Anglicare Southern Queensland has opened a new $2.6 million Specialist Dementia Care Program unit.
Located at the Southport Abri Residential Aged Care Home, Anglicare SQ chief executive officer Sue Cooke said the new unit would deliver much-needed accommodation to residents with complex care needs.
It will be delivered through funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health, Disablity and Ageing and will offer transitional, short-term support with an average expected resident length stay of six to 12 months.
The opening was marked by a morning tea celebration with Ms Cooke, the Archbishop of Brisbane Jeremy Greaves, and residents and their families.
“This unit will provide a high level of tailored care for eight individuals who exhibit severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and are unable to be effectively cared for by mainstream aged care services,” Ms Cooke said.
“It’s fantastic that our Abri Residential Aged Care Home is now equipped to offer this vital, specialised program which is a first for the Gold Coast region and provides a supportive, safe environment where residents are treated with dignity and respect.
“In 2025 there are an estimated 85,200 people living with all forms of dementia and this figure is projected to increase to an estimated 168,300 by 2054. We recognise the growing need for this type of specialised care in Australia and these units will be an asset to the local community.”
Ms Cooke explained that the SDCP unit will help people living with dementia by reducing or stabilising their behaviour or psychological symptoms in a dedicated, dementia-friendly environment. The end goal, she said, is supporting them to move to a less intensive, but mainstream care setting.
“We employ specialist nurses and work with the best geriatricians and other practitioners to provide best-practice care through behaviour support and care plans,” Ms Cooke said. “However, it’s important to acknowledge everyone’s journey is different, and the program offers a personalised approach with the duration of each residents stay tailored to their unique needs.”
The Abri unit builds on the success of Anglicare Southern Queensland’s St Martin’s Residential Aged Care Home SDCP, which is externally recognised as a vital flagship service.
The accommodation is a cottage-like environment, with open plan layouts, home-style furnishings, secure outdoor spaces and calming colour schemes, all designed to support comfort, safety and independence.
Clinical director of rehabilitation, aged care and community services at Gold Coast Health, Dr Ben Chen said the Abri SDCP will allow for collaboration and much needed support through its provision of additional beds, capacity and resources for aged care in the Gold Coast region.
“This unit will be particularly beneficial to persons living with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, offering them quality and dignity of life through the provision of specialised care that they need,” he said.
“The unit will reduce unnecessary admissions to hospital by improving capacity and capability within the aged care sector to support this vulnerable cohort.
“Gold Coast Health will collaborate with Abri SDCPU by providing a visiting geriatrician and clinical nurse consultant who will offer specialist advice and support for the SDCPU clients in the form of weekly meetings and monthly clinical advisory committee.”
An additional $5.2 million in funding for Anglicare SQ from the Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing will go towards the establishment of SDCP units at the E.M Tooth Residential Aged Care Home in Manly and the Symes Thorpe Residential Aged Care Home in Toowoomba. Each of these units will offer nine beds and contribute to the national goal of 35 SDCP units.
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