Increased aged care services on the way for WA

This bold effort is being set in motion with work on the build of a new $32 million residential aged care and community services hub project in the Great Southern which is set to be started this week.

Juniper Chief Executive Vaughan Harding says the new project is part of the organisation’s Statewide efforts to respond to the community by creating greater capacity to deliver services to meet the needs of an ageing population.

“A new Juniper residential aged care facility for Albany and the Great Southern region will enable older people to continue to live in their local community without having to move elsewhere to access the services and support they require,” he says.

“Combined with the brand new Beryl Grant Community Centre, future retirement units and planned health and community infrastructure on the 24 acre site, Juniper and its partners are delivering a vision for a sustainable, vibrant and caring community.”

As well as supporting the ageing population in the region, Mr Harding says the residential aged care project will also stimulate employment and career opportunities with approximately 120 workers required to run the service – ranging from multi-skilled carers, allied health workers, nursing staff and management roles.

“It is not sufficient to just provide extra physical infrastructure,” he says.

“Juniper also puts significant effort into attracting, training and retaining a skilled workforce and works with educational institutions and their students to help make aged care a preferred career option.”

The Juniper project will commence this week with site clearing works and with the use of local trades and services, the new facility is expected to take 15 months to construct, with planned completion in March 2019.