No Slowdown for Seniors Living Provider

A leading not-for-profit seniors living provider is embarking on a series of major developments throughout Queensland.

Churches of Christ in Queensland is currently developing residential aged care services at Warwick and Stanthorpe and considering plans for its Gold Coast locations.

Subject to final approvals, the Warwick development, adjoining the recently acquired 98 unit Regency Park Retirement Village, adds 128 residential aged care places for the Southern Downs community.

There will be further development of the retirement village including the release of seniors living apartments delivered in future stages. Residents of the Warwick Campus can enjoy more open community spaces, café and community centre, in addition to a recently approved resident’s club house which is soon to be constructed.

Also on the Southern Downs, work is well underway on the $14.5million extension of the Villa Carramar Aged Care Service. This development, on track for a late-2017 completion, adds another 68 beds in a series of themed cottage-style buildings. Villa Carramar will provide care for 106 seniors once complete.

Chief Executive Officer Dean Phelan said the developments, both current and planned, demonstrate a strong commitment to seniors and local communities.

“These are substantial investments, in terms of resources to plan and build, but also as longer term community investments with significant job creation, training and local suppliers,” he said.

“The key focus remains on seniors and their needs and wants, which are becoming more complex.”

”The services we deliver, and the campuses we operate from, are evolving to meet those needs,” Mr Phelan said.

“We also provide for those living in their own homes, with the enhanced delivery of home and community care a consideration of any of our development projects.”

Churches of Christ in Queensland has also recently received development approval from the City of Gold Coast for a large scale redevelopment of its Benowa Campus. The proposed development, built in a number of stages, incorporates the total redevelopment of the existing Lady Small Haven retirement village and aged care service. Feasibility studies are now underway to determine if the development should proceed.

Dependent on these studies and approval by the organisation’s Board, the development would see a campus tailor-made for Gold Coast seniors comprising low rise buildings of no more than six storeys. Housed within the campus would be a state of the art residential aged care, supported living units and brand new retirement living apartments.

The development of campus would also enable the delivery of major community infrastructure including a community hub, allied health and retail. Campus residents and the wider community would also have access to home and community care, specialised dementia care and respite care.

In addition to growth through development, the organisation’s appetite for acquisitions also continues to grow incrementally. Since November 2015, Churches of Christ in Queensland has acquired four retirement villages including the 115 unit Sugarland Gardens in Bundaberg. Other retirement village acquisitions include Chesterville in Melbourne, and Assisi Court and Kilkivan in Toowoomba.

Mr Phelan said a number of other growth and acquisition projects and opportunities are in the pipeline for 2017 and beyond.

“At the end of the day we not only have to deliver on our mission of bringing the light of Christ into communities, but also remain competitive in a number of challenging environments,” he said.

“The need for quality seniors’ care only continues to grow, whether that be residential aged care, retirement, community care or affordable housing, we cannot slow down.”

As one of the largest and most diverse not-for-profit organisations in Australia, Churches of Christ Care provides a wide variety of services to children, families and seniors. This includes family day care, child protection, retirement living, missional services, community care and residential aged care supporting communities from Cairns to Melbourne, plus a medical clinic in Vanuatu.