Designing dementia-friendly care environments

With more than 487,500 Australians estimated to be living with dementia, the need for designing dementia-friendly aged care facilities can’t be overstated.

People with dementia account for 52% of residents in all residential aged care facilities, with the number even higher in public sector residential aged care services, according to the Victorian Health and Building Authority. To improve care outcomes and modernise public sector aged care in the state, the local government is replacing outdated public aged care homes with purpose-built, modern facilities. It also includes updating, refurbishing and redeveloping existing aged care services.

Wantirna residential aged care facility is one such aged care home in Victoria to have recently opened its doors to residents.

The new four-storey mobility and dementia-friendly facility will provide care for 120 older Victorians and cater to the more complex needs of its residents. The rooms are grouped into pods of seven or eight to allow each resident to enjoy the dignity and independence of their own private bedroom, complete with ensuite bathroom. Thoughtful touches such as memory boxes with personal items at the entrance of each room facilitate a home-like environment and help residents feel safe.

The architecture of the new facility has been carefully considered and seeks to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of residents and staff. Natural light-filled spaces and views of the Dandenong Ranges have been integrated into the design. These will help increase the sense of connection to the natural environment.

The new facility is part of the Wantirna Health Precinct, a community-focused neighbourhood that provides integrated health and wellbeing services.

Operated by Eastern Health, the facility also features a community room cafe, sacred space and other common areas. The common areas have been designed to encourage social interactions between residents, staff and families, and to allow for a range of day-to-day activities.

Image caption: Hairdressing salon inside the facility. Image: Supplied

The project represents stage two of the Modernisation of Metropolitan Melbourne Public Sector Residential Aged Care Strategy aimed at developing larger scale services that better meet community expectations and enable contemporary models of aged care.

Environmentally sustainable design features, including energy efficiency, were a key design consideration with this development. A ‘pandemic mode’ ventilation system was also developed for this important facility.

Image caption: A courtyard area at the facility. Image: Supplied.

The development has been designed to facilitate a future expansion to the south-west corner of the Wantirna Health precinct if required. This project was delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with: Eastern Health, Silver Thomas Hanley (architect), ADCO Constructions (builder) and Department of Health (DH) Public Service Residential Aged Care Services (PSRACS) Operations and Development team.

Top image: Exterior facade detail at the Wantirna residential aged care facility. Image: Supplied.