RESIDENTS of a Thornlands aged care facility fear they will be evicted after the facility is sold in PresCare's exit from the industry.
PresCare - an arm of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland - has operated since 1929 and has services including home care, day therapy, respite and residential care.
It revealed this month that it would withdraw from residential aged care, selling seven facilities across the state.
Among them was Lake Sherrin, PresCare's 48-bed residential facility on Boundary Road, Thornlands.
A Lake Sherrin resident, who asked not to be named, said residents were scared they would have to leave their homes.
"There's quite a few residents here, and they're well into their 80s, 90s," she said.
"Some of them have got family but it's the ones who haven't got anyone, that's the problem."
Residents had been told negotiations were taking place but the process could take six months.
"They really couldn't tell us if we all have to get out. It was a shock," she said.
"We all received a letter telling us they're going to try and make sure that whoever takes us over will look after us.
"(But) all the people here are very stressed.
"There's not many rentals out there - at most retirement villages, you've got to buy a place."
PresCare chief executive Wayne Knapp said residents' wellbeing was a key priority.
"We will be seeking to make it a condition of any sale agreement that existing residents are able to remain in place wherever possible and employees are given every opportunity to transfer to the new owner," he said.
The organisation would be in regular communication with residents throughout the sale process.
He said residential aged care was expensive.
"It has been determined it would be better to redirect the church's resources to a broader range of ministry," he said.
PresCare made a loss of $12.6 million last year, according to its annual statement.
Among the facilities up for sale is the new WR Black facility at Corinda, which was developed after PresCare re-bought a site in 2018 that it had sold to Aura Holdings just two years earlier.
It is the site of PresCare's former Hopetoun facility.
"I was at Hopetoun when they moved us all out," the Lake Sherrin resident said.
"They did the best they could (to relocate residents) but it was a pretty bad time."
The facilities up for sale are licensed for about 600 residential aged care beds and include some independent living properties.
