An Activity of The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

24-36 Lorne Street, Fawkner VIC 3060

[email protected]

Call: (03) 9358 4444

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Services

Home>Services

Care and compassion every day

Residential aged care services

We strive to provide our residents with a holistic quality of life. We take great pride in creating a happy, safe and caring residential care home where we treat everyone with dignity, respect and love. 

 

When you enter our beautiful, light-filled Melbourne facility, you will notice its welcoming atmosphere. We have 150 beds across three areas: a Hostel Area, a Nursing Home Area and a Sensitive Care Unit for residents with cognitive impairment who need additional support and security. Residents often come together for activities and entertainment.

All residential care rooms at St Basil’s Victoria are single rooms with an ensuite bathroom. We have three double rooms for couples, singles and friends to live together if preferred.

Your room is your own personal sanctuary. We encourage you to bring any ornaments, photographs and small items of furniture that will help you feel comfortable and at home. We respect your right to privacy and we will always knock before entering your space.

Our aged care services include helping you with showering, personal hygiene and dressing. We can provide personal mobility aids and communication help for residents with hearing, sight or speech difficulties. We have staff who speak Greek, Serbian, Italian and Arabic to help with any communication difficulties.

We have highly trained nursing staff who can provide catheter care, chronic wound management, stoma care, complex pain management, peg feeds and palliative care. We have high levels of antimicrobial stewardship in place and treat your safety as our number one priority.

Dementia care services

We provide the highest quality dementia care and aged care services within a culturally and linguistically appropriate environment. We are experienced in providing all levels of dementia care across our home. 

 

Dementia Australia says over two thirds of aged care residents in Australia have moderate to significant cognitive impairment.

 

In our secured Dementia Specific Unit, we get to know each resident and provide a personalised approach. For some residents, we can speak to them in their mother tongue, including Greek, Serbian, Italian or Arabic. For other residents, we can help them create their own homely environment so they feel secure at St Basil’s.

 

We have electronic systems such as fall detectors and personal alarms in place throughout our facility to reduce risk. We provide 24/7 supervision in our dementia care unit, and we are experienced in managing challenging behaviours associated with some forms of dementia.

Respite care services

Respite care is short-term or temporary care when your regular carer can’t care for you. Whether your carer has their own medical care to attend to or they need to go away for a few days, we can provide you a home away from home. 

 

At St Basil’s, we have two dedicated single respite rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Booking is essential for respite care. 

 

Our respite care guests will enjoy many of the same services as our aged care residents. You can join in our many lifestyle and activity programs and enjoy our entertainment options. You will also love our delicious Mediterranean cuisine cooked daily on site.

 

Respite care services are an ideal way for you and your carer to take a break and recharge. It can also provide you an opportunity to see what living in an aged care home like St Basil’s Victoria would be like. We have staff who speak Greek, Serbian, Italian and Arabic to help you feel right at home. 

Want to see for yourself how we help you feel at home? Contact us to take a tour of St Basil's.

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Life at St Basil’s

How we help you feel at home. 

Meals

Mealtime is important to us at St Basil’s. It’s a time to come together and share good quality, nutritious and tasty food. Qualified chefs design our meals and they’re also reviewed by dieticians. They’re cooked on site, so they’re always fresh. 

We serve traditional Greek and European dishes regularly and update our menu each season. We always consider religious and dietary requirements when planning our meals. We want you to enjoy mealtime and we try to consider your taste preferences when we can. 

We schedule mealtimes according to your preferences, however, there are food options available at any time of the day.

For many people, home is about sharing a meal with the people you love. Which is why we encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us for a meal. If your doctor allows it, you can also enjoy an alcoholic drink with your meal. 

Lifestyle

At St Basil’s, we take great pride in creating a happy, caring and valued home. We work closely with you and your family to help you create the lifestyle you want. 

Our dedicated Activity Officers organise a busy schedule with activities including arts and crafts, cooking classes, group games, exercises classes, music and art therapy and even pet therapy. We offer bus excursions into the community, ranging from visits to shopping centres to museums and gardens. 

To keep you physically fit and well, we have an on-site physiotherapist and massage therapist, as well as other allied health providers if you need. We have several hairdressing salons, so you can choose the hairdresser you want. 

We have extensive entertainment options, including a TV in each bedroom offering Australian, Greek, Italian and Serbian channels for free. We have a Smart TV in the day areas, computer and Wi-Fi access and a private telephone if you request. 

Worship

St Basil’s Home of the Aged is the aged care arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. This is the main practising faith within the organisation. We celebrate Greek specific and Orthodox church services (liturgies), religious feast days and national cultural practices. 

However, we welcome people of all faiths at St Basil’s. We respect and encourage your individual religious preferences and rituals. 

We have an onsite Religious Room, which is a multi-denominational worship room. It is available for all residents and is regularly used in services by both Orthodox and non-Orthodox clergy.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I start?

If you’re finding your daily tasks at home are getting more difficult, there are lots of support services available to help you. 

Your first step is to understand what type of support you need. There are options available through My Aged Care including help at home, short-term respite and aged care homes.

Think about your current lifestyle and what you can do on your own. You might find that with some extra help, such as personal care, cleaning or even some garden maintenance, you can continue to live at home.

You may have recently had an accident or illness, or your regular carer is taking a break. Here, you may need some short-term respite care to help you get back on your feet. 

However, you might find that even with extra home care support, you’re not able to live independently anymore. Perhaps you’re feeling lonely and would like the companionship of like-minded people around you. You may live with a medical condition like dementia and you need specialist support. 

That’s where an Aged Care Home (sometimes known as a nursing home or residential aged care facility) is the best option. 

What are ACAT assessments and how do I apply for Aged Care?

If you’ve decided an Aged Care Home is your next step, you need to be assessed to see if you’re eligible for government-subsidised aged care services. 

You may be eligible for funding if you have:

  • noticed a change in what you can do or remember,
  • been diagnosed with a medical condition or reduced mobility,
  • experienced a change in family care arrangements, or
  • experienced a recent fall or hospital admission.

You can go to the Eligibility Checker on My Aged Care. If you’re eligible, you can then apply online for an assessment. Alternatively, you can call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to find out if you’re eligible for government support. 

If you’d prefer to speak to someone in a language other than English, you can call My Aged Care through Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 for the cost of a local call.

Once you’ve applied for aged care, you will need to have an in person assessment from an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessor. They will come to your home and talk to you about your situation and how you’ve been completing daily tasks. This assessment will help them understand what type of care will suit you best. 

After the assessment, you will receive a letter to let you know what services you’re funded for. The document you will receive is called an Aged Care Assessment Report, or an ACAR. You will receive this around two to six weeks after your assessment. 

If the assessor decides you’re eligible, they can help connect you to services. You can also contact providers such as St Basil’s Aged Care to arrange a meeting and a tour of our facilities. 

How do I arrange aged care services?

If your assessor determines you’re eligible, they can help connect you to services. Alternatively, you can also contact aged care providers like us at St Basil’s directly. 

When you contact us, we will happily arrange a tour for you. We can show you around our facility, including the common lounge areas, gardens and examples of the rooms where you might be living. 

You can meet the staff and chat to some residents to find out what they like about living at St Basil’s. You could even take part in an activity or enjoy a meal to really get a feel whether it’s the right fit for you.

You will receive a referral code, which is your key to receiving those services. When you choose a provider, you give them the referral code, which is how they organise services for you. 

What are the costs and fees for aged care?

What you pay for aged care will depend on your circumstances. You may be asked to pay for one or more of the following:

  • A basic daily fee. This covers living costs like meals, cleaning, power and laundry. For some residents, this is the only fee they need to pay. The basic daily fee is 85% of the full single person rate of the basic aged pension. The Government sets the price on 20 March and 20 September each year, changing in line with movements to the age pension.
  • A means-tested care fee. This is an additional contribution towards the cost of your personal and clinical care that some residents may need to pay. The Government will work out if you need to pay this fee based on an assessment of your income and assets. There are annual and lifetime caps on means-tested care fees. 
  • An accommodation payment. This is for your accommodation in the home. Some residents will have their accommodation costs met in full or part by the Government, while others will need to pay the accommodation price. This is determined by an income and assets assessment. Centrelink will let you know about your individual circumstances. You can choose whether to pay for your accommodation costs as a refundable upfront payment, rental style payment or a combination of both. 

At St Basil’s, we charge fees a month in advance and they can be paid by cheque or EFTPOS. 

We complete these assessments prior to you moving in, so you’re fully informed about all fees and charges before you move in. 

We recommend you get independent financial advice before you sign your Residential Agreement. Services Australia has a Financial Information Service (FIS) that is free for everyone. To find out more, call 132 300 and say “Financial Information Service” when prompted.

If you have any more questions, please contact our administration department. 

Can I have a representative or advocate?

If you’re receiving aged care services, you may decide that you would like someone to speak on your behalf. This person may be a family member, a friend, a carer or an advocate. 

Having an advocate or representative is one of your rights as determined by the Charter of Aged Care Rights. 

If you’d like to organise for someone you trust to be your regular representative with My Aged Care, you can call them on 1800 200 422.

If you’re unable to make your own decisions, an authorised representative will be appointed. As part of our admission process, we encourage you to think about a friend or family member who you’d like as your authorised representative if you weren’t able to make your own decisions. 

We also encourage you to complete a Medical Treatment Decision Maker form to officially document your preferences. You can also nominate an Enduring Power of Attorney with a lawyer. 

We want to make sure you and your representative have plenty of time to discuss any financial and personal matters, and that you completely understand your rights before you accept your placement with us.

What support is available?

We encourage you to continue seeing your own GP and allied care professionals when you move to St Basil’s. However, if your preferred medical practitioner isn’t available, we have relationships with local GPs, physiotherapists and podiatrists, some of whom attend the centre regularly. 

We also have an accredited pharmacy that services St Basil’s residents for their pharmaceutical needs. 

We can also arrange health services including dentistry, optometry, audiometry, speech therapy, dietitian services, mental health services, dementia support and palliative care. 

You have the option to choose local practitioners or public health facilities known to St Basil’s.