Plan to build $2m wing for dementia patients

A community trust in Maungaturoto has a $2 million plan to keep family members with dementia closer to home.

The Maungaturoto Community Charitable Trust is looking at building a new wing at the Maungaturoto Rest Home it manages that will have space for seven dementia patients.

Trust chairman Don McKay said demand was high for the rest home with a waiting list of people wanting places.

"The vision of our trust is to look after our own people in our community," Mr McKay said.

"We feel a bit uncomfortable when we have to turn people away."

The proposed new wing was a major development and the "ball park" figure for it was about $2 million, he said.

The rest home houses 13 elderly people and the trust looks after 14 self-contained units which people own themselves. The trust wanted the community to know about the project and also to have input, Mr McKay said.

Considering the amount the trust needed to raise, hopefully from some generous community donations, the upcoming meeting could also kick off the fundraising effort.

"It would be nice if there was someone in the community who would be willing to put their hand up," Mr McKay said.

Anybody needing the kind of secure and comprehensive care that dementia patients do, currently have to move out of Maungaturoto.

A community meeting will be held at St John Hall in Maungaturoto on Wednesday at 1.30pm to discuss the development.