Date: 21 November 2017

Whiddon’s new aged care home in Grafton has officially open its doors following the home’s grand opening event on 21 November 2017. The Whiddon team welcomed Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, the organisation’s Board of Directors, distinguished guests, residents, families, employees and members of the community to join the celebration.

The journey to our new home

The aged care home has been part of the Grafton community since its opening in 1981 and the original building, originally known as Livingstone House after Mr Bert Livingstone who donated a significant amount to enable the home to be built, was opened by the then Federal Treasurer, Mr John Howard. The home became part of The Whiddon Group in 1984 and has been an important part of our organisation for over thirty years.

Stage one of the new home opened in August 2016 following just over 12 months of construction and stage two opened in late October 2017.

The first stage of the home saw Whiddon Grafton’s existing residents transfer across to the new building and settle into their new, modern home. Stage two of the home has added an additional 56 aged care places, including a 23 place secure dementia care wing, to the Clarence region. Whiddon Grafton now offers 110 residential aged care places, supporting older people and their families in the region.

The additional residential places and extension of the home have created more than 60 new employment opportunities in the region, along with the additional construction jobs created over the 2 year project and increased business for local suppliers and businesses with the growth of the home.

 Honouring our history and local community members

Whiddon has a long-standing tradition of naming our homes or new wings after those who support our organisation and this is a tradition we are delighted to have been able to continue at Grafton. Two of the wings in the new building are named in recognition and honour of two local community members who have support Whiddon Grafton for more than 20 years – Mr Livingstone and Mr Forman – with the residential wings named Livingstone and Forman. Whiddon Grafton’s new dementia care wing has been named ‘Clarence’, after the beautiful river that is iconic to this region.

 

Read about our grand opening in the Daily Examiner here.