Dementia Care
24/7 Nursing Care
Respite Care & Palliative Care
24/7 Nursing Care
Respite Care & Palliative Care
Dementia Care
24/7 Nursing Care
Respite Care & Palliative Care
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24/7 Nursing Care
Respite Care & Palliative Care
Our people are here to ensure you can continue living as full a life as possible.
Where some see care as a service, our people see it as a mission, to provide compassion and support that befits our heritage and faith in human kindness.
Over 180 years of caring heritage
Pastoral care for emotional and spiritual support
24/7 nursing care
Allied health care from physiotherapists, dietitians and more
Responsible for the wellbeing of all staff and residents. Whatever the situation your Facility Manager is always on hand to help.
Supports the registered nurses and lends their expertise with any health issues or concerns that need an extra set of eyes.
Organises a lifestyle and activities program in the home that is fun, consistent and great for residents’ well-being.
Provides spiritual and emotional care to residents, families and staff.
Your point of contact for touring homes and helping answer any questions you have about aged care.
Health specialists including physiotherapists, podiatrists, dietitians and more that keep residents healthy and happy.
Provide personal day to day support for you in your home. They also love having a laugh with residents!
Nurses administer medication, coordinate care plans and are the trusted go between for families and residents.
The most important members of St Vincent’s communities and an important part of supporting you to feel welcome, valued, and safe
Assist the pastoral care and lifestyle teams to make life in the St Vincent’s community brighter and better
St Vincent's Care is a not-for-profit Catholic provider of aged care, retirement living and home care.
Some quick facts about us:
While navigating aged care on your own can feel like it's your only choice, there is no good reason to do it that way.
Even, and especially if:
BUT that doesn't mean you're on your own.
In fact, there are currently thousands of others just like yourself going through the exact same thing you are.
Cathy went through the hardship of the aged care process with both of her parents.
No doubt, you're probably feeling the same way:
It's not easy, and the truth is, it never will be.
BUT, the truth is it does get easier.
And yet all of these people (and more) came to aged care and are loving it:
“Mum came here just before COVID hit, so she was sort of a bit lonely and isolated where she was.”
“Mum’s got community around her and the staff are all beautiful. I reckon it’s the happiest she’s been since Dad’s gone. Just observing her being a part of the community and actually participating in the activities.”
Aged care resident Valerie with her daughters Jenny & Jayne
“I’ve only had the awareness since Mum’s settled that her favourite time ever when we were growing up was sitting around a table with family and friends having a meal and having a laugh.”
“And since Dad’s been gone, Dad’s been gone coming up to 13 years, that she’s eaten so many meals alone. And now she’s got her gang. Like she’s got her beautiful table and she’s getting to share three meals a day with people.”
“That is such an absolute blessing because she’s actually got that connection again. I think that’s made so much of a difference in her mental health."
“There’s this ‘on-tap company’ that she has, but she can always go back to her room to be alone.”
“I spoke to her the other day and asked what she’d been doing and she said, ‘I don’t know, love I’ve just been busy."
"I mean that’s the best thing in the world for Mum to be busy like that.”
“She’s just loving life.”
"I was pretty depressed because I had a big struggle to get walking again. It was really, really hard and painful. I wanted to go. I wanted to die. It was so painful."
"I was happy to come here and relax. I didn’t want to go home."
“That was the only thing I'd fallen a couple of times. Oscar was pretty good, but I was trying to shower him even though he was older. I had to rely on the family to go and get things. So, you don't want that. They've gotta live too. You know, and the boys were very good, but we knew we had to come [to aged care].”
“I'm very content and the family are so happy that I'm happy."
“You don't have to cook. <Laugh> Don't have to shop."
"[In a normal house] We can sort of walk around the house and go from here to there. Whereas here now you see, I can walk downstairs and I can walk around and go to activities. You've got cards and bingo and all that sort of thing. And that's, that's all fun.”
“They take people shopping and they have movies and all of that and they try to do their best to entertain people.”
"One of my sons says, ‘Mum, you are never in your room,’ which is not quite true.
"It's very nice, you know. Cause if somebody doesn't see you at lunch or something, they'll say, oh, I haven't seen ‘so and so’. And so they check in with you."
“I'd have to say they [staff] really have been lovely. They're very caring, you know, and they seem to try to put you with the same staff that know you.”
“And they [staff] were very good here. You know, they he'd been to the hospital, but they let him stay here in palliative care. It was only a few weeks, but I mean, it was very nice for him just to be here. He was right next door. So, you know, we were very lucky.”
“But I tell you what, we just came at the right time. Because otherwise it would've been not good.”
“I had a fall."
“I fractured my hip, a pubic bone. So I’ve been here since.”
“To give up your independence is the hardest, but once you realise you can’t look after yourself any longer. It’s good. Because everyone looks after you.”
"It's good to have a best friend. It's wonderful." - Beth & Beryl enjoying a sherry on their balcony
“We like just sitting on the balcony, having a drink and enjoying each other’s company. Just one drink and that’s all we need.”
“You see one, you see the other.”
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We want you to find somewhere the whole family is behind
No matter where you are on your aged care journey, start looking now. Because whether you're in a fluster to get going, or you're just broaching the idea of aged care early, the more you know the better you'll feel.
Work out your parent's care needs | Make a shortlist | Book in a home tour
Posted 9th October 2023 | 6 minute read
The right level of care, close to you, at the right budget that works for your loved ones, mum and dad and the whole family: that's the goal. And we've got 3 steps to get you started:
An ACAT assessment helps you know exactly the type of care and support you need. Without a clear understanding of what your needs are, choosing the right aged care home is nearly impossible.
You could find the perfect home without an ACAT, but find out soon after that they can't actually provide the right level of care that you're looking for.
So, before anything else, make sure you’ve had your ACAT assessment.
Call us on 1800 841 490 to get started. We can help prepare you for what the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) might ask, and how to get the most out of your assessment.
What an ACAT assessment is and how to get the most out of it
There's over 750 aged care providers in Victoria and hundreds in Melbourne alone, so where do you start when looking for the home that works for your loved one and family?
All of the aged care providers in Melbourne (Source:MyVictoria.gov)
Here’s some questions to ask, or things to consider when looking for homes to add to your shortlist:
A great aged care home is made by its community. No community means no home.
Remember: Always preference quality of care over the quality of buildings. If you can get both then that is ideal, but it’s always better to have good care in an older home than bad care in a newer home.
When you have a good idea of providers that answer the above questions, make a shortlist of the homes that work best for you and your family. Now that you have a list, you can request to tour locations to see them for yourself in person.
Aged Care Guide:
https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/nursing-homes/melbourne-vic
Aged Care Online:
https://agedcareonline.com.au/residential-aged-care/victoria/melbourne?range=10
Not only will these organisations help you collate a list of providers that work for you, they can help you make an unbiased decision for what kind of home will work best for you.
If you're still feeling stuck though, at St Vincent's we have a key team of staff that can help you get started in aged care.
The tour is arguably the most important part in choosing an aged care home. Here is where you can meet a skilled admissions coordinator to help you navigate the aged care system and when you’re there, you can keep an eye out for the signs that the home could be the right one for you.
Here are the things to consider (and ask) when on tour:
You know when a place feels right. A well-kept home is a reflection of the care.
When you tour an aged care home, you'll know whether it's right or not. Trust your gut!
Remember: When choosing a home, focus on care. A home can have all the fancy fittings and amenities in the world, but without proper care it will never be right for you. Find somewhere that feels like home. Somewhere with a community of staff and residents; not just the fanciest building on the block.
Residents are at their best when they are happy and engaged. The last thing you want is a loved one spending their days just sitting alone in a room. Ask about leisure and lifestyle calendars, get a feel for the community and, if you’re lucky, it’s great if you can see some activities in action too!
Things to look out for include:
St Vincent’s has an example lifestyle calendar you can view.
Look for aged care homes that do their cooking fresh on site. You can request a tour at mealtimes to see and smell what the food is like and that can be a good measure of how the food is. Trying the food is maybe not the best idea as it is usually tailored to what residents like (and maybe not you) but certainly seeing and smelling what the food experience is like is worth doing.
Besides quality staff, good food is the #2 most important thing families look for in an aged care home
Also, ask if there are qualified chefs making the food and request a copy of the menu if it’s available. All of these little requests will go a long way in giving you confidence in the quality of the food in a home.
Check out an example of an aged care menu.
A question like this is a great lead in to identifying the style of care that’s offered. What you really want is a style of tailored care that treats every resident as an individual.
An explanation of care plans and how these are tailored to each resident should be another important aspect of care that is brought up. If this isn’t a topic of conversation, you should make it one, as the style of care plays a major part in how your loved ones are looked after.
This is a question best directed at clinical staff, but it’s important you have peace of mind about how the process works for managing care plans and catering for changes in health.
Similar to the above question, getting a clear understanding of the different roles in aged care is very important. Not only does it help in understanding who to ask for different questions, but it also helps you understand who you’ll be helped by the most day to day.
Continuity of care is really important. Having a consistent group of staff helps a home feel more stable and can also help residents be more settled, with familiar faces and a familiar routine.
Consistency and routine keeps everyone feeling seen, heard and comfortable in aged care
Having a clear path to concerns and complaints is essential. The last thing a family member wants is for them to turn their back and not know whether their loved one’s concerns are being paid attention to. Getting a clear understanding of the complaint or concern process is essential as both a resident and a family member.
The most important question to ask yourself is if you trust the home and/or provider. You are trusting a loved one into someone else’s hands. You don’t want to doubt the care and ability of the people caring for your loved ones when your back is turned.
To get a better understanding of the kind of qualifications and signs to look for in aged care staff, you can check out St Vincent’s staff information
You’ve looked at every possible option, taken notes and exhausted every question you could ask and you’ve finally arrived at a place where you can make a decision.
While it isn’t always possible to be certain, by following some of the tips on this page, you can make the best decision with the information you have.
BUT, there is a lot more to aged care than tours and finding the right home. We've provided answers to some questions we get all the time when it comes to aged care that we hope will be of some help to you.
St Vincent’s Care Werribee is a contemporary, boutique aged care facility, set in the heart of the Wyndham Health Precinct so you can be sure that you have everything you need to live a healthy and happy life.
On top of the amenities, Werribee’s full lifestyle program means there’s rarely a dull moment. Pyjama parties, sing-a-longs, games, bus trips, intergenerational visits and more, form only a small part of the lifestyle residents enjoy while living at Werribee.
Sitting amid beautiful, open acreage is St Vincent’s Care Eltham, a place where residents look upon their rooms, living spaces and gardens as their home.
At Eltham, you can mix in with people for a board game, a quiz or some exercise with the diversity of lifestyle activities on offer meaning that no day’s activities are ever the same.
It’s the staff that makes this place. They work together to create a great atmosphere through helpful care that joyfully celebrates who they are as individual people.
Set within the stunning surrounds of Studley Park, St Vincent's Care Services Kew is setting a new benchmark in aged care living with premium amenities and a level of care second to none.
Complete with five star private dining experiences to share with the family and superb care and support, every resident at Kew is celebrated as an individual by St Vincent’s caring staff.
At St Vincent’s Care Hawthorn (Mary Mackillop Aged Care), there’s a warm feeling that goes beyond the facade of the building.
Staff call out your name as you pass them in the hallway and from the cleaners, to the carers, to the nurses, everything is done graciously with love and care.
The first 30 days in aged care are known to be the toughest time for someone moving in.
So, what can you expect in the first month of moving into a home?
For many families, the thought of being ‘assessed’ is a scary one.
Learn more about what an ACAT Assessment actually is and the steps you can take to get the most out of your assessment to make the process easy and worthwhile.
Even for the best and brightest, aged care is at the very least confusing.
So, if you're still unsure about how the cost of aged care works, check out St Vincent’s guide on paying for aged care.
Got a burning question? Or not sure where to start?
Our team of St Vincent's aged care angels can help.
Monday to Friday – 8am-6pm
Saturday – 8am – 4pm
Sunday - Closed
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