Home help services unaffected by sale

People receiving home help in Whanganui have not been impacted from the sale of Enliven Central's Presbyterian Support homecare service, says its new owner, Geneva Healthcare.

The multinational healthcare provider purchased the business last month and provides home care services to about 1000 mainly elderly people from Wellington to Taranaki but also to people with disabilities.

Home care services include duties like making beds, housework and personal care.

Geneva Healthcare chief executive Josephine Wallis said the handover had been smooth and was testament to the work of a special projects team that was set-up to oversee the transition to the new owner.

"The District Health Board commented on how successfully everything had gone," Ms Wallis said.

Staff had benefited from the company's investment in technology, including online training and were better supported. Staff numbers remain unchanged, Ms Wallis said, and in most cases clients still had the same support worker.

Enliven chief executive Chris Graham said the decision to sell came after it lost key contracts.

"In 2016 we lost the Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley DHB in-home support contracts when the DHBs elected to contract with a single provider," Mr Graham said.

Presbyterian Support Central's Enliven division and Geneva Healthcare have been working closely together for the past few months to ensure a smooth transition of service.

Enliven Central continues to offer a range of positive ageing services throughout the lower North Island, including independent retirement living, rest home, hospital and dementia care, day activity programmes, short-term respite and health recovery care, modified Tai Chi classes and a continence product service.