General News
28 June, 2023
Aged care closure to hit businesses
TERANG Laundromat owner Adam Hill is among the local business owners who will be hit hard by Lyndoch Living’s imminent closure of May Noonan aged care facility.
TERANG Laundromat owner Adam Hill is among the local business owners who will be hit hard by Lyndoch Living’s imminent closure of May Noonan aged care facility.
Mr Hill has owned the laundromat for the past six years, and since April 2022 had been providing a pick-up, wash, dry, iron, fold and sort service May Noonan each week day.
Earlier this week, Western District Newspapers revealed May Noonan could be shut down as early as this week after months of uncertainty following unsuccessful attempts to sell the facility to a new provider.
Mr Hill said nobody from May Noonan provider Lyndoch Living had contacted him to formally inform him of the forthcoming closure.
“I still haven’t been told my services would no longer be needed, I found out from a staff member at May Noonan just after the meeting with the staff and residents announcing May Noonan’s closure,” he said.
“I haven’t actively been trying to get new clients because I didn’t want to short-change the residents at May Noonan.
“I think they had 27 residents when I started, and now there is maybe eight or nine.
“I’ve seen this coming for a while but it’s pretty disappointing.”
Mr Hill said the residents of May Noonan were at the forefront of his mind, but acknowledged as a single father of three the loss of May Noonan’s economic fingerprint would have a “substantial impact” on his business.
“It’s probably around 50 per cent (of turnover), it’s a big chunk of change” he said.
“The service I was providing pretty much capped me out, I made it a priority.
“Especially since I had a 12-year back injury with chronic pain; the workload from May Noonan helped me get back on my feet and boosted my mental health after so many years thinking I’d never work again.”
Mr Hill said he was a “survivor” and would find a way to push ahead, but was shattered for the residents who had always been friendly as he did his job.
“Not even they got a fair warning this was coming,” he said.
“I’ve made friends out there with a few people; one of the residents, Max, became a helper, always getting the door every night and every morning, and would always come out to help carry things.
“My parents were saying the other day, “where are we going to end up?”
“Something has to happen when we’re in an aging population and we’re losing a vital service.”
For the past three years Mr Hill has provided a wash, dry and fold service to domestic customers, including NDIS work for eligible customers, and also offers commercial services.
He said he hopes the support he’s received since introducing the service will help to keep the doors to the laundromat open.
“Thank you to all my wonderful customers, both those who use my service and who use self-service,” Mr Hill said.
“I appreciate every one of them for their continued support.”
