Vaughan Harding.
Camera IconVaughan Harding. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Added northern corridor aged care place could take years to complete says provider

Lucy JarvisNorth Coast Times

AN aged care provider has received approval to create 100 extra residential aged care places in the northern corridor, which could take years to complete.

The Federal Government recently announced the extra places allocated under its 2015 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR), with Uniting Church Homes, run by Juniper, granted 100 places in Ridgewood.

Juniper is investigating its Ridgewood landholding as well as other sites in the City of Wanneroo for future development.

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Chief executive Vaughan Harding said the organisation lodged its successful application for 100 places in the northern corridor in 2015.

“This approval covers the Metropolitan North Planning Region, which includes the City of Wanneroo,” he said.

“Juniper is in the very early stages of planning for this new residential care facility and included in this work is confirmation of demand for the service and choosing the best location.

“Juniper will conduct a thorough and ongoing communication and engagement process with the local community as our plans progress and a location is confirmed.

“Typically, residential aged care services can take several years to complete and Juniper will be ensuring that our new neighbours have opportunities to be involved and informed as soon as possible.”

Mr Harding said it was part of a longer-term strategy to respond to the needs of older West Australians, and Juniper was working on nine major metropolitan and regional projects.

The Federal Government also allocated 20 more residential care places to Italian Aged Care at Villa Terenzio in Marangaroo.

Currambine-based Brightwater Care Group received approval to provide 22 extra aged home care places, with 10 for people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds and two for those who were financially or socially disadvantaged.

This is the last ACAR to include home care places – from February 2017 funding will follow the consumer not the provider, allowing people to choose the care which suits their individual needs, to then direct funding to that provider.

Applications for the 2016 ACAR round will start in June and focus on the provision of residential aged care places and capital funding, as well as introducing, for the first time, short-term restorative care places.

Short-term restorative care provides an eight-week program, designed with the care recipient, which provides re-ablement and restorative care services in a home setting, a residential setting or combination of the two.