Save Vasey RSL Care: What Our Ex-Service Unit Residents are Saying

Letters from our Ex-Service Accommodation Residents

Vasey RSL Care has 8 locations with 265 units solely for members of the ex-service community. These are sometimes known as Independent Living Units (ILUs).

Unit Resident – Reservoir

Re : The Sale of Vasey RSL Care

I can’t change your mind if it comes down to a question of finances.

But I ask you to consider people like me who would be affected. Even if you and The War Widows Guild grant Vasey the go ahead to do what they have been doing successfully for a long time, that is managing Veterans and War Widows accommodation, it is still uncertainty.

But for me , it’s more than “accommodation”‘. It’s my home.

What is a home?

Consider.

Everyone deserves a place to live

A place of their own where they feel safe and special.

Vasey is always there with support if needed.

A home is also about your neighbours. I don’t live in a cocoon! And I’ve always felt privileged to live in our little community with my friends.

They’re special people who have lived a lot and seen a lot.

Lots of folks are worried, even frustrated by the current situation.

Give me and give all Vasey RSL Care residents a future.

Unit Resident – Frankston South

I am writing to please ask to have Vasey RSL Care be able to keep supporting Veterans, Widows and Families.

This organisation has helped us so much. I have been married to and cared for a Vietnam Veteran for 52 years, he is a TPI due to his PTSD. We have struggled over the years and our prayers were answered when we were allotted a unit at Vasey RSL Frankston South.

My father a World War 2 veteran passed at 52 with PTSD , he never talked about his war experience, he left my mum with 3 Adult children, 2 normal and 1 disabled, my sister Karen.

I have been main carer of Karen for 30 years and with caring for Pete and also my mum for her final years I was emotionally and physically exhausted, and under mental treatment with Psychiatrist.

Vasey RSL Care was able to take Karen into care at Frankston South when we moved into the unit , this has been life changing for all of us. Please don’t think Veterans and Families don’t need help, everyone of a Veterans family needs help and Vasey RSL Care has and is doing this.

Please don’t give us up.

Unit Resident – Frankston South

To Vasey, RSL Victoria & the War Widows Guild.

Thank you for the recent letter informing us of the possible changes in 2023.

Of course we are dismayed at the probability of changes. We were so grateful to be able to get our lovely unit in Frankston South once health problems were getting worse. Every necessary help in our ILU’s has been forthcoming & we are close to wonderful doctors in town.

Health problems are ongoing & the thought that more veterans/people will possibly miss out on one of these units…..built by the Guild & helped with further involvement from RSL Victoria & Vasey is very sad.

It has always been a sense of pride that we live in Vasey RSL Care ILU’s in Frankston South. The thought that once health problems deteriorate we could possibly move into further care in Park Lodge was such a comfort.

We realise that so much more is involved in these decisions to sell but just wish to say THANK YOU for everything that has been provided for us all. We wish it could continue!

Unit Resident – Cheltenham

Mr Tim Richardson, Parliamentary Secretary for Schools

Dear Tim

An alarming situation has arisen in your electorate. To keep you in the loop and perhaps explain in a limited way I have attached correspondence from RSL Victoria and Vasey RSL with copies of my emails to The TPI Federation of Australia. They are self explanatory, I do not pretend to know the ins and outs of what power plays are in force here but whatever the outcome there will be huge ramifications to the lives of many disabled Veterans, War Widows and other vulnerable elderly folk in your electorate. Please take the time to look into this matter and for your information I am aware of a press event (photo shoot) here at Vasey RSL Village tomorrow or Wednesday. I will follow up with a time asap.

Thank you Tim for this, we need all the help we can get in this cash grab.

Unit Resident – Cheltenham

Addressed to an Ex-service Organisatiom

Dear Sir,

I have attached a PDF copy of a letter I received from Vasey RSL. It is self explanatory and distressing for residents here. There is some talk that the underlying rationale for the sale is to fund upcoming poker machine obligations which I believe are in the tens of millions of dollars. No doubt your sources are better informed than me so I/We would like you to take whatever interventions you are able.

This high level of uncertainty is very damaging to my/our mental health and cannot be allowed to continue. It needs to be shut down now. It is unconscionable that the Victorian RSL are doing this and the letter from Dr Webster (also attached) provides no good reason to support his claims. Nothing but a weasel worded attempt to justify the unjustifiable, in fact the absolute polar opposite of what the RSL should be doing.

Thank you Pat for your help

Unit Resident – Geelong

Dear Dr Webster

How sad! You wish to sell Vasey RSL Care and, in particular, the units at Bell Park, Victoria.

My husband, prior to his death in 2018, had been a tenant here in excess of 15 years. After succumbing to very severe PTSD and being treated by a psychiatrist, well versed in veterans’ emotional and mental problems, he came to live at Bell Park where he felt safe and in an environment with like minded people. His Psychiatrist was aware of this village environment and, after Ron had tried to relocate from his family home to various regional areas, his Psychiatrist suggested he live at Bell Park. This became his home and he knew he would never be able to live anywhere else. I came to live here in July 2011 as Ron’s carer and then, in 2012, his wife. Ron died in June 2018. Like Ron, I have come to feel safe in this environment and well looked after by the Vasey personnel. I do not understand why RSL would want to sell this much appreciated site other than of course simply for the cash – always an attraction! As I understand it, Vasey are keen to extend their services further afield in rural Victoria, which I am sure are needed by many veterans and perhaps not serviced by RSL. I do not understand why RSL would suggest this village should be sold. There will be many claims that ‘it will be okay, you will still have a home, your rent will not increase’ etc etc.

There is an RSL in Geelong. They provide pokies and a good meal at a good price. They have a great golf club organized by members of Legacy. My husband and I probably have never got our moneys worth out of our membership because Ron felt unable to be amongst other people but because it was RSL, it was worth supporting. Wrong. Why would RSL, at this time of a global pandemic, when everyone is concerned about leaving their home and what will perhaps turn into an economic downturn with property values as low as they could be, want Vasey to sell the Bell Park village. Very sad.

Unit Resident – Cheltenham

I feel very betrayed at the moment by the one organization that I’ve trusted to watch out for me and my young family since becoming part of the Legacy family back in 1977, after the death of my husband, a decorated Vietnam Veteran (1RAR 65-66) with six years service in the Army.

I decided to live out my retirement years in a Vasey/RSL village, where the common thread that binds most residents is that we are all part of a proud, Veteran community who can depend on each other at any time when needed. More so now that we are in this unexpected fight to preserve our way of life, not only for ourselves, but for the many younger Veterans amongst us who have found a safe haven to heal, both spiritually and physically while they find there way forward amongst friends who understand without the need to explain.

It is so insensitive of the RSL to suddenly announce these drastic plans without warning, especially during these trying times when many of our elderly residents are already stressed out.

I’m adding my voice of protest in the hope that the RSL will remember who they are representing and commit to improving conditions and services for the Veteran community they are supposed to care for.

Unit Resident

I hold you personally responsible for RSL Victoria’s financial state. To be fair, you have been aided and abetted by your board members who, in my opinion, are just as culpable as you are. Your motives are completely transparent and do not reflect any kind of devotion and commitment to the welfare of Veterans and their families. Your deceit regarding the Veteran present and future Veteran demographic is noted. Apparently your view of Veterans ends with those who have actually been shot at. More is the pity that your view appears to exclude Vietnam Veterans and those who have served without being deployed. Judging by your profile on Linked In, you feel persecuted and hard done by. I am a resident of a Vasey ILU and I am outraged that on the eve of ANZAC Day you have not made a single mention of RSL Victoria issuing a directive to Vasey RSL Care to divest it’s assets by 2023 which potentially may render me homeless.

Furthermore, you have not made a single mention that you are the principal appearing to be driving this directive in an attempt to disguise your incompetence in creating a situation where RSL Victoria may not be able to service its debts not to mention the personal axe you have to grind with the Vasey organisation. I also condemn the false statistics that you have used/are using to justify this directive.

In my opinion there are grounds for a Commission of Enquiry into the conduct of you and the RSL Victoria and members of its executive who in issuing this directive to Vasey RSL Care Ltd have demolished the very platform of the RSL’s inception and existence.