Family ties endure at Baycrest community

For Bolton Clarke Baycrest father and daughter residents, Col and Julie, family is important – which is one reason both made the decision to move into the Baycrest aged care community.

Although their care needs differ, Col and Julie say being able to live close to each other at Baycrest while receiving the support they need has made for a positive experience.

“It’s been 12 months now since we moved in. I moved in about three days after Julie, so it was an easy process,” Col said.

“We had been in Hervey Bay for quite some time but after I had a stroke, I couldn’t maintain the yard like I used to.

“Julie was also having difficulty - we didn’t realise at the time that it was dementia.”

For Julie, picking Baycrest was an easy decision after spending more than 20 years working at the residential aged care home as a registered nurse.  

“Julie had old work friends here at Baycrest so she made the decision without even thinking about it,” Col said.

“I can’t remember what brought us to Hervey Bay in the first place, but we were always looking for holiday spots.”

The pair are now inseparable, getting involved in the home’s daily activities to socialise and keep active.

“I’m down every morning doing the exercises and I play bingo and hoy with the other residents.

“Julie always comes down and watches and even when she can’t join in, she still enjoys the atmosphere.

“We enjoy being able to be here together and we get to see each other each day.”

After a lifetime of memories, Col and Julie like to reflect on their time travelling Australia and the world as a family.

“I was born in Yorkshire and my brother found work here and my mother had moved over, so my wife and I brought our kids over, including Julie.

“We always went overseas for travel, we went to New York, Las Vegas and China and the family absolutely loved it.

“Once we got back from one holiday, we would start planning for the next one!” Col said.