Such systems use colour and intensity to simulate day/ night patterns of lighting, which help to synchronise the body clocks (circadian rhythms) of the patients and reduce dementia symptoms and improve overall well-being.

Jim Buultjens, CEO of Multicultural Aged Care Illawarra (MACI) at Warrawong, said the system was one of several features of the new $5.4 million memory support unit which will officially open next week.

The 10-bed unit was made possible thanks to a generous bequest from the late Italo Mazzola, a director of MACI from its inception in 1988 to 2012 when he resigned due to ill health.

Mr Buultjens said Mr Mazzola, who died in 2015, made a great contribution to multicultural life in the Illawarra - supporting a range of causes.

"Italo had a passion for helping those in his community - from youth to the elderly," he said.

"Without his generous bequest we would not have been able to construct the 'Italo wing' which houses 10 residents, and includes common areas, an outdoor area and a community hall."

A hearing loop and modern nurse call system are also part of the secure unit, which was completed last October and connects with the facility's existing dementia unit.

Residents and relatives alike are thrilled with the new building, Mr Buultjens said.

"People with dementia commonly experience sundowning, where they can become agitated and confused late in the day," he said.

"So they need an environment that's right for them, with features that are known to assist people with memory loss, and that's what we have created here. The feedback has been excellent."

The not-for-profit aged care facility has a multicultural focus, housing residents originally from 28 European and other countries, with the largest group of residents from an Italian background.

The Consul General of Italy for NSW Arturo Arcano has been invited to officially open the new building on March 1.