Homestyle’s Innovative Rehab Gym Supports Stronger Seniors

A new aged care home that aims to challenge the notion of inevitable physical decline in the elderly will soon open in Tarneit, in Melbourne’s booming outer western suburbs.

Homestyle Aged Care CEO Tim Humphries said Sunset Views Manor – now under construction and due to open in January 2022 – would be one of the first homes in Victoria with a fully-equipped specialist rehabilitation gym.

“We have pioneered this concept at our Rowville home,” Mr Humphries said.

“There, we have incorporated a rehabilitation gym with a team of qualified physiotherapists and occupational therapists who work one on one with residents to build their independence.

“We’ve seen some spectacular results, including one resident who increased her strength, mobility and confidence so much that she was able to achieve her goal of leaving residential care and returning to live independently at home.”

While some would not necessarily see this as a sustainable business model for an aged care provider, Mr Humphries said it was very much in line with Homestyle’s philosophy of holistic care and maximising independence by building on individuals’ strengths and capabilities.

“We understand the importance of a person’s past, their present experience and their future hopes,” he said.

“Every staff member celebrated along with the resident and her family the day she achieved her goal. We were incredibly proud to support her life-changing accomplishment.”

The rehabilitation centre at Sunset Views would be open to the public and would feature specialist rehabilitation equipment proven to improve function and mobility for people recovering from stroke or with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. It would be offered as an additional service to residents of the home with a choice of Standard and Premium wellness packages available.

The $27 million Sunset Views was the latest addition to Homestyle’s portfolio of 11 homes in metropolitan Melbourne and the Geelong-Surf Coast region. In recent years Homestyle had built Rowville Manor and completed a major extension and upgrades to Melville Grange in Berwick and Kensington Grange in Leopold.

Sunset Views Manor would feature an innovative small house design, with 15-18 residents living in self-contained but connected homes. This includes one home exclusively for people living with dementia. The staffing model would support the design, with dedicated staffing in each home, allowing staff and residents to form strong relationships.

Mr Humphries said Sunset Views would occupy a prime site in the heart of the community. The home would be co-located with Wyndham Grange Retirement Village, next door to the Julia Gillard Library and community centre and only 200 metres from the local shopping centre.

Homestyle chose to build Tarneit’s first and only aged care home because of a significant gap in the market, Mr Humphries said.

Tarneit and neighbouring Truganina were growth areas with ageing populations. The number of people aged 80-plus was forecast to increase 130 per cent by 2028, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Physiotherapy and allied health provider Concentric Healthcare Services would expand its partnership with Homestyle to deliver services at the new Tarneit home.

“At Tarneit we will offer our aged care wellness programs that are individually tailored and are clinically proven to maintain, and even improve, function, balance, mobility, strength and cognition while encompassing the benefits of social engagement,” Concentric Healthcare Services director Angeline Violi said.

“We strongly believe that moving into aged care should not mean a decline in physical wellbeing, but an opportunity to work on personal goals with the support of a dedicated allied health team.

“We want to put an end to the idea that aged care typically means regression and this ongoing partnership allows us to work towards this goal.”

Click here to find out more about Homestyle Aged Care