A respite day care centre for dementia patients and their carers will be built in Woodend North after the facility was given the green light by Macedon Ranges council last week.
Woodend Lifestyle Carers Group had applied for a permit to build a day respite centre to care for up to 15 people with early-stage dementia and would be beneficial to patients and carers in the community.
The development will include a a caretaker’s house, providing accommodation to a permanent volunteer on site, as well as a maintenance shed.
As reported by Star Weekly, WLCG financial planner Bob Nixon urged councillors to support the proposal during council’s February 8 meeting, saying while there were ample residential aged care options in the region, there wasn’t enough support for people who care for someone at home.
“This project is ground-breaking, I don’t know of any other similar facility anywhere. We have the land, albeit in a farm zone, but with the council service’s yard as our immediate neighbour and the Barker Trailer Factory across the road, I say it’s some farm zone,” he said.
The 3.9 hectare site on Old Lancefield Road was gifted to WLCG.
For nearly a decade WLCG has been working to raise funds for the project through raffles, market stalls, sausage sizzles, small grants and catering.
Councillors considered the planning application during council’s February 22 meeting, voting unanimously to grant a permit.
Councillor Jennifer Anderson said there were “alarming statistics” about the number of people living with dementia in the Macedon Ranges, and commended WLCG for supporting those who care for people with dementia.
“It is great to be able to support something that you know has community benefit,” she said.
Cr Janet Pearce said WLCG had been volunteering in the Macedon Ranges for many year.
“We know this is helping the future as a we know our population here is due to increase and we will be seeing more and more dementia patients,” she said.
