Update Quakers Hill Nursing Home Fire
Weeks have now passed since the initial shock of the Quakers Hill Nursing Home fire, but its impact continues to be felt. Our thoughts go out to the families who have lost a loved one, to the residents who remain in hospital and their families, and the residents and employees who have been affected by this tragedy.
On Wednesday 23rd November, a Tribute Service was held to bring the Quakers Hill Nursing Home community together with the emergency services personnel who responded to the fire on Friday. It was a day of great sadness as we remembered those who have died and those remaining in hospital. It was also a day where we reflected on the goodness that exists in our community and where all rose above the shock and anger of the event.
We have seen this goodness in our employees who were heroic on the day and continue to show such resilience and care for the welfare of each other and our residents. We have seen the goodness of the wider community in supporting us with everything from food to their messages of support; the pastoral care from multiple churches and in particular the Quakers Hill Anglican Church; and the emergency services. Finally, we see such goodness in our residents who are holding up as well as can be expected and just want to go home to Quakers Hill Nursing Home. They can’t go home yet, but we will do everything we can to deliver on this wish.
The team at Domain Principal Group (DPG) remains focused on helping residents, families and employees recover from this tragedy. We have now provided funds and assistance to residents to replace their personal items, and have made counselling available to all of those who wish to access it. We will continue to provide both practical and pastoral care in the days, weeks and months ahead.
Throughout this crisis, our Quakers Hill employees have shown incredible commitment to the residents they care for, and we are grateful for their resilience. The courage of those who helped to rescue and evacuate residents helped avoid what may have been a bigger tragedy. We would also like to acknowledge the support we have received from the broader DPG team, with offers of assistance coming from far and wide.
