Cash to sweeten the Grenoch pot

Nationals Senator Steve Martin (L) discusses with Aged Care Deloraine’s CEO, Charlie Emmerton upgrades to the facilities in the kitchen at Grenoch.

Photo | Emma Hodgkinson

February 2019 | Emma Hodgkinson

AGED CARE Deloraine has secured funding to undergo major facility upgrades in its Grenoch Home. The grant of almost half a million dollars was approved from the Liberal and Nationals Government’s $40 million Aged Care Regional, Rural and Remote Infrastructure Grants scheme.

Nationals Senator Steve Martin had been lobbying for funding under the scheme to contribute towards Tasmanian aged care facilities. “This is a big deal for Deloraine, because we’ve had to compete against 3,000 other nursing homes Australia-wide for our fair share of 40 million dollars,” Senator Martin said. “This funding will help improve the residents at Grenoch’s quality of life.”

Charlie Emmerton, CEO of Aged Care Deloraine said that the funds will be used to build a new laundry and completely renovate the kitchen. “The upgrades will help improve our services, care, and the quality of life for the residents at Grenoch Home.”

Grenoch Home has 47 beds, providing care and accommodation for senior citizens throughout the local community. Mr. Emmerton said that the upgrades will not only benefit the residents, but it will make the facility more functional and better for staff as well.

“We’re really thankful for the grant because it’s really dicult in small rural communities to actually generate sucient profits that enable us to spend that on redevelopments like this,” he said.

This is the most significant upgrade Grenoch Home has had in twelve years and will take approximately five months to complete. The renovations are due to start in August, with the goal of completing them before Christmas arrives.