Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s aged care home in Young has recently undertaken a modern and innovative transformation, but despite the significant changes, its heritage has not been lost.
In 1920, Archbishop Cattaneo purchased land in Young, a regional town about two hours’ drive from Canberra, to develop a home for the aged. Almost a century later, that very home has been completely redeveloped to accommodate a new approach to aged care living — an approach that supports residents to live as independently as possible while encouraging them to maintain relationships with family, friends and community.
It is a way of living that has been successfully adopted at a number of Mercy Health residential aged care homes across the country, and one that has been embraced by the 50-plus residents now living in their plush new accommodation.
Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s resident Sister Mavis and Service Manager Shelley Gledhill enjoy a cup of tea at Mother Dot’s Diner.
“Our residents are loving their new home,” Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s Service Manager Shelley Gledhill says. “It really does combine that at-home feeling but with the support, care and ready-made community that comes with residential aged care living. That is exactly what we hoped to achieve in this redevelopment.
Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s household living redevelopment has been specifically designed and built to feel just like home. Residents are able to enjoy homecooked meals and the privacy of real home spaces with the security and peace of mind of having expert and caring staff close by.”
Featuring four households of up to 17 residents, the Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s redevelopment aims to address the major challenges of inactivity, loneliness, depression and loss of purpose that residents sometimes experience in residential aged care.
Our residents are loving their new home.
There are multiple communal spaces where residents can gather, including a couple of spaces that nod to the Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s of yesteryear.
“The home is beautiful and new inside but we haven’t forgotten where we have come from,” Shelley says.
Resident Reg Hayes busy shopping at the diner.
“One of our communal areas is the lovely, light-filled Laurie’s Lounge — a space named after Laurie Hewson, who worked at our home for more than 30 years. We also have a beautiful reflection room, which is a peaceful space where residents can enjoy some quiet time. Then there is Mother Dot’s Diner, one of the most popular places to gather in the home. The diner is a café that is named in honour of local Mother Superior and former Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s resident, Mother Dorothy. We love that we’ve managed to integrate some important history within this new and innovative place that our residents call home.”
The Most Reverend Christopher Prowse, Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, officially opened and blessed the redeveloped Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s on 7 November.
Last reviewed December 18, 2019.