Regional NSW aged care operator maps out step-through village model
“The community fundraised for this facility and it’s run by Griffith people through a board of directors. It’s serving this town while there’s a huge shortage of aged care across the country. We are also expanding using our own money, not through government grants.”
Not For Profit aged care operator The Pioneers Lodge, which has been serving the northern Riverina since 1978, has lodged a development application to expand its Griffith home into a step-through village for older locals.
The Pioneers Lodge currently operates a 98-bed residential aged care home in Griffith. It is now constructing three additional rooms and plans to build a further 10 assisted living rooms, increasing capacity from 98 to 111 residents by the end of 2026.
“After that, we plan to build 22 two-bedroom units for independent living on the vacant land in front of us,” General Manager Kuda Sozinyu told Region Riverina.
“What we are doing is creating a village. An elderly person living at home might find living harder; they can sell their home and buy a villa here, then move into an assisted living apartment when they need more support and then on to a nursing home.
“It also makes it easier for families to stay together. For example, if a husband is in a nursing home and the wife is still living independently, they can live close to each other and it’s easy for them to meet and interact.”
Kuda said The Pioneers Lodge has always been a community-driven service.
“The community fundraised for this facility and it’s run by Griffith people through a board of directors. It’s serving this town while there’s a huge shortage of aged care across the country. We are also expanding using our own money, not through government grants.”
