Sue McCann was farewelled last week after 19 years' dedicated service to Port Macquarie's Catholic Care of the Aged (CCA).

The former director says retirement will be used to keep in contact with grandchildren in Brisbane and Perth.

"We have moved to Brisbane and plan to spend the remainder of this year settling into our new lifestyle," Mrs McCann said.

"There are some plans to travel in 2015, but we are looking forward to spending more time with the grandchildren.

"I spent 19 years in the care of the aged and I loved my job. I was able to work with some fantastic managers and staff during that time and enjoyed watching residents responding to our care."

Among a host of changes within the industry, Mrs McCann pointed to the introduction of accreditation in 2000 as "huge".

"We always had a good organisation around us with good quality systems in place. We had great results," she said.

"And while aged care is constantly changing, right now the introduction of consumer directed care will impact in a big way on community care."

Acting director of care, Joy Walsh says Mrs McCann was a valuable director, leading the organisation through a period of significant growth including an expansion into community care and the design and building of Emmaus, and helping to transform Catholic Care of the Aged into an industry leader.

"From day one Sue was committed to ensuring the residents of CCA felt loved, wanted and valued and that their time with CCA was embraced with dignity and serenity.

"Under Sue 's leadership was a philosophy of making sure our residents made their own life decisions, continued making a contribution and maintained ongoing personal commitments to their family, friends and new acquaintances," said Mrs Walsh.

When Sue came to CCA she not only brought an impressive career record and post graduate qualifications in gerontology, but also a delightful spirit and wholehearted commitment to improving the quality of life for CCA's clients and residents. She has shown inspirational leadership in the past 19 years working with senior managers, staff, residents and volunteers to provide a high quality person-centred service.

"Sue arrived in Port Macquarie with a wealth of aged care knowledge and experience having held positions as a registered nurse, and in senior management and administrative positions in a number of organisations, most notably the Montefiores homes and Justinian house in Sydney. Sue has willingly shared her knowledge and expertise throughout the Parish, the Diocese and other aged care organisations," said Mrs Walsh.

It is recognised throughout CCA that the systems and practices developed under Mrs McCann's leadership will continue to deliver quality outcomes for residents, clients and staff for many years to come.

On a personal note, Mrs Walsh expressed her gratitude to Sue: "I have been nursing for 45 odd years - for 20 of those years Sue has walked with me. Our journey had taken us from a cold and drafty woolshed on the banks of the Derwent to the villages of Papua New Guinea. Along the way we have lost loved ones, we have been blessed with grand children to love and cherish, we have seen our dreams come to fruition and our hair has turned grey. It's been an incredible journey. It's been a marathon. It's been a pleasure," said Mrs Walsh.