Farewell to an era

By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE and District Private Nursing Home closed last week after 45 years of service to aged and disabled local residents and many from around the district, and the state.
The property in Don Road, Badger Creek, operated from the 1930s as a guesthouse and in 1961 became Le Chateau Nursing Home.
Bonnie and John Wong have operated the 50-bed facility for the past 16 years.
Mrs Wong told the Mail last week the decision to close the home was a difficult one. “We have done our best over the years but now we would just like to retire,” she said.
Mrs Wong said as they had been unable to sell the business, the bed licences had been sold and residents moved over the past few weeks to other accommodation.
Healesville resident Carroll Brudenell has worked at the facility for the past 35 years and says while she is very sad to see it close, it has served Healesville well both as a nursing home and as a major employer.
At 62, Ms Brudenell joked that she had plans of never leaving.
“I thought maybe I could be a nurse and then just become a patient. I would have been happy with the care,” she said.
“Most of the people there were very high care. It was pretty hectic at times but the day staff, in particular, have been wonderful.”
She said the relationship between staff and residents was like family.
“Most could not ask for what they wanted, but because the staff were working with them for so long, they just got to know their needs.”
Marilyn Thompson told the Mail she had “21 good years”, working first at Le Chateau and then with Mrs Wong.
She said Healesville Nursing Home was greatly valued for the work it had provided locally and for the excellent care of its residents.
“The fact that there was no entry fee made it accessible to a lot of people who had nothing,” Ms Thompson said. “That doesn’t mean we got the dregs,” she said.
“We have had many beautiful, amazing people over the years. I have looked after multi-millionaires who came here because they or their relatives knew the level of care they would receive here.”
She said although the building was old, the care was never compromised. “I would say to people, judge us from within not from without,” she said.
Ms Thompson said the fact that many of the staff had already been snapped up by other nursing homes recognised the calibre of the staff and the training they received.
Both women paid tribute to their employers saying they had been good bosses who had worked hard alongside the staff and accommodated their needs.
“It’s very sad but Bonnie and John have well earned the right to retire and enjoy their lives,” she said.
Yarra Ranges Shire, McEwen MP, Fran Bailey and the Department of Health and Ageing have expressed disappointment that 50 aged-care beds are being lost to the Yarra Valley region, but acknowledge that the closure is a commercial decision made by Mr and Mrs Wong as owners.
Senior Community Relations Officer with Yarra Ranges Shire, David Ashton, said however, that the shire is supporting an application to the Federal Government by Yarra Valley Aged Care in Yarra Junction for 14 residential aged care places.
The Mail also understands there is a proposal for a new 108-bed aged-care facility, incorporating a dementia unit, in Healesville which, if it goes ahead would go a long way to offsetting the impact of last week’s closure.