Not For Profit Catholic aged care and retirement village operator Ozcare will take over Brisbane's popular Delamore Retirement Community as its founding Sisters step back from day-to-day operations.
Delamore Retirement Community, in historic Delamore House in the northern Brisbane suburb of Kedron, has been run by the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception since it was established more than 30 years ago.
According to Sister Catherine White, Australian Leader of the MFIC Sisters, the decision was made to hand over the keys to Ozcare – a special project of the St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland – as an organisation that shares the Sisters’ values.
“We are ageing and reducing in number and I feel very strongly that the 60-plus people who rely on us for their homes have put their trust in us, which is why we wouldn’t have considered a non-Catholic group for the next step for Delamore,” she told the Catholic Leader.
Tony Godfrey, CEO of Ozcare, told the Leader the organisation will work to continue the Sisters’ legacy when it takes the reins at the end of this month.
“The spirit of Delamore; warm smiles and good friends and the mission of the MFIC Sisters; to help people in need, reflects Ozcare’s Catholic ethos and our commitment to caring for our community by making a positive difference in the lives of the people we support,” he said.
Ozcare also took over the aged care, retirement, and health services of the Canossian Sisters last year.
