Sunshine Coast aged care home in limbo due to government red tape

A 120-room Sunshine Coast aged care home complete with cinemas and its own hairdresser is ready to open but is still sitting empty as a housing crisis rages on. Read why here.

A Sunshine Coast aged care home is ready to open but due to Federal Government red tape, it does not yet know how much it can charge people to move in.

A Sunshine Coast aged care home likened to the luxury “Versace” hotel is ready to open but remains empty as a housing crisis sweeps the region.

Palm Lake Care chief executive Daniel Aitchison said the $37m, 120-room aged care home in Little Mountain had cleared other government regulatory benchmarks and could open, but was awaiting the clearance of federal government red tape regarding the price of rooms.

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Mr Aitchison said there was an application with the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority to increase the maximum Palm Lake Care could charge per room at the new facility.

The government sets the maximum charge for those self-funding their room at $550,000, for a refundable accommodation deposit, but Palm Lake Care wants to charge more.

This Little Mountain aged care home built by Palm Lake Care is ready to open but federal government red tape is leaving it in limbo. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Aitchison said the government had informed him the wait time on the application was about 60 days.

He said some financial planners had told him their clients wanted to move into a “nicer” facility and were willing to pay more, plus it worked to their client’s advantage to pay more.

Palm Lake Care chief executive Daniel Aitchison says the aged care home is unmatched on the Sunshine Coast.

He said Palm Lake Care was now faced with a decision about bringing people in at $550,000 or waiting for the federal government’s decision before opening.

“It would almost essentially be like, and I use the terminology, at the Versace but being charged the Best Western kind of rate,” Mr Aitchison said.

The chief executive said the new facility was unmatched on the Sunshine Coast.

“Our aim is to try and change the perception of what aged care is for people,” he said.

The 120-room aged care home at Little Mountain is ready to open. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The chief executive said a recent open day attracted about 150 people to the facility that had large rooms with ensuites and outdoor areas, a hairdresser, cinema and more.

An Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority spokeswoman said the function of the Aged Care Pricing Commission “transitioned” to the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) in August.

The Palm Lake Care facility is ready to open. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“On transition, 33 applications awaiting an outcome by the Aged Care Pricing Commissioner became the responsibility of IHACPA as set out by the amendments to the Aged Care Act,” she said.

“A further 45 applications have been received by IHACPA to November 4, 2022.

“Thirty-six approvals have been issued.”

The spokeswoman said a team of seven “support the assessment” of applications and the “60-day turnaround” for assessment was legislated under the Aged Care Act.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast aged care home in limbo due to government red tape