Elderly abandoned as home collapses

Jessica Benton
Almost 30 elderly Drysdale residents face an anxious search for accommodation after their nursing home announced it would close.
Voluntary administrator Delloite will oversee the closure of Palmerston Court Aged Care facility.
Residents, their families and centre staff heard at a meeting this week that Palmerston Court would close next month.
A family member of a resident, who did not want to be identified, said the news was a shock to everyone.
“We were told to come to a meeting for residents and families. There was no agenda, no paperwork and no warning but we knew something was not good,” the family member said.
“We were told the nursing home would close in 30 days and all of the residents had to find alternative accommodation.
“There was so much grief, anger and shouting going on – the whole situation is appalling.”
The family member said staff at the meeting heard they would not receive entitlements including superannuation, long-service leave or holiday pay, while residents would probably lose bonds.
“We were told we’d have to apply to the Federal Govern-ment through the bond security act for repayment of bonds but that is not guaranteed.
“We put up $70,000 for the bond and now we are unsecured creditors.”
The family member said the announcement had distressed the residents, many of whom were in their 90s with health problems.
“I was told one woman was violently sick after hearing the news and later died of a stroke.”
The family member said nearby aged care facility Drysdale Grove had offered to accommodate residents when it had finished building new facilities.
In the meantime the residents would go to a Bannockburn nursing home, the family member said.
Drysdale Clifton Springs Community Association’s Doug Carson said the residents would struggle to find alternative accommodation on the Bellarine Peninsula.
“It’s going to be very difficult and distressing for the residents to find suitable aged care facilities,” he said.
Deloitte partner Simon Wallace-Smith said the administrator believed that an “orderly closure” was the only option for Palmerston Court.
Mr Wallace-Smith said the facility had been on the market prior to Deloitte’s appointment.
The administrator would continue to operate the business while an “orderly relocation of residents was undertaken”, he said.
Palmerston Court management refused to comment, ordering the Independent off the premises.
Residential Aged Care Services, which owns the nursing home, had not returned the Independent’s calls for comment before the paper went to press.
The Federal Government advised anyone with concerns to phone its complaints investigation scheme on 1800 550 552.