A home care visit became an urgent rescue mission when Dan Mousa found a frightened 78-year-old Cooks Hill man alone in bed, in darkness and in unsafe, unsanitary conditions.
The Department of Housing tenant, referred to as “Bob” to protect his identity, had been left terrified after intruders broke into his unit in the days before, stealing his keys, wallet, credit cards and food, and leaving offensive graffiti on the walls and human waste in the bathroom. The power had also been intentionally switched off at the unit’s power box.
A week earlier, Bob’s ordeal began when his mobility scooter was stolen from the property and never returned. A person unknown to Bob was sleeping on the floor in his property.
Mr Mousa, 36, of Mayfield, a specialised carer for HammondCare, has now been recognised with a HammondCare Mission in Action award for his “outstanding care, advocacy and compassion” after helping Bob reach safe emergency accommodation.
Mr Mousa arrived at Bob’s unit Friday, May 17, 2026, at about 6pm after Bob’s regular specialised carer escalated concerns about unsafe conditions in the home and his general welfare. Mr Mousa knocked on Bob’s door and Bob did not answer or respond to him, but the front door was unlocked.
After contacting HammondCare client care operations manager Kacey Snell, Mr Mousa was supported to enter the property to check on Bob’s welfare.
“I entered with the use of my phone light as I found that no internal lights were working. It was dark, unsafe and I had limited visibility when entering,” Mr Mousa said.
“I found Bob alone in bed, frightened and withdrawn, and calmly reassured him that he was safe.”
“I then helped Bob gather essential belongings, secured the home as best I could before leaving, stopped to purchase essential items and transported Bob to emergency accommodation and made sure he was settled for the night.”
With Ms Snell’s assistance, immediate contact was made with police, health services and the Department of Housing to alert them to Bob’s situation. When none could act immediately to secure his safety, Bob was transported to the Ibis Budget Hotel, Newcastle, with the HammondCare Foundation covering the cost of a week’s accommodation. Food was also purchased for his immediate needs.
“We contacted various services and agencies to help Bob, but they all seemed to have red tape stopping them taking immediate action. So, we needed to step in,” Ms Snell said.
The following day, Bob’s condition deteriorated and he was moved to Newcastle’s Mater Hospital. Ms Snell and another members of the Newcastle care team followed up by requesting social work and mental health support, safeguarding of Bob’s finances and advocacy for a long-term care assessment.
Ms Snell said: “What began as a concerning home visit became something more serious. It was a complex and urgent situation.”
HammondCare Executive General Manager Home Care Marcela Carrasco said she was so impressed by the efforts of Mr Mousa and Ms Snell that she invited them to address the HammondCare Board in June to share the story.
“Their actions demonstrated what can be achieved when we walk alongside people with compassion, courage and determination, and are a powerful example of HammondCare’s Mission in Action,” Ms Carrasco said.
She said the case was an example of the desperate situations facing home care workers, as they exercise their duties providing care to vulnerable people.
A hearing is expected to take place in coming days in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for Bob to come under the care of the Public Guardian so safer, long-term accommodation, probably with a Residential Aged Care provider, can be found.