Cooroy’s own aged care facility, Kabara, was brimming with energy and excitement on Wednesday 26 February as the upgrades to the facility were celebrated amongst residents, employees and a few special guests.
Hosted by Grant Simpson, chief executive officer, and Johanne Wright, Chair of NoosaCare’s Board, guests were welcomed at one of the numerous gazebos across the facility.
Among the list of attendees was Llew O’Brien, Member of Parliament for the Wide Bay region, which extends from Maryborough in the north to Peregian in the south.
Mr O’Brien cut a symbolic ribbon to commemorate the occasion and said a few words ahead of his upcoming election, citing awareness of Australia’s aging population coupled with the nation’s slowing birth rate as significant concerns for his electorate in Wide Bay.
Amelia Lorentson, Noosa Shire Councilor, was also in attendance for the celebration.
Amelia is no stranger to NoosaCare, present at several other company held events as well as being a key stakeholder in NoosaCare’s partnership with the wider Noosa Shire Council.
When asked about her thoughts on the recent Kabara upgrades, Amelia expressed delight with the results, stating that she “always feels so happy” when visiting NoosaCare facilities, citing an uplifting environment for residents and staff alike.
A total of $3.5 million was spent on the upgrades to the facility.
Among the list of improvements are six luxurious new rooms and 14 freshly renovated rooms for residents each with ensuite bathrooms and private balconies that overlook lush hinterland nature.
Additional improvements highlighted at the event included fresh office space for administrative staff, laundry facilities, kitchen and dining areas, a community centre and a purpose-built training area.
The tour concluded at one of Kabara’s most anticipated upgrades: the new on-site indoor/outdoor café called The Possum’s Nest.
The café’s name draws from Cooroy’s aboriginal meaning, “Possum”, which aims to bring a sense of local spirit to residents, many of whom have lived in the Cooroy and Noosa Hinterland communities their whole lives.
Light nibbles and coffees were served to guests, prepared by Kabara’s catering staff.
Kabara is the sister location to Carramar in Tewantin. The two facilities amalgamated in 2006 forming the NoosaCare brand.
With future improvements still to come and a growing sense of local pride in the facility, NoosaCare Inc’s Kabara is certainly making waves across Southeast Queensland as a choice facility for premium aged care service.
NoosaCare extended their thanks to the teams responsible for achieving this great result – namely Olivier Massart, chief operating officer at NoosaCare, Woodburn Building Company and NoosaCare’s internal maintenance and gardening teams.
