The lodge is a residential aged care home with 36 beds, including two respite and two transitional care beds for older people who need support before going home after being hospitalised.
It is described as a “happy home for residents” by supporters, but they also say the 46-year-old building was assessed as “end of life” by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2009 and is no longer “fit for purpose due to its limiting design features and lack of capacity to meet the higher care and dependency needs of residents”.
As a result, a community campaign led by Numurkah Cobram Nathalia Health is aiming to bring a 20-year campaign to a conclusion by having a multi-million dollar redevelopment approved.
“The further we get down the track, the further it gets out of date,” chair-elect of the NCN Health board Tricia Quibell said.
“As requirements in aged care have changed, and appropriately changed, it’s no longer fit for purpose.”
Ms Quibell said the facilities’ inadequacies were emphasised to her in a simple way during a recent visit.
“There were two residents there walking towards us with their walkers, and our corridors are such that they weren’t able to walk side by side,” she said.
“These are members of our local community that have lived in our community, they’ve built business and contributed to our region, they need somewhere they can go for care.
“The least we can do is provide them with a high-quality, fit-for-purpose facility.”
Built in 1976 as a hostel for the community, the lodge has, over time, transitioned into a residential aged care home, but campaigners say the building requires significant capital works to improve the safety and comfort for residents and staff.
NCN Health says a feasibility study and master plan were developed in 2020, and budget proposals provided for 2021/22 and 2022/23 state budgets.
However, it says, with each of those denied, the cost of the redevelopment, estimated to be $17.39 million in 2020, has inflated since then to be closer to $20 million and will continue to rise the longer a decision is delayed.
Although preferring not to specify how much, Ms Quibell said the community had already raised a significant proportion of the cost and it was now time for the Victorian Government to make a commitment.
“We’re not looking for the full funding, we’re looking to the government to make a co-contribution,” she said.
“Now is Numurkah’s time. Now is the time to step up for our local community.”
NCN Health is backing the community campaign to pressure Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and Disability, Ageing and Carers Minister Colin Brooks to fund the redevelopment.
It is encouraging supporters to email or write to the ministers and express that support, and has even prepared letters to help make that task easier.
“The lodge matters to this community and this community deserves a purpose-built facility, and the community can support this by getting behind this letter-writing campaign,” Ms Quibell said.
Earlier this year, state Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell called on the Labor Government to fund the lodge’s redevelopment.
At the time, Ms Lovell urged then Health Minister Martin Foley to provide the necessary funding.
“The redevelopment of Numurkah Pioneers Memorial Lodge will improve the residential aged care services for the Numurkah community and the minister must provide the necessary funding to NCN Health to deliver this vital infrastructure project,” she said.
“The redevelopment of Pioneers Memorial Lodge is badly needed, and I urge Mr Foley to work with NCN Health to make the project a reality.”
Reasons why NCN Health says Numurkah’s Pioneers Memorial Lodge needs replacing:
• Residents’ rooms and bathrooms are too small to accommodate aid equipment including wheelchairs, walkers and lifting aids;
• Corridors are narrow, making it difficult to move equipment and help frail residents, increasing the risk of trips, falls and other accidents;
• The older style building and facilities do not allow residents to comfortably ‘age in place’;
• The building does not have an area designed for specialised dementia care;
• There is no communal area for leisure activities; and
• Infection control is compliant, but achieving best practice is not possible due to the building’s age and facilities.
To support the Pioneers Lodge Matters campaign:
Email numurkahpioneersmemoriallodge@gmail.com before July 31 and a team member will send you a template letter.
If you’d rather write your own letter, you are asked to also email a copy to: numurkahpioneersmemoriallodge@gmail.com so the campaign can record how many letters have been sent.
