Shepparton Villages to close Hakea Lodge

Victorian residential care and retirement living provider Shepparton Villages has announced it is to close one of its aged care homes, Hakea Lodge.

Located in northern Victoria – and one of four aged care homes operated by Shepparton Villages – Hakea Lodge is to be decommissioned from 4 April due to the building’s poor condition, an inability to attract new residents, and staff shortages.

In a statement, Shepparton Villages CEO Veronica Jamison said: “In the interests of continuing to provide quality care in contemporary settings, Shepparton Villages is consolidating its residential aged care operations into its three other aged care homes.”

Since opening in 1984, Hakea Lodge no longer complies with current certification requirements and standards. After determining that it would be too costly and too disruptive to renovate the building, the board instead decided to close the 39-year-old site.

A lack of demand has also led to the board’s decision to close Hakea Lodge. Since the Covid pandemic hit in early 2020, the organisation has found it difficult to fill its 57 rooms.

Negative publicity from the aged care royal commission has also made it difficult to attract residents. Speaking to the ABC, Ms Jamison said: “The fallout from the royal commission particularly has been very unhelpful for our industry as a whole.”

The decision to close Hakea Lodge will impact 34 residents who will be offered the choice to relocate to another Shepparton Villages facility – at either Maculata Place, Mooroopna Place or Banksia Lodge. The relocations will occur from 15 February until 3 April.

Where possible, staff will have the opportunity to transfer to vacant positions within the Shepparton Villages organisation, the provider said.

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