Baptist Community Services Age Friendly Home

Project Selection

Baptist Community Services Age Friendly Home may contain a number of the following features but it has been identified by the Steering Committee specifically because it:

The following project description combines information gathered from the BCS website: http://www.bcs.org.au/AgeCare/AgeFriendlyHome.aspx

Project Overview

The BCS Age Friendly Home is being developed by BCS as a demonstration to older Australians that they can stay in their home for a longer period of time, after simple renovations and installation of technology.

Why this is an Innovative Project

The BCS Age Friendly Home has been developed:

To demonstrate assistive technology and environmental options available to make homes more age, dementia and disability friendly

To serve as an education centre and provider of educational resources

To enable care providers and members of the public to make contact with relevant suppliers

To demonstrate BCS Care Call products

To function as an on-going research and development lab

To act as a “test ground” for future BCS care developments

To lead societal change in modeling technology that can enhance independence, safety     and security

To demonstrate a range of environment and technology options to support the        independence, safety and security and quality of life of people living with dementia

To showcase BCS’ commitment to innovation

Built Environment

The Age Friendly Home has been entirely renovated with ramps installed, widened doors and hallways, safe bathrooms and kitchens and an inside laundry. Every aspect of the home has been renovated with the goals of functionality and safety in mind, including:

A modern colour scheme designed to give a warm and welcoming feel

Environmentally friendly carpet that provides ‘rollability’ for wheelchair access and a firm surface to accommodate frames and unsteady feet

Safety film on glass in the front windows and safety glass for all glass below 1 metre

An indoor laundry

Safe, private gardens with sensory plants, wandering paths and a raised garden bed for pottering

The bathroom has been designed to provide functionality and safety in all aspects of the room. The walls are a different colour to the floor to allow clear delineation between the two and the toilet seat is navy blue to ensure visibility to a vision impaired resident or a resident with dementia. The lighting in the room can either be manually controlled or can be programmed to come on at 30% once a movement sensor in the bedroom has been activated at night. The path to the bathroom can be lit and turned off at a programmed time after activation, based on the residents’ own patterns of behaviour.

Additional technology includes: A sink that adjusts with the push of a button, sensors that alert others of a fall, an alarm that makes reminders of key appointments and a set-top TV box that monitors key health conditions.

Project Auspice

Baptist Community Services was founded in 1944 and is currently one of the largest providers or residential and in-home aged care in NSW and ACT. BSC has more than 20 residential care facilities and thousands of clients receiving care in their homes. BSC offers a range of care options including respite care, transitional care services and dementia care that aim to maximise the independence and wellbeing of clients.

Full details of BSC’s extensive renovations can be found on the website: http://www.bcs.org.au/AgeCare/AgeFriendlyHome.aspx