By Molly Magennis
Newport aged care facility Calvary Trugo Place has celebrated its first birthday with a bang.
Friday March 11 was a day for celebrating, with balloons, a cake and a magician marking the special milestone.
Noreen Bagnell was one of the first residents at Trugo Place, after she was transferred from its predecessor Yarra West Aged Care.
The 94-year-old said the birthday celebrations were lovely and recounted all the wonderful things about the facility that she loves the most, like the food, the staff and the activities. She said the facilities at Trugo Place were well suited to her.
“Every place you become attached to it, kind of like it’s a person,” Doreen said.
“I think different places mean different things to different people.”
Doreen’s daughter Roxanne Bagnell said Trugo Place looked like a five star hotel rather than an aged care facility.
“It’s stunning. There’s nothing else like it in Melbourne’s west, possibly not in Australia. It’s a beautiful facility,” she said.
“I chose the facility because I thought that the food was excellent. The chef here has won awards and so the food is exceptional. It’s a cut above any other aged care facility.”
While Doreen has trouble walking now, Roxanne said she loves participating in the activities, such as the Lifestyle Girls, who often take her out into the garden in her wheelchair to participate in gardening.
“Even during the lockdown, The Lifestyle girls still came to the rooms and still did the activities with them and still took them out of the room,” she said.
“They still got taken out of their rooms for exercise and some activity and just some stimulation.”
