We have a history of serving the Western Australian community. Since Juniper opened our doors in 1949, our passion for enabling others to live life well has been the foundation of our success. Following the ravages of WWII, which created an urgent need for accommodation for older women, Hardey Lodge in Mount Lawley was opened welcoming 12 women. In the years that followed, the Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian churches continued to build on initiatives in aged care.
In 1977 the three denominations formed the Uniting Church in Australia and Hardey Lodge, Rowethorpe and Subiaco Memorial Hospital joined. To meet demand from an ageing population, the Uniting Church combined it resources, and in 1992 its ten aged care operations joined as Uniting Church Homes.
In 1999, Uniting Church Homes became a body corporate and was established as a not-for-profit aged care organisation. Later in 2012 it rebranded as “Juniper – A Uniting Church community.” As part of a family of Uniting Care Agencies in Western Australia, Juniper is part of a group of organisations all driven by the same desire to make a positive impact on the communities they serve.
Juniper sits alongside Uniting WA that supports communities to thrive so that everyone can enjoy a life of belonging, hope and purpose; and Good Sammy Enterprises that provides employment opportunities and pathways for people living with disabilities.
Today Juniper continues to build on its history of respect and compassion within the Western Australian Community with care and accommodation that empowers older people to live life well as they choose.
Juniper is a hardy plant known for centuries for its medicinal properties. It has deep cultural and biblical connections, synonymous with shelter and spiritual sustenance. The juniper herb has great medicinal value and has been used since ancient times to fight disease, relieve anxiety and provide effective protection against infection and inflammation.
The Bible relates a story of the prophet Elijah who sheltered under the juniper tree during a period of pursuit, and an apocryphal tale tells how it protected infant Jesus and his parents from King Herod’s soldiers, during their flight into Egypt. It is the plant’s qualities of shelter, protection, sustenance, and strength that are reflected in our name as we look confidently to the future and strive to deliver our vision for every person to have a life well lived.
The official history of Juniper a Uniting Church Community by Clare Menck
As a registered charity, Juniper’s profits benefit our customers, staff and the Western Australian community, not shareholders. Juniper is a registered charity in Western Australia and with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission and operates for a not-for-profit (community benefit) purpose.
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