Ryman Healthcare told chrislynchmedia.com its care services will close at Woodcote Retirement Village in Hornby and Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton.
There are currently 40 care residents at Margaret Stoddart and 39 at Woodcote.
The decision applies only to the closure of rest home care. Independent living residents will remain on site and retain access to existing services and care support at nearby villages, the company said.
Ryman Healthcare chief executive Naomi James told chrislynchmedia.com care residents at the Woodcote and Margaret Stoddart villages will be supported to relocate to Kevin Hickman Village or, if they prefer, another Ryman site in Christchurch over the next four months.
James told chrislynchmedia.com the opening of Kevin Hickman Village presented an opportunity to provide residents with access to modern living and enhanced care.
“While the existing care facilities at Woodcote and Margaret Stoddart have served residents well, they are now more than 30 years old and no longer meet the standard of accommodation and experience we promise our residents and their families." James told chrislynchmedia.com.
“The facilities are also limited in that they offer only one level of care, restricting the continuity of care that many residents now expect and need.
“That’s why we’ve made the difficult but necessary decision to close rest home care at Woodcote and Margaret Stoddart so we can ensure our residents receive the very best.”
Affected care residents and their families are being offered priority transfers to nearby villages, including Kevin Hickman Village, at no additional cost.
