$40m facility to strengthen region's health sector
INTEREST surrounded the opening of the $40 million Ozcare Toowoomba Aged Care facility yesterday, with more than 600 people attending its open days.
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HIGH levels of interest surrounded the opening of the new $40 million Ozcare Toowoomba Aged Care facility yesterday, with more than 600 people attending its open days at the weekend.
The Glenvale facility has been 18 months in the making and includes 150 ensuite bedrooms, extensive grounds, a public coffee shop and intimate lounges and dining areas for family and residents.
Ozcare's head of aged care, Lanna Ramsay, said the facility's first day of operation had been "hectic".
"We've had a lot of interest - we had six people move in (yesterday) and we are predicting around 15 by the end of the week," she said.
"As there is a lot of paperwork and we need to allow people to settle, we do stagger the intakes.
"We know there are people sitting in the hospital who are waiting to come across."
At peak capacity, the facility will hire between 100 - 130 staff members.
"The facility offers opportunities, not just for staff but also residents," she said.
"I'm often astounded by how far carers must go to seek respite care - it's at a premium here in Toowoomba.
"For our other residents, there are a few who are coming in from other areas who are moving to be closer to their families."
The facility is one of two residential facilities to open in Toowoomba in recent times. Infinite Care's flagship Toowoomba facility added 134 beds to the aged-care community earlier this year.
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise CEO Ali Davenport said the new facilities added to local health sector.
"The economic benefit for Toowoomba brought about by this revolutionary new aged-care facility is fantastic with over 130 jobs created from this one development," she said.
"As health is the number-one employer in this region, this strengthens our reputation in this sector even further."
Originally published as $40m facility to strengthen region's health sector
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