[Anglican Taonga] The Selwyn Foundation has announced it will open a new state of the art elderly care facility at St Andrew’s Retirement Village in the Waipa District town of Cambridge, on New Zealand’s North Island, next year.

Named after Archbishop David Moxon, the centre honours his more than 20 years’ service as Bishop of Waikato and his contribution as former Primate of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

“We wish to recognise Archbishop Moxon’s dedicated and distinguished service to the people of the Waikato and New Zealand,” said Selwyn Foundation Trust Board chair, Dr Kay Hawk, at the centre’s naming ceremony in St Andrew’s Cambridge last month.

Briefly back in Aotearoa from his role as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, Archbishop David was pleased to add his name, and offer his blessing to this new Selwyn Foundation project on the leading edge of elder care.

“As the baby boomer generation approaches old age it is putting pressure on aged care,” he said. “Here, the Selwyn Foundation is anticipating that need in a very creative and professional way.”

“This large, multipurpose building complex raises a challenge to the sector: not to provide the cheapest or simplest facility and response, but to provide the best and the most respectful response.

“We can see this as a flagship and pilot of the best and most comprehensive way of offering a community of support.”

Archbishop Moxon also noted the value of sacred space at the heart of Selwyn St Andrews, where the church’s central position reminds residents that they too are temples of the Spirit.

“The sacred dimension of age care is uniquely provided here,” he said, “That ultimately gives the greatest meaning and purpose to our lives. The spirituality of aging is unmistakable here, as it should be everywhere.”

Archbishop David Moxon and Tureiti Moxon with Selwyn Board chair Kay Hawk and Selwyn CEO Garry Smith at St Andrews.
Photo: Selwyn Foundation

The Moxon Centre will provide hospital and rest home care that allows village residents to retain much of their independence and stay within their familiar St Andrew’s community, even as they move toward greater support in daily living.

Moxon Centre residents will join one of two twelve-person “households” at the centre, where they are encouraged to be involved in everyday activities such as preparing light meals and doing laundry, as they would have done in their own homes.

This approach focusses on empowering residents to do as much as they can for themselves, so they feel truly at home,” says Selwyn St Andrew’s Village Manager, Rachael Hall.

“It promotes independence, eliminates loneliness and encourages people to have meaningful lives . . . regardless of their age and ability. In turn, this creates an environment where family and friends will enjoy visiting.”

The planned Moxon Centre will feature social spaces that add to the central Cambridge townscape, and comes at the request of residents in the surrounding Selwyn St Andrew’s Retirement Village.

The Moxon Centre ground floor will include: a cafe, hair salon, social gathering spaces, and a lounge as well as outdoor barbeque areas.

The Moxon Centre’s $14 million [NZD, approximately £7.8 million GBP] three-storey development is scheduled for completion by August 2017.