Hunter care workers rescue 78‑year‑old man in Cooks Hill public housing

On the evening of May 17, HammondCare home‑care worker Dan Mousa received a final call of the day and was sent to a Department of Housing unit in Cooks Hill, Newcastle. The 78‑year‑old resident was found alone, frightened and in total darkness after the unit had been ransacked, with personal items, keys and food missing and graffiti and human waste in the bathroom.

Mousa entered the property using his phone’s light, turned on the electricity, and reassured the elderly man. Together with HammondCare operations manager Kacey Snell, who coordinated the response by phone, they arranged for the resident to be moved to a hotel and provided essential groceries. Snell reported that other health, housing and social‑service agencies were unable to act immediately, leaving the care team to secure the man's safety.

The incident highlights challenges faced by home‑care providers and public‑housing tenants when urgent protective support is needed.