organisation had so far been fortunate to have recorded no cases of COVID-19 among its residents. He said some staff were in self-isolation after showing flu-like symptoms.
“This is a credit to all our staff and our residents,” Mr Pullen said.
“Our staff have been going beyond the call of duty without complaint. They are at the pointy end of all this.
“It's not easy, but they are staying cheerful for the sake of residents and they deserve our thanks and praise.”
He said staff movement between facilities was continuing, but was limited.
“We are very mindful of moving staff around, and we do try and minimise the movements, but it's not always feasible to keep staff in one place,” he said.
Mr Pullen said while most employees were either part-time or casual, the organisation did not rely on agency staff.
“We encourage staff to put us down as their major employer, so we have good tracing procedures in place,” he said.
Shepparton IT worker Nathan Vincent, whose 73-year-old father, Kevin, is a resident at Banksia Lodge in Kialla, said he could not fault Shepparton Villages’ approach during the pandemic.
“The flow of information has been fantastic. I get regular phone calls and updates. I feel he is very protected there,” Mr Vincent said.
“Seeing the news about what's been happening in Melbourne compared to here — it's chalk and cheese."
At Rumbalara aged care, chief executive Felicia Dean said residents and staff were keen to support whatever restrictions the government deemed necessary.
“Most residents are going okay, they’re finding it challenging,” Ms Dean said.
We’re very mindful particularly that some of our elderly are facing isolation. As an organisation we’re trying to maintain regular contact via phone and email and FaceTime with our community.
“Hopefully everybody listens and stays home and keeps safe — if we all work together we’ll be able to help and things will return to normal as soon as possible,” she said.
The News has contacted other Shepparton aged care centres for comment.
