The HDA Journey: From Vision to Reality
The journey began when our founder, Sandra Slatter, was invited by Heathcote Health CEO Dan Douglass to join the hospital’s newly formed Dementia Village Steering Group as a community representative. During this time, Sandra identified a broader need: to prepare Heathcote to become a Dementia Friendly Community. From this insight, she gathered a small but committed group of dementia advocates who would go on to form the foundation of what became known as Heathcote Dementia Alliance (HDA).
Sandra continued to serve on the steering group, offering a strong community voice until Heathcote Health passed the baton to Advance Heathcote. As secretary of the Advance Heathcote committee, Sandra remained a tireless advocate, helping the initiative secure funding and identify a provider for the proposed dementia village. Then, the landscape changed dramatically. The findings of the Aged Care Royal Commission were released, and COVID-19 struck. With momentum stalled and the project in jeopardy, Sandra recognised the need to preserve the work done to date and formed and registered Heathcote Dementia Alliance, as an incorporated not forprofit which was soon registered as a charity.
Although the Heathcote community was deeply disappointed that the opportunity for a dementia village had been taken away, HDA remained undeterred and continued to push forward with its vision and commitment to community-led care.
A New Chapter: From Vision to Costerfield House
One of the original concepts for the dementia village included a cluster of individual living units. Not resting on its laurels HDA researched international best practice and consulted with global leaders, only to find very few housing options suited to rural and regional Australia. Determined to fill this gap, HDA approached Mandalay Resources for funding to engage an architect. Following several community consultations involving people with dementia, carers, and local residents, a unique concept emerged: Costerfield House.
Initially, a builder from Rochester was contracted, but before construction began, the region was hit by devastating floods. HDA quickly pivoted, engaging a transportable home builder in Mildura. The completed shell was transported to Heathcote and placed on a parcel of land leased from Heathcote Health through the state government. HDA led the internal design and fit-out, resulting in a care villa that received the highest environmental score ever awarded by Dementia Australia. Costerfield House officially opened in 2023.
Recognising that building care villas was not their core business, HDA established a sister company, Care Villas Australia, to commercialise the concept. The 1.5-bedroom, fit-for-purpose smart care villa was further refined and is now being marketed for use in private residences and holiday parks.
Costerfield House has gone on to win multiple awards, including the Property & Design Award at the 2024 Future of Ageing Awards, and was a finalist for the 2024 SilverEco Solution - Ageing Well Award and were awarded the prestigious Global Award the Most Outstanding Creator of Fit-for-Purpose Affordable Dementia Housing in the World.
Whilst creating Costerfield House, Sandra began developing the Bush Inspired Community Model of Care (BICMC).
This model follows the principles of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), a globally recognised philosophy and practice that focuses on strengths, place-based collaboration, and community-driven initiatives. At its core, ABCD encourages communities to focus on what they already have—skills, knowledge, relationships, and spaces—and to use those assets as a foundation for growth, resilience, and sustainable change.
In practical terms, the BICMC seeks to create environments and systems that recognise and leverage the unique strengths and capabilities of all individuals, regardless of their impairments. It promotes accessibility, inclusivity, and active participation through the formation of cross-sector collaborations and value-aligned friendships (partnerships).
To support the spread and consistent implementation of the BICMC, work has also commenced on a comprehensive, interactive ‘How To’ Toolkit. This resource includes practical templates, implementation guidelines, planning documents, and reflective tools to assist other communities and organisations in adopting and adapting the model.
The toolkit will serve as a key asset for expanding the Bush Inspired Community Model of Care and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, community-centred dementia support across regional and rural areas.
During this time, HDA also partnered with Heathcote Health and sponsored students from La Trobe University’s School of Rural Health to undertake a research project exploring the connections between health, wellbeing, and green spaces. The results were overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the powerful role that access to nature and thoughtfully designed outdoor environments can play in improving outcomes for people living with dementia and their carers.
Opportunities and Challenges
At the end of 2022, another opportunity emerged: to apply for funding through My Aged Care for an innovative respite care model. With a proposal totalling $1.8 million, HDA brought together a consortium and appointed a lead agency to support the application. The bid was successful, and funding was secured in May 2023, with HDA appointed as project manager.
To ensure carers remained central to the work, HDA supported the creation of a new CarerConnect group—a lived experience reference group to ensure carers’ voices informed every stage. A steering committee of key organisational representatives was also established. Together, they co-designed a new model of care and developed a detailed project plan to guide implementation and delivery.
Key governance and operational foundations were established, including the development of a terms of reference, clearly defined role descriptions, a risk management plan, and a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. Recruitment commenced for Respite Care Coordinators, and the launch of the DementiaConnect website provided an easy-to-navigate gateway to services, supports, and innovative respite models. A GreenConnect microsite was also developed, highlighting the program’s environmental and nature-based focus.
However, as the consortium progressed, changes in representative personnel among some partner organisations began to present challenges. These new representatives had not been part of the project’s original co-design process and, as a result, did not fully understand or embrace its ethos and intent. This disconnect gradually led to tensions that weakened collaboration and shared ownership.
While these structural foundations were being put in place and internal conflicts navigated, HDA faced another significant challenge. The lease on the land at Heathcote Health was nearing its end, prompting a search for a new home. In mid-2024, a solution emerged when a HDA board member generously offered a long-term lease on 10 acres of land at Lake Eppalock. In October 2024, Costerfield House was successfully relocated to the new site, demonstrating its flexibility and future-focused design. A ramp and deck were subsequently added to enhance access and usability.
Meanwhile, by July 2024, further challenges surfaced within the GreenConnect project. The lead agency began shifting away from the original co-designed vision and exhibited behaviours that undermined the collaborative spirit of the consortium. In response to the increasingly fractured environment, Sandra, then serving as project manager, made the difficult decision to step down in December 2024. This marked a turning point for HDA, as the project’s direction had clearly diverged from the values and aspirations that had initially driven its development.
Solutions overcoming adversity, providing positive outcomes
At the same time, however, something remarkable was happening. Reflections at Eppalock was taking shape. Volunteers, led by Dementia Alliance, were hard at work transforming a raw bush setting into a sanctuary of care, connection, and calm. Supported by a $15,000 grant from Dementia Australia, the Gardens that Care project introduced a thriving food cage with raised wicking beds alongside therapeutic and sensory gardens. A further $33,000 grant from Freemasons Foundation enabled the construction of Freemasons Way — a 2.5 km network of wide, accessible walking paths linking the lake, labyrinth, garden beds, yarning circle, buddy benches, and Costerfield House.
In early 2025, HDA made the strategic decision to begin trading as Dementia Alliance, recognising that the word "Heathcote" in its name was limiting broader engagement. The change allowed the organisation to expand its reach and better reflect its evolving regional and national significance.
Since then, Dementia Alliance has not looked back. Interest in Reflections at Eppalock has grown, attracting national and international attention, including visits from Japan and Seattle, USA. Delegates travelled to learn how to engage community in reimagining care models and to draw inspiration for similar initiatives in their own countries.
In just six months, volunteers contributed over 2,000 hours to bring Reflections at Eppalock to life.
On 20 March 2025, just six months after signing the lease, Dementia Alliance celebrated its Stage 1 Open Day, welcoming more than 80 guests. The event showcased Costerfield House, Freemasons Way, the gardens, and shared future plans. It was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through vision, determination, and community spirit. During the event, it was announced that the landowner had formally bequested both her home and the surrounding property to Dementia Alliance—an extraordinary act of generosity that will significantly support the organisation in realising its long-term vision.
Yet, all the while, the internal conflict within the GreenConnect consortium remained a constant distraction from this valuable work. At the same time, Reflections at Eppalock was experiencing continued growth and success—attracting national interest, deepening community engagement, and expanding its impact. The scale and momentum of the project required full strategic focus and active stewardship by the Dementia Alliance Board. After Sandra’s resignation, it became clear that Dementia Alliance no longer had an appropriate or meaningful role in the consortium. The direction had diverged significantly from its original purpose, and the collaborative environment had deteriorated beyond repair. As a result, Dementia Alliance formally withdrew from the consortium just before Easter 2025.
On the very same day as their formal withdrawal, Dementia Alliance was hosting a vibrant cultural celebration at Reflections at Eppalock. Neighbourhood Collective (Church on the Hill) and Regional Victorians of Colour joined together to bring 48 people of all ages and from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds to enjoy the natural beauty and calm of the Reflections site. Families and individuals relaxed by the lake, wandered the walking paths, and shared a joyful meal — a scene that powerfully contrasted with the tension elsewhere. The atmosphere was one of warmth, welcome, and inclusion.
This moment served as a reminder of the strength of community and the resilience of the Dementia Alliance team. It demonstrated not only their ongoing commitment to reimagining care but also Sandra’s transformational leadership — turning disruption into determination and adversity into action. Despite the challenges, Dementia Alliance continues its valuable work in reimagining care, proving that even in the face of adversity, community-driven innovation can flourish and lead the way.
Watch this space for the next Chapter in our Journey
