“We are asking for ideas and feedback from the community on how the Wharekaka Trust can best provide support for older people in Martinborough once the Wharekaka facility closes,” says Wharekaka Trust Board Chair, Joy Cooper.
Financial challenges, a Covid-related shortage of nursing staff and a deteriorating building led to the Board announcing the closure of residential and hospital level care at Wharekaka earlier this year.
The residential villas on site are unaffected by the closure, and the Board is looking at ways to retain Wharekaka’s popular Meals on Wheels service.
“Even though Wharekaka receives Government subsidies, and residents also contribute to costs of their care, it cannot achieve the economies of scale needed to cover operating costs. There is a funding gap. Many small rural community-run residential homes throughout New Zealand are in the same situation, or have closed.” says Joy.
“In the past, we’ve been able to meet the funding gap through the sale of villas, bequests, plus generous donations through the Oak Tree Community, and fundraising efforts by our Auxiliary. The projected gap for the next 12 months, if we were to carry on, is $400,000. That’s a huge sum to ask the community to provide year after year, plus the large sums necessary to upgrade the facility, ” she says.
Set up 50 years ago as a day care centre for older locals, Wharekaka has always provided a much-loved community service. “Most of Martinborough’s population has been touched by Wharekaka in some way – whether through family connections, as a workplace, through fund-raising efforts or as volunteers.
“We are all deeply saddened that we have had to close hospital and residential services for the foreseeable future. We are working with our families to allay anxiety, find solutions and ensure minimum disruption,” she says.
The Board is currently working through longer-term options, ranging from offering day care or respite care for older people to rebuilding the centre with more villas or apartments to increase financial viability.
For details of a public meeting to be held on 4 March 2022, see https://www.wharekaka.org. Feedback, ideas and support are very welcome, please email reception@wharekaka.co.nz
