Situated opposite one of Sydney’s most iconic and historic parks, and within walking distance to the city’s leading health precinct, the Uniting Westmead project will arguably become one of Australia’s healthiest places to retire.
The Uniting Westmead project is a new 2.34 hectare retirement living development near Parramatta in Sydney’s west. The first stage of the project, which has recently been completed, includes 70 independent living units, a new 114-bed residential aged care facility and a range of new indoor and outdoor community facilities.
But it is the makeover happening in the vacant nursing home of the precinct, that is already transforming people’s lives – and it’s not for the elderly.
Dozens of new beds are being put in the vacant nursing home, providing temporary accommodation to older women who need a safe place to rest their head while approvals are being sought to develop the aged care facility.
In 5 years the number of homeless women aged between 65 & 75 grew by almost 80%, and those figures only represent the women who have asked for help.
Simon Furness of Uniting said the process could take almost 2 years, “It’s not a solution to homelessness, it’s temporary accommodation while people are in the process of looking for something more permanent,” Mr Furness said.
This fantastic initiative is being lead by Uniting along with RizeUp, a community group that uses social media to source donated goods to set up homes for victims of domestic violence. More information about RizeUp and how to help, head to RizeUp’s website here