Construction of Leo’s Place in Garran is expected to take 12 months after final approvals have been issued. Image: DJAS Architecture.
The permanent location for non-clinical residential respite centre Leo’s Place has been officially named but its opening is still at least a year away.
The six-suite palliative care centre will be part of the John James Village Healthcare Precinct in Garran and will eventually replace the Leo’s Place service in Braddon.
The design work has been completed and it had originally been hoped the centre would open in October 2025.
Final approvals are still pending, and John James Foundation CEO Joe Roff said the team was ready to start as soon as the final tick was issued.
“This is a very exciting moment in time and we’re looking forward to seeing this wonderful context and this vision that has been formulated over the last decade … to becoming a reality,” he said.
“[The opening] should be about 12 months from [the final approvals] … we’re ready to turn the sod tomorrow.”
The centre will consist of six suites, along with “peace” atriums and landscaped gardens, and views to the Brindabellas.
There will be space for visiting families, and purpose-built rooms for pets.
“[We’re ensuring] this isn’t a clinical environment, this is a home environment and it’s somewhere people want to go and feel comfortable going at a very critical time of their life,” Mr Roff said.
“We’re on the cusp to build this wonderful vision, and it’s going to benefit so many Canberrans and become a genuinely beautiful place to rest at the end of the day.
“This will last generations to come.”
Work to develop the permanent centre has been underway for a decade.
“It’s been a long time for us, to work with building the trust and support of the Canberra community, and also gaining support from government and business to allow us to create an innovative palliative care, first-of-its-kind, respite home,” Palliative Care ACT president Dr Louise Mayo said.
“Leo’s Place began as a bold idea. Today it stands as a testament to what’s possible when philanthropy, government and the community work together.”
It’s not the end of the journey for Dr Mayo, who will continue to look at opportunities to offer something similar on Canberra’s northside.
However, that is “well into the future”.
Leo’s Place’s permanent home will be at the John James Village Healthcare Precinct in Garran. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said while the government worked towards implementing the voluntary assisted dying scheme from 3 November, it was important Canberra continued to offer choice when it came to the end of a person’s life.
“It is not an ‘either/or’, it is about supporting people through their choices at end of life, for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers,” she said.
“I would certainly expect that even people who are accessing voluntary assisted dying … also need that beautiful palliative care support from our teams at Canberra Health Services, within the community and at Palliative Care ACT.
“We know that the vast majority of people with a life-limiting illness want to spend as much time at home as possible and want to die at home, if that is at all possible. Community-based respite, and working with carers and families, enables that to happen … providing them with that space to rest a while.”
The centre will only be accessible by adults with a life-limiting illness, their carers and family.
The government is continuing to consider options to expand youth access to palliative care in the ACT.
