By Kath Gannaway
A $152,000 grant to the AdventCare Yarra Ranges aged-care facility in Warburton has the residents sitting pretty … and has given the staff a lift too.
The Warburton/Yarra Junction Bendigo Community Bank committed to provide financial support for the aged-care facility back in 2016, when it was under threat of closing.
As AdventCare now plans the official opening of stage one of the redevelopment in October, CEO David Reece said the partnership with the local community bank had been one of the key factors in the decision to stay open.
“We had to do the building, but we also had to find a substantial amount of money for equipment,” Mr Reece said.
The grant will pay for new furniture including beds, bedside tables and chairs in each room, lifting equipment and, when stage two is completed, new dining room furniture.
Peta Godenzi, whose mother Barbara Collins is a resident, said it was a wonderful thing for the staff and the residents.
“It makes it a so much more pleasant place for the residents and the lifting equipment is important for the nursing and personal care attendants.
“It’s very good use of the funds,” she said.
Warburton/Yarra Junction Bendigo Community Bank Executive Officer, Geoff Vickers, said the partnership with AdventCare was a great example of the community bank model.
“It’s a great achievement by the community to have created an enterprise (bank) with the capacity to help fund such a significant piece of infrastructure in the community,” he said.
“It is the support for our branches that makes this possible and we are very pleased that the centre will now remain open.”
Mr Reece and Ms Godenzi encouraged Yarra Valley residents to visit the facility to see what the ‘new’ AdventCare Yarra Ranges has to offer.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the care people get and in particular my mother who is just so well looked after,” she said.
“The care is exemplary and there is regular communication between management, the nurses and the relatives of those in care, which is very reassuring for everyone.”
