It was the late Mr. Don Isles through the Rotary Club of Griffith, who first suggested that there was a need for Nursing Home and Hostel accommodation in Griffith in 1970.
Soon after on 8th November 1971, the first public meeting was held to gather support for the project and as a result of this meeting a working Committee was formed to promote the Project.
On 10 February 1972, the Pioneers Lodge Ladies Auxiliary was founded primarily to raise funds for the project.
Between 1972 and 1975 the working Committee and the Ladies Auxiliary was busy raising funds.
In 1975, the NSW Department of Health approved the lease of approximately 0.4832 hectares of land on the hospital site, Animoo Avenue Griffith, for the project.
In December 1976, a tender from Warburton Constructions was selected for the construction of the 62 bed facility.
On 26th August 1978, the facility was officially opened by Stuart McWilliam.
The Pioneers Lodge has always been an independent organization but initially it contracted a wide range of services from the Griffith Base Hospital including management, clerical, maintenance, linen and food services.
The arrangement served both organizations well until 1997, when the newly formed Area Health Service decided to centralize and rationalize many of its services, to concentrate on “core services”.
1997 also saw the introduction of a radical funding system for Aged Care. The “deficit funding system” was replaced by a new system which funded Aged Care providers according to the care needs of their residents. The subsidy provided had an inbuilt profit margin which was meant to fund future capital needs.
With the introduction of the new funding system the Commonwealth Government also announced that new building standards for aged care would apply by 2008. Aged Care providers were put on notice that they had 10 years to meet these standards or leave the industry.
This new funding system served the The Pioneers Lodge well and by 2008 it had purchased land at 15-23 Sidlow Road, Griffith and built a new 75 bed facility.
THE NEW FACILITY
The Architect, Mr. Mark Boffa of Boffa Robertson Group, was chosen to design and manage the building project. Forlico Builders of Griffith was awarded the contract to build the new facility.
Building commenced in December 2006 and the project was completed by July 2008. The project was funded from Accumulated funds, Accommodation Bonds and a bank loan.
The new facility consists of:
The Don Mackay Unit – 40 beds high care.
The Curtis Chauncy Unit – 19 beds low care.
The Stuart & Margaret McWilliam Unit – 16 beds low care dementia specific.
The new 75 bed facility is situated on a 2.75 hectare site at 15 – 23 Sidlow Road with ample room and associated support infrastructures already in place for the addition of a further 25 high or low care beds, as well as the addition of Assisted Living and Independent Living Units in the future. |
