The devastating bushfires that are still impacting many parts of Australia have had a significant impact on the country’s aged care homes and retirement communities, with a number evacuated over the holiday break.
Some homes were forced to move frail and vulnerable residents to other homes and hospitals. Many were left short on staff as roads were cut off or staff taking on firefighting duties or protecting their own homes.
We know of at least one case in Victoria where staff stayed on to care for residents as fires bore down on the facility.
We have pulled together a list of approximately 91 facilities and villages that are in bushfire-affected areas below – a sombre reminder of the seriousness of the situation:
