Selwyn Oaks is to develop a major new care and community amenities centre as part of an exciting programme of gradual redevelopment to enhance the services and facilities available to residents at the village.
A $14 million, three-storey development is to be constructed, consisting of a 48 room care suite catering for both rest home and hospital-level care which will replace the existing care facility. With the design inspired by the most innovative thinking in residential aged care provision and service delivery, it will comprise four small ‘households’ of twelve residents, providing a comfortable, homely atmosphere focussed on the overall wellness of the individual.
Village Manager, Roland Phillips, says: “In designing the layout of the building and planning the services to be offered, we have looked to international best practice, with the aim of reinventing how residential aged care is provided in New Zealand.”
Each household will function like a home; residents will have their own single room with ensuite, opening onto a large communal living area featuring a lounge and dining/kitchen area that will provide open access to outdoor decks with seating. Rooms will be designed to the highest standard, with particular accessibility features aimed at promoting residents’ independence as much as possible.
“By having small communities or ‘households’ of residents and staff within the larger care facility, we wish to deliver holistic care and support, centred totally around the individual, their needs and what they want out of life, and to create an environment where family and friends will enjoy visiting. The physical design, staffing and operational procedures will be focussed on the whole person – not just their clinical care, but also their spiritual and mental wellbeing.”
Residents who are able will have the opportunity to play an active role in the life of their particular household, making light meals and doing their own laundry, as they would have done previously when managing their own home. This approach focusses on empowering residents to do as much as they can for themselves, so they feel truly at home. It promotes independence, eliminates loneliness and encourages people to have meaningful lives and as active a lifestyle as possible, regardless of their age and ability. It is the very reverse of institutionalised care.
The building will also include a range of community leisure and social facilities on the ground floor for the whole village to enjoy. “During the planning stage, we discussed with our residents what ideas or thoughts they had for the new building, so they could input into the process and contribute ideas on what they would like to see in terms of the community leisure and social amenities on the ground floor."
