A unique dementia care village is opening at the Repat today, where residents will live in small household cottages and help with daily tasks such as preparing meals in their own kitchens.
With a focus on relationship-based care, the new 70-place dementia care village at the Repat Health Precinct in Daw Park has been delivered by one of Australia’s leading health and aged care providers, HammondCare, in partnership with the Federal and State Government.
HammondCare Daw Park offers a unique model of care tailored to suit individual needs in a warm and welcoming atmosphere around a village green, plus an onsite café, children’s playground, hairdresser, general store, and older person’s exercise park.
The village has been designed around small, home-like cottages to maximise autonomy and minimise disability, as recommended by the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Two of the cottages, each accommodating nine people, will support residents with high level needs under the Specialist Dementia Care Program, with one funded by the Commonwealth and the other by the State Government. The other cottages support people living with varying levels of care needs.
Each cottage includes a domestic kitchen and laundry where residents are encouraged to participate in daily tasks. There is a mix of spacious communal living areas and private sitting spaces along with safe and easy access from the cottages to the outdoors with shaded gardens.
The dementia care village also includes a general store where residents can pick up supplies for their cottage. Shopping provides people living with dementia a sense of meaning and purpose.
HammondCare is recruiting 130 staff providing 24/7 registered nurse-led care, with trained and compassionate carers and specialist clinical support such as psychogeriatrics or geriatricians provided by SA Health.
The cottage model of care was informed by research and nearly 30 years of experience in offering dementia care in small cottages in New South Wales and Victoria.
The State Government provided the land for the village.
Two cottages will welcome the first residents this month, with the remaining four cottages to open in coming months.
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A timelapse video of the construction process can be found .
As put by Chris Picton
This unique model of care creates a home-like environment for people with dementia which is so important for their health and wellbeing.
Residents can pop to the local shop to pick up supplies for their home and help cook dinner and do the washing – daily tasks that create a sense of meaning and purpose.
This innovative design has been informed by years of research and experience and is a great example of a partnership to provide the very best care in a specially designed environment that offers the comforts of home to residents.
We’re pleased to be working with the Commonwealth and other states and territories on developing the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Dementia Action Plan, which will inform our own work on a future State Dementia Plan.
As put by Federal Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells
Dementia care must be core business in aged care.
More than half of aged care residents have dementia and more than two thirds have a form of cognitive impairment.
These people deserve to live in homes that not only meet their needs but create a home-like environment that ensures comfort, dignity and independence.
The Government will soon release new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines to help providers make practical changes to aged care homes that create welcoming and safe environments.
We are also working on a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Dementia Action Plan in connection with states and territories, and piloting a new dedicated Aged Care Quality Standard which will require aged care providers to ensure workers are regularly trained to care for people with dementia.
As put by HammondCare Chief Executive Officer Mike Baird
HammondCare is proud to open this special aged care home for South Australians living with dementia in line with our mission to improve the quality of life for people in need.
We look forward to partnering at Daw Park with both the State Government and the Commonwealth and acknowledge their determination to set a new standard of excellence in care for people living with dementia.
It’s our privilege to be able to provide HammondCare’s relationship-based, cottage model of care in the Repat Health Precinct with its important place in the history of South Australia.
