The ACT Government, through agents JLL, has invited dementia care providers to tender for a new dementia village being proposed for Curtin, 10km south west of the Canberra CBD, but one provider approached for the site says they will not be putting in for the project.
'Neu Village Curtin' will be a 'micro-neighbourhood' offering purpose-built facilities and specialist dementia care for "a minimum" of 90 residents, and will be the first of its kind in Canberra.
The 2.245 hectare site is being released to market for sale through a single-stage, design-based competitive tender, which closes 5 September 2024.
Community Home Australia (CHA) co-founder and Managing Director Rodney Jilek was approached for the project, but told The SOURCE that CHA will not be submitting a tender.
Pointing to the research of Dolf Bex, Allen Power, and David Sheard, Rodney said dementia villages were innovative more than a decade ago, but the latest thinking has dementia care recipients integrated into their communities, not segregated.
"What was innovative 20 years ago suddenly isn't innovative again just because Australia decided to do it 20 years late," he told The SOURCE.
"The latest research shows it's the meaningful engagements and community engagement that reaps the benefits.
"It's not about segregated villages. It's about participating in the the community every day."
Community Home Australia's three specialist care homes in Canberra are full and a fourth home is in the planning.
Rodney is currently in Bali finalising renovations on Aashaya Jasri, a 3.5-star resort that will cater to the needs of those living with dementia or disabilities. He plans to fly a group of residents from Australia to Bali for free in September to trial the facilities.
In 2021, we wrote that the University of Canberra had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Neighbourhood Canberra to help establish a dementia village.
