Residents at an aged care home in Byron Bay are fighting to stay in the much-loved facility which is facing imminent closure. Families of the residents have lodged formal complaints against the provider, Feros Care, claiming that the process is not being done transparently.
89-year-old Rona Schwarz, a resident at Feros Village, only recently moved from Sydney when she received the news that the facility would be shutting down. She feels like she has only just settled in and is now on the hunt for a new home.
“Some are now making formal complaints against the aged care provider who is planning to redevelop the site,” a family member said in an NBN News video.
However, families of the residents claim they still have no clarity as to when the doors will close.
“There’s never been any talk of how long people have got, or it’s only been kind of off hand… Oh, well, by law, we only have to give you two weeks,” the family member added.
To address the situation, a group complaint has been put in, which comprises family members, residents, and voting members who agree that the process is not being done transparently.
“We’ve filed a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on behalf of 17 of the residents who are still there. We’ve also had nine of the 40-odd members sign that complaint,” a spokesperson on NBN said.
Byron Shire Mayor, Michael Lyon will move a motion at the next council meeting, requesting that the Feros Care board abandon plans to close the local facility and instead work collaboratively with residents and their families on a solution.
In a statement, Feros Care told NBN News that residents had been transferred into suitable accommodation in accredited residential aged care facilities, and the home would close only when all residents had appropriate future accommodation.
However, families of the residents claim that the people who have left the village have essentially been evicted, describing it as a lot closer to an eviction than a transition.
The fight to keep the Byron Bay aged care home open continues as families and residents push for a transparent and collaborative solution.
