New residents to Japara’s Elouera facility in Torquay, Victoria, can be assured of a warm welcome – and not just from the staff, thanks to a resident-led Welcoming Committee.
Josina Adair, who lived at Elouera for a year before setting up the Committee, is on hand to greet new residents – “brothers and sisters”, as she calls them – as soon as they arrive, and give them a tour of their new home.
“I remember moving to Elouera. I felt so welcome and it didn’t take me long to feel right at home. But for others, settling in can take a bit longer.
“So, I thought, why not offer my help, as I do enjoy meeting new people and I do know the home very well,” says Josina.
Cara Shearer, Elouera’s Home Manager, says Josina and the Welcoming Committee play an important part in making new residents feel at home.
“We do offer many forms of support and services for our elderly residents, including care for people living with dementia.
“But what Josina and her friends do is so much more. They share their community spirit and offer a sense of social support which is so important, especially in times like these. No one here will ever feel alone,” she says.
Elouera recently went through a major renovation, and is running an ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program.
