An innovative way to connect aged care residents with their loved ones

With many Australians missing their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic, Royal Wolf – in collaboration with local Geelong builder Mark West and Multicultural Aged Care Services – was pleased to deliver a quick and creative solution to make visiting elderly family members at the facility possible, during the government imposed restrictions.

Mark West approached Royal Wolf’s Geelong Branch Manager Justin Van Loon, with the innovative idea of modifying a shipping container so it could be turned into a ‘visitor pod’, where families and their loved ones in the aged care facility could come together.

Tapping into his expertise, ingenuity and desire to help out fellow Australians, Justin proposed a 20-foot shipping container modification. Within just two weeks, the team at Royal Wolf’s Sunshine workshop had planned the project, modified the container and delivered it to the aged care facility in Geelong.

The visitor pod is fully customised and comes complete with windows, heating and cooling, a carpeted floor, and provides the facility with plenty of space for them to install a phone, chairs, and even flowers that bring some home comforts to the modified container.

For many residents of the aged care facility, the visitor pod has finally enabled them to spend precious face-to-face time with their families, catch up for a coffee, and connect in a way they have been unable to for many weeks.

The visitor pod has already been booked out for the next four weeks by families excited to finally connect with their loved ones in person. Once the COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed in the coming months, the pod will be used for vaccinations – as well as providing a safe space for visitors when other medical restrictions apply.

The innovative visitor pod is one of many examples of Royal Wolf’s rapid response solutions to COVID-19, and is available for aged care and nursing homes to roll out across Australia now.

Learn more about our Emergency Solutions and how we can help your business here: https://www.unitedrentals.com/en-au/solutions/specialty-solutions/emergency-response

For more information about our complete range of shoring services and equipment, visit your nearest branch, email [email protected], or call our friendly team of experts at 1800 UR HIRE.