Summary

The Community Resource Centre in Park is a not-for-profit project which provides services such as a post office, a lunch club, IT training, a hairdresser and classes on a variety of topics (knitting, cooking, yoga, languages, history etc). The project was needed to ensure new and existing services meet the needs of the entire community, including those who suffer from Dementia or Alzheimer. 

The physical renovation of the facility included incorporating interior and exterior signage throughout the centre, redecorating walls and curtains and remove pattern prints and dark colours to improve clarity of vision for those with Dementia, replacing kitchen cabinets to include Perspex (a shatter-resistant alternative to glass) to allow people to easily locate kitchen utensils, modernising its IT facilities.

Results

These enhancements have enabled everyone using the premises to feel included, ensuring the most vulnerable people in the community are not isolated. Approximately 700 people use the facility on a regular basis.

The service now runs a Dementia Social Morning for families living with dementia. There are 160 direct and indirect users.

Dementia training has been ongoing at the Learmount Centre over the past two years. They have held approx. four training sessions with 20 people in attendance.