The Enliven Iona Dementia Care Unit at Peacehaven Village in Invercargill already has two separate wings dedicated to dementia patients — one with 20 beds for less severely impacted patients — known as D3 — and the other with 20 beds for those requiring specialised hospital-level care, known as D6 psychogeriatric care.
Presbyterian Support Southland (PSS) chief executive Matt Russell said the project would increase the number of D6 beds in Southland by 30%.
"With an ageing population and average age expectancy continuing to rise, demand for dementia level care is increasing in terms of demand and complexity.
"It is critical that as a region we are poised to respond to this challenge and ensure Southland is able to care for its residents now and into the future."
He said the project, expected to cost about $386,000, involved creating six additional beds by repurposing office and storeroom space within the existing building footprint.
It also included fire safety compliance work, equipping and furnishing each new room, creating a new nurse station and nurse call system and refreshing the lounge and kitchen.
Mr Russell said D6 was the highest level of dementia care available in New Zealand and due to a lack of these type of beds in Southland, there were times when residents had to leave the region while they waited for a space to become available.
"When these very vulnerable residents needed to leave the region for D6 level of care it creates a huge amount of stress and anxiety for the residents and their families."
The upgrade was expected to start this year and would be funded with a combination of support from individuals, community and external funders and donors, with any funding shortfall met from PSS Enliven operating budgets, he said.
