MEDIA RELEASE - State funding announced for Wellness and Lifestyle Centre
August 2015
The Hon. Terry Redman MLA visited Manjimup today to announce Lotterywest funding of $1,044,000 which will be put towards the construction of a Wellness and Lifestyle Centre.The funding will complement $750,000, awarded to the Shire of Manjimup's Home and Community Care (HACC) in late 2014, for the same purpose.
Shire President Wade DeCampo said that a wellness centre located in Manjimup will assist the community to age in place. "It is vitally important to keep the family unit together by providing services which enable people to remain in the area they love, the place they call home, as they age," Cr DeCampo explained
The Shire's HACC unit as well as other aged care service providers in the region, are experiencing an increased demand on their services due to the changing needs of the ageing population. This increase in demand can be attributed to the rapidly growing trend for older people to live at home for as long as possible rather than move into aged care facilities.
In order to stay at home, these people often require access to a greater range of services, in addition to the home based services already being provided. Additional services identified include a dementia specific centre based day centre, social support (including respite for carers) and group social support, which are all included in the design of the Wellness and Lifestyle Centre.
"Council has been striving for some time to provide incentives, programs and support that will keep the whole gamut of ages within a family together, from kids to middle ages, grandparents and even great grandparents," said Cr DeCampo.
"Facilities like this mean we can provide additional services and support to keep people here, in a familiar environment with their usual support networks and health care professionals, who know them and understand their particular circumstances and needs."
Additional federal funding will be sought in December of this year via the National Stronger Regions Fund (NSRF), and if successful, the project will be completed in its entirety.
