From Little Things Big Things Grow at Mornington Aged Care Facility

The seeds of an innovative partnership between leading not-for-profit aged care provider Benetas and local school Padua College have been planted, with students revamping the dementia garden at Benetas Corowa Court in Mornington.

The development of the garden, which will contribute to residents’ wellbeing through a range of sensory elements, was celebrated today with a special afternoon tea.

Benetas General Manager Residential Services and Quality and Compliance Paula Trood said the initiative, which is part of the Year 12 students’ VCAL assessment, was introduced as part of Benetas’ commitment to challenging stereotypes around ageing and aged care, particularly amongst younger people.

“We want to help young people better understand what it’s like to be an older person, and demystify some of the misconceptions about ageing and aged care facilities,” said Ms Trood.

“At the same time, this project has worked to connect residents with younger members of the community, which contributes to their sense of wellbeing and works to limit the instances of social isolation.”

The students’ time at the facility, which has involved several learning and development sessions around better understanding dementia and the needs of older people, has seen them work in pairs to design one segment of the garden each based on important dementia gardening design elements.

The students have worked with a specialist landscape architect to ensure their designs are suitable for a dementia sensory garden.

Their work has also culminated in a raised garden bed, which will be the focal point of a broader courtyard redevelopment to be undertaken as part of the expansion of Benetas Corowa Court.

The expansion, which is due for completion in early 2016, will see the capacity of the facility increased from 60 to 120 beds in a $14 million dollar investment by Benetas.

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