Interest in building assisted living units
A RURAL health centre is exploring the construction of assisted living units in South Otago.
The Tuapeka Community Health Company, which operates Lawrence Rural Health Centre, has opened initial investigations into the project, and presented a progress report to the Clutha District Council yesterday.
The report formed part of a request to the council to consider leasing a plot of bare land adjoining the health centre, upon which the new complex could be built.
Talking to councillors, Tuapeka Community Health chairman Mark Hay said the project was still in its earliest stages, and there were no indications of cost or eventual number of units, nor a formal business plan in place.
He said motivation for the project had come about as a result of a review of the organisation’s 25 years of operation, and a desire to ensure it operated ‘‘viably’’ for another 25 years.
He said he hoped the council could see the ‘‘community good’’ in the proposal.
Tuapeka Community Health Company chairman Andrew Gray told the Otago Daily Times the assisted living proposal was one of several options it was looking at to address financial sustainability.
As a community shareholderowned business, any eventual project would first have to be approved by shareholders.
‘‘At present we serve 1060 patients in general practice, with a sevenbed resthome and about 10 staff. There’s certainly been interest expressed in the idea of assisted living units allowing local people to remain living socially and locally so, if the figures stack up, it’s something we’ll look at more closely.’’
Given a positive outlook for the project, he hoped to hold a public meeting before Christmas.
Councillors at yesterday’s meeting responded favourably to the initial lease request, and agreed to consider it before making a final decision.