The best nursing homes in Canberra

Canberra Aged Care Facility is fantastic, layback and easy to talk with. Nothing is too much trouble. High care is so well staffed and registered nurses around the clock. A very comfortable place set in beautiful gardens. Clayton is fantastic!

I can’t speak for the care centre/higher need facility at Kangara waters, however I know a few people who live in the lifestyle community part. They are very happy with the facilities etc there. The apartments are quite nice too (and obviously quite new).

There is St Nicholas Home for the Aged in Kingston. All the staff there are really nice, helpful and it is a small home so it’s very personalised care as well. The home is partly funded by the Greek community, however you do not have to be greek to live there.

Have a look at Morshead too

Jimbocool Mater is in Goodwin Ainslie and I think it is pretty top notch. The space and design is very clever and attractive. The activities manager puts on an excellent array of events and activities. The staff are generally very good – like anywhere there are a couple of surly ones – but the people who do the high care and dementia care are super.

My advice is to concentrate on the staff at the aged care centre. Do they seem happy in their job, are they interested in the patients etc. It doesn’t matter if the facility has all brand new equipment and nice surrounds, if the staff don’t give a rats about their patients, the standard of care is going to be poor.

As for Ginninderra Gardens, there is currently a ban on them accepting new patients until they get their shit together. Says it all really.

Having had to visit all three regularly in my previous life, it comes down to exactly what your looking for in a Nursing Home and what you are willing to spend – all three have pros and cons and you will need to make some decisions – I’m assuming that you have decided on these three for quality reasons and that you live North side and want a reasonably close venue to visit regularly and easily.

Kangara is the newest of the three so facilities are fresh and more up to date with modern aged care theory, but suffers from the same problems as Goodwin Village in that they are huge sprawling facilities. Both however provide a progressive care model, as your family members needs increase they are moved within the facility to higher care levels.

Calvary is a smaller facility and I believe also offers a limited progressive care plan. Kangara and Calvary are located close to Calvary Hospital for minor medical problems HOWEVER if your loved one needs emergency care for orthopaedics, major cardiac problems etc. they will need to be transported to TCH as Calvary has limited emergency care guidelines/capabilities.

My personal feeling for the three venues your asking about are as follows – Goodwin luxury level of facilities with good staff, Kangara new but sterile facility with ok staff and Calvary with a homely care setting with good caring staff. I personally prefer Calvary as I think the other are just too big but yvmv.

Hope that was helpful