It’s not often that a bus is so long awaited, so needed that its arrival is greatly celebrated.
Residents at Mercy Place Rice Village in Geelong waited for two long years for a brand-new bus to replace their old one.
Mercy Place Rice Village General Manager, Narelle Grech, says the job her and her team perform each day is not just about the day-to-day caring for residents – it’s about the joy you can give them.
“To be able to transition somebody into aged care and give them joy and make whatever time they have left on earth as enjoyable as possible… that’s what I love about my job,” Narelle says.
The freedom and independence this brand-new bus will give residents is immeasurable. It can allow residents and staff to go on excursions, shopping trips, attend community events and more.
Residents enjoying a ride on the RV Express
Funded by Friends of Rice Village and Mercy Health Foundation, residents have decided to name the bus the RV Express.
Residents were thrilled to be able to get on the bus and head out for its maiden voyage. For some residents, it was one of the few times they decided to explore outside of the village, having previously been reluctant to engage in activities or even leave their room.
The team at Mercy Place Rice Village hope that the bus will allow for more adventures and activities that residents wouldn’t otherwise get to enjoy. It is also hoped that in the future the team can trial a special nighttime routine for residents living with dementia.
Sometimes, there’s a simple pleasure in going for a drive… just because.
“They’re smiling, they have a skip in their step and they are so happy after coming back from a drive or an outing,” Narelle says.
“The Foundation has enabled us to fund this project and will help Mercy standout as the key provider for aged care in the Geelong area.”
And bringing joy to her residents is what the RV Express is all about.
If you’d like to find out more about funding special projects like this, please contact Vicky Kapourelakos, Philanthropy Manager, [email protected].