Visiting people in aged or disability care
How to stay safe and protect your loved ones from respiratory viruses when visiting aged or disability care facilities.
Before you visit
Before visiting people in aged or disability care, you should stay up to date with the NSW Health advice for residential aged care facilities and disability care facilities. Contact the facility to check current visiting arrangements.
You should not enter the facility if you have:
- tested positive to COVID-19. Visitors should not enter a high risk setting for at least 7 days after their positive test. Stay home and follow the advice for people testing positive.
- any cold or flu symptoms.
Exceptions apply such as if you are a resident at the facility, or you have permission from the facility to visit in exceptional circumstances (e.g. end-of-life visits).
Aged and disability care facilities may ask you to take additional precautions while visiting such as wearing mask or doing a rapid antigen test.
Other ways to stay safe
There are steps you can take to help keep people safe if you visit residential aged or disability care facilities:
- stay up to date with your recommended vaccinations, including COVID-19 and flu
- wear a mask
- frequently wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub (sanitiser)
- cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissues or a flexed elbow. Wash or sanitise your hands and dispose of tissues in a bin immediately.
- hold visits outdoors or in well-ventilated areas away from other residents if possible.
Information and services on COVID-19
Explore the support services and information available to people who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and their carers.
Other services
- Carer Gateway - practical information about for people who care for someone
- Carers NSW supports all carers across the state
- COVID-19 advice for seniors
- National Disability Insurance Scheme - COVID-19 information and support
- Department of Communities and Justice seniors, people with disability and carers