From Our Chair 2

The past twelve to fifteen months have presented us all with life experiences none of us could have predicted with the arrival and daily presence of the continued threat of COVID -19 .

Aged care was most severely impacted due to many reasons particular to our business which made us all very concerned as to how things may evolve. 

On top of the already running Royal commission into Age Care ,which was highlighting the unsavory and unacceptable practices in a very small percentage of facilities ,the COVID -19 presence has added a massive load to us all. 

All the board members are very aware of the draining emotional and image damaging impacts these issues have potentially had on you all.

On behalf of the board I thank you all for accepting these challenges and continuing to provide all our residents for whom we are responsible ,a level of care and love second to none. 

The huge challenge in running an aged care facility has been, for a long time, the ability o provide the best level of care within severe underfunding financial constraints. COVID-19 has had a large negative impact on that issue. Balancing our budget while providing what our management believe are essential resident/carer ratios is very difficult and under continuous review. This is a massive issue being tackled by the board and senior management all the time . It is of no long term benefit to anyone if we provide a level of care which we desire but beyond what we can afford . Of course we are not alone in this battle . This issue has been highlighted front and centre of the aged care Royal commission , so we await with anticipation the Federal government response to the recommendation of an immediate increase in funding. 

We read of $m’s being siphoned off some aged care businesses. I can assure you those $’s are not there to be siphoned off, unless there is severe under provision of what we deem as an acceptable level of care to which our residents are entitled. 

The CEO, John is charged with the responsibility of running ECA within those imposed financial constraints while overseeing our residents receive that level of care already mentioned. Sometimes this is a very unenviable job as some decisions required for the long term prosperity of ECA have an undesirable impact on an individual’s position .

While the Board and senior management battle with budgets etc. keep up the good work so that ECA remain as the recognised top provider of aged care in our region.

Regards

Ian Maddison