Paul Heckler was just 52 in 2013 when he began to experience the symptoms that would change his life forever.

“Paul hadn’t been working for some time and was complaining about trouble seeing,” Astrid, Paul’s wife, told A Current Affair.

He underwent a myriad of tests to try to figure out just what was wrong, but the diagnosis was something the couple weren’t expecting – younger onset dementia.

The news was shocking, but the Hecklers weren’t the only family suddenly thrust into dealing with dementia.

NewDirection Care is a residential facility where 60 per cent of residents are living with dementia (Nine) Family friends Angie and Stephen Nichol experienced the same sudden diagnosis just a year later, after Stephen suffered a cycling accident.

The Brisbane pastor was hit by a car while riding his bike and suffered a few broken bones, but wife Angie says that there was more to it than the physical injuries.

“He just changed. He was just really strange,” she explained, “He was losing things all the time, his character just changed.”

Five months later the Nichols discovered why – at just 57, Stephen too was diagnosed with dementia. But more than the shock of the diagnosis was the shock of the sudden change it brought to their lives, as
Stephen couldn’t work after the accident.

“Stephen was at home with me for years after that,” Angie said.

She took on the challenge and studied a diploma of dementia care in a bid to better understand the disease that was cruelly robbing her husband of his freedom, but the stresses were enormous.

Designed as a microtown, it includes a corner store, café, cinema, wellness centre, and all the facilities you’d expect of the average Aussie town (Nine) It wasn’t until Stephen’s health declined that Angie knew she had to do something, as she could no longer care for him on her own.

“I’d love to have him at home but I know I can’t.”

But a unique new aged care community just north of Brisbane has given both men – and their families – a whole new lease on life.

NewDirection Care is a facility where 60 per cent of residents are living with dementia, with residents ranging in age from 47 to 101.

CEO and founder Natasha Chadwick designed the community as an alternative to traditional aged care facilities, with a focus on giving residents the freedom and independence not afforded to them elsewhere.

“All of our residents here live based on their lifestyle so we developed a survey and that identified 6 different lifestyles for people here in Australia and all of our homes have been designed around those lifestyles,” she said.

They have developed spaces based on six typical different Aussie lifestyles (Nine)

Designed as a microtown, it includes a corner store, café, cinema, wellness centre, and all the facilities you’d expect of the average Aussie town. And according to their families, Stephen and Paul are both loving it.

“He’s happy, I’m happy. It’s like we are still at home,” Angie said, “And he’s got the full time nursing care.” Meanwhile Astrid said that Paul feels just like he’s a young man in a share house again!

“It’s kind of got that feel about it,” she said, “Cause you’ve all got to pitch in together […] and make those choices together as a household.” Maree McCabe, CEO of Dementia Australia, agrees that having this extra independence is hugely beneficial for people like Stephen and Paul.

“It’s important for the person to be able to live to their level of capacity and ability and do what they want,” she said. All things that NewDirection Care fully encourages, and are hoping to expand in the future.