Lutheran Services’ Toowoomba Salem Aged Care centre completes $3.9m renovation

The residents of a longstanding Toowoomba aged care facility are enjoying an extensive $3.9m renovation by the centre’s owner Lutheran Services. Details here:

When Noela Vonhoff came to Salem Aged Care last year for respite services, she loved it so much she decided to stay.

“As time has gone on, I’ve changed my mind — I’ve got to know different people, and it’s been lovely,” she said on Tuesday.

“They’ve gone to a lot of trouble to make us enjoy ourselves — my family is happy I’m settled now.”

Ms Vonhoff and the dozens of other residents of the South Toowoomba centre on Hume Street are enjoying even nicer facilities after owner Lutheran Services completed a six-stage, $3.9m refurbishment.

The works include rejuvenated bedrooms and ensuites, refreshed living spaces, along with updates to the facility’s chapel, cafe and outdoor spaces.

Lutheran Services CEO Nick Ryan said the renovations, which were completed in consultation with residents, reflected the changing needs of older people.

“When that part of Salem was built, it was normal to have three or four people in the same room, it was like a hospital model,” he said.

“Our understanding now about older people and their needs means those expectations have changed.

“Aged care over the past 10 years has been more around the consumer’s voice and choice, and that we support people to lead their best lives.

“The decor was what residents had chosen, they instructed the architects about the kind of changes they wanted to see.”

It comes as the entire aged care sector faces significant changes, with the incoming federal Labor Government planning a number of reforms including the eventual introduction of 24-hour registered nursing at all centres.

Mr Ryan said while he supported many of the concepts, they would be difficult without increased federal funding.

“We think that 60 per cent of the industry is running at a loss, the commitment from aged care needs to be based on stable funding based on a care model,” he said.

Mr Ryan said Luthern Services had recently championed a new program to reduce malnutrition by 20 per cent across its nursing homes.