Mercy Place Montrose, a blessing for local aged care residents

Residents of Mercy Place Montrose’s new small household living homes will share their joy with family, friends and dignitaries when the new development is officially blessed on Tuesday 30 July.

Since moving into their new homes, residents have enjoyed the choices and independence that their small household living homes afford them, and have spent many hours enjoying the amenities that the purpose-built Mercy Place Montrose development features.

‘There’s nothing I enjoy more than walking through our home and seeing residents milling around in the café together or searching the shelves of the in-house grocery store for ingredients for that night’s dinner,’ Mercy Place Montrose Service Manager Bronwyn Gilmore said. ‘I’m really proud of what this home offers our residents and I’ve no doubt that they’ll enjoying showing off their new home to friends and family at the official blessing on Tuesday.’

Mercy Place Montrose features 12 individual small household living homes within the larger residential home. Between seven and eight residents live in each modern home, which feature individual ensuited bedrooms, a kitchen, plus open plan living and dining rooms. Each house has a Mercy Health Care Companion, who assists the residents with their daily basic care needs, while registered nurses, allied health and pastoral care workers are also available to every resident.

The small household living concept promotes independence and allows residents to choose how their day looks, Bronwyn said.

‘This type of living is designed to give our residents far greater freedom and control over their lives,’ she said. ‘Having a Care Companion in each home means residents can get up whenever they choose each morning, eat breakfast when they are ready and even cook their own meals, if that’s something they’d like to do. They can also retire to bed at the time of their choosing. The Care Companion is there to assist in each of those activities but ultimately it’s the resident who decides. I love that this type of living empowers residents to make their own choices rather than keeping them to a schedule.

‘It’s a great concept for aged care living because it more closely mimics the life they might have lived in their own homes in the community, but with the additional bonus of the support and comfort of 24-hour care and a ready-made community.’

Mercy Place Montrose will be officially blessed on Tuesday 30 July, when visiting Indigenous, government, aged care and Catholic church dignitaries will be able to see for themselves what the residential aged care home has to offer, including the gymnasium, beauty salon, grocery store, chapel, library and café, plus magnificent views of the Dandenong Ranges.