INSIDE LOOK: Sneak peek at new $30m aged-care facility
THE 134-bed project, billed as one of the biggest in the city, will address a desperate need for beds with technology at the forefront of the sprawling facility
Mackay
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A STATE-OF-THE-ART $30 million premium aged-care facility perched on one of Toowoomba's highest points is set to fill a much-needed gap in the city's elderly care sector.
Infinite Care's residential development in Mount Lofty will offer its incoming residents skyline views of the Garden City, a box seat for sporting events at Heritage Oval, a salon, a cafe, a gymnasium and most importantly a place to call home for many on the waiting list.
The Chronicle was yesterday given an exclusive first look inside the 134-room complex, where one of the men behind the sprawling project revealed how it would address the need for beds in Toowoomba for the city's elderly.
"There's always been a wait-list," Infinite Mt Lofty facility manager Tony McKenzie said.
"Unfortunately it's been a case where the wait-list has been substantial; over the past 12 months the approvals for bed licences in Toowoomba has grown significantly.
"Hopefully the opening of this facility in two weeks' time will see that list decrease because there is a real backlog of people waiting to get into aged care at the moment."
Though there is more behind the walls that are receiving a final lick of paint this week.
Mr McKenzie detailed how the facility's technology, such as video calling in bedrooms, geothermal heating and GPS trackers for residents, was on the forefront of aged-care offerings.
"This being 134 beds it's on par with the larger facilities in Toowoomba," he said.
"As an aged-care facility this would be one of the biggest in Toowoomba. It's somewhere above $30 million, in terms of what it's cost (to build)."
The company says the development will bring 50 extra jobs to the community, on top of the 200 staff directly employed by the facility.
Mr McKenzie, who has worked in aged care for 16 years, said the Infinite Mt Lofty would provide respite beds for people transitioning from hospital treatment, but could not detail how many it would allocate at this stage.
Originally published as INSIDE LOOK: Sneak peek at new $30m aged-care facility
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