Blue Care expansions

Blue Care has re-opened one multi-service redevelopment and announced three more community and respite centres are underway in Queensland.

Above: (L to R)  Blue Care Mareeba Garden Settlement Aged Care Facility residents Ted and Margaret Harlow with Blue Care Executive Director Robyn Batten and UnitingCare Queensland CEO Anne Cross at the Blue Care Mareeba refurbishment official opening and dedication ceremony yesterday

Blue Care’s $10 million redevelopment in the Far North Queensland town of Mareeba featuring a refurbished residential facility co-located with a new building for community care offices, a day therapy centre and respite care, was officially opened for business yesterday.

The 18-month project was sealed with a dedication ceremony yesterday attended by UnitingCare Queensland and Blue Care executives, local staff, residents, clients and community members. 

The refurbished Blue Care Mareeba Garden Settlement Aged Care Facility includes a new 16-bed wing, landscaped gardens for the specialised care of people with dementia, freshly painted bedrooms with updated furnishings, the latest hoist equipment and new bathrooms.

Blue Care Garden Settlement ervice manager Lesley Magian said: “This highly-anticipated refurbishment has improved accommodation for residents and provided a modern working environment for the service’s 70-plus staff and volunteers.” 

Refurbishment work also involved the kitchen, entrance, dining room, administration offices, chapel, staff residence and other communal areas, Ms Magian said.

“Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with staff, residents and visitors loving the facility’s new look and air-conditioning system,” she said. 

The project sees Blue Care’s Mareeba services all on the one site with Tableland Community Care, Mareeba Respite Care and Mareeba Day Therapy Centre housed in a new building to cater for the 40 community care staff and 360 community care clients.

The new offices allow for community services to increase as demand rises in the future, said Robyn Batten, Blue Care executive director. 

“Mareeba residents who formally had to travel to Atherton for respite care now have their own respite centre as well as access to many other Blue Care services conveniently co-located at the one site,” Ms Batten said.

Above: The new entrance of Blue Care’s Mareeba facility

Elsewhere, this week Blue Care announced it will develop three new community and respite care centres in southern Queensland.

The developments, expected to begin construction early this year, include new premises for Blue Care in Coomera and Gatton to replace leased spaces, and a new building to replace an older one in Goondiwindi.

The centres will provide services which promote a person’s independence and improve their quality of life, Ms Batten said.

“The purpose-built buildings will provide a modern work environment for staff and offer a comfortable, secure environment for clients,” she said.

The developments possible thanks to funding from bequests, local communities, the Queensland Department of Communities, and Blue Care, Ms Batten said.

Tags: blue-care, lesley-magian, mareeba-gardens, robyn-batten, unitingcarequeensland,

1 thought on “Blue Care expansions

  1. Great for the Tableland community. Brilliantly conceived brownfield development achieving a significant cost effective refurbishment. Full credit to the former management and property team no doubt acknowledged at the dedication ceremony.

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