Three Tree Lodge Lithgow is pleased to announce we have been successful in an application for funding through the Commonwealth Government’s Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) for significant expansion of the facility.
The grant provides $1.83 million dollars towards an additional seven beds for the facility in an extension to the Wattle residential wing and the construction of a new four bed residential respite service, extending Melaleuca House. The Wattle extension will provide five new bedrooms, three of which are shared rooms, enabling accommodation for couples or to support the needs of financially disadvantaged residents. This extension will also include kitchen, living and outdoor spaces. The extension to Melaleuca House will provide respite services in four bedrooms with ensuites, along with kitchen, living and dining facilities together with access to a secure garden area.
“Securing funding for this four bed respite service enables us to fulfil our aim for older residents in Lithgow by providing a bridge between home care and full time residential care,” said Kate Hurrell, CEO of Three Tree Lodge, “we have long recognised the need for respite services, and this capital grant, along with the funding for the additional seven beds allows us to achieve this goal.”
The total cost of the extensions is $2.16 million, which will be funded by the Commonwealth Grant and Three Tree Lodge. The project is required to be completed within 18 months and Three Tree Lodge has already prepared detailed plans and has development approval for the respite project and is preparing to lodge documents with Council for the approval of the Wattle Extension.
“We are hoping to secure Council approval in October in order to meet the Commonwealth’s deadline for this important project which will provide a boost to our local and regional economy through both construction activity and the additional staff who will be employed within the extended services,” said Garry Brown, Chairman of Three Tree Lodge, “we know these new facilities are greatly needed in our local community.”
Three Tree Lodge has established a Project Control Group to oversee the works, with CEO Kate Hurrell as the Project Coordinator. We’ll be providing the community with regular updates once the works commence and will invite State and Federal representatives to the site to view the extensions proposed and to commence the works with a traditional ‘turning of the sod’ event.
We look forward to these new and greatly needed extensions to our services.
Three Tree Lodge is a 62 bed community based, not for profit aged care service in Lithgow that has a well developed focus on quality, hospitality and empathy. Three Tree Lodge plays a critical role in caring for the ageing in Lithgow and the surrounding communities, and in 2018 opened an eight bed state of the art extension to their special needs unit, Melaleuca House, which offers services for people living with dementia.
