HammondCare and The Disability Trust unit to open café in dementia care village

Supported employees with disability will work in a social enterprise co-located in a dementia care village at HammondCare Horsley, a suburb in Wollongong, 85km south of the Sydney CBD.

The Plant Room café operated by The Disability Trust – offering barista-made coffee with beans from Illawarra-based Seven Miles and quality fresh food – will be open to both the local community as well as HammondCare Horsley residents, their visiting loved ones, and staff.

The café is next to a children’s playground that HammondCare provides for the benefit of visitors and the local community.

“Offering a café on our Horsley site, like the playground, is an important way for HammondCare to connect our aged care home with the local community,” said HammondCare CEO Mike Baird who opened The Plant Room together with The Disability Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Carol Berry.

Carol said the café was The Disability Trust’s second Plant Room after opening its first in Spring Hill, 13km southeast of Orange.

“The Plant Room’s philosophy is to create a more inclusive world through employees and customers alike having a fantastic experience. We want our staff to feel safe to practice their skills as well as produce high quality food and coffee,” she said.

The SOURCE: Giving people with a disability the opportunity to interact with people living with dementia can only be of value.