Walbirniny Mia Aboriginal Elder Care development set for Beaconsfield home

A landmark development for Aboriginal elders to age in place is on track in Beaconsfield.

The $9 million Walbirniny Mia Aboriginal elder care project will cater for up to 50 elders across 21 homes in what is being described as a move towards more culturally appropriate, independent living sites.

When it is complete, the facility will be led by the Langford Aboriginal Association and will be one of the few operating in the State that offer dedicated living spaces for elders.

LAA co-founder and Wilman Noongar woman Angela Ryder said the facility was a long time coming for the community.

“There is no Aboriginal-specific aged care facility and we don’t have the wealth behind us to go into retirement villages, which is expensive,” she said.

“Having a facility like this, which is ageing in place ... would be incredibly wonderful for elders in our community.”

And while not shovel-ready, the development was greenlit to further progress this month after the City of Fremantle unanimously agreed to waive fees for future development applications at its September 27 meeting.

Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said she was excited to see the project on track for construction.

“It’s really good to see that’s moving ahead and we’d love to see some building start happening,” she said.

“Older Aboriginal people could have stable housing with long-term ownership.”

Development applications to the city can cost up to $34,196. The application for this project was expected to have cost about $20,873.

Ms Ryder said the project would address a clear gap in the community of Aboriginal-led care programs, which she says is a crucial part of caregiving.

“From a cultural lens, we have an understanding of our community,” she said.

“We’re able to build those relationships based on kinship and establish connections quickly.”

In 2018, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified Aboriginal people having limited access to mainstream aged care and three years later the McGowan Government pledged $10 million towards a dedicated facility in Queens Park.

The health and aged care facility — a collaboration from Sister Kate’s and Hall & Prior — is due to open at the Sister Kate’s site in Queens Park by the middle of next year with 80 beds for Aboriginal seniors.

“One of the biggest barriers for Aboriginal seniors accessing aged care facilities is the lack of culturally safe services,” former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt said at the time.

In 2019-20, LAA recorded 7800 Aboriginal elders aged 50 and over living in Perth. Only nine of these elders were receiving elder care program services from Aboriginal providers.

The statistics are a clear contrast to the hundreds of aged care facilities from major service providers in Perth. Hall & Prior Aged Care Group currently operate 20 homes in the metropolitan area, while Aegis Aged Care Group run more than 25 nursing homes throughout Perth and the South West.

“It all stemmed from safety and being able to age in place without the added stresses that comes with life,” Ms Ryder said.

“In general (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) can have complex lives.

“Safety was a high priority throughout the community consultations, that we had a facility or a place that doesn’t represent being in a mission or institution.”

The project will be backed by multiple organisations who form the Walbirniny Mia Aboriginal Elder Care Cooperative — founded by LAA and the Mandjah Boodjah Aboriginal Corporation.

The land currently operates seven homes designed for elder care, which will be expanded and refurbished following approvals.

Ms Ryder said extensive community consultation had resulted in a business case for the project, which prescribed for palliative care, aged care independent living and culturally appropriate facilities.

The Beaconsfield land is owned by the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and managed by the Mandjah Boodjah Aboriginal Corporation.

Building company Dale Alcock Projects was also recently selected as the preferred proponent for the site.

Ms Ryder said the cooperative hoped to conclude the business case in December and begin construction mid-2024.