Take a walk down memory lane at Palm Lake Care

From residents rediscovering their love of singing to teaming up to play cricket, there are many stories of positive outcomes just months after Palm Lake Care Bethania's Memory Support Unit opened.

Palm Lake Care general manager Kevin Landles said the support unit, affectionately known as 'Memory Lanes' has thrown up some wonderful stories.

There's the man who hadn't left his room for two years who now wanders freely around the secure Memory Lanes site. And there's the resident who remained relatively mute for 18 months who is now singing. Some residents have rediscovered playing piano and others are up and playing cricket against the staff - and winning.

"The built environment here encourages social contact," Kevin explains. "Residents are finding the free-roaming nature of the environment motivating. Memory Lanes is restoring residents' roles and value in society and the result is increased socialisation. It's a true community in every sense of the word."

Memory Lanes doesn't operate under a medical model. Instead, it is a "person-centred" care model. Regimented routines are thrown out the window, allowing residents to be more in control of their day.

Bed times are flexible, long lunches are smiled upon, and spontaneous activities are some of the residents' favourites - some days the facility has recorded up to 11 separate activities based on what the residents feel like doing.

The unit consists of three separate buildings, housing 34 rooms (including three couples' rooms), weave across the site. Coloured paths guide residents around the grounds. There's an orchard with fruit-bearing citrus trees, a gazebo and a men's shed.

Fully catered by onsite chefs, a small kitchen in the core building also allows for fresh food to be prepared and available to residents of this community 24 hours a day.

Also, staff don't wear uniforms.

"Palm Lake Care is committed to making a significant difference in the way our services provide support for people with memory issues," Kevin says. "Memory Lanes is a significant step away from usual dementia care and we're really excited about it."