Moving into a residential aged care for the first time can be a difficult adjustment for residents and their families. At Columbia we try to make this transition as easy as possible by providing comprehensive information packages, including a Resident Handbook, that are designed to give you as much detail as possible regarding your new home.

Recreational activities
Each of our residential aged care homes offers a variety of social and recreational activities. Activities are arranged five days per week, Monday to Friday, with individual activities on Saturday and / or Sunday in some facilities. These activities are not compulsory, but are arranged for your enjoyment should you feel like joining in. We look forward to your participation in, and suggestions for, our activities program.

We have a wide range of activities available for residents, from in house individual activities and events, through to taking residents out to community events and activities. The events are publicised in our regular resident newsletter, the Columbia Gazette, and our monthly activities program, titled “What’s on This Week”, which is placed on the notice boards throughout the facility and given to each resident so they can choose the activities they would like to attend.

Bus outings are available and community programs outside the facilities are also arranged. Our 22 seater bus is fully air-conditioned and has electronic wheelchair access. Lots of interesting attractions are visited weekly, including annual trips to Bowral for the Tulip Festival and the Easter Show.

Special entertainment
Hairdressers visit each facility on a regular basis and newspapers are delivered daily. Massage, aromatherapy and other natural therapies are also used and encouraged.

There is friendly interaction between our residential aged care homes, such as invitations extended to attend barbecues, fetes or when special entertainment has been arranged.

The local libraries visit each home and we also have our own extensive library of large print books, audio cassettes and CDs, DVDs, videos and talking books. All special occasions are celebrated. You can let our Diversional Therapy staff know of any special events you wish to enjoy.

In touch with the community
Residents are encouraged to achieve a maximum degree of independence as a valuable member of society. We encourage community groups to come to the facility and provide community contact for all our residents and we take residents on outings to community events as much as possible.

There are active resident and relative committees in all facilities and these often have educational components included, such as dealing with a stroke etc. We welcome your ideas and your feedback is very important to us.

Caring for range of cultures
We have been caring for a range of difference cultures in our centres for many years and we appreciate that residents living in residential aged care centres dwell in a multicultural environment. Our aim is to cater to the cultures that are most common within our homes. At the Acacia Centre this is the Chinese, Greek and Portuguese communities, at Willowood this is the Chinese community and at Srathdale the Russian community.