Building blueprint released

Youngcare has unveiled the building plans of its new, $3.2 million Sydney-based apartments for young people requiring care. The organisation hopes its plans can be used by other groups looking to provide similar accomodation solutions.

Youngcare launched the design blueprints with an event that involved lighting up the sails of the Opera House in the red of the charity’s logo. The organisation did this to “shine a light on the plight of the thousands of families affected by the lack of age-appropriate care facilities”. 

By Yasmin Noone

The national charity, Youngcare, has released the building plans of its tried and tested eight-apartment building project for young people with 24/7 care needs, so that other developers, charitable organisations and governments can recreate their own version in future.

The building blueprint, launched at an event at the Opera House last night, will be used as the design plans upon which a new $3.2 million Sydney apartment block for young people will be based upon, and replicate the design model of the organisation’s Brisbane and on the Gold Coast apartments.

All three projects throughout Australia aim to provide young people requiring care with independent, age-appropriate accommodation, as an alternative to residing in an aged care facility.

“We are taking what we have learnt from our two projects, including feedback from our residents, and applying these learnings to our project in Sydney,” explained Youngcare’s co-founder, David Conry.

“This consumer-driven model is a first of its kind in Australia.

“It is more than a building. It is a place that delivers back the opportunity to live a life as they choose and a fundamental human right.

“…The apartments will have fully functional kitchens, big bedrooms and living rooms and outdoor living areas that young people can call home.

“It won’t be a place where a young person with care needs exists but where they can actually live, and where family and friends can visit and have a big part in their life.

“This is about providing the basic fundamentals that give people a chance to live life with some dignity, while at the same time providing quality care 24 hours a day.”

The new complex, to be built in the western Sydney suburb of Auburn, will feature common areas and an additional apartment for guests to stay over.

“Shared accommodation [for younger people with care needs] is fraught with issues, particularly for those with high medical needs as care is complicated enough as it is.

“Shared accommodation for young people might be cost effective but it’s not dignified.

“..These new apartments will provide young people with independence.”

The blueprint has been in the works for around 18 months. Construction on the apartments is due to commence in March next year and is scheduled for completion in December 2013.

The project involves a partnership with expert care provider St Vincents & Mater Health Sydney and leading infrastructure company Lend Lease.

Eight apartments, eight young people

Youngcare estimates that around 7,500 young Australians currently live in residential aged care.

“There’s also tens of thousands more people living out in the community, desperate for quality accommodation and care.”

According to Mr Conry, this is because there is a chronic lack of age-appropriate housing for young people with a disability.

And while quality residential aged care is fine for someone of an older age, it is often not the right housing option for someone with radically different tastes, going through a different phase of life and wanting different experiences to the elderly.

“There is an enormous gap that needs to be filled. The reality is that it will take a generation to change.

“But there is an opportunity [for the governments and developers] to deliver young people with what they want – a range of models that include choice.
 
“…The issue of young people living in aged care is a national tragedy that has gone unaddressed for far too long.

“It is an enormous injustice, but with the right amount of support, it’s one that can be solved – and in our lifetime.”

Mr Conry now invites developers, state governments and other interested groups to examine the building plans and consider replicating the Sydney apartments model elsewhere around the country so that young people can get out of aged care.

“We know we can’t solve the issue eight people at a time, which is why we will be introducing a new model of care and architectural design standards to the Sydney apartments to prove to government and the housing industry that there is a viable model that is easy to replicate.

“…We are very keen for the sector or government to have an interest in what we are doing and take it up.”

He said although the apartment model is not “rocket science”, it is unique in the space of accommodation for young people with care needs.

“And it really is facilitating space for young people to live an independent life.

“If young people are provided with a physical environment that is specific to their needs and they are getting care specific to their [disability], their health will be far better off as a result and they will happier, and their families will be far happier.

“Again, it’s not really rocket science. It’s just about providing a place for young people to live that [is similar] to what people live in normally.”

Tags: david-conry, disability, opera-house, young-people, youngcare,

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