Little Sisters’ legacy to continue with care home takeover

Friday 01 February 2019

Care provided to elderly islanders at a home run by a religious order for 133 years will be able to continue after a new provider was found, following a six-month search.

Locally-based LV Care Group has been selected to take over the Jeanne Jugan Residence, after the Little Sisters of the Poor announced their intentions to leave Jersey.

The religious order, which has been looking after elderly islanders since 1886, last year announced their intentions to withdraw from Jersey due to a lack of younger nuns to take over the running of the care home – throwing the future of the site into uncertainty.

However, the order said that they wouldn’t vacate the premises until a suitable successor was found to continue managing the St. Helier care home. 

Pictured: The charity has been caring for elderly and vulnerable islanders since 1886 (Little Sisters of the Poor).

After six months of searching, LV has been selected as the preferred bidder for the site. The care group currently runs Lavender Villa Residential, Cheval Roc Residential and Nursing and Rosemary Cottage Specialist Residential Homes. 

LV also runs home care and mental health services in the island. 

After the announcement of the Little Sisters’ withdrawal from Jersey, many were anxious to preserve their legacy in the island, so much so, that the future of the care home was brought up in the States Assembly.

On 10 July last year, a week after the charity’s announcement, Deputy Montfort Tadier asked Health Minister Deputy Richard Renouf how he and his department were working to secure the future of the care home.

Pictured: Deputy Montfort Tadier raised the uncertainty of the Little Sisters of the Poor site in the States Assembly last July.

As part of this exchange, the two States Members praised the long-standing work of the Little Sisters.

Deputy Tadier said that “Little Sisters provides an excellent service” – a statement that was met with an outburst of approbation from the rest of the Chamber.

“It is a community and not simply just another care home”, the Deputy added.

The Health Minister agreed, saying: “the Little Sisters of the Poor have been a very valued part of our community in the Island and have looked after some very vulnerable and special people, as members of our community grow older and we are immensely grateful to them. We are sad to see them go, but we understand the reasons they have expressed." 

In terms of next steps for the home’s transition, LV will “assume day-to-day running of the residential home in the first half of 2019 with the Little Sisters of the Poor continuing to provide care until the deal is formally completed.” 

Pictured: LV Care Group, who currently run several local residential homes, will be taking over the site on St. John's Road.

Commenting on the selection of LV to take over the home, Sister Caroline Emmanuel, Mother Superior Provincial of the Little Sisters of the Poor, said: “The decision to leave was a very difficult one but we are confident that LV is the best provider to run the home. The security and wellbeing of our staff and residents were our main priorities in selecting a preferred bidder, and we’re pleased that they will continue to be supported and that the ethos of the Little Sisters of the Poor will continue to be part of the home.”

Nick Bettany, Director at LV said that the care group are “delighted” to have been chosen to move into the site and that they “look forward to continuing the excellent work of the Little Sisters on the island.”