Construction of Mount Gambier dementia village slated to begin in August

An arcade street with a general store, a laundromat, vegetable gardens and chickens are all among plans for a groundbreaking dementia village destined for the state. See the plans.

A groundbreaking dementia village, set to be the first of its kind on mainland Australia is destined for Mount Gambier.

South East-based community-owned operator Boandik has been working towards the multimillion-dollar Ridland Villas since 2016 with construction now only months away, and completion set for the end of next year.

Chief executive Gillian McGinty said the regional provider was leading the way in innovative design to meet the future needs of an ageing population.

Mount Gambier's Boandik Lodge is expected to start work on Ridland Villas – the first dementia village of its type in mainland Australia – by the end of August. Picture: ThomsonAdsett

“The small house model is something that’s being promoted through the Royal Commission (into Aged Care Quality and Safety), and something that really works well,” Mrs McGinty said.

“Because it’s been a long process, we know that we have a quality building and the design is really going to work for people living with dementia.”

After five years of research and two years collaboration with architect ThomsonAdsett, dementia specialists, families of those with the disorder, memory support and housekeeping staff, the tender process began last week.

Design of the Ridland Villas in Mount Gambier. Picture: ThomsonAdsett

Inspired by the Umpherston Sinkhole, Mrs McGinty said the design focused on the landscape to create a familiar environment for residents with chickens to feed and vegetable gardens to tend to.

“There’s been a wider group of people who’ve been involved in the design and making sure that it’s going to meet the needs of people living with dementia and now and into the future,” she said.

“The arcade street area is so important, we have a general store, a cafe, a laundromat, hairdressers, consulting rooms, it’s a little street within the village and they can go and do something meaningful in all those places.

Ridland Villas is inspired by the Mount Gambier’s Umpherston Sinkhole. Picture: ThomsonAdsett

“As people get older, their abilities to be involved in things may reduce and that can often lead to depression.

“People living with dementia may not remember what they used to do and remember how they used to engage, so it’s about providing opportunities for them to see lots of things that they can be engaged in so they don’t have to make decisions about it.”

Inside, there will be 48 additional beds across six villas.

Boandik chief executive Gillian McGinty. Picture: Boandik

“Each villa has eight bedrooms with ensuites, two living areas, kitchen, dining room and a quiet area,” she said.

“It’s like a home, you walk out of your bedroom and you can see a living area so that you know that that’s where you go to watch TV or read the paper.”

The final spend is yet to be determined but is set to come in at least $11m funded by a $1.5m Department of Health grant, accommodation payments, fundraising efforts and bequests from past residents.

The construction process will begin with the demolition of non-residential buildings at Boandik’s Lake Terrace nursing home in late August.