Clayton Church Homes (CCH) has unveiled plans for an $18 million redevelopment of its Summerhill residential aged care home in Uraidla.

The aged care provider has lodged plans with Adelaide Hills Council which once approved, would make the Summerhill redevelopment the largest in Uraidla’s history.

CCH’s plans include demolishing the existing home, at 1144 Greenhill Road, and replacing it with a near 4000sqm state-of-the-art residential aged care facility.

The new home will more than double capacity, with 60 rooms, up from 25 in the existing home, which are larger in size and all include ensuites.

CCH has engaged a research team from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) to undertake an international study of best practice, to ensure the new home takes a world-leading approach to dementia care.

This includes a 16-bed Memory Support Unit (MSU) to provide specialist accommodation and care for residents with dementia or other cognitive impairments.

Other features include a library, café, cinema, community room, pop-up store, hairdresser, gym, a family sleepover room for visiting guests, landscaped gardens, terraced areas, and decks overlooking the surrounding rolling hills and vines.

The redevelopment will also include significant water storage facilities, for both bushfire protection and drinking consumption, to minimise environmental impact.

Construction would start early next year ahead of completion by July 2022.

“The redevelopment of Summerhill will help meet increased demand for high quality aged care due to the area’s ageing population”, said CCH Chief Executive Officer Nino DiSisto.

“Older people in the Hills have shown that when they transition into aged care, they would prefer to stay within their existing local community.

“While refurbishments and improvements have been made to the home since it was acquired by CCH in 2016, we recognise that a more significant redevelopment is required to ensure we can provide the very best physical, emotional and pastoral support.

“CCH undertook several rounds of community, staff, resident and family consultation when planning the home’s redevelopment to ensure Summerhill meets the needs of residents and the community now and into the future”.

Mr DiSisto said the project would create jobs in the short and long term.

“Once open, the redeveloped home will create additional employment for approximately 40 nursing care and other support staff” he said.

“We are looking forward to starting the redevelopment, pending Council’s approval, and will be tendering the contract in the coming months”.

Existing Summerhill residents will be temporarily relocated to CCH’s properties in Woodside or Magill during construction.

CCH’s fellow Uniting Church-affiliated aged care providers Eldercare and Resthaven, along with Southern Cross Care, have also offered residents temporary accommodation where possible.