Baptcare
Baptcare is a leading, faith-based not-for-profit organisation that operates in the states of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, Australia. It provides residential and community care for older people and support to children, families, and people with disability, financially disadvantaged people and people seeking asylum.
Services
Residential Aged Care
Baptcare operates ten residential aged care facilities in Victoria and Tasmania:
- Hedley Sutton Community in Camberwell, Victoria
- Karana Community in Kew, Victoria
- Karingal Community in Devonport, Tasmania
- Northaven Community in Kerang, Victoria
- Peninsula View in Frankston South, Victoria
- St Hilary’s Community in Morwell, Victoria
- Strathalan Community in Macleod, Victoria
- Templestowe Orchards Community in Doncaster East, Victoria
- Westhaven Community in Footscray, Victoria
- Wyndham Lodge Community in Werribee, Victoria
Community Aged Care
Baptcare's Community Aged Care programs offer care for older people living in their own homes. Baptcare provides Community Aged Care services in metropolitan and regional Victoria, and northern Tasmania. Services include:
- Community Aged Care Packages (CACP)
- Extended Aged Care at Home packages (EACH)
- Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages (EACH D)
- Community Nursing Service (CNS) district nursing and podiatry
- Day Therapy
- Day Centres
- Respite care
Family Services
Baptcare's Family Services division assists families, children and people with disabilities. Services include:
- Disability services; including respite, case management, continuity of care and flexible support packages
- Family support services; including parenting skills development and postnatal depression programs
- Home based care; including foster care, shared family care and kinship care programs
- Early years services; including early intervention programs and administration of flexible support packages
- Gateway and Integrated Family Support Services in the North and South-West regions of Tasmania
- Local Area Coordination services for people who have met NDIS access criteria in Eastern Adelaide, Western Adelaide and Yorke and Mid North South Australia
Housing for asylum seekers
Baptcare operates Sanctuary, a supported housing service for people seeking asylum in the Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick and Preston.
Sanctuary offers Transitional supported accommodation for people seeking asylum who:
• Are homeless or at risk of homelessness; • Have little or no income; and • Are awaiting an outcome on their refugee or humanitarian visa application
Baptcare currently has two Sanctuary facilities. Brunswick has been operating since May 2008 accommodates 28 male asylum seekers and Preston was opened in September 2012 and can accommodate up to 49 asylum seekers – 44 males plus a family of up to five in a self-contained three bedroom apartment.
Baptcare's History
Baptcare's work began when Strathalan Community opened in 1945 as Australia’s first Baptist home for elderly people. The Baptist Church bought the Strathalan homestead in 1944. The Victorian Baptist Women’s Association (VBWA) suggested that Strathalan become a home for the elderly. The VBWA raised 4,000 pounds over four years to re-open the homestead as Strathalan Home for the Elderly.
In 1945, the first of Baptcare's aged care homes, Baptcare Strathalan Community opened.
In 1959, Baptcare Karana Community was constructed.
In 1960, Baptcare Northaven Community was opened.
In 1966, the Hedley Sutton Community Hostel opened and the nursing home was developed later with the proceeds of a legacy.
In 1972, Baptcare's Hedley Sutton Community was opened.
In 1978, Baptcare's Westhaven Nursing Home and Hostel was opened.
In 1981, Baptcare begins providing family services after assuming operations of the Aberfeldie Baptist Church’s emergency child care services.
In 1990, Baptcare gains federal government funding for the first Community Aged Care packages.
In 1991, Baptcare's Karingal Community opened.
In 1996, Westhaven and Southhaven Adult Day Centres opened.
In 1997, St Hilary's Community became part of Baptcare.
In 2006, Baptcare changed its name from Baptist Community Care.
In 2007, Baptcare’s central office relocated to expanded premises in Camberwell.
In 2008, Baptcare expanded its services into Tasmania when it merged with the Devonport-based Karingal Care Services.
In 2008, Baptcare began providing housing for asylum seekers when it established Sanctuary.
In 2009, Baptcare expanded its family services into Tasmania.
In 2010, Baptcare acquired Wyndham Lodge.
In 2011, development of an aged care facility commenced at Westmeadows.
In 2012, Baptcare purchased land for future developments in Lalor, Armstrongs Creek and Norlane.
In 2012, Templestowe Orchards Retirement Living East Doncaster, becomes part of Baptcare.
In 2012, Baptcare Affordable Housing Ltd was established.
In 2013, Baptcare commenced Baptcare Peninsula View Community in Frankston South.
In 2016, Baptcare Norlane Community begins construction.
References
"Baptist Union of Victoria: Baptcare". Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
"Abercare Family Services - Organisation - Pathways". Retrieved 30 March 2010.
"Baptcare - Organisation - Pathways". Retrieved 29 March 2010.