Given tomorrow (Friday) is Aged Care Employee Day, it is timely that Coolamon Shire Council has reaffirmed its commitment to providing locally delivered aged care. Aged Care Employee Day celebrates the dedicated workers, supporting older Australians in aged care, retirement living and seniors housing. Every aged care employee’s role contributes to the well-being of older Australians. Coolamon Shire Mayor David McCann shone a spotlight on the fantastic work happening in the shire. He said the council had proudly operated aged care services for more than 35 years through Allawah Lodge and Allawah Community Care, offering support from independent living, through to high-level residential nursing care. Councillor McCann said the locally operated model was essential in ensuring older residents can remain close to their families, friends and community and played a key role in preventing elderly residents from having to leave the shire to access care. “The council’s approach is driven by a simple belief: a community is judged by how it cares for its elders,” Cr McCann said. “It is the aim of the council and our valued staff to ensure every resident may reside in a safe home like environment, where their dignity and privacy are respected, while maintaining individual physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs in a fit-for-purpose facility. “We know that if the council did not deliver aged care to our community, this essential service would not exist in the Coolamon Shire. “Our priority is to care for the elderly in their own community, surrounded by the people and places that matter to them.” Investment in local aged care also supports jobs within the shire, with staff recruited locally and from overseas, while ongoing training ensures the workforce can meet future care needs. “As the needs of older Australians evolve, Coolamon Shire Council remains committed to adapting services, investing in staff and keeping care local, clinically sound and deeply human,” Cr McCann said. “In a regional landscape where many residential services are run by state or private providers, Coolamon’s local model ensures continuity of care and prevents the disruption that can come when people must move away from the places and people they love. “Together with a 25 unit retirement village, these services form a seamless continuum that responds when living at home is no longer safe or practical and that eases the transition from hospital back into community based care. “Allawah Lodge is more than a facility; it is a community asset that protects dignity, preserves relationships and gives families peace of mind.” Allawah Lodge works closely with hospital discharge teams to ensure residents experience a smooth transition into care, with individual care plans developed and a registered nurse on duty every shift to support their clinical needs. Cr McCann said the investment in local aged care delivered significant benefits beyond healthcare, allowing older residents to remain close to family and friends, keeping couples together and reducing the need for elderly people to relocate away from their communities. A recent audit by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission recognised the dedication of staff at Allawah Lodge and Allawah Community Care, reflecting the council’s commitment to continuous improvement and regulatory excellence.
