General News
12 July, 2023
Hundreds attend meeting; Lyndoch declines
HUNDREDS packed into the Civic Hall last week to seek answers on the future of aged care in Terang.
HUNDREDS packed into the Civic Hall last week to seek answers on the future of aged care in Terang.
A community meeting discussing the future of aged care in Terang provided an opportunity for residents to hear from community leaders including Terang Progress Association president Ken
McSween, Wannon MP Dan Tehan, Corangamite Shire deputy mayor Geraldine Conheady and Terang and Mortlake Health Service chief executive officer Julia Ogdin.
The foundations of how Terang’s future aged care options will unfold, and how the community can work towards goals, took centre stage with a range of options discussed at length.
May Noonan provider Lyndoch Living declined to send a representative to the meeting, opting instead for an open letter from the board and management to be read by moderator Cr Jo Beard; which drew frustrated groans from a number of attendees.
The letter revealed all residents had been moved on from the site as of Wednesday, July 5.
“Extensive support has been provided to all residents and families, and as of today all residents have now relocated,” the letter read.
“We will continue to support all residents who have moved.
“To the community, we apologise. The decision to close was not easy and we understand the community’s disappointment.
“We are not in the position to operate a home which could not recruit registered nurses, was unable to achieve an occupancy above 50 per cent, and continued to operate at a significant deficit within the context of a very old infrastructure that is no longer fit for purpose according to current day standards.”
Mr Tehan slammed Lyndoch Living’s decision to close May Noonan, and the process in which it occurred.
“My commitment is to make sure we do have aged care services continue in Terang; what form that takes, as a community we’ve got to work together to see what it is,” he said.
“I am bitterly disappointed in Lyndoch Living and I would use stronger words if I was in the shearing shed.
“No one knew this was coming, there wasn’t consultation with the community, there wasn’t even a preparedness to say to the community how can we make May Noonan continue.
“I think the way the community has been treated is appalling, but the fact is we’re here where we are now, and what we’ve got to do is deal with the situation as we have it and see what we can do going forward.”
Cr Geraldine Conheady shared council’s disappointment in the decision.
“I can only acknowledge there was a lot of shock, disappointment and worry that was caused when Lyndoch Living made their decision, but it has been made,” she said.
“As a council we were really disappointed the way that decision was made and delivered to the community - it was very inconsiderate and disrespectful to the Terang community.
“We tried numerous times to engage with Lyndoch Living in the past few weeks, to get some explanation.”
Despite the frustration and sadness which has reverberated throughout Terang, the evening was highlighted by the community’s resolve to plan ahead for the future of aged care in town.
Mr McSween said he was thrilled to see so many people support the meeting.
“I was overjoyed with the turnout and the productive discussion which gave us something to move forward with,” he said.
“Everything that has happened is only a preamble; the real work starts now and we need dedicated people to get involved and push it.
“This process is not going to be short, we’re going to need people who are prepared for that long-haul because this is not a short, quick thing.”