Business View Oceania | September 2020

23 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA SEPTEMBER 2020 LYNDEN AGED CARE the care and special touches for which Lynden is renowned. A vibrant lifestyle program keeps residents active and entertained, ensuring that their physical, mental and spiritual needs are met. At Lynden, everyone is encouraged to remain as independent as possible knowing that assistance is available when required. Staffing levels are higher than the industry standard and at least one registered nurse is on site at all times. Music therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, hairdressing and other services are part of the facility’s offering, and the importance of a healthy diet is a priority. In that regard, the Board has invested heavily in all aspects of the catering service. Carolyn Panassie, CEO of Lynden Aged Care, reports, “In 1991, the facility expanded with the addition of more than 30 extra beds. At that time, the local council decided to give up the operation of Gaffney House. They formed Lynden Aged Care Association, Inc. and donated the land to the Association. That organisation has been running it ever since through a volunteer board made up of eight members of the community. They had 78 beds back then in two separate buildings – the original Gaffney House hostel and the nursing home section. Realising an expansion was needed to keep up with the times and the growing demand in the area, they hired Blair Architects and embarked on a significant refurbishment and expansion project which took about eight years to complete, in four stages, and increased the number of beds to 102. In addition to the original Gaffney House building and the nursing home there are two other sections. It’s an amazing building with lots of natural light and courtyards that show off the beautiful established gardens.” Lynden Aged Care is owned by community members, run by the Board of Directors, with Panasssie as CEO, and Natasha Savell as Clinical Services Manager. The facility offers high care, low care, respite care, dementia-specific care