"My experience at hospital and residential aged care"

I had a bad fall and was in the hospital for three months and after that moved to The Birches for respite, for another 3 months.

To my horror I discovered I was in a dementia wing and was plagued with visits into my room from most of them over that time. I was bedbound then and felt very vulnerable. My family thought it best to sell my farm property and so I had nowhere to go  except to move to another wing as a permanent resident. So I did, where I got back on my feet and after 2 yrs have progressed a very long way.

I have decided to stay here for now, for many reasons. The staff are on whole amazing. I believe some of the younger ones could do with more training in some areas, like skin integrity and hygiene. I have been encouraged to make my room my home and it is a real family feeling here.

The main problem for us, is that now dementia patients can roam the whole facility and often are up here annoying us all. One in particular to the point where I need to lock my door over night and be always alert as to where a particular person is. It is the one draw back of living here.

I am never lonely or bored. I help out were I can eg feed the fish, fold clothes and do most of my own chores and I am pretty much independent for the most part. Any issues of complaints I send to the NUM and these so far have been dealt with.