Residential Aged Care

Heywood Rural Health’s Residential Aged Care, can accommodate forty-five (45) older persons requiring supportive care and associated services, including respite care.

A residential aged care home is designed for older people who can no longer live at home safely and require ongoing support and assistance with maintaining physical and emotional wellbeing to promote optimal independence.

Leaving ones’ home and relocating permanently into aged care isn’t an easy decision and can become extremely overwhelming for both the person and their family. The process of preparing and moving from your home can be made somewhat less stressful by our experienced team at Heywood Rural Health.

Our Aged Care Services Advisor works closely with you and your family to provide guidance, support and information regarding the steps required for entering aged care. Our compassionate approach ensures the person, and their family is fully informed of the process.

At Heywood Rural Health we provide respite care which provides short-term relief for primary caregivers to have a rest, spend time with other family members/friends or travel. Respite care also provides an opportunity for the person to experience the benefits of living in an aged care home including engaging in social activities.

Our Food Services Team have recently embraced the Maggie Beer Foundation and have been specifically trained to improve the dining experience, food and nutritional outcomes for our older people. Our meals are freshly prepared and cooked onsite focusing on a menu developed by the foundation and local dietitians.

At HRH we offer our services to the local community and surrounding district in a safe, relaxed and homely environment surrounded by peaceful rural landscape in the heart of Heywood. Our supportive and compassionate staff provide 24/7 care based on individual and personalised needs.

Our residential aged care homes have been renovated and we offer:

• Bright and airy communal spaces
• Brand new open kitchenette
• Easily accessible outdoors areas
• Vegetable and flower gardens
• Leisure & Lifestyle coordinated activities (live music sessions, dancing, arts and crafts, bus trips, walk and talk groups and exercise)
• Private spaces for residents to meet with family and friend
• Resident’s rooms renovated with the inclusion of smart TVs, direct dial telephones (residents can receive and make calls free of charge)
• Larger room for those special family gatherings

The 45 beds in residential aged care are located across three homes:

• Sibley Wing; 13 bed high care residential aged care home
• Fitzroy Lodge; 13 bed memory support wing for people with significant memory loss (Dementia or Alzheimer’s)
• Sydney and Lynne Quayle Wing; 19 low care residential aged care home

Our memory support wing is surrounded by adjoining gardens to provide space to exercise, participate in gardening and stroll in a safe and secure area with shaded seating to relax. The specialized wing provides care for people with significant memory loss, Dementia or Alzheimer’s. The area is designed to help residents feel safe, calm and comfortable implementing evidence-based strategies to get the best outcomes for the person. Activities are specifically designed to encourage mental stimulation and build a sense of familiarity. These can include word games, quizzes, board games, poetry reading, music and more.

We are also able to provide palliative care for residents: This room is separate from the main Age Care area providing a private environment for families and residents to spend quality time together at the end stage of life. The room has been refurbished and a separate sitting area for families to relax and even stay over is adjacent to the room. All hospitality is provided to families, and any special requests are certainly considered.

Consultation Services

• General Medical Practice: on campus
• Practice nurse
• Physiotherapy: gentle exercise programs, strength and balance program
• Occupational Therapy
• Podiatry
• Dietetics
• Diabetes Education
• Speech Pathology
• Telehealth

Other In-House Contracted Services

• Hairdresser
• Massage
• Aromatherapy
• In house an extensive Leisure and Lifestyle program and outings