PSS has confirmed a conditional sale and purchase agreement has been signed for the transfer of ownership of its Resthaven facility, which includes Hokonui House and the retirement village.
Resthaven has been housing the elderly since 1954, when it opened in a two-storey house on the corner of Crombie St and Gore’s main street.
The 60-bed care home facility provides rest-home and hospital-level care, and the retirement village consists of 23 dwellings.
The property now covers 1.16ha and, as of June last year, had a rating valuation by Gore District Council of $6.92 million.
PSS marketing and communications manager Andrei Robertson said the proposed buyer was an "experienced operator of multiple regional care facilities".
Their identity remains unknown for now due to commercial sensitivity.
Mr Robertson said they were confident the new owner would "continue Resthaven’s legacy and meet the needs of people in Hokonui into the future".
Settlement is set for mid-May.
Family members of residents were notified of the sale in a letter from PSS chief executive Matt Russell last week.
Mr Russell described the sale as "a proposed change of ownership, not a change of care".
The daughter of a longtime Resthaven resident who did not want to be named was disappointed the sale would see the end of Presbyterian Support Services’ involvement in the community.
"Eastern Southland have been staunch supporters of Presbyterian Services both financially and in person for over 100 years."
She said most other care operators were listed in the sharemarket and were therefore accountable to their shareholders — as a result having a profit-driven motivation.
She said families of recent admissions to the care home might have made different choices if they had been aware of a pending sale.
"To move their relative is a difficult choice and may impact on their wellbeing."
Mr Robertson said PSS was committed to engaging openly with everyone connected with the village and would provide opportunities for residents, families and team members to ask questions and share their views before any final decisions were made.
PSS currently employs 46 permanent fulltime and part-time team members at the village.
The sale process was still subject to a number of standard conditions, he said.
