Following the story of the recent council motion to sell Blue Haven Kiama and the entirety of its assets.
Image provided by "Kiama Council"
Staff at Blue Haven are left to speculate after the recent budget was announced where the unaccounted $122 million dollars actually is. Residents and Family members have been left to question where their deposit money for the Independent Living Units has been used.
Mayor Neil Riley reveals that deposit money was used for building the second Blue Haven site, Bonaira. Although anxiety and frustration clouds the air, Mayor Riley has ensured residents that the future they planned for will go ahead.
“We will do everything we can to ensure their future is going to be as they planned it.”
For those staff members who have been there before the move from the Terralong St site, it is an unsteady feeling when there is limited first-hand communication available.
Sharon McCurry, a residing 10-year staff member is feeling unsupported in her occupation as news and information of the initial selling and now missing budget has left her to question how supported by the council she actually is.
“No, I don’t feel supported as my role as Payroll administrator can easily be taken out from underneath me. I am an all-round worker and do the jobs that are necessary, this essentially means that if a private aged-care facility was to buy Blue Haven; there is a possibility I could lose my job to a more qualified staff member.”
As a front-line worker at Blue Haven Bonaira, Ms McCurry witnessed all the anxiety, confusion and frustration from residents and family. The backbone of Blue Haven with essentially minimal information to settle speculation and anxieties surrounding unanswered questions.
“The residents are very confused, their families are a bit anxious about what is going to happen with their deposits and RADS. Residents can be guaranteed that the deposits that have been paid alongside the RADS will be fully refundable as the Australian Government actually secure those.” McCurry says
Although uncertain and confused Sharon does not believe that the selling of Blue Haven as an asset will move forward. All staff have believed that it could potentially happen for some time now however it is clear that it is not definite.
Maintenance Supervisor / Coordinator Michael Schembri has been an active member on both Blue Haven sites for 4 years. Disappointed in the way information was released, Michael has always believed that the motion to sell was always a possibility.
“Yes, I’m a bit disappointed. The way information was released initially was not ideal however I have always thought this would happen. Moreover, a lot of hard work went into the Bonaira site and it’s disappointing that it could potentially be lost.”
Despite anxieties from family members, there has not been much change within the RACKIF (Retirement and Aged Care facilities) itself. However, Micheal questions whether residents actually understand the seriousness of this process.
“Personally, I haven’t seen a lot of change within the RACKIF. I don’t actually know if people understand what is going on and the seriousness of it in regards to residents, however in regard to family members of residents it is clear that anxiety and frustration are highly prominent.
“People want to know what's going on and that's evident in the questions they are asking and actions they are taking,” Schembri says.
As Micheal is employed by the council itself and not Blue Haven, he feels supported through the open communication with CEO Jane Stroud.
“I feel supported. Yes, Council and Jane have been very open with where my role would go and what would take place. Stable within my job, however, that's a no.”
The communication between staff, residents, family members and the council has become consistent with weekly individual meetings with families and whole staff cohort meetings. This allows staff members and residents to ask personalised questions tailored to them.
The Kiama Council, although financially unable currently, needs to be prioritising Blue Haven. Finding alternative solutions to this budget problem will allow the council to continue its good work with aged care maintaining that prominent asset within Kiama.
Residents and Staff have been left with unanswered questions for far too long, however, the full valuation of Blue Haven Illawarra is yet to be done. Hopefully once complete this will shed light on the missing millions as well as provide answers to the unsettling questions for all involved.
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