Business Manager Phil Coggins, MP Michael McCormack, Catherine McCormack, Facility Manager Jocelyn Piper, Board Members Sue Corcoran and Barry Steel.
Last Month, a visit to Burrowa House by Federal Member for Riverina, Mr Michael McCormack, and his wife Catherine, was most welcomed by staff and residents alike.
The visit by our Federal Member came about after Boorowa Hostel approached Mr McCormack for a letter of support to lodge with an application for funding to establish a new wing at Burrowa House.
Each year, the Federal Government allocates a certain amount of funding for Capital works to build or upgrade Aged Care facilities. But the pie is small, and many Aged Care Providers want a piece of it. When approached for his written support, Mr McCormack was only too pleased to endorse the application. Furthermore, he was keen to see just what Burrowa House had to offer and how the proposed extension would work.
Business Manager Phil Coggins and Facility Manager Jocelyn Piper, together with Board Members Sue Corcoran and Barry Steel, met with Michael and his wife Catherine for a tour of the facility and to discuss a broad range of Aged Care matters.
Whilst Mr McCormack and Catherine spent their time inspecting the current facility and the proposed area for future expansion, they also took their time talking to some of the residents who have made Burrowa House their home.
After speaking with the residents and listening to a few good stories from some of the more colourful characters in Burrowa House, Michael and Catherine were keen to hear about the challenges faced by the facility. Over a sensational lunch consisting of home-made Sausage Rolls to mark National Sausage Roll day, the Boorowa delegates emphasised the importance of increased funding, particularly for small community-owned Aged Care homes like Burrowa House. Without sufficient funding increases, facilities cannot survive long term, and with an ageing Australian population, more resources are needed.
Mr McCormack was keen to gauge just how the Royal Commission into Aged Care conducted back in 2021 had impacted the facility. Whilst the purpose of the Royal Commission was aimed at eliminating poor treatment of our elderly, and to an extent has achieved that goal, it also created a range of issues in that the demands now placed on all facilities have led to some homes closing due to a lack of staff available or lack of funds. For example, all facilities were required to have 24/7 Registered Nurses, which is impossible for many remote facilities. It was a scenario that Mr McCormack had heard from other similar facilities.
The fallout from the recommendations by the Royal Commission almost six years ago is still being felt with the New Aged Care Act, which was due earlier this year, now set to be released later this year.
For Burrowa House, the visit by our elected representative is crucial for preventing smaller facilities from falling through the cracks. Mr McCormack and Catherine were particularly impressed by the warm and caring atmosphere created in Burrowa House and the friendly environment that has been established.
Business Manager Phil Coggins emphasised, “It may be a while before Burrowa House secures funding for an additional wing, but expansion is essential for the facility to survive and prosper, meeting the needs of an ageing community.”
In the meantime, the support from the Boorowa Community continues to be amazing. Recently the Boorowa Rugby Club held their annual ladies’ day and pledged 75% of the funds raised to Burrowa House. This will be used to help fund the proposed enclosed sun-room at the rear of the facility. There will be more on this donation in future editions, but it is just another example of the Community recognising just how important this service, and others like it, are to the region.
-Burrowa House
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