Strathdon Community: History 1961-1999

	Timeline 1961 - 1999
BACK 2000-2008

1999	Strathdon Community endorsed the concept of developing a collective identity for Uniting Church Agencies, Uniting Care Victoria
1999	Strathdon Council agreed to take the responsibility for the management of Yernga Retirement Village
1999 October	Strathdon Council gives approval in principle for a major redevelopment of Strathdon Community
1999 March	Architects appointed to undertake a detailed consultation and analysis of Stathdon's future requirements, particularly Hostel 17 and Nursing Home. A Project Management Group formed.
1998 March	30th Anniversary Celebrations
1998	Sponsoring Committee now Presbytery Community Services Committee, Maroondah Presbytery, Uniting Church Synod of Victoria
1997 October	Commonwealth Government's Aged Care Reform Bill introduced
1997 June 16	Accreditation by the Australian Council of Health Care Standards for three years over Strathdon's five major aged care programs
1996 March 4	Mingara Day Centre for people with dementia extended its hours until 7.00pm, five days a week
1995	Inadequate Government funding for Strathdon Lodge resulted in it being no longer dementia specific accommodation and became known as Hostel 15
1995	Further extensions to Mingara Day Centre completed
1994	Upgrading of Independent Living Units commenced
1993 March 3	Strathdon Community celebrated 25 years of service to the community and the Anniversary Guild commenced
1993 March 3	Reopening of Mingara Day Centre after major upgrading
1992 April 10	Strathdon Administration Block and Day Hospital all weather canopy and reception was completed
1992 April 5	Strathdon Hostel East Annexe opened, adding a further twelve rooms to Strathdon Hostel.
1991 April 10	Strathdon Lodge opened as a 24 bed Dementia specific hostel
1990	The Socialisation Group was formed to assist people with disabilities which would prevent them from joining other community groups, and also elderly people isolated in the community.
1988 February 21,	Strathdon Hostel West Annexe opened, adding a further twelve rooms to Strathdon Hostel.
1987	Commencement of the Alzheimer's Association Support Group at Strathdon (Nunawading Branch of the Alzheimer's Association of Victoria).
1984 May 14	Mingara Day Centre for people with Alzheimer's and Dementia opened.
1981	Commencement of the Accommodation and Advisory Service
1979 January 10,	Day Therapy Centre Opened
1979	Council of Management established to administer Strathdon Community. The first Chairman was Mr J R Faichney
1978 September 10	60 bed Nursing Home opened
1978	Strathdon Community was transferred to the Division of Community Services of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria
1970	Hostel extended to 58 beds
1968 March 3	Strathdon Community officially opened consisting of 60 Independent Living Units and a 30 bed Hostel
1967	Strathdon Foothills Auxiliary formed
1961	2.7 acres of land donated by Mrs Mary Matheson for the building of an aged care facility

	Services
	Initially the facility consisted of a 30 bed Hostel, which was expanded to 58 beds in 1970. In 1978 a 60 bed Nursing Home was added to the site and the following year a Day Therapy Centre was opened, offering its services to residents and non-residents alike. Since these early days Strathdon has continued to grow, adding 40 Independent Living Units, another 24 bed Dementia Specific Hostel (Jack Faichney Memorial Hostel) and 'Mingara', Strathdon's Day Respite Centre for people with Alzheimer's disease and other Dementias. Strathdon is also responsible for Yernga Retirement Village in Mount Waverley which has 31 Independent Living Units. Strathdon provides the community with a number of non-residential services including Community Rehabilitation and Socialisation Groups, an Alzheimer's Support Group, Pastoral and Support Services, and Community education for student health care workers and municipal council home care workers, and volunteers. The Day Therapy Centre has expanded its program to offer more services to the community including a Therapeutic Activities Group. In 2000 the Commonwealth Government allocated 60 Community Aged Care Packages to Strathdon, enabling it to provide 'hostel' type care for people living in the community. In 2004 an additional 10 packages were awarded, and in 2007 another 30 packages. Australian Council of Healthcare Standards (ACHS) accreditation was obtained in 1996 for all Strathdon residential facilities and Day programs. In 2000, 2003 and 2006, Strathdon Community obtained the maximum three years accreditation from the Commonwealth Aged Care Standards Agency, enabling Strathdon to continue receiving government funding and providing a benchmark for quality of care for all residents.

	Community Base
	Strathdon's client base is drawn from the municipalities of Whitehorse, Manningham, Monash, Knox, Boroondara, Yarra Ranges and Maroondah in Melbourne. Although it has undergone administrative changes over the years, Strathdon still remains under the auspices of the Uniting Church in Australia.

	Governance Council Uniting Aged Care (UAC)
	Uniting Aged Care is the largest provider of aged care services in Victoria and Tasmania. It offers a continuum of care for the aged with a full range of services being provided. Uniting Aged Care is an organisation of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania and was established as a separate entity within the Synod in July 2004, to assist the Uniting Church in meeting the challenge of ministry to its aged care clients, through the provision of quality holistic care. Uniting Aged Care is also part of the Uniting Church's UnitingCare network.

	The Future
	Strathdon Community completed a $20 million Redevelopment of its facilities, ensuring that it continues to provide the best possible care for the aged and those with disabilities. Providing quality aged care services to a community, with increasing demands on those services, is an on-going challenge for Strathdon. Through the continuing support of the wider community, volunteers, local congregations and the Matheson family, Strathdon aims to meet these challenges to ensure that it can continue to provide the best possible care for the aged and those with disabilities as we move through the 21st Century.