In a letter to residents, service manager Kath Horton said a team of five uniformed naval and air force officers would be assisting at the facility from 1pm, Saturday June 11, until Wednesday June 15.

"Please be advised that we have reached out to the DHS and the Australian Defence Force to support our staffing levels during this unprecedented COVID outbreak period. Several of our staff and their families have been impacted by COVID and the demand for more acute care of some of our residents has resulted in needing this extra support," Ms Horton said.

"Although our leadership team are actively recruiting new staff, the demands are still prevalent."

The facility has struggled to recruit replacement staff because of state- and nationwide nursing shortages, but Ms Horton said DHS was also doing what it could to help.

"We have sourced three agency enrolled nurses and will be sent other staff as they become available. The DHS are supporting this process," she said.

Ms Horton said the defence force personnel would be assisting with one to one "chats" with residents, delivering meals in the dining room or to residents' rooms, "lifestyle activities", and helping organise visiting times and RAT testing, although clinical staff would need to administer the tests if visitors could not self-test.

"We hope you make them all feel welcome when you see them out and about over the coming days," Ms Horton said.

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