Salvation Army moves out of homes for the elderly

Salvation Army plans to sell all 12 of its 70-year-old residential aged care centres over the next year have brought calls for more Government money for the elderly.

The centres will be sold to other aged care providers, but living arrangements and provisions for the 500 existing residents at the centres will stay the same.

The decision follows a review of the Salvation Army's aged care services, which suggested its efforts may be better spent in reaching out to older people within a community setting, the church said yesterday.

Major Alistair Herring, head of the church's services for older people programme, said the decision was in keeping with a wider trend for people to stay in their homes and retain independence for as long as they could before moving to residential care.

But New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) spokesman Shane Vugler blamed Government under-funding for the proposed sales.

"This confirms what NZNO and providers have been saying to the Government for the past two years - that residential care is significantly under-funded and that the sector is now in crisis.

"If even not-for-profit providers can't keep their facilities open on the current level of funding, it can only get worse with providers who are finding money for wages and to maintain facilities as well as returns for their investors."

Major Herring said that the not-for-profit sector of aged care had been under considerable pressure for some time, but problems with funding were not the only reason for the sales.

"They clearly are a factor, but the Salvation Army's experience is that there is not a welfare or health sector [group] that is not crying out for funding and that's why the Salvation Army is grateful for public support."

Major Herring said the church would now focus on expanding its Homecare service.

He said a sale condition would be imposed on all prospective buyers of the aged care centres.

"It will stipulate that new owners be experienced aged care providers with a track record in delivering services to the aged care market.

"These services will need to be equal or better than the quality of care currently afforded residents in the Salvation Army aged care facilities."

Major Herring said that unless the Salvation Army was convinced that these terms of sale were being met in each case, the sale would not proceed.

- NZPA