General News
1 February, 2024
Supporting aged care residents
Local aged care centres have benefitted from nearly $1.7 million from the State Government, allowing living spaces to be redeveloped for the benefit of the whole community. Maryborough’s Wattle Rise aged care facility officially unveiled its...
Local aged care centres have benefitted from nearly $1.7 million from the State Government, allowing living spaces to be redeveloped for the benefit of the whole community.
Maryborough’s Wattle Rise aged care facility officially unveiled its upgraded dining room, reception, new visitor areas and 20 new private ensuites in the residents’ rooms on Tuesday.
The project received $1.3 million from the Public Sector Residential Aged Care Service package and was opened last June after 18 months of construction.
Similarly, the Avoca Nursing Home’s bigger dining room, kitchen and serving areas were officially opened on Tuesday morning.
The $380,000 project was funded through the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund and was completed two years ago, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic an official opening was unable to take place.
Both facilties are managed by the Maryborough District Health Service, and CEO Nickola Allan said staff and residents have been benefitting from the upgrades since they were completed.
“Often we used to have barely any residents out in our dining areas, and now to see a room full of people just means the dining experience is already so much better in creating a community,” she said.
“A really important part of residential aged care is having that connection with people, so rather than sitting in your room by yourself every day, they can come out and interact with each other.
“Anything we can do to make that experience better and make their home better is important to us.
“Our residents benefit from this upgraded facility every day, it provides a massive benefit for them and our staff as well.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said regardless of where they live, all residents deserve access to the best facilities.
“It is really important to the Victorian Government that we make sure that aged care residents have state-of-the-art facilities no matter where they live,” she said.
“Some of the facilities were not up to standard for the residents, especially the shared toilets, so to update that has made such a difference for their dignity and makes them feel more at home in these facilities.
“Before the upgrades were done, staff were saying this space was much smaller and lacked the space it now has.
“It has really uplifted everyone — everyone looks so happy, light and the new spaces have brought everyone together.”