Sylvia Cook and other residents of Village Life in Caloundra are worried they will be forced out of their homes after the complex is taken over.

John Mccutcheon

THE harsh reality hit home for dozens of residents at a Golden Beach seniors complex yesterday – their days at the facility are numbered.

The oldest and sickest of Village Life Caloundra’s 100-plus residents will be allowed to stay but others must pack up and leave.

There were a few tears, but mostly frustration, as officials from the village’s new managers, Seasons Supported Living, said there would be no turning back on the decision.

Seasons’ projects coordinator, Steve Browne, said the units were all privately owned by “mum and dad investors” who had found themselves with almost worthless investments.

“These investors have appointed Seasons to change the accommodation model of this village in order to secure their investment and, in some cases, save their own family homes,” he said.

The facility would have failed and the land snapped up by developers unless action was taken by the owners.

Under the current pensioner accommodation model, the residents pay 84% of their pension to rent their units and receive three meals a day.

Under the supported living age care model to be introduced in February, everyone in good health and under 80 will have to move out unless they buy their unit.

While Mr Browne promised no one would be left without somewhere to live, it wasn’t what residents of the 120-unit complex wanted to hear.

Emotions overflowed as they bombarded the Seasons team with questions.

For one 78-year-old, there were smiles of relief as she secured a promise that her failing health guaranteed her a home despite being two years short of the cut-off.

Others were told their case would be judged on its merits.

Still others knew there was no hope of changing things and they could only vent their frustration.

“It’s not fair,” one called out. “Some of us lost our homes too. We’ve got nowhere to go.”

Mr Browne offered a “100% guarantee” that no-one would be left on the street.

“We have a list of villages with over 100 vacancies on it,” he said.

“We will be working with them to find equivalent alternative accommodation and they won’t have to leave until we achieve that.”

But there was no promise the accommodation would be in the same area.

Aged Care Queensland, the industry’s peak body, did not respond to the Daily’s questions about availability of aged care places in the region.

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