Why this public aged care home is turning heads
Design-led public aged care home transforms resident wellbeing
- Visitor interest: Camperdown’s new aged care home has attracted strong industry attention
- Better outcomes: Residents report reduced anxiety, fewer falls, stronger social engagement
- Co-designed model: Residents and staff helped shape the dementia-friendly facility design
- Waiting list growing: The 36-bed public aged care home already has full occupancy demand
Less than a year after opening, Camperdown Hospital’s $39.6 million aged care home, Leura Aged Care, is drawing national attention for its standout design.
The 36-bed home, 190km west of Melbourne, includes gardens, a popular cafe, an events space, and seniors' exercise park. The home already has a resident waiting list.
The new facility replaces an older one on the site, and was designed by ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects, who co-designed the facility with residents and staff in consultation with Dementia Australia. The home supports the small household model of care.
“Residents tested prototypes, furniture and furnishings, and shaped distinctive visual identities for each household – selecting names and artworks and informing colour palettes,” said James Kelly, architect with ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects.
“Co-design shaped scale and useability in bedroom suites, living rooms and dining spaces,” he said.
“Leura has revolutionised our model of care and completely transformed the way we see aged care in Camperdown and Corangamite Shire,” said Jamie Brennan, Executive Director Redevelopment & Infrastructure with the aged care operator, South West Healthcare.
The operator reports that residents and staff are happier, visitor numbers have increased, and residents experience reduced anxiety and dementia-related aggression, fewer falls, and increased participation in group activities.
The project has inspired “a constant stream of visitors”, Jamie said.
“As an industry we often focus on finance, safety and risk, but the positive impacts of good design are huge,” he said. “When you design a building well, people are healthier and happier."
The project was delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority, in partnership with South West Healthcare. The builder was A W Nicholson. Construction began in November 2022.
