• Home
  • Articles
  • NewDirection Care's "Micro Town" exhibits new approach to aged care

    • NewDirection Care's "Micro Town" exhibits new approach to aged care

    NewDirection Care (NDC) is showing off its “MicroTown” model for aged care at Bellmere, Queensland, saying it offers resident-focused, lifestyle-oriented care.

    NDC Bellmere features 17 houses in an integrated community with shops, café, cinema, barber, salon, and wellness centre.

    According to CEO and founder Natasha Chadwick, it represents a radical departure from “institutional buildings filled with dozens of patients”.

    “It is a place where residents can enjoy fulfilling and happy lives beyond diagnosis – socialising, staying active, pursuing hobbies and continuing to play a role in the community, creating a world that is close to normality. It is the way forward for our elderly and those living with dementia,” she said.

    Natasha says that Bellmere is built around the values of individuality, community, relationships, respect and empathy.

    “At Bellmere, we challenge the institutional model of traditional aged care and focus on enabling residents to live their lives as closely as possible to what they have experienced in their own homes, with the necessary supports to ensure their care needs are met."

    “This means that residents live in homes according to their lifestyle, not their diagnosis, and are supported to be as independent as possible,” she said.

    Additionally, care staff are trained differently, and function as what NDC describes as “House Companions”.

    “Each house companion is fully trained in dementia essentials, medication administration, manual handling, first aid, personal care, nutrition, cooking, cleaning, laundry, food safety, customer service and more.

    “This ensures that each resident lives as normal a life as possible. The NewDirection Care model is focused on meeting each individual resident’s needs. The result is a new model of care that is set to change the way societies look after the elderly and people living with dementia,” said Natasha.

    Popular Articles

    View All Articles
    Article Img
    Your sense of balance later in life can be crucial – how to improve yours

    A fall at a later stage in life can be scary, and can even cause some serious damage. A sense of balance is not something we’re all equipped with, so as you age, falls can be a real sense of anxiety. However, there are lots of things you can do to prevent falling by improving your balance.

    Read More
    Article Img
    Retirement village family open their first land lease community

    Well-known retirement village family open their first land lease community in Victoria The Gannon family, led by Tom and Michael Gannon, have unveiled 226 homes at the Lucas Lifestyle Estate in Ballarat.

    Read More
    Article Img
    73% of Australians willing to sacrifice inheritance for aged care

    Nearly three-quarters of all Australians are willing to sacrifice their own inheritance so their parents and grandparents can enjoy the retirement they deserve, according to a new report by B2B aged care service CompliSpace.

    Read more
    Article Img
    Volunteers are the backbone of the aged care sector, and more are needed

    Tens of thousands of people, of all ages, such as 90-year-old Lily Burns and 20-year-old Charlise Hannagan, volunteer in aged care homes. The Change Makers is the theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week, 15 to 21st May, which celebrates the vital work of volunteers.

    Read more
    Article Img
    Your sense of balance later in life can be crucial – how to improve yours

    A fall at a later stage in life can be scary, and can even cause some serious damage. A sense of balance is not something we’re all equipped with, so as you age, falls can be a real sense of anxiety. However, there are lots of things you can do to prevent falling by improving your balance.

    Read More
    Article Img
    Retirement village family open their first land lease community

    Well-known retirement village family open their first land lease community in Victoria The Gannon family, led by Tom and Michael Gannon, have unveiled 226 homes at the Lucas Lifestyle Estate in Ballarat.

    Read More
    Article Img
    73% of Australians willing to sacrifice inheritance for aged care

    Nearly three-quarters of all Australians are willing to sacrifice their own inheritance so their parents and grandparents can enjoy the retirement they deserve, according to a new report by B2B aged care service CompliSpace.

    Read more
    Article Img
    Volunteers are the backbone of the aged care sector, and more are needed

    Tens of thousands of people, of all ages, such as 90-year-old Lily Burns and 20-year-old Charlise Hannagan, volunteer in aged care homes. The Change Makers is the theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week, 15 to 21st May, which celebrates the vital work of volunteers.

    Read more
    View All Articles

    A special thanks to our contributors

    Icons
    Jill Donaldson

    Physiotherapist

    Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Chris Baynes

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Annie Donaldson

    Nurse and Carer

    Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Jill Donaldson

    Physiotherapist

    Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Chris Baynes

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Annie Donaldson

    Nurse and Carer

    Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.

    Read Profile