The Not For Profit aged care operator has opened a six-bed extension and upgrade at its Kabara aged care home in Cooroy, 125km north of Brisbane.
CEO NoosaCare
The improvements expand the home to 92 beds and cost $3.5 million, and took two years to complete. The expansion allowed for the creation of a new class of rooms: two new rooms were classed 'platinum' for the first time, with a larger floor area, spectacular bush reserve views, and balcony, with RADs of $830,000. The other four rooms are classed 'premium' (RADs $790,000).
The addition of platinum gave NoosaCare "evidence" there is demand for high-end rooms. They filled almost instantaneously, NoosaCare CEO Grant Simpson told The SOURCE.
"We found there is a cohort of clientele we can sell those rooms to, and they're in there now as permanent residents and they're loving it," Grant said.
Kabara's occupancy is now sitting at nearly 98%.
Staffing of the expansion has been helped by the employment of 22 staff through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, with staff from both Fiji (15) and the Solomon Islands (seven).
Future expansion plans
NoosaCare also operates Carramar aged care home in Tewantin, 140km north of Brisbane and only about 15km east of the Cooroy home.
Carramar occupies a 40,000msq site, with 24 lodges, each with eight to 12 residents, built according to the small household Greenhouse Model.
NoosaCare has acquired five properties adjacent to the Carramar facility, with plans to buy more properties to develop a two-storey vertical block of independent living units, with 65 apartments.
NoosaCare is currently consulting with the Noosa Shire Council and town planners on the project. Grant said they hope to begin building in about 18 months, subject to council approval.
