Housing ACT has made more than 5000 phone calls to vulnerable tenants as staff, who can no longer make home visits due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus work in other ways to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
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COVID-19 was placing unprecedented pressures on the community - particularly those who were feeling vulnerable, isolated and lonely, Housing ACT executive group manager Louis Gilding said.
"In terms of implementing the social distancing requirements, we needed to change our field work, so we swapped it to phone work and we're taking the opportunity to make 10,500 phone calls to tenants," Ms Gilding said.
"We've so far made over 5451 phone calls and managed to connect with 3781 households."
An example of one person helped so far had been an elderly woman, already battling health problems, who wasn't able to see her family, due to social distancing, and who was struggling to get to the supermarket to buy groceries, especially at the height of the panic buying.
She initially sent an email to the office of Health Minister Rachael Stephen-Smith, which connected her to Housing.
A Housing ACT liaison officer contacted the woman and helped her get medication and groceries delivered within two days of her email being sent.
After three phone calls in three days, the lady went from feeling "very down and unable to get assistance anywhere" to "a lot happier and relaxed".
She has also had contact with her family, and they had started eating dinner together over Facetime.
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Ms Gilding said it was not an easy time for many people.
Staff had been set up at home to identify any issues facing Housing tenants and help to solve them, not just usual housing issues, but anything from coping with remote learning to not being able to get food.
"I think everyone is frustrated by being cooped up, but they can also see the light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
"I'm proud of Canberra as a whole in the way people have coped with social distancing. But we know it's tough and making those phone calls has allowed us to check in with people and where they do need help, we've been able to connect with the right service, just to get through this time."
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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Megan Doherty
I like telling local stories and celebrating Canberra. Email: megan.doherty@canberratimes.com.au
I like telling local stories and celebrating Canberra. Email: megan.doherty@canberratimes.com.au
