Image: Senator Deborah O’Neill; Cameron Murphy MLC; Fr Paul Gooley, St Agnes Parish Priest; and Tracy Baker, Executive Manager Community and Residential Aged Care for St Agnes’ Care and Lifestyle.
Official opening of Emmaus Village and Community Centre marks new era in dementia care
by Megan Barber
Emmaus Village and Community Centre, which offers an innovative alternative mode of care for people living with dementia, was officially opened at 16 Colonel Barney Drive in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 2 October 2024. Based on best-practice models such as the world-leading The Hogeweyk® model in the Netherlands, Emmaus Village focuses on maintaining a sense of normalcy and fostering community, ensuring residents can live comfortably in a secure environment that supports their needs.
Co-located with Emmaus Home, an existing St Agnes’ Catholic Parish owned and operated residential aged care service, Emmaus Village is purpose-built to support up to 94 people living with dementia. When fully occupied, the village will employ the equivalent of 75 full-time staff across a variety of roles.
The opening ceremony was attended by Bishop Gregory Homeming OCD, Bishop of Lismore; Fr Paul Gooley, Parish Priest; Senator Deborah O’Neill (representing the Federal Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells); Cameron Murphy MLC (representing NSW Minister for Health and Regional Health, Ryan Park); Leslie Williams State Member for Port Macquarie and Pat Conaghan, Federal Member for Cowper; Uncle Bill O’Brien OAM; as well as representatives from Mid North Coast Health, Port Macquarie Hastings Council, the Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Alliance, design and construction firm, Paynters; and Board members and staff from St Agnes’ Catholic Parish.
The project was made possible through a combination of funding sources, with St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle securing approximately one-third of the funding through government grants. The NSW State Government contributed $5m for the Community Centre, while the Australian Federal Government provided $6.5m from the ‘Building Better Regions Fund’ for the construction of the twelve homes, which make up the small household model.
Fr Paul Gooley, Parish Priest of St Agnes’ Catholic Parish, addressed those gathered, acknowledging the hard work of the many people involved in the project and expressing gratitude to the State and Federal Governments for their financial contributions. He also thanked Leslie Williams MP and Pat Conaghan MP for their support, which was integral in securing funding, as well as local business and industry.
“Emmaus Village and Community Centre represents our Parish’s unwavering commitment to providing care and compassion, particularly for those living with dementia, a mission that began as far back as 1991 under the guidance of the late Fr Leo Donnelly,” said Fr Gooley.
“Christ’s call for us to care for, and serve, each other is the driving force behind everything we do at St Agnes’ Catholic Parish. It is our duty as a catholic community to see and respond to the needs of others, particularly the vulnerable. Our Parish mission statement ‘Service of all, particularly those in need’ and our value of ‘Service before self’, reflect this ethos and continue, as always, to inspire our actions,” he said.
In her speech, Senator O’Neill noted that “the respect offered in a community of care where such careful consideration is given to remembering the fundamental dignity of each human person, is completely representational of Catholic faith and belief.”
“To manifest this in such a significant way, in a lighthouse way for our country, right here in Port Macquarie is a remarkable feat of evidenced-based leadership in the health sector,” said Senator O’Neill.
She said the financial contribution made by St Agnes’ Catholic Parish to the building of Emmaus was ‘really putting faith in action through investment’.
Cameron Murphy MCL remarked on the potential impact of this model on dementia care state-wide.
“This is vitally important for people in the community, not just in Port Macquarie, but all of NSW because it provides the absolute best standard of care… something that can be a model for other communities across the state for dementia care,” said Mr Murphy.
Set within a secure 1.6-hectare space, Emmaus Village features twelve houses and a vibrant community centre with a café, corner store, salon, and cinema. Beautifully landscaped grounds encourage residents to move freely, socialise, and share interests, enjoying the comforts of home alongside communal spaces such as the potting shed, vegetable garden, bocce court, citrus orchard, and BBQ areas.
During construction, the project generated significant employment opportunities in the region, injecting an estimated $20m into the local community.
Tony Leahy, CEO of St Agnes’ Catholic Parish, who was unable to attend the event due to illness, sent the following message:
‘Today is an enormous milestone for the Parish, the culmination of many years of work. It is a testament to what can be achieved when people come together to create a better future for those needing care and support in our community. The Parish has a long and distinguished history of caring for our community, built by many great people who came before us. As the current stewards of this incredible legacy, we all strive to build and improve on it where we can. Emmaus Village is now part of this legacy. By providing a community where those living with dementia are cared for in a dignified and caring environment, it will serve the community for decades to come.’
A plaque was unveiled by Senator O’Neill and Mr Murphy to mark the occasion. Following the ceremony, attendees participated in a tour of the Village.
The Bishop of Lismore, Bishop Gregory Homeming OCD, also blessed the Community Centre and each home within the Village.
Port Macquarie has the second-highest rate of people living with dementia in NSW. Nationally, over 411,100 Australians were living with dementia in 2023—a figure projected to double in the next 30 years.
Learn more about Emmaus Village
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