With all the negative news surrounding aged care facilities around the country especially during COVID-19, one Grafton resident wanted to reassure the community that the care given to her late husband and herself recently, was nothing short of amazing.

Local historian Nita Child said that she lost her husband Rex on 30 July (two days before his 84th birthday), after a long illness.

“I’d just like to get a message across to our people in Grafton and surrounding areas of the love and care given to both my husband and myself by the staff in the nursing home at Whiddon Grafton and also at the Grafton Base Hospital,” Nita said.

“Rex was a dementia patient and had to have 24-hour guard at the hospital, which was very pressing for the hospital and staff, but every one of them were tremendous in their respect for him and myself.

“After four days in hospital, we got him into Whiddon and we were blessed; the care, love and support provided to us and all the other residents in there by the nursing staff, the office people and the cleaners – everybody, was fantastic. They are very caring, dedicated people.

“I just want people to understand – don’t be frightened of putting your loved one in a home, because they are well looked after and they’re safe and secure.

“I just want to let people know to think about what they are doing when they go into these (aged care) buildings and that it’s up to us to keep this virus away from our nursing homes.

“Our oldies are vulnerable, and we have to look after them and the staff.

“I just want to say thank you to Whiddon, for the marvellous care which they gave to my husband.

“I’m just thankful for what I witnessed and if this virus wasn’t around and I could go back, I’d be a volunteer tomorrow.

“When you hear all these terrible things (about aged care facilities), I’m so pleased that I live where I do and have the wonderful organisations around us here.

“Palliative care was wonderful to me and transport, (because I’d had an accident and had to take Rex to Coffs Harbour twice a week).

“Everywhere I turned, it was just overwhelming from every department that I dealt with. We are very lucky to live where we do.