New Care Home for Wanaka

Aspiring enliven Care Centre media release 26 March 2015

New Care Home for Wanaka

When work begins on the Aspiring enliven Care Centre in July it will be the first step towards solving the Upper Clutha’s dilemma of a serious lack of care options for residents.

A partnership between Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) and Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village, the new three-stage $15 million care centre will more than triple the number of aged care beds in the area.

“We already own Elmslie House care home in Wanaka and see first-hand just how difficult it is for people when they cannot find beds for their loved ones close to home,” said PSO Chief Executive Gillian Bremner.

“Stage one of this new centre includes a 20 bed dementia facility, the first time residential care for those with dementia has been offered in the region. Along with 19 rest home/hospital beds, there will also be the Upper Clutha Hospice Trust suite. Further staging of the development will depend on demand for care.”

Aaron Armstrong, Aspiring Village’s Managing Director, said his company was pleased to be working with PSO to make the new facility a reality. “PSO is well known to Wanaka residents with Elmslie House, which carries four-year Ministry of Health certification, a real cornerstone of care for older people in Wanaka.”

With the resource consent now granted, Aspiring enliven has appointed Arrow International to manage the tendering stage. Construction on the site, adjacent to the Wanaka Medical Centre, is due to begin in July, with the first residents moving in later next year.

The care centre expects to employ 35-40 staff, from registered nurses to caregivers and support staff, when stage one is opened. “Collectively, being able to run both Elmslie and Aspiring enliven together will offer staff greater employment and career opportunities,” said Mrs Bremner.

Aspiring enliven Care Centre will be the first PSO home to incorporate the enliven branding in its name.

Ends

Note to media:

• When all three stages are completed there will be 81 rooms for residents
• Elmslie House caters for 30 rest home and hospital level residents
• The completed complex will be 3750 sqm
• Presbyterian Support Otago is a not-for-profit organisation that has seven care homes in the region, five of which carry the Ministry of Health’s top four-year certification
• Aspiring Lifestyle Retirement Village, in Wanaka, was established in 2009, adjacent to the site of the Aspiring enliven Care Centre on Cardrona Valley Road.

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