In one of the best rebranding and repositioning exercises seen for a long time, the little known Victorian based IOR Group has emerged as Salford Living, with seven villages across SA, VIC and QLD providing 820 units plus 167 low and high care beds. This includes 124 ILUs delivered by the acquisition of management rights last week of Bellcarra Retirement Village in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. Salford Living is now just behind Becton Living in size, which is important given their statement of intention to list in 2011. IOR was one of Australia's oldest friendly societies, commencing in 1841 as the Independent Order of Rechabites, based on a Christian group keen to promote total abstinence from alcohol. It provided financial services and moved into retirement villages in 1983. In 2007 it demutualised and changed its charter to specialise in retirement villages and aged care.
You should check its new website for the exceptional resident case studies which ticks many of the boxes from the McCrindle Village Communities Report research study last year. www.salfordliving.com.au
