Changes in the House
RESIDENTS of the Babinda Abbeyfield House have little to fear as the change in management with Cootharinga North Queensland is finalised.
The aged care home will now be known as Cootharinga Gardens.
Cootharinga North Queensland chief executive Peter Mewett said residents could expect a smooth changeover as the last of the paperwork was finalised.
“The new regulations under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing will require residents to pay a bond, which would have happened regardless of the change of management,” Mr Mewett said.
“We will be looking into what we can afford to change regarding the rent, but I can guarantee the rent will not go up as a result of the change.”
Babinda Abbeyfield House was opened in September, 2001 by former public works minister Robert Schwarten.
It was created to address growing concerns within the community about the ageing residents of Babinda
The Babinda Abbeyfield committee secured 1.6ha of land from Cairns City Council and Queensland Government provided $900,000 to build a 10-room facility with a guest room, a small flat for a housekeeper, a kitchen/dining room, al ounge and a barbecue area.
The committee ran the home for the past 17 years, but due to the National Registry for Aged Care’s onerous requirements and their strict preference to only register large aged care organisations, it was faced with an ultimatum.
Either the home would be closed or they would have to seek an organisation that was registered with the National Registry for Aged Care.
The committee approached Cootharinga North Queensland, which agreed to take on the home and keep on caring for the residents.
Mr Mewett said there was no particular financial gain to Cootharinga North Queensland by taking over management of the home.
“We didn’t want to see such a valuable piece of infrastructure go to waste, so we agreed to step in and provide the assistance to insure that Cootharinga Gardens (as it is now known) won’t disappear,” he said.
“They reached out to us back in February, 2015 and it’s taken a long time to resolve that due to complications from state and regional government.
“All parties have been trying to work together, but this is about precedent.
“It’s the first case of its kind for this harmonisation of community housing legislation.”
The Babinda and District Aged Care Association Inc officially signed the takeover contract on Friday, March 16 with Cootharinga North Queensland.
The contract ended an era for the Babinda Abbeyfield committee.