The largest location for AFRHA's activities is our Thornlands site in sunny South East Queensland. The site consists of three and a half hectares of land. Our retirement community of Finlandia Villas, comprising mainly two bedroom villas, occupy around one and a half hectares, with the remaining two hectares for the residential aged care facility of Finlandia Village and Finncare, the home and community care service.
Altogether, we have 23 independent living units in the retirement village comprising mainly of two bedroom villas.
Our residential aged care facility has 45 places, currently servicing the needs of 37 high care residents, seven low care residents and one high care respite place. Of the total 45 places allocated 15 are dedicated to the care of residents with dementia specific needs.
Around 82 per cent of our current residents are holding concessional places and pay minimum fees and charges. We have close to 200 individual community care clients who collectively receive more than 22,000 hours of service each year.
Our fully commercial grade kitchen provides thousands of fresh-cooked meals every year to residents, day respite clients, to staff & visitors.
We continue to provide work experience for up to 10 students from Finland at any one time, giving our residents wonderful opportunities to interact with younger people from 'home'. These students also offer wide-ranging support to our hard working staff.
Throughout the year we also employ Finnish back packers travelling in Australia for periods of up to six months. These temporary workers enable our casual staff to take well-earned breaks without reducing the services to our residents. These individuals also provide further links to Finland within our community.
There are more than 27,000 people living in Australia now who claim Finnish background, and of these 8,200 were born in Finland.
AFRHA members currently living in the ACT also operate the 'Canberra Home Care Services'. This hard working voluntary team of people working only from a small grant received from the Finland Society in Finland, hold social and information sessions for the ever growing population of elderly Finns in the ACT.
AFRHA members in Melbourne operate the 'Finnish Friendly Visiting Service' which is situated in Altona. This group provides a social network for the members of the Finnish community in Melbourne.
With 26.7 per cent of Finns over the age of 65, AFRHA provides an invaluable service, giving individuals many choices in care as they age.