Gilbruk Narrative - Community Living with a Difference!
Judy and Tom are aged in their mid 60’s and live just outside of Heathcote on a small farm where they run a few sheep, alpacas and have a small orchard and vegetable garden. Whilst living here they have both been involved with the local community, like many other people living in Heathcote.
Although Heathcote is a small community it has over 75 community groups to choose from. It is a very caring community, not many towns can boast they can have a coffee with the local cop, or when they are sick neighbours step in and take the dog for a walk and do the shopping. In their younger days, Tom played a lead role in the local footy and netball club and Judy was very active in the local CWA; now they have aged, Tom tinkers around in the Men’s Shed whilst Judy is a staunch member of the U3A.book club.
They are both now at the magic age called retirement. So they had decided to look at some retirement options - one was perhaps selling and moving into town. They had started to look at some display homes and had also been looking around at some small town lots. They finally found their block, decided upon the home they wanted and started negotiations with the builder. However, before plans could be finalised Tom was diagnosed with early onset dementia and this put a stop to their plans very quickly.
After spending time talking with the medical professionals and their family about their future prospects, particularly in relation to memory loss and other aspects of Tom’s cognitive decline, they decided they now needed to adjust their thinking to something more practical to meet both their needs. They had heard about the Living Laboratory (dementia showcase home) which had recently been built and located at Heathcote Health, so they decided this was the place to start.
They were blown away by the amount of assistive technology that was available, personal alarms, passive impaired reminder light, talking photo frames and albums, day clocks, robotics and more.
After further investigation they learnt that was not all that was located in this local Compassionate Care precinct. There were 6 GPs who formed part of the local Primary Health Care including a geriatrician and a range of allied health practitioners; a ‘Virtual Research Hub’, a place where various university and industry researchers could collaborate on the latest research; the Men’s Shed which Tom was already a member; a community garden and also a Green Space Booking service which provided accreditation to local respite tourism green spaces.
It was all there in one location and the cafes and shops within walking distance. Judy was delighted when she learnt how the local businesses throughout Heathcote had undergone a disability and dementia friendly audit by the City of Greater Bendigo and their establishments were now dementia friendly with staff trained in dealing with people living with dementia. What Judy and Tom really liked about dementia showcase transportable homes was the fact they were manufactured locally, specially designed taking both colour and design into account for those living with dementia. They were also fitted out with assistive technology, which is something Judy found very reassuring. She also liked the fact there was a try before you buy option (offered in the local Respite Village). They decided to take up this option and were both extremely pleased with their experience and decided this was the next step for them. They began negotiations with the local manufacturer who they found very helpful plus they made some suggestions to ensure Judy and Tom would be comfortable and the design would meet their lifestyle requirements.
The aim was to have a transportable home built and located on their daughter Mandy’s farm located just a couple of kms down the road from their farm. Another added advantage was the ‘lease or buy back option’.
Tom was able to receive a ‘home care’ package from Heathcote Health. There are four levels of Home Care Packages to select from to help meet the different needs of his personal circumstance. Whilst it is still early days, Tom will start with level 2. He will receive some help with cleaning and tidying around the house, support with his personal health, such as grooming and also some help with meals, shopping and transport. The package is also designed to give him a little extra support to help stay independent. It can also include three or four visits a week from a care worker. Judy’s needs were also taken into account, after all it is not easy caring for the one you love when they are in decline.
The manager from Carer’s Support Services quickly put in place a range of services to support Judy in her caring role. She also linked her in with the local Carer’s Support Group, where Judy immediately felt at home and supported. At last she had people she could chat to about her fears and anxieties, people that really understood what she was going through. Knowing that he was just moving down the road and near his daughter made the transition easier for Tom. It also enabled him and Judy to remain involved in their community, continue with their social activities and age in place, rather than entering residential aged care facility even when the impacts of old age affect their mobility and mental ability.
