Mount St Vincent Nursing Home

Business & Employment in partnership with a local community group Youth and Family Focus are delighted to be able to assist the dementia patients residing at the Mount St Vincent Nursing Home in Ulverstone.

This Work for the Dole activity will create a secure area within the home that is presently a haven for a variety of weeds. This un-utilised area will be revamped to include a paved area meandering through a street scape facade complete with its very own bus shelter. A water feature and murals, created by the Ulverstone High School students, will complete the project providing a pleasant and ‘every day’ setting for the dementia patients to wander.

It is a facet of the dementia behaviour that some residents gain great delight in wandering from the home to sit at nearby bus shelters – possibly awaiting a bus to return them to earlier times within their lives. This featured area, once completed, will provide a safe and secure area to allow the residents to ‘await the bus’ whilst under the protective care of the nursing staff in the nearby dementia ward.
A most worthwhile project that is certain to raise the skill levels and community pride within the participating Work for the Dole members – stay ‘tuned’ to our web site as the works progress!

July 2005 - Earthworks continue at the Mt St Vincent Dementia Unit to create a secure outdoor sensory area.

July 2005 - Dementia Sensory Area Development - Electrical and plumbing work installed.

August 2005 - Dementia Sensory Area Development - Paving design taking shape.

The transformation of the 'patch of weeds' into a unique and exciting area for resident dementia patients is progressing well. Work for the Dole participants, working under the expert guidance and supervision of Mr Jim Saleta from Youth and Family Focus, have postioned the key stones in readiness for the future paving work required to complete this innovative design. The work team are pictured as they discuss with Jim the next stage of the works program.

October 2005 - Dementia Sensory Area Development - Work and Skills Development continues.

Work establishing the outdoor dementia activity and care area within the confines of Mount Saint Vincent’s is progressing extremely well. All under ground drainage, plumbing and wiring is complete with the Business & Employment Work for the Dole participants now fully engaged in the cutting and laying of pavers. The intricate design of coloured pavers will complement the murals, to be attached to the existing buildings, which are being completed by Ulverstone High School students. Murals depicting a farm scene and marine environment have already been erected with another depicting the historic Ulverstone Post Office frontage soon to be added. Business & Employment Work for the Dole participants are pictured laying and cutting pavers as the project nears the completion of Stage 1.

November 2005 - Carpentry and Paving skills in demand. 

The Business & Employment Work for the Dole participants are busily completing the “Escape Street” area at Mt Saint Vincent, designed to provide a secure area for local dementia sufferers to relax and enjoy the summer weather.

The design of the bus stop and street façade is well on the way to becoming reality. Novice builders and designers have gained a huge increase in self esteem and a realisation that they do possess the skills that are very much in demand within Tasmania’s booming employment scene. Under the guidance of Jim and Brett from Youth and Family Focus the team have cut, nailed, hammered and dyna bolted with great gusto to enable the original design concept to begin to take shape.

It is expected that the notional ‘first bus’ run will service the ‘Escape Street’ scene very soon after the Christmas break. The addition of a facsimile of the Historic Ulverstone Post Office plus the addition of murals painted by students from the local high school add a touch of nostalgia to the area. With a ‘bus service’ stopping at all stations on the way down memory lane the new area is certain to be a popular spot for the Mt Saint Vincent residents to gather an enjoy over the summer period.

January 2006 - Placement of Murals.

Work experience participants completing a new amenities area for the dementia patients within the Mt. St. Vincent Nursing Home, under the Work for the Dole Program, are busily engaged in a variety of tasks to ensure that the residents can enjoy the outcome prior to the close of our summer weather.

The placement of murals, completed by talented young artists from the Ulverstone High School, along with a new paint scheme has transformed the previously unutilized area from a ‘garden of weeds’ into a soothing and tranquil gathering place. The mural scenes, requested by the residents, depict a whale in a marine environment and the historic Ulverstone Post Office circa 1908.

Security fencing, along with a water feature, is being installed with paving work close to completion.

April 2006 - Handover.

The handover of the new Mount Saint Vincent’s dementia area marked the successful completion of six months work experience by jobseekers participating in a Tasmanian Work for the Dole activity.

A specially designed amenity area has improved ward security whilst allowing the residents a greater degree of autonomy and access to a safe outdoor environment.

The handover function celebrated the successful completion of participant work experiences involving design concepts, site clearance and drainage, site consolidation, building construction, horticulture, landscape fundamentals and paving. The application of these skills by the participants transformed an unused area, supporting only weeds and waste water, into a well designed outdoor area in which the patients and their families can safely gather away from the ward environment.

The State Manager for Business & Employment Community Solutions, Mr. Ian Fawkner, welcomed guests including Mr. Mark Baker MP – Federal Member for Braddon, Mr. Jeremy Rockliff MHA, Mr. Mike Downie – Mayor Central Coast Council, Mr. Wayne Gaffney – General Manager YAFF and Mr. Tony Muir – Board Chairman Mount Saint Vincent’s whilst making special mention of the excellent work achieved by the group under the supervision of Youth & Family Focus (YAFF) staff, Mssrs. Brett Steers and Jim Saleta.
The activity received direct support from Plumbco Pty Ltd, Lloyds North Pty Ltd, Ibbott’s Home Timber & Hardware and Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd with the provision of materials from these leading Tasmanian Corporate citizens. The Director of Nursing, Ms. Yvonne Kromkamp, emphasized that the new area was sure to improve the quality of life experienced by her dementia patients whilst also providing an excellent area for visiting family members to socialise with their loved ones outside of the ward.