What is GreenConnect?
The GreenConnect Dementia Respite Project – a pioneering advancement in dementia care within the Loddon-Mallee region.
This innovative, three-year, not-for-profit initiative, introduces a novel approach to dementia respite through nature-based activities, experiences, and accommodation in environments designed for inclusivity.
Bridging Gaps in Dementia Care
GreenConnect offers specialised respite care for people living with early to mid-stage dementia and their carers, helping them stay in their homes longer. Our project provides personalised support tailored to individual needs, ensuring care is delivered in the best environment for each participant.
Our dedicated team is committed to delivering exceptional experiences that delay the need for residential care. Funded by a $1.7 million Australian Government grant, GreenConnect provides all activities, accommodation, and meals at no cost, with services continuously refined based on participant feedback.
Innovating with ‘Green Care’
Green Care is an emerging concept that integrates nature into healthcare practices, promoting wellbeing through structured outdoor activities. GreenConnect applies these principles to dementia care, offering participants a chance to reconnect with the natural world.
Our approach involves creating safe, engaging environments where participants can enjoy gardening, walking in nature, and other outdoor activities tailored to their abilities. These activities reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall wellbeing, offering a refreshing alternative to conventional respite care.
Our Goals
Provide inclusive, nature-based respite care that meets the diverse needs and abilities of people living with dementia.
Enhance the quality of life for people living with dementia and their carers.
Reduce stress for carers by offering engaging activities that provide a meaningful break.
Fill the gaps in dementia care by offering an alternative to traditional, residential aged care facilities.
Promote understanding and reduce stigma through community involvement and education.
The GreenConnect Experience
GreenConnect offers a variety of nature-based activities that stimulate the senses, encourage social connections, and provide meaningful engagement. Our activities include guided nature walks, gardening, art projects, and outdoor social events, all tailored to different abilities and preferences. We also provide overnight accommodation in homelike settings, ensuring safety while promoting independence and dignity.
We provide a compassionate, tailored approach to respite care, starting with an eligibility assessment to ensure our programs meet each participant’s needs. This process helps us create a personalised care plan that enhances quality of life by focusing on individual strengths and preferences. Our commitment to inclusivity and person-centred care ensures support for both participants and their carers, offering opportunities for rest and rejuvenation in a safe, welcoming environment.
Advancing Dementia-Inclusive Environments
The Certification Process
Our Business Assessment and Certification Team is enhancing dementia-inclusive environments in the Loddon-Mallee region. Supported by a business operations expert, the team evaluates services for people with dementia and their carers, defining best practices for Respite Tourism. Local businesses are assessed for dementia inclusivity, helping to develop and refine the GreenConnect Dementia Respite Certification, known as ‘The Green Tick.’ Businesses receive detailed reports with actionable recommendations, guiding them toward creating dementia-friendly spaces and fostering a more inclusive community.
Who’s behind GreenConnect?
A consortium of like-minded organisations has come together to improve respite services for people living with dementia and their carers by creating opportunities to connect with nature. The project is available across the Loddon-Mallee region, including areas like Bendigo, Heathcote, Mildura, and Merbein.
Heathcote Dementia Alliance (HDA)
Project Management
HDA is a voluntary not-for-profit charitable organisation, reimagining dementia care by influencing perception of person-centred care through community, built form, innovation and technology. The HDA board (executive level volunteers) is supported by a group of national and international experts and community volunteers. HDA created a Futures Hub where innovation starts and ideas and concepts are created by bringing researchers, innovators, and educators together to work in collaboration. HDA puts the ideas and innovations into practice eg. Costerfield House, an innovative cutting-edge housing and care solution for dementia supportive care.
Rural Care Australia
Coordination Site
Rural Care Australia is based in Merbein and has demonstrated capability of delivering respite care having progressively increased capacity from 1280 in FY 2019-20, to 1597 in FY 2021-22. The organisation regularly varies its respite bed offering to ensure alignment with and ability to meet anticipated demand. Rural Care Australia is supported by a skilled nursing, care, lifestyle and allied health staff with proven capability around the assessment, care planning and innovative service delivery which ensures positive outcomes for care recipients. The respite care service is underpinned by resident’s choices about all aspects of their care where it is safe to do so.
Princes Court
Lead Agency and Coordination Site
Princes Court operates a 100-bed residential care home, a 55-unit retirement village, and community-based in-home care services in the Loddon-Mallee region. The organisation has a strong belief in nature theory, demonstrable from the extensive gardens which are planted and tended by residents. Both the CEO and Finance Manager are qualified Charted Accountants of Australia and have many years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, including the management of grant programs and the necessary financial and reporting requirements associated with such agreements.
The John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research
Implementation and Evaluation
Based at La Trobe University, the JRC is Australia’s only centre dedicated to rural ageing and aged care research. The centre provides contemporary, innovative, and relevant evaluation experience and expertise. Centre staff have extensive expertise in the implementation and evaluation with particular emphasis on research into dementia care.
The key outputs of this project include sustainable and value for money GreenConnect program, people diagnosed with dementia and their carers access and benefits from Green Care activities and Green Care social enterprise and accreditation process for providers.
Heathcote Health
Coordination Site
Heathcote Health is a rural public hospital providing a range of community-based and residential respite services for the Heathcote and district community. Their community-based respite services include in-home and out-of-home options. Heathcote Health has considerable experience working with key stakeholders on translational research involving people diagnosed with dementia and carers. Heathcote Health has the capability to pilot the use of innovative Green Care sites/activities for respite and the capacity to manage the operational requirements. The organisation has an extensive fleet of community services vehicles to meet transport requirements and can access the RFDS Victoria Community Transport Program for local residents.
Steering Group Members
The Steering Group aims to collaborate to build strong relationships, facilitate inter-organisational and inter-community communication and contribute to sharing skills and knowledge between all members of the Group.
The GreenConnect Dementia Respite Steering Group provides strategic direction to the Consortium partners.
Organisation – Advisory Role
Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative – First Nations
Bendigo Carer Connect Group – Carer / Person diagnosed with Dementia
Bendigo Health – Dementia Community Nursing
Care Economy Research Institute – Research
Carers Victoria – Carer Sector Development
Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing – Cultural & Linguistically Diverse Groups
City of Greater Bendigo – Local Government
Dementia Australia – Dementia Service Development
Heathcote Dementia Alliance – Consortium Partner / Project Management / Secretariat
Heathcote Health – Consortium Partner
La Trobe Rural School of Health – Occupational Therapy
Princes Court – Consortium Partner / Lead Organisation / Finances
Rock Solid Marketing – Marketing
Rural Care Australia – Consortium Partner
Sunraysia Community Health Services – Community Health
The John Richards Centre for Ageing, La Trobe University – Implementation / Evaluation
Thorne Harbour Country – LGBTQA+
Wicking DREC UTAS – Dementia Nature Experiences Research
Who are the GreenConnect Care Team?
The care team has been formed to increase the project’s productivity and innovation, and includes:
Project Manager
Project Team Leader
Respite Care Coordinators in Bendigo and Mildura regions
CarerConnect Advisory Group Coordinator
Care Friends Coordinator
Activity and Accommodation Assessment and Accreditation Coordinator
Sandra Slatter
Project Manager
Heathcote Dementia Alliance HDA, through their President is responsible for the project management; coordination and overseeing the entire project processes, from start to finish, including planning, creating deadlines and milestones, and managing the project team.
Jade Field
Respite Care Coordinator
Respite Care Coordinators are an integral part of the care team, ensuring services are delivered in line with the operational guidelines and legislative requirements. Responsibilities include implementing best practice approaches across all areas, ensuring services are delivered within a person-centred care framework and undertaking duties in a way which contributes to a positive experience for carers and people with dementia.
Kaye Matthews
Respite Care Coordinator
Respite Care Coordinators are an integral part of the care team, ensuring services are delivered in line with the operational guidelines and legislative requirements. Responsibilities include implementing best practice approaches across all areas, ensuring services are delivered within a person-centred care framework and undertaking duties in a way which contributes to a positive experience for carers and people with dementia.
Marg Rae
CarerConnect Advisory Group Coordinator
The CarerConnect Advisory Group Coordinator coordinates a small group of carers and people living with dementia who provide advice, input and feedback to the Steering Group. The CarerConnect Advisory Group trials, evaluates and reports on the suitability of potential activities and respite opportunities for carers and people living with dementia.
Jenny Makepeace
Care Friend Coordinator
The Care Friend Coordinator coordinates a group of dementia trained volunteers (retired nurses / people with lived experience) who provide assistance and support to carers when undertaking activities or on excursions.
Jane McLean
Assessment & Accreditation (A&A) Coordinator
The A&A Coordinator provides dementia awareness sessions, education programs, information and resources for businesses on the complexities of hosting/providing services to people living with dementia and their carers. The A&A Coordinator undertakes a dementia-inclusive assessment process and provides the ‘green tick’ business accreditation.
Jane brings a wealth of knowledge of small business, marketing, WHS and HR, with a strong knowledge of the regional business community. Including as owner operator of a regional recruitment agency, marketing to regional businesses (Telstra), employment relations / WHS, and business development with Bendigo TAFE.
Evaluating Our Impact
GreenConnect is committed to delivering tangible benefits to people living with dementia and their carers, with rigorous evaluation at the core of our approach.
The John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research at La Trobe University uses the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) to assess our impact, focusing on both immediate outcomes and long-term sustainability. This comprehensive evaluation covers how we implement the project, improve participant wellbeing and carer satisfaction, analyse cost-effectiveness compared to traditional care, and understand the broader community impact.
Positive Impact and Community Connection
Early evidence of GreenConnect’s success is reflected in the overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, who report reduced stress, improved mood, and stronger social connections. Testimonials highlight the profound impact of our services, with one carer noting, “Before GreenConnect, I panicked about how we could make friends. Now, my husband and I have a full diary of things to do and people to meet.” These stories underscore the effectiveness of our approach in providing not just respite care, but also a supportive community and sense of belonging for those facing the challenges of dementia care.
Like to learn more about our project?
Click to open a PDF of our brochure.