Cairns aged care facility shuts as industry leader warns of ‘broken system’

Up to 40 elderly residents of a Cairns aged care facility will be forced to find new accommodation when a home run by one of Australia’s biggest not-for-profit aged care providers shuts.

UP TO 40 elderly residents of a Cairns aged care facility will be forced to find new accommodation when a home run by one of Australia’s biggest not-for-profit aged care providers closes.

Melbourne-based executives from Mercy Health have landed in Cairns to facilitate the shutdown of Mercy Place in Woree.

A Mercy Health spokesman said the Woree centre was no longer fit for purpose.

“Mercy Health has made the difficult decision to combine the service offerings at our two Cairns residential aged care homes into one home, being Mercy Place Westcourt,” the spokesman said.

“This will include the closure of Mercy Place Woree.”

The Mercy Place aged care facility in Woree, operated by Mercy Health will be closed down.

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He said improvements to the Woree home had extended the centre’s life “by a few years.”

“However, the age and limitations of the Mercy Place Woree building increasingly hinder our ability to continue improving the safety and quality of care that every Mercy Health resident deserves,” he said.

An industry leader said regional homes faced a difficult period as providers struggled to adapt.

Leading Age Services Australia executive officer Sean Rooney said the latest report tabled by Aged Care Financing Authority in March painted a bleak picture of the industry.

“(The report) shows regional aged care is facing an extremely difficult period,” Mr Rooney said.

“Up to 68 per cent of rural and regional homes are forecast to operate at a loss in the next financial year.”

News of the closure has led to concern among staff about job losses and some residents.

Mr Rooney urged urgent action on Aged Care Royal Commission recommendations through proper budget allocation in the 2021-22 financial year.

“The Aged Care Royal Commission found Australia’s aged-care system is unacceptable and unsustainable and needs a total overhaul if it is to be enabled and resourced to meet the needs of older Australians now and in the future,” he said. “This is a once-in-a-generation chance to fix a broken system and if government does not respond, more services will close and older Australians in need will miss out.”

A registered nurse employed by Mercy Health, who asked not to be named, said the mixed-care facility had struggled to attract new residents into care.

Leading Age Services Australia CEO Sean Rooney. Picture Gary Ramage

“The Woree building is a bit old and people have to share the bathrooms, we cannot get any new residents because the building is old and there is two residents to a room,” the said.

The nurse said there was concern among staff about job losses and some residents.

“They are in a dilemma at the moment and are very worried, lots of staff are going to lose their jobs,” she said.

“Most of the residents are very happy to move to Westcourt, some are really excited, (but) some of them are not and worried about where their next home will be.”

Mercy Health said support would be offered to residents in need of alternative accommodation and staff left without a job by the closure.

“No resident will be asked to leave the home before affordable suitable alternative accommodation is identified and secured that meets his or her long-term needs,” the spokesman said.

Staff will be interviewed for limited positions at Westcourt.

“We anticipate there will be some redundancies … and we will support staff to find other opportunities where possible,” the spokesman said.

Originally published as Cairns aged care facility shuts as industry leader warns of ‘broken system’