IT’S no accident that the entry and ground floor of the new Kilpatrick Court residential aged care facility at Toronto looks like the foyer of a boutique resort hotel.
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That was exactly the design brief given to the architects of Anglican Care’s $39 million project.
And Anglican Care chief executive officer Colin Osborne reckons the architects “nailed it”.
“We want people to experience a boutique hotel front-of-house environment, while having a McDonald’s approach in terms of back-of-house,” he said.
Mr Osborne said the McDonald’s reference was in no way disparaging.
“I mean McDonald’s in relation to reliability, consistency, compliance with regulations, dependability and predictability,” he said.
The Lakes Mail was given a guided tour of the 147-place facility this week.
Residents have recently settled into their new environment.
Plans for an official opening are still being finalised.
Many of the initial intake of residents at Kilpatrick Court were relocated from Anglican Care’s C A Brown retirement living facility at Booragul, which is being redeveloped.
Mr Osborne said the Toronto facility was part of a much bigger plan envisaged by Anglican Care, which runs facilities and services for seniors across the Hunter, Central Coast and Manning regions.
“This is the first project in a capital works program with a total value of $200-million plus to be rolled out over seven to 10 years,” he said.
When the C A Brown building is completed in about 18 months, residents who were moved into Kilpatrick Court will be given the option of returning to the Booragul facility.
Mr Osborne said shifting to Kilpatrick Court had been an ordeal for some C A Brown residents.
“And we don’t underestimate the impact it has had on our residents to move them,” Mr Osborne said.
For some residents, this is their first experience of living in a high-rise environment.
Staff and families have played an important role is helping to reassure residents who were unsettled by the move.
In a short time, Kilpatrick Court had made an impression on residents and their families, Mr Osborne said.
The safety, comfort and privacy of the rooms, the decor, quality fittings and the “abundance of natural light” that permeates the building have prompted favourable comments.
In-house facilities such as a hairdresser and beautician, physiotherapist and exercise room, activities areas, internal courtyard, communal cafe and restaurant-like dining areas added to the resort-like ambiance of the place, Mr Osborne said.
Despite the merit of Kilpatrick Court’s new bricks and mortar, Mr Osborne said it was ultimately the “skill, competency and commitment” of staff that remained Anglican Care’s most important and valued asset.
