On the Up: Whangārei care home now older than some of its residents

Some of the whānau at Radius Potter Home - resident Sharyn Mahanga, left, kitchen manager Tom Paul, healthcare assistant Tracey Walker and resident Shirley Brockie - help mark 80 years of the home providing aged care.

A Whangārei care home has marked its 80th birthday, making it older than some of the residents it now cares for.

Radius Potter Home on Whangārei’s Bank St has celebrated 80 years of providing aged care, with residents enjoying cakes and staff enjoying pizza.

The main-street villa was bought in 1945 by then-Whangārei Hospital Board specifically for “aged women not in need of hospitalisation”.

It was run like a hospital ward.

Facility manager Gail Kopa said the home is now mixed gender, with the 55 residents evenly split between men and women.

Potter Home itself has an even longer history, being built in 1901 by Robert Thompson, for his daughter Kathleen and her husband Dr Brunton Sweet.

It was a private residence then boarding house, before being bought by the Whangārei Hospital Board using money donated by benefactor Frederick Potter - a coach builder and blacksmith.

The funds bought the boarding house, which was then accessed from Aubrey St, plus the Bank St road frontage.

New wings were added over the years and, in 1960, the kitchen started cooking for the Meals on Wheels programme in Whangārei.

In 1995, then-Northland District Health Board sold Potter Home to Ranburn. It was sold again in 2004 to Radius Care.

Kopa said the care home’s proud history continues, with residents being treated like whānau.

“Our residents stay because they love our exceptional care and good food,” she said.

“Based in the middle of town, we love being part of the community.”

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.