Freedom Aged Care Reviews 39

As her carer I was required to find suitable accommodation for Yvonne, a 96 year old lady who had been living alone and independently for much of her life.
Because of rapidly failing eyesight Yvonne had several falls, the last of which resulted in a broken hip.
She needed somewhere for respite with the option for permanence.
With this in mind and more importantly, a genuine fondness for this remarkable lady I visited just about all of the aged care/nursing home facilities in a 10km radius of her home.
Aveo Freedom Aged Care Hawthorn was one of the first places I visited and quite honestly, I knew
immediately…..it had a totally different feel to anywhere else!
Margie (Industry Liaison person/nurse) who couldn’t have been nicer, showed me around and explained everything. Yvonne could stay for respite and decide herself as to whether she wanted to stay on.
Yvonne’s been at Freedom Hawthorn nearly a year now and feels quite at home, but more importantly she feels safe and cared for. Adrian the manager is very friendly, personable and takes time with all the residents as does Shirley (2IC), the carers are so kind and go out of their way for Yvonne as do the wonderful nurses, Hardeep and Eilish. Lastly though with the help of weekly physiotherapy from Daniel and Chris and Greg’s “I kid you not” delicious food, Yvonne looks and feels so much healthier.
It goes without saying that I would highly recommend Freedom Aged Care to anyone

My sister and I moved our parents into Freedom Aged Care in August 2015. Our elderly parents needed professional attention as their health, especially that of our father, had declined significantly in a short space of time. We found the team at freedom to be outstanding in their care of our parents' needs. This was very much so as they cared for our father during his final time prior to passing away on May 20, 2016. Our mother remains and we are confident that she is in good hands. She is most frail and we know that the Freedom team do all they can to ensure that her time there is as comfortable as possible.

Freedom have been one of the best decisions my parents have made. The Freedom team are caring, kind, honest and compasionate. They have been more than happy to answer any queries we have had in a timely and professional manner.
Mum and Dad are happy and healthier than ever.
We highly recommend Freedom.

As a family we were concerned as to what the future would hold for my parents in law, They had been together for over 65 years and yet were facing the prospect of having to live apart as John's care needs were steadily increasing. That was when we found Freedom Aged Care here in Bendigo. Within three months time they were living in their beautiful double unit and settling into community life. Mavis was able to once again enjoy the things that she did previously knowing that 24 hour help for John was only a call away. The carers quickly became like extended family to all of us, but particularly for John who enjoyed the regular visits to provide his care and share a joke or two. As family we had the reassurance that both of their care needs were being met and they could stay together right through this next stage of their journey.
When John passed away a few months ago having been at the village for over 20 months, we experienced first hand the amazing support and love as part of the Freedom family .
Although life for Mavis has changed, she is in an environment where she has support , familiarity, friends and will have access to care when ever she needs it. Our famiily feel blessed and grateful to have found Freedom

My father is, and my my late mother was, in Freedom Rochedale South village. The thing which my sisters and I most like is the quality of the carers employed there. These employees are impressive people who took a personal interest in our parents, and treated them as valued individuals. The carers, both male and female, are people I feel I would be proud to entertain in my own home. They seem to me to be hard-working people who have goals in life (pay off a mortgage, pay for ballet lessons for their child, etc) and that is reflected in how they do their work.

It is quality care we are buying (as well as good food, etc). As long as quality of care remains high my sisters and I will continue to be happy customers.

After some health issues which meant that mum didn't feel comfortable or emotionally confident being in her own home anymore she arrived at Freedom Taylor Street Toowoomba in June 2013 filled with fear and trepidation. All three of her children lived away so we needed somewhere that we knew that she would be safe and have help close at hand. On our first visit and meeting with the staff I knew this was the right place for mum. After my very first experience of Happy Hour I thought that I could happily live there too!! After spending a week helping mum to settle in, it was time to say goodbye.....that afternoon I said goodbye and it was a worse feeling than leaving my children at school or daycare for the very first time...but there was no need for concern as from day 1 the staff at Freedom Taylor Street Toowoomba took mum under their wings and helped her to soar through what was a difficult transition to this different phase of her life. The Staff were nurturing and caring and allowed her to have her own personal space whilst also gently guiding and encouraging her to go up to morning tea and meals and activities. Gradually she became more independent and no longer required nightly checks or assistance in general but always knew that the wonderful staff were only a call away day or night if she needed them. In no time mum began to discover that Freedom living was quite wonderful and she began to make lots of lovely new friends and was beginning to venture out again to the shops and meet friends for coffee. She loved the trivia days, the craft sessions, helping out in the kitchen and garden and the regular bus trips and days out as well as tending to her own small garden in her courtyard. She was always involved and included in all activities and we could only ever phone her after 6pm of an evening as she was usually up at the community room involved in whatever was happening at the time - that was enough proof for us as to how happy she really was. The Staff and Volunteers at Taylor Street are all angels in disguise. Every visit or phone call I had with mum she always had so much to tell me about her time there. The staff were welcoming and friendly each time I would visit. Last year my siblings and I and our partners and children attended the Family Christmas lunch which was a wonderful celebration.

My mum unexpectedly passed away in November after spending just over 3 wonderful years being part of the Freedom Taylor Street Toowoomba Family. We couldn't have wished for any better care for her. The love, kindness, compassion and friendship that she experienced there was amazing. She was also in a couple of the ads they have for Freedom - sadly she didn't get to see the most recent one as she would have been stoked being in another one. Thank You to everyone at Freedom Taylor Street Toowoomba for making mums Aged Care Experience a truly happy one.

Mum was a resident in Taylor Street Freedom Aged Care. She had a lovely little self contained unit with private courtyard. A bay window looking onto a lovely garden. She was also able to have her little dog with her which is such important therapy for elderly people. The staff were wonderful. There was always somebody popping in to check on her. The units are well electronically monitored as well. Such peace of mind for families knowing our loved ones are being so well cared for in a non-institutional environment.

Until recently, my dearly loved Mum has been fiercely independant and determined to remain in the beautiful home she shared with my darling Dad, who passed away 26 years ago. Sadly,age and increasing physical limitations no longer make this a safe option, so Mum has made the difficult decision that it is now time to move into aged care.
But where to go? Mum wants to retain as much independance as possible, with her own private space but with the availability of assistance as her needs increase. A nursing home is most definitely not on her radar!
My sister heard of a friend's parents who are living in a lovely unit, with some assistance, at Geelong Freedom Aged Care. I contacted the facility and was very impressed and excited by the information I received, and discussed the situation with Mum and my siblings. This sounded like the perfect choice for Mum. We were invited to visit the community at our convenience, so arranged to visit the following week.
What a wonderful experience awaited us! The tour of the grounds and facilities was great, but it was the warm welcome we were met with that really made an impression. Every staff member we came into contact with treated us with the utmost respect, and the genuine care and concern for both Mum and the family was greatly appreciated.
Mum made her decision very quickly. She didn't feel the need to look elsewhere. Freedom Aged Care offers everything Mum and the family are looking for. She has been given the choice of two units, and is excited at the prospect of moving into her delightful new home in the next few weeks. Mum still drives, and is able to bring her car with her. She loves gardening and will have her own little covered courtyard where she can surround herself with her plants.
The family feel sure that Mum will settle in well, and it is comforting for us to know that she is happy and looking forward to this next stage of her life.
Thankyou to everyone at Geelong Freedom Aged Care for your warm welcome, for showing genuine interest in our family story and for giving my siblings and I confidence that our dear Mum is going to be comfortable and content in such a caring community. You have really helped make a difficult time in all our lives easier than we thought possible.

My parents were very feeble, my Father was adamant he needed to be in a Care Facility that had two bedrooms. He did not want to go to a Place that looked like a Hospital Ward. All of my searching I rang Freedom, everyone was so helpful so, I made an appointment with Consultant Susan Milward, Susan showed us what was available, and the Financial aspect of the Package. We urged our parents this is what was suitable for them, Susan organised the meeting for my Parents and the showing of what was available very easy to grip. We Sold the home within a couple of weeks of the viewing and asked if our Parents could be there within a month. Susan had a Unit being refurbished and would be ready within this time frame. it was a matter of explaining and understanding the Financial ins and outs, which worked out very well for my parents, we were so glad to finally have that assurance that our Parents would be well taken care of. Our parents moved in and settled very well, it did take a couple of weeks to get our parents used to the Menus and convince them to eat in the Dining Room, as all he facilities There, the Care Package, and systems are just wonderful.My Dad loves shopping and gets the Golf Cart to the shops next door. The Carers are so compassionate, the Accounting System at the time was going through a phase of restructuring from Tall Trees to Freedom and a few things were finally ironed out, as Enduring Power of Attorney, I had to be careful,my parents understood fully, what had to be the norm. Yes my Mother did have a few tears as she missed her Home, but we assured her this is their home now, and the Carers and especially Susan have been amazing. Freedom Aged Care is a great Choice.

To all the staff at Freedom, it would be impossible to express the gratitude we feel to all of you for the wonderful care, love and friendship you gave to Dad, Rex. We wish you all the very best for the future and may all your lives be filled with love.

Thank you for helping settle Mum into her new home at Freedom Clayfield. Mum has said she “feels like I’ve died and gone to heaven!” It’s that good.
The staff have gone the extra mile to make her feel welcome. Rotating residents places at lunch and dinner has enabled Mum to quickly meet and make friends. She’s loving the quality home cooked meals, special events and learning new craft. We’ve already recommended Freedom to a friend for her Mother!

I recently purchased a unit for my father at the Freedom Age Care facility Coffs Harbour. From the very first phone call I was treated with respect and genuine care. Over a period of 5 months I made many calls to Bob Newport (sometimes 3 or 4 times a day) asking questions so as to leave no stone unturned. Bob's knowledge and transperencey was flawless. I visited the village and was treated like royalty. When I took my father to his new unit his face lit up like a child at Christmas time. Beautiful new modern purpose built unit all tastefully furnished by Bob. I could go on and on about how happy both my father and I am. I have and will continue to highly recommend Freedom Age Care Coffs Harbour (Resort) !!

Our family (including our mother) had a fantastic experience in choosing Freedom, Bendigo for our mother. The staff were very attentive, relaxed, informative and made our decision quite easy. Thank you, Freedom.

After a period of illness, Mum moved to Freedom Aged Care in Toowoomba for respite. During this time, Mum made the decision to sell her home and move to Freedom permanently. She has now lived at Freedom for 2 and a half years. The care and attention Mum receives from all the staff and volunteers has been excellent and the Freedom model has enabled Mum to live the active lifestyle she has always enjoyed. Her unit is her home and she comes and goes as she pleases.

I am relieved and very happy to see my mother return to her former strong and vibrant self. Thanks, for the most part, to the care and attention she receives from Freedom.

I just wanted to thank you and all the staff at Freedom for making my mother's adjustment to Aged Care so smooth and painless. You have been so wonderful and have all gone the extra mile to ensure that all of us have been thoroughly supported during this major shift in our lives. As you know, my mother, Freda. Who is almost 90, has been living with us for about three years, off and on. However, she had also needed considerable support from us for a further two years before that while she was still living in her own home in Brisbane. She had always lived a very elegant life, travelling widely and, through my father, being involved in the social and academic life at Queensland University for 40 years. She was a superb cook and always beautifully dressed, even when she was doing the vacuuming. During the war when she was in her 20's, she worked in a military hospital in Goulburn, a time she still remembers with great affection. She was, and still is, a wonderful mother. However, after my father died almost 13 years ago, Mum became more and more socially isolated in her own home. Despite our best efforts, she barely saw anyone, apart from our family. She declined physically, which I guess is natural, but it took me a while to realise that her mental faculties were going as well. It has been so hard to see this elegant woman in her pyjamas all day every day, incontinent, barely able to walk and so frail, refusing to shower, having occasional hallucinations and delusions. Yet sometimes I glimpse the person she was. The CAPS package followed by the EACH package were a help, but this year my husband and I really started to feel pressured by trying to look after her, as she seemed to need us to be with her all the time. However, she had always said that she would never go into a nursing home and that weighed heavily on me. After having to put her into Respite for two weeks, I couldn't bear the thought of a traditional nursing home for her, but we were getting close to having no other alternative. I kept thinking, "Surely there has to be another way of solving this problem, surely there has to be another way of looking after people who need high care."
Then I heard about Freedom. After one look and meeting Jim and Julia, I thought, "I would be happy to live here myself," and our 26 year old daughter asked when she could move in too. It has all been so beautifully thought out with such a clear focus on quality: quality staff, quality facilities, quality care. Nothing is ever too much trouble for you and to spend one-and a-half hours chatting to my mother the second night she was there, on a sunday night, was incredible.
My mother adores you. Dianne has been an absolute godsend. I have appreciated you all so much and thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the unbearable not only bearable but actually a positive experience. After only two weeks, my mother looks better than she has for years, she is relatively settled, she has a mini version of her own home, I know she is safe and being cared for with kindness and respect and expertise - and we have our life back!

When the time came for my parents to make the move into Aged Care there seemed to be nothing in our area that fully met their requirements. Until we found Freedom. We spent several months and numerous visits to the Freedom village, here in Bendigo and were bowled over by what it had to offer. Every visit we made, every phone call we had, every question we asked was always greeted with a friendly response. Nothing was too much trouble. We were always welcomed and everyone remembered our names. The whole concept of Freedom Aged Care fitted Mum & Dad perfectly. They could remain together in their own little unit in the village, fill it with their treasured belongings and live out their days safe in the knowledge that help was just the press of a buzzer away. Mum & Dad chose a lovely double unit overlooking one of the many garden areas throughout the village and moved in just before spring.
Our Dear Mum enjoyed seven very happy months at Freedom before she passed away. The care she received exceeded our expectations. The level of service, combined with the gentle and nurturing nature of her carers, provided us all with a real sense of security… and still does!
What Freedom means to us as a family knowing that Dad is not alone. He is surrounded by a support network, a community and a team of friendly, genuine, and nurturing staff who aren’t just carers. They’re part of the family.

My 84 year old father was living with me. He was alone most days of the week as I worked. I looked at 6 aged care facilities in my area. The result was always the same....a bedroom with en suite. Everywhere else was a shared space, dining rooms, lounge rooms, nooks and crannies. Dad wasn't ready for that. He could still make his breakfast, he loved to read the paper at the table every morning. Then I found Freedom. A fully self contained unit where he had his own space, fantastic meals in the dining room, other people to chat too, all the care he could ever need now and in the future. And Affordable.... amazing. Dad is happy, I am happy and he is living the life he deserves after working hard all his life.
I am so grateful to Freedom. It is a fantastic solution to aged care . Seriously Freedom is the only way to go, pick up the phone, book a tour.!

A couple of years after my father passed away, we noticed changes in Mum. She wasn't confident going anywhere on her own, particularly as she had suffered a couple of falls, and was becoming very dependent on us.
Our family wanted Mum to enjoy her remaining years feeling happy and secure.
I tentatively suggested we go and "just have a look" at Freedom. We both liked the bright, fresh and modern decor. It didn't feel like an aged care facility at all.
We didn't need to persuade Mum, she had made her mind up! We looked at other places but came back to Freedom.
Mum moved into Village 1, in Toowoomba on 4th July, 2013, and even though she is a quiet lady she made friends and enjoyed all the social activities on offer, her favorites being the bus trips, bingo, having her nails done and dressing up for Melbourne Cup day.
It is a bonus to have her own unit to enjoy friends and family visiting, plus time out when needed.
Mum is now 87 and unfortunately has become very frail and her needs have changed.
I cannot speak highly enough of each and every staff member. They are careing and warm towards Mum.
The village manager, Greer, is readily available to discuss any issues. Judy our case manager is wonderful, ensuring all Mums needs are met.
Freedom provides a real peace of mind for our family.

Being new to the whole ‘Aged Care’ process, I had been searching our local area and visited many aged care facilities. I tried mum for 2 weeks respite in a beautiful nursing home but mum categorically informed me that "the people there are all too old!" I came to Freedom as my plan B. It's funny how things work out because Freedom has really been the A Team on every level.
Mum had been living on her own for about 3 years and unfortunately was heading down a very familiar path to anyone who may be reading this, becoming socially isolated, not able to look after herself as well as she used to and as a result her mental and physical health was starting to deteriorate, yet she was still relatively independent. Mum has been at Freedom for about 3 months now and she absolutely loves it - only wish we had made the move sooner!
When I was reading through many testimonials in my original search, I was looking for honesty and reality, I don't believe anywhere can offer 100% perfection, but it's how those less than perfect issues are handled that I was trying to establish. So to be very honest we had a few minor teething problems in the beginning, as you would realistically expect with any move, let alone such an emotional one, but whilst working through things the communication between Freedom staff and myself was fantastic and not once did Mum's care, welfare or happiness suffer, this was always their priority, I was very impressed.
The staff are probably the most valuable asset at Freedom and as in life, each and every one of them has made a different connection with mum and they all offer something unique to her daily life. The variety and enjoyment she experiences as part of her days now is fantastic; bus outings, activities, games, movies and just the benefits of socializing again are tremendous.

I can not recommend Freedom highly enough, the attention, care, respect and enjoyment they have given my mum have been amazing. It has given her a new burst of life and given me the confidence and comfort that I have made the right decision for mum's future.

My mother turns 88 years young later in 2016, she lived in a three level house for the past 40 years, for the last 7 years she had lived there alone. Her life was slowing; shopping, cooking and cleaning had all became a burden. Her neighbourhood circle of friends had slowly shrunk and she decided it was time to move.

We looked at retirement options around Toowoomba, we had visited 5 different facilities over 2 days but we kept talking about one unit at Freedom 2 in Taylor Street and the positive feel about the village.

Mum moved into Freedom within 2 weeks, taking some furniture from her house and buying some new items. Moving was a bit sad but I was amazed how quickly her sense of humour and positive outlook returned when the burden of everyday responsibilities was removed. Freedom staff were amazing during the transition period, someone even hung her family portraits.
Her unit looks lovely and she is so proud of it. Her neighbours are friendly, she enjoys the fabulous cakes at morning tea and the homestyle cooked meals. She loves having a community drink every afternoon and loves the fact that she has company to share her meals, plus there is transport available for outings and shopping.

Nothing seems to be too much trouble for the staff at Freedom, they have a great sense of care yet do it in such a friendly and compassionate manner.

Mum still has her 'own home' but within a secure, supportive, happy and caring community.