Radius Residential Care

Waikato Times
29 April 2010


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NBR NZ Property Investor
17 April 2010

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ANZAC Day marks a special day for Radius Taupaki Gables rest home resident William (Billy) Morel as he remembers those he went into battle with during World War II and who didn’t make it out.

It’s also a time for reflection as Billy recalls he himself very nearly didn’t make it back to New Zealand shores when he was badly wounded on the front lines.

The scars Billy bears are both physical and mental and every ANZAC Day he remembers his friends who fought and died alongside him on the front lines.

The 86 year old former war veteran now resides at Radius Taupaki Gables hospital where they take good care of him and his old battle wounds. To commemorate ANZAC Day Radius rest home staff have arranged for Billy to attend the Waitakere RSA service on Sunday 25 April.

At the tender age of 17 yrs Billy was one of New Zealand’s youngest members to sign with the army in 1941 and consequently embarked on the biggest battle of his life and for his nation. Billy served in the Army’s 24th Battalion regiment and braced front line warfare fighting the Germans in Italy and later served in Japan.

“I remember the day when I and 10 other soldiers were all badly wounded by the Germans. It was a hell of day and we were under attack from rocket propelled grenades. We saw what was about to happen and all ran back to the safe house desperately cramming in through the door. But none of us escaped injury”, says Billy who received horrendous shrapnel wounds all over his back.

“They transported me by American Free Ambulance to the south of Italy and I’ve never experienced such pain in all my life”, says Billy who has the scars to prove it. Unable to return to the front lines following two months recovery in hospital, Billy instead became a steward assisting senior officers based in Japan until the end of the war.

Billy then returned to NZ to milk cows on the family dairy farm at Waihi and later married and had four children.

Always upbeat and with a ready laugh, Billy is happy to share his war time stories but admits it was a difficult time where you couldn’t forge lasting friendships because more often than not your new mate did not make it back from the battle lines. And those are the people Billy and others will be remembering this ANZAC Day.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Linda Venables
Facility Manager Radius Taupaki Rest Home Hospital
Ph 412 6800
Cell 021 524 128
linda.venables@rrcl.co.nz

Residents at Radius St Joans rest home and hospital in Hamilton are showing their support and superior knitting skills to help African newborn babies in need.

Six rest home lady residents have been eagerly knitting a range of brightly coloured infants ‘fish-n-chip’ garments that will used to cloth African newborns who are regularly sent home from hospital wrapped only in newspaper.

“Our Women’s Institute group wanted to help in some way and when we were advised of this tragic situation by the National Office we obtained specific knitting patterns in the hope that we could contribute and help make a difference”, says Glenys Holden, Motiviational Therapist at Radius St Joans rest home and hospital.

The rest home knitters are members of the Radius St Joans Women’ Institute and have knitted more than 50 jumpers already, with more already underway.

“This latest project is really neat and perfect for our members as we have several expert knitters. Our ladies also really enjoy putting their valuable skills to a good cause and having their handiwork admired – it’s also provides an opportunity for a good natter during our meetings too”.

The group has been an active member of the NZ Womens’ Institute for the past six years and is regularly joined by members of the Gordonton Women’s Institute group. Radius St Joans rest home and hospital is the only aged residential care facility in New Zealand to have a registered Federation of Women’s Institute group.

“We formed our group when some of the rest home residents advised us they were life long members of the NZ Women’s Institute Group and still wanted to participate in all the activities and social benefits the organization afforded them,” says Glenys who made arrangements to form the group.

The Radius St Joans Women’s Institute regularly meet once a month within the rest home and also has some outside members who are part of the group. New members are always welcome to join and there’s much friendship, laughter and fun while indulging in a delightful afternoon tea put on by the rest home, says Glenys.


ENDS


For further information or images please contact:

Glenys Holden, Motivational Therapist
Radius St Joans rest home and hospital
Ph (07) 855 5701
maree.hart@rrcl.co.nz

Kiwi ownership has been restored at NZ’s fourth largest rest home and hospital provider Radius Residential Care following a major shareholding buyout last week.

Auckland businessman and long time shareholder and director of Radius Residential Care, Brien Cree increased his 20% ownership stake in the company to 57% giving him majority control and ownership of the business. Cree is CEO of Radius Residential Care and together with CFO Suzanne Recchia, sourced private investors to purchase the remaining shareholding balance to help facilitate a complete buyout.

The return to kiwi ownership comes in the wake of news that many of NZ’s primary aged care providers are selling out to offshore investors and most are already majority owned by foreign shareholders.

Radius Residential Care was formerly a privately owned subsidiary company of Radius Health Group, which also includes Radius Medical and Radius Pharmacy companies. Prior to the buyout Radius Health Group shared a 67% majority stake in the Residential Care business together with foreign investment bank Kuwait Finance House.

Cree says Radius Health Group was looking to “restructure its balance sheet” and he saw an opportunity to regain control from majority shareholder Kuwait Finance House whose “primary interests were not fully committed to NZ’s aged care sector”.

Radius Residential Care has 21 aged residential rest homes and hospitals nationwide and one retirement village in Hamilton. The company employs approximately 1,200 staff and has total revenues in excess of $60m.


ENDS


For further information contact:

Brien Cree
Chief Executive Radius Residential Care Ltd
Ph (09) 304 2404
Cell 021 955 769
brien.cree@rrcl.co.nz