Regional Aged-Care Facilities

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister please update the council on the government's work to upgrade regional aged-care facilities?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:53): I would like to thank the honourable member for her question. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to providing quality health care close to home for all South Australians. The government is delivering on this commitment not only in hospital services but also in aged care. Early in November, I had the pleasure to visit the Lumeah Homes residential aged-care facility, which is co-located with the Snowtown hospital. The visit was to mark the completion of the updates to the aged-care facility, which cost $3.4 million and created more than a dozen jobs through the life of the project.

As part of this project, the Marshall Liberal government has delivered a new air-conditioning and fire sprinkler system, new nurse call and improved site security, improvements in fire compartmentation in line with current Australian building standards, replaced the facility's roof, refreshed the facade, and provided a new kitchen servery and new ensuites in the residents' bedrooms. I am delighted to see this facility dramatically improve through the Marshall government's investment and, in doing so, provide the Snowtown community a suitable facility for aged care for years to come.

In addition to the investment in the Snowtown aged-care facility, the Marshall government has also made a substantial investment in the Strathalbyn aged-care facility, with the $15.4 million project well underway. The project is yet another example of partnership, a partnership with the commonwealth Morrison Liberal government: $11.5 million of the project has been committed by the state Marshall Liberal government and the remaining $3.9 million committed by the Morrison government.

The project is not only a refurbishment and upgrade of the current facility, but we are also expanding the aged-care facility in Strathalbyn by an additional 36 beds, providing a total of 92 beds once completed. With the additional 36 beds will be a 24-bed ward for general aged-care residents and a 12-bed memory support unit for aged-care residents with lower levels of symptoms of dementia.

Complementing these additional beds will be a new kitchen and laundry facility, an updated exercise area, a hairdressing area and an outdoor private garden. The project is expected to be completed in early 2022. Once again, these two aged-care facilities are an example of the Marshall Liberal government's commitment to delivering on care for South Australians of all ages and South Australians in all regions.