Covid-19 Australia: Sydney granddaughters build home COVID ward for grandfather with virus

Two Sydney sisters have built their own DIY Covid hospital ward for their 94-year-old grandfather after he was turned away from his nursing home for catching the virus.

Elderly Ted Cavanagh likely caught the deadly disease in Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital while he was being treated there after a nasty fall at his nursing home.

Being double vaccinated, he was soon well enough to leave with doctors needing his bed for critically ill Covid patients – but his nursing home said he was too infectious to return.

Now Ted – known as Pop – has moved in with granddaughters Olivia and Brittany Mitchell after they converted an entire floor of their home into a DIY Covid ward. 

Sydney sisters Brittany (pictured left) and Olivia (right) Mitchell have built their own DIY Covid hospital ward for their 94 year old grandfather Ted Cavanagh (centre) after he was turned away from his nursing home for catching the virus

Now Ted - known as Pop - has moved in with granddaughters Olivia and Brittany Mitchell (pictured) after they converted an entire floor of their home into a DIY Covid ward

Now Ted – known as Pop – has moved in with granddaughters Olivia and Brittany Mitchell (pictured) after they converted an entire floor of their home into a DIY Covid ward

‘We’re just doing what we can to keep to keep us safe and to keep Pop safe as well,’ Brittany told Nine’s A Current Affair on Thursday. ‘We wouldn’t have it any other way.

‘I’d do anything for Pop.’ 

The two sisters lost their 56-year-old mother Jan to cancer four years ago and were determined to do everything they could to help their granddad.

He had already been double-vaccinated when he caught the disease and they’re convinced that is why he managed to survive and move in with them.

Elderly Ted Cavanagh caught the deadly disease in Sydney's Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured) while he was being treated there after a nasty fall at his nursing home

Elderly Ted Cavanagh caught the deadly disease in Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured) while he was being treated there after a nasty fall at his nursing home

But while he’s still contagious, the single-dose vaccinated sisters are taking no chances.

They enlisted the help of a nurse friend who works in an ICU on how to set up the home Covid ward and drew up a list of strict protocols to keep everyone safe.

Now dressed from head to toe in PPE, they are providing round the clock care and sustenance to their grandfather as he shrugs off the disease.

And despite his age and still infected with Covid, he’s already working out daily in their yard, doing 60 push-ups and planking for 60 seconds at a time. 

The two sisters lost their 56-year old mother Jan (pictured centre) to cancer four years ago and were determined to do everything they could to help their granddad

The two sisters lost their 56-year old mother Jan (pictured centre) to cancer four years ago and were determined to do everything they could to help their granddad

Despite his age and Covid, Ted Cavagh (pictured) is already working out daily in their yard, doing 60 push-ups and planking for 60 seconds at a time

Despite his age and Covid, Ted Cavagh (pictured) is already working out daily in their yard, doing 60 push-ups and planking for 60 seconds at a time

‘He look so well, it’s hard not to hug him,’ said Olivia. 

‘Our Pop is the most special man. He really is like the light of my life. I always look at him in awe.’

They admit they feared the worst when they first heard about the fall and rushed to the nursing home to take him to hospital themselves. 

Those fears increased when he was diagnosed with Covid while he was there.

‘It was devastating,’ said Olivia. ‘It was really upsetting. When Brittany told me, “Pop’s been diagnosed with COVID,” your mind obviously goes to the worst place.’

The sisters admit they feared the worst when they first heard about Ted's fall and rushed to the nursing home to take him to hospital themselves. (Pictured Brittany Mitchell and grandfather Ted Cavagh at Balmoral Beach on Sydney's lower north shore)

The sisters admit they feared the worst when they first heard about Ted’s fall and rushed to the nursing home to take him to hospital themselves. (Pictured Brittany Mitchell and grandfather Ted Cavagh at Balmoral Beach on Sydney’s lower north shore)

Dressed from head to toe in PPE, as seen here, the sisters are providing round the clock care and sustenance to their grandfather as he shrugs off the disease

Dressed from head to toe in PPE, as seen here, the sisters are providing round the clock care and sustenance to their grandfather as he shrugs off the disease

Brittany added: ‘We were just shocked because we don’t know how he got it. It’s not really like there are many cases are around here at the moment either. 

‘Obviously, we were really worried then and we thought, “Oh my gosh, you know, he’s 94, having COVID…”.’

Since then though he’s made an amazing recovery at their Warriewood home on the Northern Beaches. 

He lives on the ground floor while the sisters live upstairs, making his meals and tending to his every need, all while wearing full PPE and face shields.

Despite not being trained as nurses or carers, and only having had a single dose of vaccines, the careful sisters have successfully managed to avoid catching Covid themselves. (PIctured, Brittany Mitchell with her grandfather Ted Cavanagh)

Despite not being trained as nurses or carers, and only having had a single dose of vaccines, the careful sisters have successfully managed to avoid catching Covid themselves. (PIctured, Brittany Mitchell with her grandfather Ted Cavanagh)

Ted Cavanagh lives on the ground floor (pictured) while the sisters live upstairs, making his meals and tending to his every need, all while wearing full PPE and face screens.

Ted Cavanagh lives on the ground floor (pictured) while the sisters live upstairs, making his meals and tending to his every need, all while wearing full PPE and face screens.

‘We were just so so happy to see him be home and knowing that we can look after him and keep an eye on him,’ said Brittany. 

‘We’ve got a sanitising station upstairs and we’ve essentially divided the house into two.’

Mr Cavanagh credits his double-dose of vaccine for his swift recovery from the worst effects of the killer virus. 

‘I was double vaxxed four months ago, and I’m sure that helped me to get through this,’ he said.

The sisters are also relieved to have managed to care for their grandfather (pictured, together) while only having had one vaccine dose, but continue to test Covid negative

The sisters are also relieved to have managed to care for their grandfather (pictured, together) while only having had one vaccine dose, but continue to test Covid negative

People with double-dose vaccination have a massively reduced chance of serious illness from Covid, and are said to recover much more quickly from the virus.

Even though Ted is 94, his risk of dying from Covid was slashed within days of his second vaccine dose.

But despite the improved outcome for Ted, he is still infectious and potentially a risk to anyone unvaccinated – or even to those with just their first dose like Brittany and Olivia.

The sisters are relieved to have managed to care for their grandfather while only having had their first vaccine dose, and continuing to test Covid negative.

Ted Cavanagh (pictured right) credits his double-dose of vaccine for his swift recovery from the worst effects of the killer virus

Ted Cavanagh (pictured right) credits his double-dose of vaccine for his swift recovery from the worst effects of the killer virus

The sisters (pictured) admit they feared the worst when they first heard about their grandfather's fall and rushed to the nursing home to take him to hospital themselves

The sisters (pictured) admit they feared the worst when they first heard about their grandfather’s fall and rushed to the nursing home to take him to hospital themselves

‘We just really want people to say that, you know, it can happen to you,’ warned Olivia. 

‘But if you’re vaccinated and taking the right steps, just as Brittany and I are, we’re still negative so that’s good.’

Brittany added: ‘He loves where he lives – his nursing home it’s fantastic.

‘But because we’ve been giving him such great meals and really looking after him, he said, “Oh girls, I don’t want to go home!”

‘We don’t want him to go home either…’

Olivia added: ‘We just can’t wait for that all clear and give him a big hug.’ 

Now Olivia and Brittany Mitchell are talking about having grandfather Ted Cavanagh (pictured) stay with them after he has completely recovered from his Covid infection

Now Olivia and Brittany Mitchell are talking about having grandfather Ted Cavanagh (pictured) stay with them after he has completely recovered from his Covid infection

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