Darwin’s Greek community planning for aged care
The Greek Orthodox community in Darwin is working on plans to apply for special Federal Government loans to set up its own aged care facility, according to a report in the NT News. Community president, John Nicolakis, said it would not just be for people of Greek heritage. “It will be for anybody that wishes to come along,” he said.
Darwin’s Greek identity, Tony Miaoudis, said there was “more demand” in the Top End than the Federal Government thought, because more elderly were choosing to stay in the Territory and Darwin’s multicultural communities found it hard to put their elderly into aged care.
He said there would be strong interest for a facility that was run by a community which placed great importance on the family.
The community’s committee plans to apply for the mid-year round of the Federal Government’s zero real interest loans, but expects the project will take at least two years.
It will conduct a feasibility study on sites and sizes of the aged care facility – with anything from a 10-unit facility to a 50-bed site on the table.
A number of sites have been suggested – including at the Greek Orthodox church in the CBD, as well as in Nightcliff, Marrara, and Palmerston.
