Work has started on the multimillion- dollar redevelopment of Werribee’s Wyndham Lodge aged-care centre.
The Synnot Street centre is being redeveloped by Baptcare.
The $20-million redevelopment will add 120 beds to the 28-year-old nursing home, taking the number of aged-care beds at the centre to 150.
The new centre is expected to be finished by the middle of next year.
Baptcare chief executive Graham Dangerfield said the extension reaffirmed Baptcare’s commitment to addressing the shortage of aged-care beds in the region.
The redevelopment was first announced in 2013.
Demolition works started in May last year. The project met some resistance from some of the nursing home’s residents and their families.
As reported by Star Weekly, 29 of the nursing home’s residents had to find new homes to make way for the redevelopment.
Many families objected to being asked to move their loved ones and raised concerns about their ability to cope with the move.
But 21 residents were able to move to other aged-care homes in Wyndham, while six transferred to Baptcare’s Westhaven community in Footscray. Two residents scheduled to move were able to stay at Wyndham Lodge.
Baptcare initially tried to buy neighbouring land so no one would have to move.
