Tops in aged care

By Kelly Yates
DOVETON is now home to a new $27.7 million state-of-the-art aged care facility which is set to become Australia’s first teaching nursing home.
Chestnut Gardens, which is run by Southern Health, was opened this weekby the Minister for Mental Health, Senior Victorians, and Community Service Lisa Neville and Dandenong MP John Pandazopoulos.
The 100-bed facility is staffed by qualified nurses and equipped with provisions to provide particular care needs.
Residents with changing care needs will no longer have to face the disruption of changing homes to cater to their needs.
Resident couple Harry and Valda Almond have, for the first time, been able to continue living together.
“For years we have been living apart because she needed constant care,” Mr Almond said.
“It was very lonely being at home without her. Now I can live with her again, and we can spend our golden years together.”
Located in Chestnut Road, the new facility includes extensive gardens, terracing and a barbecue, allowing the residents to dine outdoors and develop their own gardens.
The complex also has a lifestyle program to keep the residents physically and mentally active with activities such as bingo, chess, and cricket.
Chestnut Gardens was built as a series of houses and was established through collaboration between Southern Health and Deakin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.