The Morrison Government is investing more than $5 million in specialist dementia care services in the inner Melbourne suburb of Caulfield.
A newly constructed village for 80 residents at HammondCare’s Kooyong Road facility includes six cottages, one of which will be a specialist dementia care unit catering for people with very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
Funding of $1.1 million per annum, up until 30 June 2024, will be provided by the Morrison Government for the operation of the unit, which will allow for eight beds.
Residents are due to move in after Easter.
It is intended the unit will be one of 35 specialist care dementia units being rolled out across Australia for people who are unable to be appropriately cared for by mainstream residential aged care services.
This forms part of an annual $70 million investment to ensure people who experience behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia receive appropriate care.
Staff will focus on reducing or stabilising symptoms over time, with the aim of helping people move to less intensive care settings.
The program that has been developed through extensive consultation with dementia experts, clinicians, state and territory governments, dementia peak groups and carers of people living with dementia.
It is estimated 1 per cent of the 436,000 Australians living with dementia have very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms.
