Catholic Healthcare will shut the 42-bed St Francis Aged Care in the NSW Northern Rivers, saying the 42-bed home is “no longer suitable for the future care needs of the community.”
The Not For Profit says it is working with residents and families to secure alternative accommodation – either within its network or with other local providers – and will not formally close the home until every resident has a new place.
“The decision to close the home was a difficult one, but unavoidable,” said Deborah Karam, Chief Residential Officer.
“Due to the age of the building and the layout of rooms and facilities, St Francis Grafton is no longer suited to providing the standard of contemporary residential aged care that residents deserve, particularly as their needs grow.”
Staff will be offered redeployment elsewhere in Catholic Healthcare’s network or redundancy with support.
Catholic Healthcare has operated for more than 30 years, supporting 13,000-plus home care clients, 41 residential aged care homes across NSW and Queensland, and 13 retirement villages.
The decision comes as the sector sees a trickle of closed homes return under new owners: Roshana Care Group has acquired Rosedurnate Aged Care in Parkes (closed by The Salvation Army in 2024), and Anglicare has pruchased Wesley Rayward in Carlingford (closed by Wesley Mission in 2023).
