$5.4 million aged-care boost

ONE of the Tweed's largest aged-care homes plans to add another 30 beds at a cost of $5.4 million.

Southern Cross Care is proposing to extend the Southern Cross St Joseph’s Apartments at Tweed Heads South. Picture: Scott Powick

ONE of the Tweed's largest aged-care homes plans to add another 30 beds at a cost of $5.4 million.

Southern Cross Care, a Christian not-for-profit community service organisation providing residential accommodation and care for the elderly has lodged the application to extend its St Joseph's Apartments complex in Blundell Blvd, Tweed Heads South.

Consultants have told Tweed Shire Council the Commonwealth Government had identified the need for additional aged-care facilities in the Tweed Shire area and the extension would help meet that need.

The plan provides additional beds to the existing three-storey building by adding new single-resident rooms with associated ensuites and shared dining, lounge and sitting rooms over two levels.

The application says the existing car-parking area provides for 20 car spaces but the development will offer 31 spaces.

"The existing car parking will be demolished to allow for the additional 30-bed apartment wing," it says.

The proposed extension would be on a corner site of Blundell Blvd.

Consultants said the site had been used as an aged-care facility since 1978.

It was extended in 1987 and rebuilt in 2007.

The application adds: "To ensure the older adults of the community feel they belong in the community, every effort has been made to provide a design that will give the residents accommodation that reflects the lifestyle they are used to.

"All apartments in the aged-care facility have a home-like environment."

The consultants said the expansion would not mean any significant change to the existing operation of the complex.

The building would be staffed 24 hours a day with a full-time care-team manager and up to 10 part-time personal-care assistants during a shift.

During the night it is anticipated two care assistants would be on site.

The application says the proposal "reflects and assists in fulfilling an increasing need for quality aged-care facilities in the Tweed area."

The complex is one of 17 aged-care villages operated by Southern Cross Care in NSW.

Because many of the residents will be disabled or frail, the company says disabled access will be provided to all areas of the extension and the new apartments have been designed with wider corridors and suitable doorways.

Originally published as $5.4 million aged-care boost