Shire of Boddington one step closer to developing ‘urgently needed’ 40-bed aged care accommodation

Boddington residents are one step closer to being able to continue living in their hometown in their latter years after the local shire chose the preferred location of a planned 40-bed aged care facility. The Shire of Boddington’s aged care accommodation plan has progressed after the council confirmed the preferred location for the development in the town’s hospital precinct. The 40-bed facility — proposed to be built on vacant land next to the hospital — would cost an estimated $12 million to $15m. The Shire established an aged accommodation committee in 2020 before developing an aged care services and accommodation strategy report the next year. The median age of residents in the southern Wheatbelt town is 42, above the State average of 38, according to the 2021 Census. Between the 2011-2016 Census periods, the population of Shire residents aged 70 or older grew by 39 per cent, while the overall population declined by 17 per cent in the same period. The report identified a strong demand for aged care accommodation for the aging population. “These findings support the community consensus that a solution for local residential aged care is urgently needed,” Shire President Garry Ventris said. “The Shire of Boddington is taking the lead on this initiative as it has been identified as the highest priority by our community.” The closest aged care options for Boddington residents are more than 100km away in Narrogin, Brookton or Pinjarra, resulting in residents being forced to leave their hometown, family and friends for aged care accommodation. “Imagine living somewhere most of your life, only to have to be relocated over 100km or more away when coming to a later stage in life when you need your friends and family closest?” a Shire spokeswoman said. “That is the current reality for the long-term residents of Boddington, and many other towns in regional WA.” The aged care accommodation facility would aim to enable residents to “age in place”. “The residential aged care options in adjoining metropolitan and Wheatbelt regions are unlikely to be able to respond to the needs of older persons in the Boddington catchment,” a Shire report said. “Consultations also confirm strong desire for residents in the catchment to ‘age in place’ in their community close to family and friends and where they feel they belong. “This choice is considered to be a fundamental right and the position is a strongly held value.” In June, the Shire assessed potential sites for the aged care facility before confirming the land around the Boddington hospital as the more suitable location due to its proximity to health care services and other facilities. The Shire’s next steps involve gaining formal support and endorsement from the WA Country Health Service, determining land tenure options and seeking expressions of interest from service providers.