South Australia’s newest aged care home, Summerhill, a $28 million Clayton Church Homes
(CCH) development, has been officially opened today.
State Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, Nat Cook and Department of Health and Aged Care First Assistant Secretary, Trish Garrett, jointly opened the site, which is nestled in the Adelaide Hills town of Uraidla.
“We are extremely proud of what we have created here and that will continue to evolve,”
said CCH CEO, Jo Boylan.
“Inside and out, Summerhill reflects what is important to older people, their families and the local community. It really is the beginning of a brand new, exciting chapter for everyone, with residents very much at the heart of everything we do.”
Summerhill is based on a ‘small house healthy ageing model’, proven to best support older
people and the professional staff caring for them, said Ms Boylan.
The development features private rooms with ensuites for all residents, each with high-
speed Wi-Fi and 50-inch LED televisions. It also has a gym staffed by positive ageing experts; extensive lifestyle amenities, specialist dementia care support, and architecturally designed landscaped gardens and courtyards.
Residents, the first of whom moved in last month, are offered a selection of meals cooked daily onsite drawing from fresh, seasonal local produce while ‘pop-up’ shops will feature local businesses.
New resident, Rex MacIvor, said Summerhill is “very nice”.
“You get a good view from here which is great for me because I love watching the birds and the planes,” the 89-year-old said.
“You can see over the hills to Mount Lofty.”
Rex has been supported by CCH for more than three decades with one of the Summerhill houses even bearing his name.
“The staff here are very friendly, always smiling and making me laugh,” he said.
“Simon and the team are fantastic, and I trust in their ability to care for me for many years to come.”
South Australian Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, Minister Cook (pictured, right at the opening) said she was “really excited to have these opportunities to connect with older people and find out directly from them what it means to age well”.
“With the gym, beautiful surrounds and regional produce, Summerhill sounds like it will be a place that supports older people to have a positive ageing experience,” she said.
“As a government, we are committed to putting in place supports for older people to allow
them to remain active, engaged in their communities and to live good lives.”
For more information about Summerhill, visit https://summerhill.claytonhomes.com.au/.
