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Costerfield House will be sited on the Heathcote Health Campus next to the Men\u2019s Shed and will eventually be surrounded by a therapy garden.<\/p>\n
It is designed for external durability, easy maintenance, familiarity within a rural setting and to be adaptive to different environments.<\/p>\n
The internal furniture, fittings and fixtures will consist of distinct colours and contrasting hues and spaces will have a clear purpose.<\/p>\n
Doors will be colour coded, light switches and electrical sockets contrasted and positioned to be easily accessible, and transparent cupboard doors will make it easy to identify contents.<\/p>\n
Cutting-edge artificial intelligence and assistive technology will also play an important part.<\/p>\n
Ms Slatter said that when completed it would be a living lab; a display home where people would be able to find the latest up-to-date information on technology for independent living, as well as resources on dementia care, pathways, supports and services.<\/p>\n
HDA board member and architect Simon Drysdale will watch over the final stages of the fit out in Heathcote.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are working towards receiving the gold standard certification for dementia design from the world-renowned Dementia Services Development Centre in the UK, one of the very few in Australia,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A care villa cluster has already been set up in Merbein, near Mildura, and HDA is aiming to establish a similar arrangement in Heathcote in the longer term.<\/p>\n
Care villas can also be located on individual properties, allowing for in-home care in a familiar environment.<\/p>\n
Ms Slatter said HDA had raised around $200,000, which had paid for the villa, and she praised the efforts of individuals and groups who had helped them reach this amount.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe O\u2019Keefe Challenge presented us with a cheque for $6500 on Thursday,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is the third time in the last three years we\u2019ve had a donation of that size from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just shows commitment from people in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
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COUNTLESS hours of work by the Heathcote Dementia Alliance are set to be rewarded when a prototype care villa, Costerfield House, is delivered at the end of this month. Ahead of the building\u2019s arrival, a ceremonial ground breaking held last week was a chance for the project\u2019s supporters to gather and celebrate the milestone for […]<\/p>\n