Making Jasmine House home

24 residents have now moved into Jasmine House, RAAFA’s 32 bed redevelopment at Karri and Tuart Lodge in Merriwa, and are getting to know the staff who are supporting them to live enriched and happy lives.

According to the facility manager, all of the residents have settled in well and love their new home.

“Everyone is loving their new environment, particularly the sensory garden which is very easy to access because we leave the doors open directly into the garden, and residents are really enjoying being able to move easily between indoors and outdoors,” she said.

“As well as that, lots of families are enjoying spending time with their loved ones for mocktails in the afternoon, movies and even karaoke sessions.”

Jasmine House, which is named after the sensory plant with the beautiful fragrance, has been specifically designed to support people living with dementia, and provides a person-centred approach called the R.E.A.L. care experience.

“Our R.E.A.L care approach operates very differently to traditional aged care models,” she said. “Staff support residents in their decision making around their daily routines and their preferred activities; for us it’s all about striving to promote a holistic lifestyle.

Many residents have also formed good friendships since they have moved in and have been participating in everyday household activities, such as watering the plants.

The staff have also been taking lots of time to get to know the people who have moved in, because for us it’s all about individualised care and making sure that our residents are living the life that they really want to,” she said.

One residents family said, “even on the first day mum arrived, the staff baked her brown bread, covering it in a tea towel. Being Irish, my mum just loved it and it reminded her very much of home; and these little extra things really do go a long way.”