An Australian soldier-turned-boss of a nursing home has been called up after sending a brutal message to her aged care staff about the facility’s shoddy state.
Eva Ballai, director of nursing at the Fairfield Aged Care Home in western Sydney, wrote a scathing note to staff on Thursday.
The report scolded the workers for the “terribly dirty” communal kitchen, referred to their mothers and delved into the fact that many of the workers were from overseas, claiming that Australia’s standard of cleanliness was much higher.
“Cockroaches crawl all over the floor and sink and they attract food poisoning and other outbreaks,” Ms Ballai wrote.
‘You MUST tidy up because YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T WORK HERE!
Eva Ballai (pictured), nursing director at Fairfield Aged Care Home in western Sydney, berated staff for not keeping their kitchen clean and told them: ‘YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T WORK HERE!’
The message sent to Fairfield Aged Care Home staff by Eva Ballai, Director of Nursing (DON), leaked to Daily Mail Australia
“The standard of cleanliness is higher in Australia than anywhere else, so as you now live in Australia and NOT abroad, you MUST adhere to this standard.”
It is believed that the majority of the staff are Nepali.
Some of the nursing home’s approximately 50 employees are shocked by the brutal message.
One of them, who wished to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Ballai regularly spoke to staff in this manner.
“I found it very disturbing,” they said. “The bold letters are cruel and condescending.”
“We live in a multicultural country and such comments should not be tolerated.”
The employee added: “The staff work so hard there and they show no respect at all. We don’t appreciate it.’
Ms Ballai, who worked there for about four years, also allegedly banned staff from speaking in their own language during their breaks in the kitchen.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Ms Ballai for comment.
Fairfield Aged Care Home is run by Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group, who own and operate 33 care homes in Western Australia and New South Wales.
A Hall & Prior spokesperson admitted that the text message sent today to all employees at the Fairfield Aged Care Home fell short of the organisation’s usual standard of communication.
“We apologize unreservedly for this message and for any offense it may have caused,” the statement said.
“We are taking this matter very seriously and are conducting a thorough investigation immediately.”
Ms Ballai has served as Commissioned Nursing Officer with the 8th Combat Service Support Battalion, Australian Defense Force
Fairfield Aged Care Home is one of 33 nursing homes run by the Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group in New South Wales and Western Australia
Ms Ballai has had a decorated nursing career and served in the Australian Army.
She reportedly fled war-torn Yugoslavia to the Gold Coast in 1992 at the age of 25 with only two suitcases, one filled with clothes, the other with nursing books.
But her nursing qualifications were not recognized in Australia.
The political refugee improved her English at TAFE and soon found a job as a nursing assistant at a local retirement home.
From there she completed a degree in Nursing which led to many years working in acute care settings at Gold Coast Hospital, Pindara Private Hospital and Allamanda Private Hospital.
“When I worked at Gold Coast Hospital, I was the only non-English speaking nurse at the time,” she shared Griffith News in 2017.
“Society has come a long way since then.”
Ms Ballai went on to complete a Masters of Business Administration Advanced (Health Care Services Management and Marketing) which paved the way for a successful career running care homes in Queensland and New South Wales.
She also served as a Commissioned Nursing Officer with the 8th Combat Service Support Battalion, Australian Defense Force.
“I know it sounds cheesy and I’d like to say that joining the Australian Army at 40 was a midlife crisis, but it wasn’t,” she said.
“I think I was ready to give back and I wanted to thank Australia for giving me a second chance at life.
“Nursing is my life and it’s my character – I just love helping people.”