CARE for the aged is a major ingredient for the success of any country town – and few towns of its size provide better such care than Crookwell.
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In the story of how Upper Lachlan Shire came to be served by such quality centres for such care as Viewhaven Lodge in Crookwell and Sunset Lodge in Taralga, one name is constantly cropping up.
It is that of Denis William Marshall – and his vision, dedication, management skills and hard work in the aged care in the Upper Lachlan area have been recognised with the award of the Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) in Monday’s Australia Day honours list.
Denis’s commitment to creating the opportunity for the elderly of this area to stay within their own community began with the creation of the Crookwell Frail Aged Association, whose first major task was the raising of funds to purchase the disused Crookwell Hospital Nurses’ Quarters and refurbish it as a 21-bed hostel.
Administration of the hostel, Banfield House, was undertaken by a volunteer board drawn from the local community.
Denis joined the Board in 1987 as honorary treasurer – his skill as a qualified accountant (with Samuel Martin and Rogerson) and a background in rural industry being applied.
He was appointed the Hostel general manager in 1988, having sought the position as a way to be involved in the day to day operations.
Then in 1992, the local nursing home, Harley House, then privately owned, became available for purchase – with the great risk that the bed licences would be lost to this district and purchased by large private operators in larger centres.
Denis was a driving force behind the decision to keep the facility in the town – he led the local community fundraising with brought in over $300,000 in quick time, to ensure the bed licences remained here.
He was also successful in seeking Federal funding to renovate the building so that first class service could be maintained at Harley House.
Despite the extensive renovations the need to comply with constantly increasing standards meant a long term solution was required.
In 2003 the Association received funding for further renovation to Harley House – but under Denis’s leadership the Association sought approval to use some of the funds to undertake a comprehensive view of both Harley and Banfield House.
This review concluded that the best solution was the development of a modern facility on a new site.
And so in December 2006 the Association was awarded a $2.6 million grant to assist building a new facility.
Someone in a position to know, the Association’s honorary treasurer Bill Martin confirms the application was successful, in part at least, because of Denis’s sound financial management which ensured the Association was able to contribute significant locally raised funds and borrowings to the project.
The building of the new facility, Viewhaven Lodge, began in April,2007.
In addition to his role as general manager, Denis took on the job of project manager with executive responsibility for all aspects of the development.
Viewhaven Lodge was ready for occupancy (in time and on budget) in April, 2008.
On July 1, 2008 the two aged care service providers in the Upper Lachlan Shire namely the Crookwell Frail Aged Association Inc.and the Phillip Chalker Sunset Lodge Inc.merged into a new single entity Crookwell/Taralga Aged Care Ltd which has resulted in this company being the sole provider for the delivery of aged care services in the shire and ensuring a variable and committed provider to the aged and disabled members of the shire area.
Denis retired as general manager a couple of years ago, leaving behind a smoothly running, financially viable and much loved and appreciated asset for his community.
But the Australia Day honour was not the first time Denis’s work has been recognised.
In 1994 he was awarded the Rotary Vocational Service Award, and in 2009 the Leadership and Achievement award from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing.
And in 1992 the Crookwell Community was awarded the Premier’s Award for raising $328,692 in seven months to by Harley, the Viewhaven Lodge building won the 2008 Master Builders’ Association Southern Regional Award, and it was short listed for the Aged Care Association Australia building for 2008.
What does Denis himself have to say about the high honour he has been accorded?
In his typical self-effacing manner, Denis says: “To be given such a national award is n honour, but I feel humbled by it.
“I was very fortunate during my career as an aged care administrator that I had care managers, Board Directors, maintenance supervisors, administration, catering and cleaning staff who were dedicated and loyal to the organisation and to myself.”
And he adds: “I could not have devoted myself to this demanding job, which required being available at any time of the day or night, without the total support of my wife Lillian.”
Let Bill Martin have the last word: “I regard this award as recognition of a long and distinguished career in the service of others.”