RESIDENTS have reacted to staffing hours being cut at Assumption Villa.
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Last week Southern Cross Care, the organisation which owns the villa, said it had been forced to make the changes following the federal government’s aged care funding freeze.
The facility has slashed 128 staff hours from its roster, but said only seven of those were related to jobs linked directly to the care of residents.
However, the community’s reaction has been one of mostly anger.
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Writing on The Irrigator’s Facebook page, Meg Millemaggi said she hoped Southern Cross Care could guarantee residents at the facility would remain properly cared for.
“Burning out good and devoted staff is not good care practice and it is not good business practice,” she said.
“This is unfair to staff and I know I and all other families with their elderly living there will be watching carefully.
“Please just remember though head office decisions are not the decisions of the caring staff at the villa.”
Southern Cross Care said the bulk of the hours removed were from kitchen services where there was a duplication of roles.
Chief executive officer Paul McMahon said the company remained committed to caring for older Australians.
“Fortunately we have a strong balance sheet and an excellent team managing the organisation,” he said.
“By making these difficult, but necessary adjustments now, we plan to continue as a successful and respected age care provider for a very long time.
“We’d like to see appropriate levels of indexation applied to keep up with rising costs.”
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