Residents' families have raised concerns about the state of aged care on the Far South Coast after Merimbula's (Bimbimbie) Albert Moore Gardens Aged Care Facility announced it will be closing at least 15 of it's 68 aged care beds in the coming weeks. RSL LifeCare announced on Monday, May 16, it will be closing its aged care beds on levels 1 and 2 at Albert Moore Gardens in Bimbimbie, for at least 12 months advising that the closures were mainly the result of the inability to attract trained staff. The closure of the beds will see residents moved to other facilities where there are adequate staff numbers to provide the required care.
Federal Member for Eden Monaro, Kristy McBain posted this week
"I have just been informed that Albert Moore Gardens (Bimbimbie) in Merimbula will be closing 15 of its aged care beds.
"This is the third aged care facility in Eden-Monaro to make this kind of announcement in the last 6 months alone – both Currawarna in Bombala and Roy Wotton Gardens in Eden have closed recently.
"There is no doubt in my mind that these closures are a direct result of the Liberal-National Government neglecting the aged care sector.
"Aged care is in crisis – but this crisis is disproportionately affecting regional Australians.
Around 65% of all aged care homes in rural and regional Australia are running at a loss and our aged care centres are finding more and more difficult to attract staff.
Ms McBain says "there is a crisis in aged care and a key part of this is paying our aged care workers more.
"I also know that the current model for aged care just isn’t working for regional communities where facilities will always struggle to make the same profit margins as in the cities. But people in aged care are more than numbers on a spreadsheet, they are people who deserve to age with dignity.
"I am devastated to hear that Bimbimbie residents could be forced out of their home. While they will likely be able to be transferred to a nearby facility, it paints the picture of what is happening to our regional aged care facilities.
Families of Albert Moore Gardens residents have been invited to attend a meeting on site this Thursday, May 19, to further discuss the announcement.
