Aged Care Trust celebrates 15 years
18 March 2008
The Hamilton and District Aged Care Trust celebrated 15 years raising funds to care for the elderly in our community, on Monday February 18.
A celebration was held at the Grange to mark the milestone, and to acknowledge the remarkable input from the Trust.
Over the 15 years the HDACT has raised almost $600,000 towards the Grange Residential Care Service, which is an extraordinary contribution from a tireless band of volunteers.
The trust was formed in February 1993, when four trustees -Brian Newns, Tony Gurry, Diana Smith and Jenny Gubbins – held their first meeting.
Jenny Gubbins was the driving force behind establishing the trust, when she recognized need for greatly improved residential aged care facilities that complied with government accreditation requirements for aged care in the Hamilton district, and pledged to do something about it.
Since then she remains the sole president of the trust, and Diana Smith has been vice president for those 15 years as well.
The trust was instrumental in raising funds required for the Grange redevelopment, which was completed in early 2002 and opened by the Minister for Health in August 2002.
The completion of the Grange Redevelopment, has provided the frail aged of our region with the best possible accommodation for their twilight years.
They have also spent a great deal of time lobbying governments for the redevelopment of the old Hamilton House nursing home, which has now been fully redeveloped into the Birches Extended Care Centre.
The objective that the trust set themselves when they were formed was this: “The aim of this group is to put people into an environment where they can be as happy as possible in their surroundings for the last part of their lives.” The members of the trust are enthusiastic, unpaid people who willingly give their time and effort toward raising funds for the trust.
The Trust works closely with Western District Health Service (WDHS), and has significantly contributed over the years towards providing a fully redeveloped, 45 bed, state-of-the-art aged care facility, offering both low-level and high-level care, on the site of the old Grange Hostel in Hamilton.
The strength of the HDACT lies within their initiative and determination to raise as many funds as possible towards the improvement of aged care services in the district and the quality of life of our older, frail residents, according to Western District health Service Chief Executive Office Jim Fletcher.
“The members of the HDACT contribute much of their time and efforts towards creating innovative ideas and organising fundraising projects and events in order to raise these funds, and their work is appreciated by the WDHS Board, Staff and residents and their families at the Grange,” he said.
The trust is comprised of a committee of 25 members who regularly attend meetings.
WDHS’ next project requiring the Trust’s assistance will be additions and alterations to the Grange that will be needed over the next two to five years, including a new kitchen, additional beds and an undercover resident pick-up area.
CAPTION: Western District Health Service Vice President Mary-Ann Brown and Chief Executive Officer Jim Fletcher, cut the cake with Hamilton and District Aged Care Trust President and trustee Jenny Gubbins, Vice President and trustee Diana Smith and trustee Tony Gurry, to celebrate the Trust’s 15 years of fundraising for the Grange.