{"id":758767,"date":"2026-06-25T06:14:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T06:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/758767\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T06:14:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T06:14:19","slug":"how-well-designed-neighbourhoods-boost-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/758767\/","title":{"rendered":"How well designed neighbourhoods boost mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Margaret Welch and her husband gave up their beloved home in Peppermint Grove after he unexpectedly shattered his spine moving a heavy pot in their big garden.<\/p>\n

A geologist who had run his own exploration company in WA, he had always attended to what needed doing at home without his body betraying him.<\/p>\n

Now he could no longer walk.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband became very sick,\u201d recalls Margaret, 90.<\/p>\n

\u201cI cared for him at our home for more than a year but eventually I couldn\u2019t physically manage it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

She knew of Marine Views in nearby Cottesloe, a 128-bed residential care facility with 24-hour specialised nursing care, and secured a place for her husband so he could receive palliative care.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to be apart from him,\u201d she explained, \u201cso I put my name down for one of the apartments at Waterfront in Cottesloe, which is a part of the same complex as Marine Views.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree quarters of the apartments had already gone and there was a list of people waiting for one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon enough she received a phone call to say an apartment had been returned.<\/p>\n

Margaret was given two hours to make a decision about whether she wanted it before it would be offered to one of the 400 other people on the waitlist.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea where the apartment was going to be positioned but I took it because I wanted to be close to my husband and I would have taken anything to be with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it turns out, she could not have wished for a nicer place.<\/p>\n

\"CurtinCamera IconCurtin Heritage Living\u2019s apartments are stylish and comfortable, with many offering beautiful views of Cottesloe beach. Credit: Jody D’Arcy<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t feel soulless, like many facilities for older people that do extremely well at window dressing with stylish rooms and manicured gardens and not much more.<\/p>\n

It felt like a home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very lucky,\u201d Margaret said.<\/p>\n

The apartment has views across the ocean to Rottnest, while another window, off the kitchen, overlooks three beautiful magnolia trees.<\/p>\n

But she moved there to be by her husband\u2019s side, which is where she stayed until he died last year.<\/p>\n

The couple wed when they were 22 and 24, at around the time they were both finishing up at Durham University in England, and eventually moved to WA.<\/p>\n

Married for 68 years, they had many cherished friends, two adult sons and six delightful grandchildren who visited regularly.<\/p>\n

Still, Margaret found herself quietly wondering how her days would be filled now without his company.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cStatistics show that when people get older the number one reason they come into residential care is because of what is called a catastrophic incident so, for example, they break their hip,\u201d notes David Cox, managing director of Curtin Heritage Living, a not-for-profit that has been providing services to older people in the western suburbs for more than 45 years.<\/p>\n

The community organisation, based in Cottesloe but also providing services in other suburbs including Mosman Park, provides residential aged care, or nursing home care, to people with both low and higher care needs, including specialised care for people living with dementia.<\/p>\n

Encompassing Marine Views and the integrated independent living village Waterfront, services out of the Cottesloe-based group also include in-home care and community outreach.<\/p>\n

Then there is the recently opened Heritage Collective, a cultural and community hub set across three restored beachside heritage buildings designed to ease social isolation and loneliness in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe second reason people come into aged care is loneliness,\u201d Mr Cox added, \u201cso if we can combat that and get people going out and enjoying regular interactions we can actually keep them in their homes in our local communities which is actually our primary aim.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo do that we not only deliver services into people\u2019s homes but we also provide social contact and have gone out of our way to create buildings where you\u2019ve actually got communal spaces people want to utilise to meet and mingle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CurtinCamera IconCurtin Heritage Living offers the Waterfront apartments for independent living, while Marine Views next to is for residents requiring higher care. Credit: Jody D’Arcy<\/p>\n

He said the Heritage Collective was designed to include a club lounge, gold-class cinema, boardroom, people\u2019s shed and maker\u2019s spaces, landscaped gardens and vibrant arts programs, workshops, concerts and films open to people of all ages and backgrounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also provide a range of subsidised events to get people out of their homes and interacting with people and we run programs in conjunction with the four local councils which are used to combat loneliness and social isolation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere really is limited choice out there for many people so that is why we felt it was incumbent upon us to prioritise good design incorporating community feedback so people actually want to come together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I wouldn\u2019t want to be going to a day centre to play bingo so our spaces have been created with lovely furniture and good art so people can come together in a really beautiful environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

At least 15 per cent of Australians are impacted by feelings of loneliness, which research suggests is harmful to mental and physical health, causing depression, distress and even early death.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not an issue doctors can, or should, always just medicate away.<\/p>\n

Many experts from different fields are looking at ways to alleviate loneliness – said to be as dangerous as smoking.<\/p>\n

There is also more being documented to show urban planning, or the way our neighbourhoods are created, has a big impact on how isolated we feel.<\/p>\n

\"DavidCamera IconDavid Cox from Curtin Heritage Living. Credit: Curtin Heritage Living<\/p>\n

Angela Koepp, urban solutions principal, and Leigh Holford, economics principal at Hatch, a global services firm specialising in urban planning, energy, mining and infrastructure, said mental health conditions linked to poor social connection and belonging are costing the Australian economy billions each year through lost productivity and healthcare impacts.<\/p>\n

Ms Koepp said people often associate loneliness with geographical isolation and limited access to services but it happens in cities and suburbs where neighbours live close together.<\/p>\n

She said small changes like making places walkable, creating vibrant shared spaces and community-centred planning is what will make people feel more connected to those around them.<\/p>\n

Just like Curtin Heritage Living has won awards for incorporating many of the urban design underpinnings of a happy and connected neighbourhood, Hatch has also designed dozens of award-winning suburbs, streets and neighbourhoods through its Great Places Process, a six-stage blueprint for designing neighbourhoods that are liveable, sustainable and socially connected.<\/p>\n

Their blueprint tackles four of the most urgent public health challenges in urban life: social isolation and loneliness, the rising cost of living, the need for culturally inclusive and safe environments for diverse communities and the breakdown in intergenerational connection and informal support systems.<\/p>\n

\"CurtinCamera IconCurtin Heritage Living in Cottesloe. Credit: Jody D’Arcy<\/p>\n

She cited the example of Hatch\u2019s award-winning Jindee Innovation Project, a walkable coastal village in WA, explaining it reflected a shift away from \u201cdensity-for-density\u2019s-sake\u201d toward community-owned liveability-led neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cAustralia remains in a housing crisis and while housing targets focus heavily on supply, there\u2019s not enough attention on connection and community,\u201d said Ms Koepp.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoorly designed, car-dependent suburbs limiting social contact can fuel isolation, proving that many health outcomes are shaped by more than hospitals or clinics.<\/p>\n

Her colleague, Ms Holford, added: \u201cGood, health-conscious design should activate public space, encourage connectivity through community events, have access to transport options, encourage mobility, reduce heat via green canopies and support the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MargaretCamera IconMargaret Welch,90, used to swim at the ocean frequently but now finds it easier to keep active using the heated pool at Curtin Heritage Living which is just steps from her apartment. Credit: Jody D’Arcy<\/p>\n

Mr Cox said Curtin Heritage Living also looked at what matters to residents emotionally and culturally before deciding what to include at Waterfront.<\/p>\n

The complex now includes George Kailis\u2019 luxurious seaside brasserie Gibney as well as a GP surgery and an art gallery run by Linton & Kay.<\/p>\n

He believes thoughtful urban planning like this promotes health, happiness and inclusivity over the long term.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Margaret feels moving to Waterfront opened the door to many new experiences and friendships.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have joined an art group here which I go to every week and they also show wonderful vintage films which is marvellous,\u201d she told Western Suburbs Weekly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can just walk across the garden to the theatre here and we all meet for a glass of Prosecco and popcorn and watch a wonderful film.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, I much appreciate that there is a large heated pool here because I have found it fantastic for exercise and swimming and very easy to access.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also enjoy the gardens here and after sixty years of gardening, I\u2019m quite pleased someone else is looking after them.<\/p>\n

\"MargaretCamera IconMargaret Welch is glad for the thoughtful urban planning by Curtin Heritage Living in Cottesloe and credits it for helping bring the community, including people living in their own homes in the local area, together. Michael Wilson Credit: Michael Wilson\/The West Australian<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is very friendly and the doors are always open to our families who can swim in the pool or participate in anything that is going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe design of the place is such that there is no reason anybody should feel isolated or lonely here and it is very easy to do as much or as little as you like.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone ever does feels lonely, all they have to do is wander into what we call the Sea Lounge which has coffee machines and playing cards and there is always someone there you can talk to.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Margaret Welch and her husband gave up their beloved home in Peppermint Grove after he unexpectedly shattered his…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":758768,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[64,63,505,137,1625,514,515,46,1003,45,506],"class_list":["post-758767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-central","tag-health","tag-lifestyle","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-perth","tag-real-estate","tag-wa-news","tag-western-suburbs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=758767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/758767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/758768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=758767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=758767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=758767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}