Balingup aged care
Don’t tell Balingup people their town is too small to support its older residents and people with special needs.
A group of local leaders, supported by the South West Development Commission, has worked hard to develop Balingup Visionary Integrated Aged Care (Vintage).
Balingup Vintage chairman Edgar Hawter, whose family has been in the area for several generations, said the idea was to help older people stay in the town by providing accommodation and services that would normally only be located in bigger communities.
“The Vintage concept is ‘home town for life’,” he said.
“It’s a community initiative, not just to provide accommodation but create a service registry so the aged and people with special needs can access necessary services within their community.”
There are three well designed, spacious units in the heart of Balingup as a result of the group’s efforts.
The units boast a range of features designed to make life easier for people with limited access and mobility.
The first resident to move in has been Mary Robinson, who has lived in Balingup for more than 13 years and was keen to stay in town rather than move to an aged care facility elsewhere. She was concerned that one day I’d have to leave Balingup, but thanks to this concept she can stay.