Funding target reached for D6 project

Strong community support has enabled Presbyterian Support Southland (PSS) to meet its funding target for an expansion project at the Iona dementia facility, Invercargill.

The $400,000 project involves creating six additional D6 psychogeriatric beds and other improvements to the dementia unit at Peacehaven Village for the most vulnerable of Southland’s elderly population.

“We are thrilled to report, thanks to the generosity of a significant number of contributors, including First Church, the project is now fully funded,” PSS chief executive Matt Russell said.

Private aged care providers like PSS do not receive government funding for capital expenditure projects, so we needed to seek support from external funders to help finance capital improvement work in their care homes, he said.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the community for recognising the need and lending their support to this vital project.”

The Iona unit has two separate wings, one for less severely impacted dementia patients (known as D3), and the other for those requiring specialised hospital-level care (known as D6 psychogeriatric care), the highest level of dementia care available in New Zealand. PSS is the sole provider of psychogeriatric care in Southland.

“The upgrade of the Iona unit will go a long way towards meeting the increasing demand for dementia care and addressing the current lack of D6 beds in the region,” Mr Russell said.

“Residents will be more likely able to access psychogeriatric care in Southland and remain closer to their families.” 

Work to upgrade the Iona dementia unit began in August last year and is expected to be completed by the end of February.