MEMBER STORIES
VMCH’S AWARD-WINNING DEMENTIA CARE UNIT PARTNERSHIP WITH INTERIOR DESIGN SPECIALIST REAPS REWARDS
S
upporting people to do what they can for themselves is a key driver of VMCH’s services for people living with dementia. For those living with severe symptoms who are unable to live in mainstream residential aged care, this can be more of a challenge. With this in mind, VMCH was thrilled to partner with leading interior designer and dementia design specialist, de Fiddes Design, for the refurbishment of its specialist dementia care unit, Lady Lourdes House. Located within VMCH’s St Bernadette’s Aged Care Residence in Melbourne’s Sunshine North, Lady Lourdes supports people with severe symptoms of dementia by helping to reduce and stabilise dementia behaviours, promote greater independence and improve their quality of life.
The kitchen encourages independence.
De Fiddes not only specialises in creating practical spaces to support this specialist dementia care, but beautiful ones too. For its work at Lady Lourdes House, the company took out the ‘Best Dementia Care Design Project’ in the category ‘Leading Experts in Aged Care Interior Design – Australia’ at the 2022 Build Home and Garden Awards in March. De Fiddes Managing Director Debbie de Fiddes said winning the design award was an “honour”, and though the project wasn’t without its challenges, it was successful because VMCH shared their passion to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Living spaces create a sense of peace and calm.
Continued on page 80
79
