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With a lot of hard work, community spirit and a little help from the Village People, residential aged care is taking a giant leap forward at Lutheran Aged Care's Dellacourt facility in Albury.
Working in partnership with LLL, Lutheran Aged Care is undertaking an extensive renovation program that will make Dellacourt one of the country's premier aged care facilities.
"We will have a state-of-the-art, marketable facility, with a lot of extras attached to it," said Wendy Rocks, Managing Director of Lutheran Aged Care Albury.
"Things like the ability to have a medical clinic onsite, a beautiful large hall and chapel, allied health areas, a café, and a much larger kitchen.
"The rooms are large and interior designed, there will be a huge dining room, smaller dining areas, lounges, computer areas, tv rooms and two balconies overlooking beautifully landscaped gardens.
"There are a lot of features that will take it into the future."
Construction of the visionary project started in late 2021 and is scheduled to be completed around May 2025.
The 122-bed facility will remain operational throughout, with Wendy and her staff, and the builders, working hard to pre-empt the challenges that combining a building site and residential aged care presents.
Which is where the Village People come in!
"The residents have loved to look at what's going on, and give advice," Wendy said with a laugh.
"We even had one resident who earned his own hard hat with his name on it because he was down there giving advice so frequently.
"The construction workers have been great, some of them have grandparents in the facility, so there is an understanding that the residents come first.
"We had a couple of occasions where we had dance instructors come in and the construction guys came with their high-vis jackets and hard hats and we all did Village People dances.
"It was a lot of fun."
LLL has worked in partnership to tailor a loan solution that is geared to the strategic needs of Lutheran Aged Care.
"It's been terrific to work with LLL … it has been a breath of fresh air," Wendy said.
"I was just incredibly thankful that finally somebody in commercial finance understood aged care finances."
Photos: An extensive redevelopment has created a wonderful environment for residents.
