Woodport Aged Care Centre at Erina has introduced a family room to allow residents more space for family gatherings.
The Salvation Army Aged Care facility comprises a residential aged care centre and a retirement village.
The centre has 139 rooms, a spacious village green and lush, tropical gardens that include fishponds and an atrium.
“When an opportunity became available at Woodport to convert a vacant twin-share room into a family room, the team was keen to see if we could bring our design ideas to fruition,” Salvation Army Aged Care Client Relations Manager Jennifer Prested said.
“What we had envisaged was a space that allowed for private dining, small family gatherings or perhaps simply a space that gave a resident more room to indulge in a favourite hobby.”
Prested worked closely with the wider Salvation Army Aged Care team to re-imagine the space.
“We went with curtains, because it is more residential and creates greater privacy,” she said.
Focusing on creating a homely, welcoming environment, panelling was also important.
“Panelling is very popular at the moment; for a large space, it creates more of a sense of home,” Prested said.
National Facilities Manager Peter Cetrangolo was responsible for ensuring the built form was executed from start to finish.
“We collaboratively developed a concept plan with concept drawings that detailed all of the finishes and fixtures and some of the furnishings that produced the final product look,” he said.
He said the space was not just functional, but equally homely.
“That was one of the biggest things that drove the design and the finishing touches like the timber panelling on the wall, the soft curtains, a much more balanced colour of paint and the timber,” he said.
Centre Manager Lanie Sagun said the introduction of the family room met the needs of residents.
“With the changes that we’ve made to the room, it gives that privacy, for example, of their own personal space,” she said.
“And it will just allow them more family time.”