Victorian aged care facility floored by $1.7 million private donation – Money to go into “bricks and mortar” project to transform dementia care

A western Victorian family has gifted Eventide Homes in Stawell an “unprecented” gift of $1.7 million. Speaking to the ABC, the group describes the gift coming with the understanding that it would be used to elevate the experience of residents diagnosed with dementia, currently living at the aged care facility and prospective seniors to come.

Sizable private donation

The group was able to disclose that the family had previously donated $50,000. When the family from Halls Gap repeated a donation offering, it was however, this time, to the tune of close to $2 million dollars. Those at Eventide Homes were happily floored.

Leadership shared with the ABC that while the unexpectedly large donation was gifted roughly a year ago, it was only able to be publicly acknowledged in September.

CEO Gary Simpson shared the humorous and good-natured unexpectedness of receiving the cheque, “”It was just a wonderful surprise when at the end of a lunch [a member of the family] reached into his pocket and pulled out a cheque”.

“I’ve never held a cheque for that amount of money in my life.”

Investment is needed

Amid the mounting concerns and reports of increasing demand for RAC beds, limited capacity, and hospitals straining with those able to be discharged with nowhere to go, it is heart-warming, and telling, that sources of investment are coming from the generosity of private donations.

It highlights an important, and perhaps frustrating opportunity, that while health and aged care sectors wait for government policy to align to facilitate effective environments for bed building and capacity, those that have can pour into the heart of the nation in an acute and significantly warranted area.

Full sum towards enhancing dementia wing

Simpson told the ABC that Eventide did not have context as to the choice to donate the sizable sum to the facility, as no family members was, and is, being cared for at the residence. As to any stipulations of the gifting he shares that the full sum would be directed towards enhancing the aged care facility’s dementia care wing.

“The Mangle family has requested we spend the $1.7 million on bricks and mortar type projects for dementia … not a single dollar will go towards overheads or into general revenue”.

Glancing at the significant measures and activities that the leadership and front-line staff at Eventide Homes Stawell have undertaken to bring joy to their residents, there may be a sliver of understanding about why the donation came their way. From morning teas for dementia to a host of Australian flora and fauna brought in to visually and kinesthetically stimulate residents, much has been done already to underpin a rich and vibrant fit-for-purpose experience.

In a move that is hopeful and encouraging to a sector that has long contended with the tension of sincerely seeking progress and stretching profit margins to facilitate them, Simpson notes that the intention is not only to update the dementia wing to the peak of modern standards but to facilitate an improvement that would be a goal-post and excellence-marker for the sector as a whole.

Excellence uplifts sector as a whole

Continuing in his interview he says, “The generosity of the Mangle family will allow us to deliver an absolute state-of-the art dementia facility that we think a lot of other aged care providers will be envious of.”

It is worthwhile for provider leaders to see the initial “envy” with good-natured resolve, to have a beacon of excellence is to be able to generate traction across the sector for all to reach new heights. 

Seeing what has worked to modernise a facility can be relied upon to guide the enhancement of another. Critically, with governments paying attention, providers can leverage the bricks and mortar improvements, say with what Eventide Homes is able to accomplish in their dementia wing update, and utilise this evidential data in grants submission and use.

Vital lasting impact

Also speaking to the ABC, the Northern Grampians shire mayor, Karen Hyslop stated, “the generosity of the Mangle family will create a lasting positive impact that will be passed on to future generations; it will benefit our community for many years to come.”

With the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare highlighting the stark reality of dementia in Australia, “In 2023, dementia was the leading cause of death in Australia.” The need for rapid policy, funding and investment to translate into physical capacity and readiness is paramount.

“There were a total of 17,400 deaths due to dementia, with more women than men dying due to the condition (around 10,900 and just over 6,500 deaths, respectively”.

Simpson shared that at present 15 residents with dementia are cared for at the facility, however, along with national projections across the country, that number is set to grow.

Rapidly rising need – prevent and prepare 

The Health and Welfare institute figures evoke a serious future picture that must be contended with now, “With an ageing and growing population, it is predicted that the number of Australians with dementia will increase 2.5-fold, to over 1 million by 2065 (662,000 women and 390,000 men).”

In preventative health measures, led by public policy and health and aged care sector leaders, now is the time for the Australian population as a whole to be working to embrace measures to help support healthy and active minds and bodies, “While 2065 may seem far away (40 years), these time frames are relevant to the early and mid-life prevention measures that can decrease the risk of developing dementia in later years.”

So too is it worthwhile for all sectors, public, health and aged care, along with individuals of means, to consider all that can possibly be done to prepare for the likely surge in demand for rights-based, fit-for-purpose dementia care.