Transforming Communities in Residential Aged Care

In exploring how an institution of last resort is transformed into a community of refuge this article takes up several themes. 'Welcoming the stranger' uses case scenarios to both challenge and support the concept of ready acceptance into a community. 'Communities within the community' suggests how the gap between insiders and outsiders can be bridged. The third theme examines the implications of prizing resilience over vulnerability. Underpinning all themes is the transforming power of relationships, spirituality being the core. In Christian theology, the Trinitarian concept of persons-in-relation offers an invitation to a joyful, vibrant community where no person is excluded.