Govt plan won't harm us: Macionis

FEDERAL government moves to encourage seniors to stay in their own homes will not affect demand for aged care housing on the Fraser Coast, RSL Care chief said.

RSL Care chief executive Stan Macionis checks out the view from the rooftop terrace at Sapphire. Picture: Alistair Brightman

FEDERAL government moves to encourage senior citizens to stay in their own homes instead of moving into aged care facilities will not affect demand for aged care housing on the Fraser Coast.

RSL Care chief executive Stan Macionis said this during a whistle-stop tour of the region.

Mr Macionis, new to the job at the head of Australia's second biggest aged care service provider, yesterday flew to Hervey Bay to begin an inspection of RSL Care's regional aged care assets.

Speaking from the top floor of the organisation's Sapphire high- rise apartment complex in Hervey Bay, Mr Macionis said occupancy would remain high despite rule changes.

"All our facilities run at 98% occupancy and we fill beds straight away whenever there is any vacancy," Mr Macionis said.

"What the government is doing is shifting demand but in the (Wide Bay Burnett) region there is a very high ratio of aged citizens to beds."

RSL Care is a not-for-profit operation that runs the Sapphire complex and Baycrest in Hervey Bay, Chelsea in Maryborough and the Fairways in Bundaberg.

Collectively it offers about 430 individual living units and about 320 aged-care beds.

Mr Macionis said a Federal Government initiative to remove a distinction between high-care and low-care residents in the aged care facilities would allow expansion when conditions permitted.

Under a new structure, both classes of residents would be required to pay a bond before taking up residence.

This money provided the capital aged care providers needed to fund any substantial developments.

The Wide Bay Burnett region has Australia's worst ratio of aged care beds to citizens aged 70 and above.

Originally published as Govt plan won't harm us: Macionis