Community
14 November, 2024
Aged care future revealed
A NEW business case study has revealed building an aged care facility in Terang is currently not viable, but the steering committee behind the push will pivot its attention to a new 60-70-unit retirement village in the heart of town.
The latest business case study commissioned by local steering committee Terang Aged Care Future has revealed there are insurmountable challenges associated with the delivery of residential aged care (RAC) in Terang at this time.
The business case was developed by leading aged care consultancy firm Ansell Strategic, and cited issues such as significant challenges in attracting funding and staff, prohibitively high construction costs and difficulty finding an operating partner.
Yet the report also found an overwhelming need for greater aged care support, and a strong desire to bring a larger aged care presence to Terang.
Ongoing issues facing senior members of the community include inability to access adequate supports, being forced in to RAC early due to a lack of low-care options, lack of affordable downsizing options and a high reliance on family and friends.
For the Terang Aged Care Future members, this is where a retirement village located centrally in Terang could help alleviate issues experienced within the community for the medium term before exploring expansion of RAC at a later date when conditions are favourable for investment and sustainability.
“One thing we don’t want to lose is we’re still looking at a two-stage approach where we’re looking for something we can do pretty quickly, and that’s the retirement village,” Terang Aged Care Future member Chris O’Connor said.
“We still have a gaping hole of higher-level aged care in Terang, and we’re working hard on it, but it will take considerable time.
“There’s really not a retirement village in Corangamite Shire, so we’d be looking at quite a regional approach as far as drawing people to the village.”
The plan for the village includes 60-70 two-bedroom units, valued from $300,000 up to $450,000, with a portion to be offered as affordably priced rentals, with each including disability-friendly design and assistive technology and supports.
The required land for the village would need to be between 15,000-20,000sqm, and the site will ideally be within a kilometre of Terang’s town centre.
The early concept includes a large communal building which could offer a range of amenities, services and socialisation opportunities for village residents and their families and friends.
Terang Aged Care Future envisions the village area could create ease of service delivery such as allied health, cleaning, nursing and meal delivery while promoting greater socialisation.
“It would be good for the town because it is part of aged care which is currently not available in Corangamite Shire,” Mr O’Connor said.
“It will help prolong the independent living of people outside of institutions because retirement villages are much easier to service through to the higher level of care needs.
“Because everyone is together in a central location, the delivery of services for practitioners becomes easier than when people are sparsely spread out.
“It helps the professionals, and it also helps to give people an opportunity for a lifestyle which a lot of people are attracted to because of the friendship and companionship within those settings.”
The report found there are various competing villages across the region, comprised of 196 residences throughout Mortlake, Timboon and Warrnambool – all of which are fully occupied with a waitlist in place.
It is believed the development would also assist RACs in the region, allowing for places such as Mount View Aged Care Facility to focus on care for those with complex needs.
“It’s a well-known fact that when people live in a retirement village, they stay out of the higher care for longer,” Terang Aged Care Future committee member Ken McSween said.
Mr O’Connor said a central location, which has not yet been determined, was important to enhancing the vitality of the town while ensuring village residents were in a prime location to support local businesses.
“This would be good for the town because it provides good access to business while creating a bit more activity around the town,” Mr O’Connor said.
“There’ll be more numbers, so it’s a boost to local businesses.
“It should release quite a few houses in the district for younger families.”
“It will make it easier for elderly people to move in to something smaller, while also creating greater access to housing.”
A strategic partnership will be sought to financially contribute to the fund, in addition to becoming the operator of the village.
The next steps will involve further community consultation, applications for capital grant funding and assessing funding opportunities to advance the project.
Terang Aged Care Future will consider government grants and funding programs, bank financing, community donations and other private investment.
Before moving ahead, Terang Aged Care Future will host an information session later this month to give the community a chance to have a say on the proposal.
“We see this as an achievable medium term, a three-to-five years project, that will be needed to support our aging community,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We invite everyone to a community information afternoon at the Terang Civic Hall on Monday, November 25 between 1-4pm.
“The full report will be made available at the information day, and representatives of Terang Aged Care Future and Ansell Strategic will be there on the day to help answer any questions and take feedback.”