Lithgow home returns to full accreditation
Not-for-profit aged care provider Respect has announced the sanctioned home it acquired in Lithgow in New South Wales has been awarded full accreditation.

Two years on from rock bottom and possible closure, not-for-profit aged care provider Respect has announced the sanctioned home it acquired in Lithgow in New South Wales has been awarded full accreditation.
Prior to joining Respect, the home – now known as Cooinda – went into voluntary administration in March 2021 after losing its accreditation by failing to meet 38 of the 42 aged care quality standards.
A couple of weeks later Respect took on management of the home – which had around 70 residents and 120 staff – and began a significant project of change and development in collaboration with the home’s board and staff as well as the Lithgow community.

“Just two years ago, Cooinda was in a very different situation to what it is today,” said Jason Binder, managing director and chief executive officer of Respect.
“It had just failed all but four industry standards, was told it could no longer operate, and many in the Lithgow community were concerned residents would be homeless within weeks. Now, it’s a far different story.”
In a statement last week, Mr Binder said the home has now met all 44 aged care standards and been awarded full accreditation – “a wonderful result that is testament to the high quality of care and community that Cooinda represents.”
Mr Binder said he was confident at the time of acquisition that Respect’s systems and processes would allow Cooinda to become compliant quickly. Respect also committed to a major redevelopment of the home currently underway that increases capacity to 108 rooms and establishes a specialist dementia care wing.
“As an organisation with a regional focus, we’ve been growing steadily throughout the past decade, and we’ve become known across the industry for our ability to turn around aged care homes and make them thrive while investing back into the home and the community,” Mr Binder said.
He added he was most proud of how team members united to ensure the home could again become an amazing asset to the Lithgow community. “We know our approach to turning around homes is effective and our planning and processes work, but at the heart of that focus are good, hardworking people.
“So I want to acknowledge everyone involved in this great result – from our dedicated and passionate staff members working on the ground to ensure residents’ needs always come first, to those on the home’s board and across the broader community who have been such a great support.”
Comment on the story below. Follow Australian Ageing Agenda on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook, sign up to our twice-weekly newsletter and subscribe to our premium content or AAA magazine for the complete aged care picture.