Growing concern for the health and care of more than one million older Australians has prompted a top-level meeting amid calls to also protect workers.
Aged and Community Services Australia chief executive Patricia Sparrow said aged care providers had reported that residents' requests for hospital care had been rejected by hospitals.
"If there’s an outbreak, the State Government and public health units are making the calls. If that hasn’t been the case, providers have sent people to hospital and the hospital has turned around and sent them back," she said.
"We’re concerned to get the best outcome for the older person. We think that hospital is the best place for someone who has got Covid to go, to get a good health outcome.
"But we also have additional residents who we’re responsible for. We need to move people to hospital or another facility where they can get the care and treatment they need, and allow us to do everything we can to stop the spread.
The need for a national response to safeguard elder Victorians has been highlighted after eight of the 12 fatalities in the state on Thursday and Friday were aged care residents.
Ms Sparrow on Friday demanded co-ordinated action to help the almost 1.3 million Victorians receiving care.
She argued the federal government needed to "stop what's happening" in Victoria, because it could easily happen in another part of the country.
Victoria recorded 300 new COVID-19 cases on Friday as well as the deaths of seven people, five of whom were linked to aged care facilities.
Three of the five deaths in Victoria on Thursday were aged care residents at facilities where outbreaks have occurred.
Five of the seven coronavirus deaths on Friday were linked to aged care facilities. Source: AAP
Ms Palmer also said there was growing concern that they were not going to be able to fill all the shifts needed at aged care centres.
"It's getting more difficult to get staff across the board and that's why we think we need an overall plan," she told reporters on Friday.
"Bringing staff from interstate, or using the military, or using students who have had additional training, we need to make sure that we've got staff."
Ms Palmer said staff shortages were happening because workers were required to self-isolate while awaiting test results, and the restriction to working at only one site has also affected rostering.
The measure to restrict staff movement between aged care centres has been estimated to affect about 30 per cent of the workforce.
Victoria on Friday had 3734 active cases, with more than 270 cases linked to outbreaks across aged care residences in Melbourne.
An outbreak at the St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner has seen 73 cases linked to the facility.
Some 38 other aged care facilities have at least one staff member who has tested positive.
Federal Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly on Friday flagged an upcoming announcement as outbreaks at Victorian aged cared residences posed a real concern to all of Australia.
Ms Palmer confirmed she had received an invitation for a meeting on Friday, and looked forward to coordinating action that would ensure the protection of "our older Australians".
Australian Medical Association President Tony Bartone on Thursday said aged care homes were facing an "astronomical explosion" in coronavirus cases.
“Our residents in aged care facilities are just a heartbeat away from calamity,” he told the Today Show.
He warned that aged care homes weren't doing enough to protect residents.
“The PPE is not being worn. Infection control procedures are not being implemented in some,” he said.
“This is just absolutely unsustainable and we are just going to see the (case) numbers continue to rise," he added.
Residents in metropolitan Melbourne are subject to stay-at-home orders and can only leave home for essential work, study, exercise or care responsibilities. It is also mandatory to wear masks in public.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
