Earle Haven crisis: Nursing home residents and family members horrified at dispute.
Gold Coast Health officials have made a breakthrough in helping patients at an under crisis aged care facility tonight as residents question who will provide their next meals.
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UP to 70 residents of an aged care facility under crisis, including patients will dementia, are being relocated tonight after a pay dispute.
Gold Coast Health confirmed at 7.15pm tonight that it was moving quickly to find housing for those affected.
“Confirming all patients will be moved from the nursing home as soon as possible,” a Gold health spokesman said.
“Gold Coast Health has found sufficient aged care beds on the Gold Coast. Patients who are well enough to be transferred to alternative accommodation will be transported this evening.
“Gold Coast Health has ensured all patients will have their meals and medications.
“Residents of the independent living units are cared for by a separate provider and they continue to receive care as normal.”
The statement came as the crisis engulfing the Gold Coast's Earle Haven retirement village left long-time residents stunned and wondering who would feed them.
Staff walked out this afternoon following a pay dispute and bringing about an emergency intervention from Gold Coast Health.
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One long-time resident of the nursing home said today’s events were a “complete shock”.
“We were told that Help Street have gone into receivership and then suddenly there were five ambulances here,” the resident told the Gold Coast Bulletin tonight.
“There’s no staff to look after all these people or serve the meals. They’re telling us they have it under control but it’s a hell of a to-do.
“It’s terrible. We are all wondering what the hell is going on.”
As news of the crisis spread this afternoon, family members of residents and patients descended on the Nerang retirement community looking for news.
One woman who was visiting her two parents in their 90s at the retirement village said she was shocked to discover she was not allowed inside.
“It is disgusting, all of the fridges were gone, no one knows where the medications are,” she told the Bulletin.
“My parents are both in their 90s and have dementia, we haven’t been told anything.”
“We have no idea where they are going, or what they are doing tonight where they are getting moved to or if we can get some answers.
The woman said staff are also unable to elaborate on the situation at hand.
“It is disgusting, really we have stories of it going into receivership but we have been told about nothing else.
“There are ambulances everywhere and police staff have been deployed from the Gold Coast Hospital.”
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Healthcare professionals say they are shocked by what they have seen.
Private Aged Care Team leader Bernadette O’Connor said she has “never seen anything like it”.
“I think it’s a tragedy, it’s a symptom of a broken system, and yet again it’s the residents and the people caring for them that are the meat in the sandwich,” she said.
“We have not hit rock bottom with the aged care system, and it’s just getting worse. It was urgent five years ago and this is no surprise.”
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