Dementia care in Maungaturoto trust plans

Donald McKay (left) and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman visit the trust.

The Maungaturoto Community Charitable Trust has launched plans to build a dementia unit.

Trust chairman Donald McKay says a facility which will initially accommodate eight people is required to look after local people and their changing needs.

"As the baby boomers age, the need for targeted aged care is rising. It's essential to the wellbeing of our people and families that they can be looked after within their own community."

Local architect Keith Youngman, who has had experience with rest-home design, has produced for the Trust "A Plan for the Future", a staged development to deliver increased aged-care.

Stage One will cost about $1 million and will see a dementia unit which will initially accommodate up to eight people and a new kitchen added to the current rest-home.

"Further stages, expected to cost an additional $3 million, will allow the trust to respond to the increasing complexity of aged care with updated dining facilities and lounges plus a further eight dementia beds and add six general beds to the existing Riverview Rest Home.

"These subsequent stages will also allow us to provide hospital-level care as the need dictates."

The campaign to raise the $1m for Stage One was launched last week in Maungaturoto at an event attended by Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman.

Currently the rest-home accommodates up to 16 residents, some of whom are in for temporary respite care.

Mr McKay says the number of people needing residential dementia care now outstrips proportional population growth and is expected to grow by 7 per cent a year, because the risk of suffering from dementia increases after 65 years of age.

"At present, the nearest dementia units are at Waipu, Whangarei and Dargaville. The development of a secure and stable dementia unit in Maungaturoto will allow local families to stay together for longer and provide welcome respite care, to relieve caring families."

He says the Trust's bankers have given the green light to commence the first stage, but for the plan to continue, the Trust will need substantial funds from other sources. It is therefore is seeking local support to help fund these developments.

Mr McKay says Kaipara District Council granted resource consent for the Trust's Plan for the Future on Monday. "The preparations for building permit application are well on the way and expected to be lodged in the very near future," he said.

MCCT also the Maungaturoto Medical Centre buildingrun by the Coast to Coast Health Care.

Riverview Rest Home and Retirement Village services Maungaturoto and the wider community stretching to Mangawhai, Kaiwaka, Paparoa and beyond.