We felt incredibly lucky to find emergency respite care at Olivet for Mum following a hospital stay. Mum was new to the system and her respite coincided with the introduction of the new Aged Care Act on 1 November. It was a challenge to get everything set up in a hurry with My Aged Care, and I was so grateful to Sian and Steph for working with me every step of the way to get Mum approved for her stay. I found all of the Olivet staff to be super friendly and helpful, and just such caring genuine people. Our family was warmly welcomed every time we visited, and Leanne on reception (who was the first person I spoke to when calling Olivet) would often ask how Mum was going. Many of my visits happened to be around lunchtime and I saw (and smelt) the lovely meals Mum was receiving. It made me so hungry that I would tell her I was just popping off for a minute to Ruby Café (at Olivet) to get myself a yummy toasted sandwich or wrap! Mum was hesitant to join in the activities, but the well-being carers don’t give up easily! Lydia did particularly well to get Mum outside on the day the horse visited, and this ended up being one of the highlights of her stay along with the Monday Singing Group in Palms. On my birthday Lydia kindly set up the Appleberry room for our family to celebrate. The afternoon ended with my husband bashing out some tunes on the piano for the residents in Willows. Seeing my Mum and the residents tapping their toes, singing along, and clapping and calling for more after each song made it my most memorable birthday yet! I was blown away by the care provided for Mum in Willows. The staff were phenomenal, and it gave me such an appreciation for the work they do. I was able to leave after each visit knowing she was in great hands. Many thanks to Kay and the Willows team for taking such good care of Mum during her three-week stay. And a big thanks to Sian for her kindness and helping our family. xox When the time comes and Mum needs permanent care, we know we have found the right place.
