Road to renewal after fire tragedy

Three months has passed since the fatal fire engulfed  Principal Quakers Hill aged care facility. Despite many lives lost and spirits broken, the staff and remaining residents are on the path of renewal.

“We are in the process of assessing our options for rebuilding in the local community, but it is still too early to say when or where this will occur. Architects and engineers are actively working at the site and assessing the damage,” spokesperson, Erik Denison, for Domain Principal Group tells DPS News.

Expected to re-open in about 18 to 24 months, the Quaker’s Hill community – along with the rest of the country – have shown immense support.

“The community offered a tremendous amount of support, including gathering and organising donations, to our residents, their families and staff during and after the fire,” Mr Denison says.

In particular, the local church community demonstrated the important role it plays in the community and many local businesses reportedly donated food, clothing and other items to the Quakers Hill residents, their families and staff.

Domain Principal Group has since launched a program called Employee Connect, which has the objective of working with each Quakers Hill employee to develop a personal plan to help them” transition to a new future”.

“In some cases our employees have chosen to move to another Domain Principal Group home and have worked at homes of other providers caring for our relocated residents.

“We are continuing to hold regular support and information sessions with the employees at Quakers Hill, and are now moving from a group support environment to creating individualised plans for each staff member.”

According to Mr Denison, the organisation recognises each employee as having “very different circumstances and, therefore, requires support in difference ways”.

“With all our residents now settled in other aged care facilities, attention has moved to assisting employees find employment and offering continued support,” he adds.