General News
6 May, 2024
Havilah bolstered with $14 million in funding to expand local aged care service
Maryborough’s residential aged care provider, Havilah, will soon expand its services to around two dozen more elderly locals after securing millions for a new build
Maryborough’s residential aged care provider, Havilah, will soon expand its services to around two dozen more elderly locals after securing millions for a new build.
In two years time, Havilah could be ensuring the wellbeing of close to 200 residents with an additional 24-bed facility in the works.
The expansion follows the organisation’s successful application for $14 million to the Federal Government’s Aged Care Approvals Round grant.
This funding will see Havilah’s accommodation offerings expand to four sites — with existing units on Palmerston and Harkness streets, the new set of apartments will be constructed as an extension of the latter.
According to Havilah CEO Tracey Saunders, the upcoming project is vital for Maryborough for a number of reasons.
“We have been lucky enough to get the money for this build — funding [like this] is extremely important because it assists us in [creating more] space without using [our own] funds, which we can then utilise in other areas,” she said.
“The town has an ageing [population] and we feel that an [extra] 24-bed facility will play a major role in assisting locals to stay within their community.
“It will also generate new employment opportunities for people, from care staff to cleaning personnel.”
Currently boasting a 90 percent occupancy rate, the extension will take the total number of beds available to 190.
While Ms Saunders anticipates that the uptake of the new rooms will be fairly quick, there’s another challenge to contend with.
“We will have no trouble whatsoever in filling up the beds — we have also had people from outside of Maryborough inquire,” she said.
“[However], we are currently looking at our staffing matrix and what we need to staff another 24 beds.
“I think we’d probably be looking at another additional 20 staff members and while it is achievable, it is [hard] because it’s not easy to get people to come to Maryborough to work.”
Ms Saunders said securing aged care workers is a national problem, influenced by a range of factors — but she is positive a solution will emerge.
“It’s being felt across Australia,” she said.
“Finding staff is hard because of a number of issues, including the lack of affordable housing, so although you can get staff, when you get them to stay, there’s nothing available.
“But in the last 12 months we’ve had a really big recruitment drive and I don’t think the government would have given us the funding if they weren’t confident that we can [make it work].”
