A trip to the US was the inspiration for an innovative intergenerational aged care centre to be built on a coveted site near Claremont Oval.
Believed to be a WA first, The Queenslea will combine a 120-bed residential aged care facility with 39 assisted-living apartments and a childcare centre for more than 80 children. It will also feature a memory support day centre for dementia care and commercial space for healthcare businesses.
Prestige aged care provider Oryx Communities got approval yesterday to proceed with their vision in LandCorp’s Claremont on the Park development.
Elderly residents would be able to interact with children from the childcare centre.
It will be the second unconventional aged care project by Oryx Communities after the Perth company converted luxury West Perth hotel The Richardson into an aged care facility this year.
Oryx managing director Toby Browne-Cooper said while the on-site intergenerational concept was in its infancy in Australia, it had been successful in the US, where he saw it in action.
“The elderly benefit from socialising beyond their existing friendship circle,” Mr Browne-Cooper said. “They increase their self-esteem and emotional wellbeing by sharing their stories, experiences and care to younger people.
“For children, there are so many natural learning experiences that come from interacting with older people who might have a different perspective.”
Judith MacCallum, from Murdoch University’s school of education, said benefits would flow both ways.
“The idea is we are segregating these groups because we don’t have extended families as much as we used to,” Dr MacCallum said. “Children are put into childcare and older people in aged care so people have lost connection. That’s one of the main arguments for it.”
The Queenslea is expected to be completed in 2021.
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