The GRAI mission is to be responsive and inclusive whilst promoting and supporting quality life for older people of diverse sexualities and gender identities This information is to provide LGBTI elders with some useful resources to help with day to day challenges in the coming weeks due to COVID-19. 

Central Patient COVID-19 Triage Hotline –1800 020 080 

The national 24/7 hotline will be expanded to help triage people with respiratory symptoms and those who are concerned about contact with a possible COVID-19 case. Alternatively, potential COVID-19 patients can present in person to a GP clinic, a dedicated respiratory clinic or to a hospital ED if they call ahead.

Fast Track Electronic Prescribing

Contact your local pharmacy – see if they provide this service.

“ePrescribing”: Allows a doctor to prepare an electronic prescription that the patient can electronically share with their pharmacy (where the pharmacy can support the home delivery of medicines). Allows people in self-isolation access to their medicines and will lessen the risk of infection being spread in general practice waiting rooms and at community pharmacies.

Home Medicines Services to support the response to COVID-19

Contact your local pharmacy – see if they provide this service. (Not widely available). Some pharmacy chains currently support remote dispensing of prescriptions using a combination of mailed prescriptions, faxed/emailed prescriptions or electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) technology. 

Mental Health Support- it’s ok to seek support 

• Beyond Blue    1300 224 636 (available 24/7) 
• Qlife                1800 184 527 (available 3pm-midnight) 
• Lifeline WA      13 11 14

Necessities

Coles and Woolworths have facilities to shop online and deliver, with little or no cost. Also check with your local independent grocer. This can help reduce risk of unnecessary exposure and lower your stress levels, while keeping your pantry full. UPDATE MARCH 2020: There have been disruptions to some online shopping services. See store websites for updates.

• Mobile Foodbank WA – https://www.foodbank.org.au/?state=wa
• Coles Online shopping: 1800 455 400  – https://shop.coles.com.au/
• Woolworths online shopping; 1800 000 610 – https://www.woolworths.com.au/

Emergency Financial Support- Australian Tax Office (ATO) – 1800 806 218

Anyone impacted by COVID-19 can contact the ATO to request assistance on the Emergency Support Infoline to discuss their situation.

More Info…

Excellent health resource information is available from the Department of Health, reference below, and updated on a regular basis: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-nat…

CDC COVID-19 FAQ 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

WHO Advice for public
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Hand Hygiene Australia
https://www.hha.org.au/hand-hygiene/what-is-hand-hygiene

Events: Current Code of Practice

At GRAI, we take the health and wellbeing of our community very seriously. With this in mind we are updating everyone on our current practice for all upcoming events. To maintain the health of both GRAI members and community and any events, at this time we are kindly asking the following:

If you have arrived in Australia from overseas you will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days and we ask that you do not attend any GRAI events. (Updated Sunday, March 15 at 1pm).

If you have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, or someone who is at high risk of a positive test, then we ask that you do not attend any GRAI events, until you are cleared by a medical agency to do so.

If you are feeling unwell, or have and cold or flu symptoms, then we ask that you not attend any GRAI events.

As per recent announcement to help slow the spread, the Australian Government has advised, effective from Monday 16 March, organised, non-essential gatherings should be limited to 500 people.

GRAI, will continue to review its upcoming GRAI events, and if appropriate postpone, cancel or reschedule these events, due to increased risk of CO- VID 19

The best available government advice is to:

• Encourage all Australians to exercise personal responsibility for social distancing measures
• Clean your hands often
• Avoid close contact with others
• Stay at home if you’re sick
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly

This advice may need to be revised, urgently, depending on the spread of the COVID-19. GRAI, encourages members to remain up to date with the government health warnings in the coming days.

Note: This information is being rapidly updated. For the very latest info please visit the official Australian Government COVID-19 alert site at https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

And on a personal note, we are here to help!

We know this is a worrying time for some of our members as well as those involved with Prime Timers and TransFolk of WA We want to work together to support those who may want to self isolate or may need other support. There are a lot of support services out there but if you do need help of some sort please get in touch with us. Both GRAI and Transfolk have small boards and we can’t promise the world, but we do have a small group of volunteers and we will do what we can, so if you do need help please reach out. We may also put out a call later for some additional volunteers. So please watch this space. Love and virtual hugs!

For help and support contact info@grai.org.au or join our Facebook support group.