Staffing crisis forces Swansea nursing home to shut its doors and move residents

Just eight days ago an aged care facility in Lake Macquarie was boasting its premium services and personalised attention. Today the doors were slammed shut because of massive staff shortages.

Only eight days ago aged care provider Southern Cross Care posted this glowing praise on its website for its Swansea facility.

“If you’re looking for a personalised, aged care home with premium services and a friendly atmosphere, then Tenison is the place for you.”

Today the doors were slammed shut.

Residents of Tenison Residential Care were left in shock after being told their home would be closing its doors.

Covid-19, especially the latest Omicron variant which has spread like wildfire throughout the community, has seen staff shortages become a regularity and put strain on the nurses left to cope with the shortfall.

The Tenison Aged Care facility in Swansea that has been shut down due to staff shortages. Picture: Michael Cain

Southern Cross Care confirmed the facility, as well as its Currawarna residence in the south-eastern NSW town of Bombala, would be shutting up shop and a relocation process put in place for its residents.

The move means 40 elderly residents now have to find alternate accommodation.

Some are believed to have been moved to a nearby home in Caves Beach, but the company wouldn’t detail plans for others.

Helen Emmerson, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Care NSW & ACT, said the company’s hand was forced by the staff shortages and the need for nurses and other staff to work unreasonable hours.

“Residents and their loved ones were told of the difficult decision this morning,” Ms Emmerson said in a statement.

“As a registered nurse myself I know it’s not sustainable to ask existing staff to regularly work double shifts, with no respite. Nor is it desirable to rely on impermanent casual staff who drive in and out.

Some residents are believed to have been moved to Mawson Court Village close by in Caves Beach.

“As the leader of a not-for-profit aged care provider, the decisions I and the board make must be solely in the interests of our residents. Sometimes those decisions are very hard and that’s certainly been the case here. But we cannot responsibly continue to assign our limited resources to facilities we have assessed as unsustainable.”

Ms Emmerson said work to secure new accommodation for all affected residents had already begun and the homes will not close until everyone had been rehomed.

“We are arranging one-on-one meetings with every single resident and their families to ensure everyone has a dedicated point-of-contact to help them find suitable accommodation. That’s our priority,” she said.

Today a relative of one of the residents of Tenison Residential Care, who didn’t wish to be named, told The Newcastle News he can understand the staffing situation and it’s a worrying time for all concerned.

“You don’t expect to get a message that you have to move your loved one because of staff shortages. Sadly it’s a sign of the times we’re currently in,” he said.

Staff were being forced to work double shift and overtime to keep the facility open. Picture: Michael Cain

Federal member for Shortland Pat Conroy said the situation is unacceptable and another indication on how far the Morrison government had lost its way.

“Aged care is in crisis. The current crisis in the aged care sector and the chronic staff shortages are the result of nearly a decade of neglect from the Morrison-Joyce Government overlaid with Omicron,” Conroy said.

“There are currently 140,000 shifts going unfilled per week in aged care. It’s approaching two weeks since they said it was sending in up to 1700 ADF personnel in to help address this crisis, but this morning we heard in Senate estimates that only 12 have been deployed so far in NSW.”

According to NSW Health data, the closure of the homes in Swansea and Bombala bring the number of aged care facilities to close since December 1 to nine.