It has been 12 months since the Australian Government set up the Specialist Dementia Care Program to support people with very severe dementia who are not able to be cared for in mainstream residential aged care. Linden, a small home-like model of care run by HammondCare, was one of the models used for the current Specialist Dementia Care Units. In this presentation Southwood Residential Manager, Colleen MacDonald will discuss the 12-year history of Linden as a care home for people with severe dementia, some of the challenges faced, experiences of residents and learning that can be applied to the current Specialist Dementia Care Units.