The new $5 million specialist dementia care units in Caulfield (south east Melbourne) and Lake Macquarie (two hours north of Sydney) are two of 35 units to be rolled out across the country.
An estimated one percent of the 436,000 Australians living with dementia experience ‘severe’ behavioural and psychological symptoms.
This group of dementia patients cannot be cared for through mainstream residential aged care services, and the units are part of the Government’s new annual $70 million investment to ensure that they receive appropriate care.
Both units will be operated by HammondCare. The Lake Macquarie eight-bed unit will form one of nine cottages at its site, while the Caulfield unit will be one of six cottages.
Each site will receive annual funding of $1.1 million up until 30 June 2024 for operational costs.
