Chaffey Aged Care, a 100-bed aged care home in the Victorian town of Merbein, 533km northwest of Melbourne, will join the Not For Profit turnaround specialists, effective 25 August 2025.

The acquisition is Respect's ninth this year, after the regional provider took on five homes in 2023-24, with expansions this year into Western Australia and Queensland. Respect now operates 36 aged care homes across five states, including 15 in regional Victoria.

The transfer is more personal than usual for Jason Binder, CEO and Managing Director of Respect, who grew up in Renmark, 130km west of Merbein.

“My pop and uncle owned a sawmill in Merbein, so I have fond memories of both the mill and the town,” he said.

Angela Gransden (left), Board Chair of Not For Profit Rural Care Australia, which is co-located with Chaffey Aged Care, said the transition to Respect was driven by the increasing challenges of operating as a small, standalone provider in regional Australia. 

“In recent years we have faced workforce shortages, rising costs, and increasing compliance demands,” she said.

“Our commitment to providing the highest quality of care has made it unsustainable for us to continue independently. That is why we sought to join a larger Not For Profit organisation to secure our future."

Jason said Respect will maintain Chaffey Aged Care’s strong local legacy. "Like Chaffey Aged Care, we are passionate about delivering exceptional care for older people in rural communities," he said.

"We are structured to specifically operate regional aged care homes at scale, ensuring first and foremost the highest quality of care, while also maintaining the financial sustainability of regional aged care services."

In an interview with SATURDAY last month, Jason Binder said Respect is able to achieve an average EBITDA of $15,000 per bed, even while consolidating newly acquired homes.