Hundreds of elderly Australians are facing an uncertain future after the Salvation Army announced it will exit residential aged care after more than a century in the sector.

More than 1500 aged care residents across Australia

The charity confirmed it would seek a new operator for its 19 aged care homes and home care package business, affecting more than 1500 recipients Australiawide.

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Among those affected is Daphne*, a resident at Linsell Lodge in Adelaide’s north-west, the Salvation Army’s only residential aged care home in South Australia.

7NEWS.com.au has changed the name to Daphne for privacy and welfare concerns.

“I’m terrified. I have ulcers from the stress that this announcement has caused,” she said.

“You go into these homes thinking this will be your last place.”

Fears for her forever home

After developing mobility issues and no longer being able to live independently, Daphne moved into the facility believing it would be her permanent home.

The Salvation Army said no residents would be forced to move and there would be no immediate changes to care, accommodation, staffing or fees while a new operator is sought.

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“The Salvos said there’s no rush, but they don’t understand how little time we have left,” Daphne told 7NEWS.com.au.

“We don’t plan that far ahead for a reason.”

The decision follows a strategic review by the organisation which found growing financial and regulatory pressures had made the service increasingly difficult to sustain.

Advocates warn wealth is increasingly dictating the quality of aged care services people can access. (Susie Dodds/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

“The Salvos will stay focused on the care and wellbeing of residents, carers and families and our staff as we seek a new operator for the residential aged care services,” the organisation said in a statement.

For residents like Daphne, however, the assurances have done little to calm concerns about what comes next.

“Who is going to buy us? Some big chain that charges us for breathing is more than likely,” she said.

“We’ve all seen aged care homes run by the big corporations on the news and it’s never for anything good.”

The formal sale process is expected to begin in early 2027.

The Salvation Army’s exit comes as pressure mounts across the aged care sector nationally after widespread concerns of price gouging and quality concerns.

Turmoil across the aged care sector

Some patients are waiting years in hospitals for a bed in an aged care facility. Credit: AAP

Opposition aged care spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the departure of one of Australia’s longest-serving providers should serve as a warning.

“While every provider’s decision is its own, the departure of an extraordinarily experienced provider cannot be viewed in isolation from federal Labor’s mismanagement of care for older Australians,” Ruston said.

“The government’s own data shows more than one in three residential aged care providers are now operating at a loss.”

The announcement follows warnings from the South Australian Government that aged care shortages are already placing additional strain on public hospitals.

Premier Peter Malinauskas has warned the number of patients stuck in hospital waiting for Commonwealth-funded aged care placements could reach 700 by next winter if capacity is not increased.

“The Federal Aged Care crisis must be addressed as a matter of urgency,” he said on Tuesday, November 10.

Health Minister Blair Boyer said elderly South Australians were already becoming trapped in hospital beds while waiting for aged care placements.

“Elderly South Australians are dying in public hospital beds waiting for a Commonwealth aged care place,” he said.

Aged care residents are concerned who will buy the care homes. Credit: 7NEWS

The affected residential care homes

Mountain View Aged Care Centre, Narrabundah, ACT

Bethany Aged Care Centre, Port Macquarie, NSW

Carpenter Court Aged Care Centre, Merewether, NSW

Elizabeth Jenkins Place Aged Care Centre, Collaroy, NSW

Gill Waminda Aged Care Centre, Goulburn, NSW

Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Centre, Arncliffe, NSW

Maybanke Aged Care Centre, Dulwich Hill, NSW

Montrose Aged Care Centre, Balmain, NSW

Pacific Lodge Aged Care Centre, Collaroy, NSW

Weeroona Aged Care Centre, Bass Hill, NSW

Woodport Aged Care Centre, Erina, NSW

Bethesda Aged Care Centre, Rockhampton, QLD

Kubirri Aged Care Centre, Mossman, QLD

Riverview Gardens Aged Care Centre and Retirement Village, Riverview, QLD

The Cairns Aged Care Centre at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, QLD

Linsell Lodge Aged Care Centre, Angle Park, SA

Barrington Lodge Aged Care Centre, New Town, TAS

James Barker House Aged Care Centre, Footscray, VIC

Seaforth Gardens Aged Care Centre, Gosnells, WA