Reassurance
The human need for certainty is a very strong influence on our lives. For some people when they are feeling that this need is not being met in a way that they prefer, they will get worried and anxious, others will respond proactively and seek information, some will choose to create rumours or become angry.
The closure of the Lodge is an event that has created some uncertainty, and although we have provided written information, verbal information at Resident meetings, I have responded to telephone calls and people calling in to ask questions in person. I am aware that there is still some level of worry about what the closure of the Lodge means for them as individuals. I want to provide all Residents with more reassurance that we will continue to provide the same kinds of care that we always have.
Village Baxter provides Independent Living, Home & Community Care and Residential Aged Care – this has not changed. The Government chooses who is eligible for Residential or Home & Community Care services and how much of their care the Government will fund and how much a person is required to pay themselves. Over time the Government has expanded the options and funding for Home & Community Care and correspondingly made changes to Residential Aged Care to reduce the overlap and ensure that Residential Aged Care is focused on the frailest of older people whose needs cannot be met at home. We have had to respond to these changes and adjust the mix of our services to ensure that we are a strong and viable organisation now and into the future.
Our Residential Aged Care home “The Manor” will remain and its 64 suites including memory support will meet our needs over the short, medium and long term. One 64 suite Aged Care Home is the size right match for a Retirement Village of around 450 units. We will always prioritise Village Baxter Residents over other people wanting to move into the Manor. When we can’t provide the type of care that a Village Resident needs (for example where a person has behaviours that would place others at risk of harm) we always offer support and information to find a local facility who can meet these more specialised needs.
We will continue to provide services for people who need assistance with household support like cleaning, meals and transport; these services are provided in your home by various Community Care organisations including Village Baxter Home Care.
We will also continue to provide a variety of independent living options to suit people of differing financial means and levels of frailty.
The Village, like all good charity organisations, will grow, redevelop and change over time in response to changes in demand, society views and government regulations but our commitment to the continuum of care will always remain.
Kim Jackson, CEO