The Apex campus of Mackellar Care Services has been home to many a tradie the past eight months as it undergoes a face lift.
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Chief executive officer (CEO) Sandra Strong said the board allocated $2 million for the refurbishment of the aged care facility, with work starting in October 2016.
The refurbishment is being completed in five stages and takes in three wings of bedrooms, the nurses station and foyer, the dining room area, the lounge room and the activity room in Lundie House.
“We’ve had up to 12 vacancies, which is part of the reason why we’re doing the refurbishment,” Mrs Strong said.
The CEO said the number of bedrooms in the facility will be reduced from 58 to 55 to allow for a new palliative care room in wing three.
In the renovations process, the bedrooms are receiving new flooring, a lighter, sliding door, new blinds, and a fresh coat of paint. The rooms are also fitted with more cabinetry, LED lights, a ceiling mounted carrier for ceiling mounted lifters and a false wall to cover up electric components.
Mrs Strong said the concept behind the false wall was to provide “direct access to power points without cords hanging down”.
“We’ve got a USB port for folk – we’re finding there are more folk who’ve got mobile phones now,” she said.
The bathrooms have been waterproofed and sealed, and the existing wall tiles have been covered with a vinyl to improve hygiene and cleanliness. The safety railings, flooring, toilets and the sinks have also been replaced. The sinks are now at a height which allows wheelchairs to fit underneath.
The lounge room and activity room in Lundie House will also see change, pending approval by Gunnedah Shire Council.
Mrs Strong said the hope was to remove a number of walls to create one big open space.
Mrs Strong said the refurbishment was a short-term measure after unsuccessful attempts to gain grant money for a full rebuild.
“We’ve been discussing a redevelopment and a rebuild of Lundie House because it’s 27 years old and there’s a changed approach to aged care,” she said.
“The board had a 10-year replacement plan. Because we haven't been able to achieve the 10-year plan, the board decided we needed to do a refurbishment and refresh to bring [the facility] up to consumer demand.”
Mrs Strong said the facility was now seeing increased demand for single bedrooms.
She said Mackellar Care had utilised local tradespeople and two of its own carpenters for the renovation work, which is expected to finish in July or August.
