Whiddon Narrabri – Jessie Hunt celebrated the completion of the recent renovation and refurbishment with an Open Day last Thursday, December 14, welcoming family, friends, and the community to come and check out the sparkling new facility.
“This project has been a labour of love for our team at Jessie Hunt, said Regional General Manager Sally Renshaw.
“Everyone has been excited about this redevelopment; it’s been really special to watch it evolve.”
The project commenced last year just prior to Christmas in November 2022 and was completed in stages to ensure that the current residents were able to stay at Jessie Hunt.
“Ensuring Jessie Hunt remained open and available to the Narrabri community meant that our residents have lived through a building project for nearly 12 months,” said Sally.
“For the residents, it has been a change because they have had to move at times to different rooms as they have watched the project evolve.”
The fabulous new amenities also included exciting new additions such as a coffee house, an in-house hair salon, and an open-space homestyle kitchen.
Resident’s rooms also received a makeover, with three-bed rooms reduced to spacious two-bed rooms, additions of single rooms, and each room now with its own ensuite.
“The focus for us was to improve the environment for our residents, it meant that our staff have a much more comfortable environment to work in as well,” said Sally.
“We wanted to make sure that we had a welcoming and supportive environment that met our residents and their family’s expectations to age gracefully.
“Our companion rooms are suitable for married couples to be able to share, and a palliative care suite is available for friends and family, providing a private space with additional facilities for those who may wish to remain close by our residents towards the end of their life.”
Jessie Hunt has 21 rooms with a capacity for 38 residents, with several lovely residents calling the place home for between 5 to 10 years, and the staff remaining even longer, with some working there for almost 30 years.
Marjorie Eastick enjoying some TLC in the beautiful new Jessie Hunt Beauty Salon with Mikaela Woodward and Caitlyn Canfell.
“Aged care is different to acute care where someone gets better, and they leave,” said administration officer Ros Anderson.
“In an Aged Care home, you develop a relationship with the residents, you become a part of their families, and this becomes their home, you get to be with them through a really special time.
“Then at the end, you can support them to have a good death, to be able to give someone that experience is a privilege.”
Together, long-serving staff and residents have witnessed significant changes and improvements to the home over time, including the vibrant addition of many staff members who come, fall in love with the place, and end up staying.
One such member is the Acting Director of Care Services, Renuka Saru who moved from Brisbane six years ago, after coming to Narrabri for six months upon the completion of her nursing degree.
When the team saw potential in her leadership, she moved into the role of Clinical Care Coordinator, and then to Deputy Director of Care Services before moving into her current role earlier in 2023.
“I love it here, it’s nice and quiet, and the residents and team are friendly and welcoming, it’s just such a pleasure to be looking after the residents,” said Renuka.
There has also been plenty of support from the local community, through visiting volunteers, our visiting GPs, and businesses who all lend a hand to the Jessie Hunt residents.
The team was also committed to ensuring that furnishings and improvements were sourced locally, from local artworks and photography to tradesmen working on the redevelopment.
“The focus is that this is their home, we wanted to make it feel like it was local, the artwork particularly depicts that, you’ll see that it’s all scenes from the local community, and lovely photographs of the residents,” said Ros.
Anne Bullen and Wendy McNair in the lovely Jessie Hunt garden.
Besides the beautiful new facilities, fully decorated for Christmas, it’s the large team of diverse and multicultural employees who add to the soul of the home.
The warm group of staff ranges from those who have lived in Narrabri their whole lives, to other members of the team, relocating from countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Philippines as part of Whiddon’s Global Citizens Exchange Program.
Whiddon also provides housing for relocating staff as well as the opportunity for overseas registered nurses to become accredited in Australia.
“Our staff really care about our residents and being a part of a small town know a lot of their histories, you even get to know their family members,” said Ros.
“We’re open all hours so families are also in and out all day, we’ve tried to make this home a part of the community, and our staff become part of our resident’s families.
“We have children from preschool who come and visit, entertainers, community groups, and churches take it in turn to do a service every Friday, so everyone gets involved.”
This Wednesday, Jessie Hunt will also host their residents’ Christmas party, for all family and friends to gather for a festive feast extravaganza.
“Our staff all dress Christmassy, and we’ll have lots of Christmas decorations, lots of music, and each year, families are welcome to come in and share our Christmas party with the residents,” said Ros.
“On Christmas day family can take their loved one’s home or they can join us, and we always have all the trimmings.”
Director of Care Services, Sara Cameron came in for the open day whilst on maternity leave and was proud to see the finished project.
Sara also moved to Narrabri many years ago, starting as an assistant in nursing at Whiddon Robert Young while waiting for her Australian registration before moving to Jessie Hunt as a Registered Nurse and then progressing through various Leadership roles with Whiddon.
She summed up the rewarding experience of working in aged care in Narrabri for herself and the team.
“The ability to be able to provide compassion, and care for someone like they are your own family member, is a privilege,” said Sara.
“I would love to care for someone the same as I’d want my parents to be cared for, and ensure I’d treat them as such. These people have worked hard all their lives, they are good country souls, and they deserve it.”
Shirley Stanford, Jeffrey Dunn, Barry Stanford and Betty Murray enjoying a cappuccino and Christmas catch up in the new Jessie Hunt Café.
