RSL Care aged care award winner

Queensland aged care provider, RSL Care, has won the HESTA Aged Care Award for ‘Outstanding Organisation’ for its response to flood events that followed ex-Cyclone Oswald in January this year.

RSL Care chief executive, Craig Mills, said being nominated as a finalist in the HESTA Aged Care Awards and then going on to win the category was a “bonus” on top of the real achievement which was successfully evacuating and returning residents to a “beautifully repaired and rebuilt facility”.

The extent of destruction and despair caused by the Bundaberg floods touched the lives of the entire RSL Care Community, especially staff who were personally impacted. 

In a mass operation, 108 residents were evacuated from RSL Care Fairways Residential Care Community and later transferred to accommodation at RSL Care and colleague providers around the state. Some residents also stayed with family, receiving ongoing support and assistance from RSL Care HomeCare teams.

“It is often said that the worst in Mother Nature brings out the best in human nature. For RSL Care, this was true in the face of the response and recovery mission,” Mr Mills said.

The HESTA Aged Care Awards recognise and reward the outstanding work of individual employees, teams or organisations in the aged care sector.

RSL Care was one of five finalists in the category of ‘Outstanding Organisation’ nominated for an outstanding contribution to aged care in Australia, through development and/or provision of high quality care to the aged.

The national award was particularly special as RSL Care celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.