Three Plus managed stakeholder engagement and interactions with residents throughout Bethany Christian Care’s sale of its Beth Eden retirement home and aged care facility. The riverside facility in Graceville was no longer fit-for-purpose; new accommodation needed to be found for residents prior to the sale. The blue-chip location and potential resident emotions required careful media management.

The property was sold to RetireAustralia (RA) who also sought Three Plus’s guidance with a stakeholder engagement program. RA wished to build community understanding and support for their proposed modern retirement living and care hub development, prior to lodging a development application.

Achievements
  • Convened successful consultations between residents, families, staff and management and managed a complex series of messages.
  • Managed potentially adverse media coverage with proactive engagement that communicated the reasons behind the move and the lengths Bethany Christian Care was taking to rehome its residents.
  • Promoted opportunities to provide feedback and seek more information on RetireAustralia’s plans for a retirement living development.
  • For both clients, kept the local community and elected officials informed with proactive, open lines of communications and briefings where appropriate.
  • Following Bethany Christian Care’s development approval, Three Plus continue to manage stakeholder communications in support of RetireAustralia’s project roll out.
Process
  • Worked with Bethany Christian Care’s management and legal teams to provide expert advice that ensured messaging was appropriate.
  • Delivered a comprehensive engagement plan including stakeholder briefings, media relations, community newsletter drop, resident information sessions, and ongoing support for Beth Eden management.
  • Produced a suite of collateral that clearly conveyed the unfolding process for all stakeholders.
  • Managed media articles and relations on the sale and relocation of residents, and later the purchase and development application, to protect the clients’ reputations.
  • Liaised with RetireAustralia’s project team and senior executives to develop and implement an engagement program and suitable responses to emerging stakeholder issues.

“Three Plus have been proactive and pertinent in their strategy and communications on behalf of RetireAustralia since purchasing the Beth Eden site. The deliverables and neighbour interaction were professional and timely.”

Judi Hutchison
Senior Manager – Development