HammondCare opens regional headquarters in Lismore
HammondCare has opened new home care regional headquarters in Lismore to support older members of the community as Lismore continues to rebuild.
The new Northern Rivers HammondCare At Home headquarters at 138 Molesworth Street will be home to 25 care workers and 12 administrative staff. There are 360 clients in the Northern Rivers region.
NSW Premier Chris Minns joined HammondCare CEO Mike Baird, Minister for the North Coast Rose Jackson, State MP Jannelle Saffin and Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg for the opening.
“HammondCare is delighted to be making a contribution to the rebuilding effort and be part of the optimism and vibrancy of Lismore,” Baird said.
South Lismore resident Roger Manby, 86, a special guest at the opening, was one of the 11 HammondCare At Home clients who had their homes inundated last year.
Mr Manby is expected to move back into his home next month after repair work replaces walls and floors that had “turned into porridge” by the record floodwater on 28 February 2022.
He had been a veteran of previous floods, usually watching on casually from his first-floor veranda. He recalls his son waking him at 3 am as the water began entering the first floor of his home last year.
“My son warned me this flood was going to be worse than I was expecting, and I better get out of bed now,” Mr Manby said.
“So, we all hightailed it onto the roof and waited six hours before help arrived.”
In addition to impacted clients, another five HammondCare At Home staff in Lismore also had their residences inundated.
The HammondCare Foundation, the charity fundraising arm of HammondCare, raised $85,000 in 2022 specifically to assist these clients and staff. Another $10,000 was donated to the Lismore Flood Appeal.
The new HammondCare At Home office is in a former bank building that was totally submerged last year. The building went through a total refit.
HammondCare At Home Regional Manager Jodi Peel said HammondCare At Home’s approach was to offer individually tailored support from care workers so older people can continue to live as they want in their own homes.
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