Social, warm and positive are just some of the adjectives others have used to describe Seasons resident Janet, but when her husband sadly passed away in 2017, her family noticed she began to lose her spark.
“We were very worried about mum after dad died because she was living in this big house all alone, she had never lived alone before and dad did everything for her,” Janet’s daughter Gladys said.
“Mum was always very social but when dad died, she really went the other way – she didn’t want to leave the house or do anything.”
Initially, it took a bit of work for Gladys to convince Janet to consider community living for seniors, but Janet decided to stay at Seasons for a week, as part of its Try Before You Buy offer.
“Mum loved it here so much that she couldn’t wait to move in, so we sold the house and everything just fell into place for her,” Gladys said.
“Since she’s been at Seasons, she’s been so involved and talks to everyone… she has a better social life than I do!”
HOME SWEET HOME: At Seasons are (from left) Jade, Gladys, Janet and Khrissy. Picture: Rhylea Thompson
After two years of calling Seasons home, Janet said she had no regrets and described the decision as “the best thing” she had ever done.
“I’m so happy here and I truly love it… I wish I could have lived here forever,” Janet said.
“I have made so many lovely friends and it feels like I’ve got something ahead of me to look forward to… before I would just stay at home and read, but now I go out on the bus, I join in on events and I’ve seen things I’ve never seen before.”
In addition to the active lifestyle calendar Seasons offers, the flexible care options and extra support provided by staff has taken a weight off the shoulders of Janet and her family.
Seasons Care Partners Khrissy and Jade, who have worked in the industry for a decade combined, look after the Home Care Packages for residents.
TAILORED CARE: Seasons Care Partner Khrissy (left) with Seasons resident Janet. Picture: Rhylea Thompson
Alongside the dedicated Seasons Care Team, Khrissy and Jade have ensured Janet receives support with medication, domestic tasks, transport and socially, while empowering Janet to live a quality life independently.
“It’s really important in our roles to always remember these humans are individuals,” Jade said.
“Everyone is different, so we strive to deliver person-centred care to each resident by recognising their individual wants and values and making sure their needs are met.”
Meanwhile, Khrissy said communication was key, especially as she wanted residents and family members to feel comfortable knowing the Care Team are there to help.
“Our goal is to make a significant difference is the lives of our lovely residents, so we always create a respectful environment for them to feel heard and valued and know they can trust us,” Khrissy said.
“Communication with residents and their families is really important because we want them to know they are involved in their care choices.”
For more information about Seasons Care, email info@seasonsliving.com.au
