Jemalong Retirement Village

 40-70 Church Street
Forbes NSW 2871
Tel: 02 6853 9200
PO Box 388 Forbes NSW 2871

30 High care places
61 Low care places

Jemalong Retirement Village (JRV) at Forbes is a 91-place residential aged care community consisting of 30 high care and 61 low care places, including one place for respite care.

Located in a quiet residential area, JRV consists of eight single-storey buildings connected by walkways. Buildings are named after local geographical features.

JRV has a strong focus on meeting residents' social, cultural and spiritual needs. A rich and varied program of recreational activities is provided and importance is placed on maintaining strong links to the religious faith communities within Forbes. A spiritual care co-ordinator helps residents maintain links with their cultural and spiritual life before coming to JRV and to provide support during times of special need, such as palliative care.

For more than 30 years, JRV has been a well-respected and much loved aged care community within Forbes. It prides itself on being an integral part of the community. JRV is one of the largest employers in Forbes and is well supported by local business and the residential community.

A strong volunteer group provides many hours of activity and involvement for residents at JRV.

History

JRV was established by a community committee in partnership with the (then) Forbes Municipal Council and Jemalong Shire, which have since amalgamated. The name Jemalong comes from a locality on the Lachlan River, west of Forbes.

Established in 1972, JRV was founded by the Forbes Jemalong Aged Peoples Association (FJAPA). FJAPA wanted to establish an aged care service by the community for the community. JRV opened in 1977. Following a three-year management partnership with Catholic Healthcare, JRV transitioned the residential aged care community to Catholic Healthcare in June 2006.

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Transport

JRV is located in Church Street, Forbes, and is bounded by Church, Hill, Berkley and Bathurst Streets. It is adjacent to the rear of Forbes District Hospital.

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List of on-site services

Low care accommodation consists of:

  • Own bed sitter with en-suite
  • Air conditioning and off-peak heating
  • All meals, cooked fresh, and breakfast to rooms
  • Supervision of medication if required
  • Doctors' clinics on-site
  • Religious services
  • Registrar available 24 hours
  • Assistance with showering, mobility and personal care needs as required
  • All personal laundry
  • Bed and linen
  • A range of services or equipment to meet individual needs
  • Activities, exercises and a range of entertainment.

One low care unit is set aside for respite care, which is primarily designed to give a carer of an older person an opportunity to relax and rest, while the older person is being cared for at JRV. The high care accommodation consists of:

  • Six rooms comprising four beds
  • Two double rooms
  • Two single rooms
  • A quiet room where a resident and their family can have complete privacy in times of palliative care
  • Daily activities
  • Registered nurse on duty 24 hours
  • All personal laundry.

General services include:

  • Visiting physiotherapist
  • Foot care provided
  • Consulting dietician
  • Hairdressing services by the "Hair Ladies" who have been active from the early years of the village's life.

Fundraising by one of the volunteers supported by the Auxiliary resulted in the purchase of an 11-seater bus with wheelchair access in 2005. The bus enables residents to be transported to many town functions and celebrations, allowing them to maintain friendships within the Forbes community.

JRV is accredited by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

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Awards

Significant awards received in the past 12 months include:

  • Forbes Business Awards 2005, Most Outstanding Business - Professional Category
  • Forbes Citizen of the Year, awarded to JRV's most active volunteer on Australia Day 2006 for her participation at JRV.
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Testimonials

"The quality of care from your staff and the genuine feeling of compassion that they have is something that we will always remember. We know that she had the greatest regard and love for all of you and used to relay little stories of this one and that and of their kindness to her."
- Relative's mother, 28 November 2005

"The village Mum lived in while still in Sydney was very nice, I guess you could call it an 'upmarket' place, beautifully decorated, manicured gardens, antique furniture, etc. and the care was adequate. But it doesn't hold a candle to JRV. Mum now has a real home again. While the d?r may not be as 'flash' she's really comfortable and never ever has anything negative to say. That was never the case before and I'm sure that's totally due to your wonderful staff, you all deserve a medal. So thank you to everyone. I don't know what we'd do without you."
- Resident's relatives, 28 November 2005