Double the reason to celebrate at Mercy Place Ballarat

Mercy Place Ballarat had a double reason to celebrate during its open day on Saturday – it was almost one year to the day since the residential aged care home opened its doors, and it also received delivery of an eleven-seater bus for its residents.

The home was able to purchase the bus thanks to community support and a generous donation from the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat Foundation.

‘We can’t thank our community and the Diocese enough,’ Mercy Place Ballarat General Manager Andrew Howard says. ‘Our Mercy Health Foundation applied for a Catholic Diocese of Ballarat grant and we were very fortunate that they granted us the money to buy the bus. Our wonderful community has also jumped on board and has raised about $2000 towards the running and operating costs of the vehicle. Having the bus will mean so much to our residents.’

Having its own bus will mean Mercy Place Ballarat residents can be more connected to the local community.

‘We will use the bus to transport our residents to social outings,’ Andrew explains. ‘It means our residents can be more connected to and feel like a greater part of the community. Connectedness is really important for people living in aged care homes, and is something we place a great deal of emphasis on.

‘We have implemented a small household living approach at Mercy Place Ballarat, which sees a maximum of eight residents living together in a household that has its own kitchen, lounge area and individual ensuited bedrooms. This innovative approach to aged care living promotes connectedness, independence, choice and relationships. It also helps to create a real feeling of home.’

Mercy Place Ballarat features a village square, a grocer, a café, wellness centre and chapel. It has also been designed to accommodate people living with dementia and those with restricted mobility.