HammondCare has added two more cottages to its innovative residential care home in the Wollongong suburb of Horsley, at a cost of $6.9 million.

The new cottages, named after Australian artists Tom Roberts and Pro Hart, will add 16 more places to HammondCare Horsley with single ensuite bathrooms and access to dining, sitting areas and the outdoors.

Like the existing cottages at HammondCare Horsley, the new cottages will offer a relationship-focused model of care, which has been shown by more than 25-years of research and experience to best support people living with dementia.

HammondCare Chief Executive Mike Baird said the new cottages would give the independent charity more opportunity to pursue its mission to improve the quality of life for people in need in the Illawarra. “The cottage model of care at Horsley has been designed according to international best practice to provide dignity and quality of life for vulnerable people,” Mr Baird said.

The final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety, released early in 2021, highlighted the benefits of smaller, lower-density congregate living arrangements for quality aged care, especially for those living with dementia.

Mr Baird said the cottage model involved both great design and care staff working flexibly to promote a warm, domestic and familiar environment and to engage residents in a way that is meaningful to them. “The staff seek to get to know who the residents are as individuals, including what they like and dislike."

As well as the two new cottages, the expansion project includes a repurposing of the existing administrative building to include new community facilities including a children’s playground, a hair salon/barber shop and a café that will be available to residents and visitors.

Rooms are now available to prospective residents in the new cottages.

Horsely Residential Manager Carley Watson said the Horsley residential aged care home is a beautiful place for residents to live, with gardens, cherry blossom trees and a backdrop of the scenic Illawarra escarpment, in addition to offering high-quality care for the residents that live there. “The staff at Horsley are committed to all residents being treated with compassion and respect and providing individualised and tailored care."

For more information about admissions to Horsley or to arrange a tour, contact admissions.residents@hammond.com.au or call 1800 776 112.