A NEW aged care facility in Bull Creek is offering the state’s first resident-directed care model and has been dubbed one of Australia’s best aged care facilities.
The Alice Ross-King Care Centre, on the RAAFA WA estate, was officially opened by WA Governor Kerry Sanderson on Wednesday, August 3.
ARC Centre facility manager Helen Falkner said this meant residents could maintain a lifestyle similar to what they had at home but with all the supports of an aged care facility.
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READ NOW“Aged care facilities normally have a routine and it can be very task oriented but the ARC Centre provides choice.
“Prior to coming in, we assess what people are doing at home and therefore they don’t have to change that routine when they move to the centre.”
While nearly half the rooms were now occupied, the centre needs to recruit more staff to tackle its “healthy waitlist” of people needing care.
“We gave 20 to 30 staff practical scenarios and then some moved forward for an interview,” she said.
“In the future we hope to have residents and relatives on the committee to help with recruitment.”
RAAFA WA chief executive John Murray said the ARC Centre had attracted interest from international age care providers who wanted to take part in tours through the facility.
“It sets a new standard,” Ms Sanderson said.
The $30 million facility is named after a celebrated World WaI nurse.
In the years prior to her death in 1968, Alice Ross-King lived with granddaughter Maggie Johnson in Sydney.
Mrs Johnson and cousin Bev Simpson attended the opening of the ARC Centre.
“It’s very grand and we are obviously very proud to have a family connection to it,” Mrs Johnson said.
RAAFA’s original purpose was to primarily support Australian Aviation ex-servicemen and women but now provides significant services to members of a broader community.