The first Islamically-oriented aged-care center has opened in Sydney this week. It is located next door to the famous Auburn-Gallipoli mosque in Sydney, Australia, allowing for a community-integrated approach to aged-care.

Catering for up to 108 residents, Gallipoli Home, addresses the religious needs of its Muslim residents in an innovative and culturally-sensitive way.

“When we look at our elderly here, we want them to be respected and we don’t want anyone to be able to speak disrespectfully to them.” Dr Abdurrahman Asaroglu,  Director of the centre told One Path.

“When they want to practice their religion, as it’s their home, we have to provide, and that’s what we were looking forward to.” he added.

According to One Path network, a core part of the centre’s philosophy is their “Permanent Rahma Partners” initiative, which aims to ensure that each resident has the same small group of people looking after them every day.

The initiative works closely with the families of residents to ensure that they have regular, scheduled visitors throughout the week. Families are responsible for finding replacement visitors if they are unable to visit.