Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution in Sydney, Australia | Retirement and care home

Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution

Locality: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 1800 181 959

Address: 2 Park Street 2000 Sydney, NSW, Australia

Website: https://rfbi.com.au

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• Medical and health
• Medical centre
• Retirement and care home
• Nursing home

25.01.2022 Happy New Year! What a year it has been never have we experienced such challenges. Our teams worked together, putting our residents first, through this difficult time. We are delighted to have welcomed loved ones into our RFBI Villages and organised a range of activities for our current residents to keep them happy and connected.... Whilst 2020 came with unexpected challenges, it also presented opportunities. We hosted our first free livestream event RFBI’s Mental Moments Show to start the conversation on the importance of mental health in aged care. After the success of our first event, we also held our virtual Christmas Carols the Big Christmas Sing-A-Long. And there are many more exciting things that await in 2021.

24.01.2022 Take A Moment with Jan Jan was weary when it came time to find her husband, Rob, a home where he could live and receive the 24/7 care he needed. RFBI Lakemba Masonic Village was the first home Jan looked at and she found the team and place very welcoming.... It’s a big decision putting your husband into care. But the Lakemba team were really nice when we walked in the door and I felt comforted, Jan explained. I knew that it was the right place for my husband. I’m really happy with the staff they are very caring. I would recommend this village to anyone. To take A Moment With another one of our residents, staff, volunteers and family members, visit the news section of our website - https://rfbi.com.au/news-events/

23.01.2022 Are you looking at aged care service options for you or a loved one? We've developed guides to help answer some of the questions you might have. Take a look by clicking the link below. https://rfbi.com.au/aged-care-guide/

22.01.2022 Ensuring good hygiene and clean hands has always been important at RFBI, but even moreso with COVID-19 around. This is a great demonstration from the Australian Government Department of Health about the importance of taking the time to wash all parts of your hands. How clean are your hands?

22.01.2022 Every year we invite our local schools to design the cover of our RFBI Christmas cards. We continued our much-loved tradition this year - the seventh year - using the theme . Children from local schools were encouraged to put their artistic skills to the test and design the cover of a Christmas card, which was then judged by the residents to be used as the Village’s official Christmas card for 2020. Winners received a pack of their original Christmas card...s, a certificate featuring their design and a $50 book voucher. The winning school received a $100 book voucher for their library. We were thrilled to receive so many beautiful designs this year. The children have done an amazing job bringing joy to all our residents with their lovely artwork. Take a look at some of the winning designs.

22.01.2022 , As well as completing her Higher School Certificate, Emily works at our Village as part of her school-based traineeship. She has a passion for helping others and has discovered that working in aged care is where she wants to be. I enjoy working in aged care because I find it continually rewarding assisting those who cannot look after themselves.... Emily has learnt so much during her traineeship and has cherished the friendships she has made with staff and residents alike. I am proud to me part of the RFBI team. You too can become an aged care hero and turn your passion for helping people into a meaningful career. Visit http://careers.rfbi.com.au/job-board/query/Keywords/carer/ or call your local RFBI Village. #RFBIAgedCareHeroes

21.01.2022 Did you catch our last newsletter of 2020? You can read it by visiting https://rfbi.com.au/news/6th-edition-rfbi-newsletter/

20.01.2022 It has been a challenging year for all, and so the beginning of a new year is very welcome. What 2020 has taught us is that we are stronger as a community and we - our staff, volunteers, residents, their families - are nimble enough to meet those challenges. We thank you all for your support in 2020. ... Have a safe and merry evening bringing in 2021.

20.01.2022 # - - Stay mentally active ... We’ve talked a lot about staying active during COVID-19 physically, but it is also important to stay active mentally. This is particularly important during lockdown. Mentally stimulating activities will keep your brain in good shape. Try some of the below: Do a crossword puzzle Play a card game, such as Solitaire Learn to play a musical instrument Do some meditation or listen to some relaxing music Use a journal to write down your thoughts and feelings Do something creative, such as sewing or painting What other activities do you enjoy that will help boost your brainpower? For more tips on coping with COVID-19 visit https://rfbi.com.au/coping-with-covid19/

20.01.2022 Last week our residents at RFBI Cessnock Masonic Village celebrated the festive season with a huge Christmas Party. Even the elves came out to help serve a delicious Christmas lunch of garlic bread, prawn cocktails, traditional turkey roast with stuffing, roast pork with crackling and tasty roast vegetables. Dessert was a choice of trifle or Christmas pudding. YUM!... Everyone is so excited to enjoy more of the festivities to come.

19.01.2022 # - - Stay informed through social connections ... The social connections you have can be a calming influence on your life and overall health. But you can also be a calming influence on them. If friends, colleagues, loved ones or people you are caring for are panicking, try to help them gain some perspective on the situation. Refer them to reputable sources of news and information. Being a positive, uplifting influence in these anxious times can help you feel better about your own situation too. For more tips on coping with COVID-19 visit https://rfbi.com.au/coping-with-covid19/

18.01.2022 Spring is such a special time! To celebrate, staff and residents at RFBI Cessnock Masonic Village hosted a rainbow day and dressed in their most colourful outfits to spread sunshine around. They certainly brightened up our day!... For details on RFBI Cessnock Masonic Village visit https://rfbi.com.au/residential-care/cessnock/.

18.01.2022 The aged care system is complex and many find it confusing and difficult to work through so we have created these guides to make your aged care journey simpler and easier to navigate by providing you with all the information you need at each step. Our friendly team is also here to assist. Simply call your local RFBI Village or 1800 181 959 to speak to a member of our team.

18.01.2022 Isn’t this wonderful for those who are unable to tend to a garden at home! DIGnity are working to make community gardens more appealing to people living with dementia. Read the story below.

17.01.2022 Do you have a Seniors Card? There are a few new partners announced that might be of benefit to you. https://www.9news.com.au//3420eb41-208c-47eb-9812-4800d291 #SeniorsCard

17.01.2022 Are you looking for a new place to call home for you or a loved one? We now have rooms available in our beautiful RFBI Bellingen Masonic Village surrounded by bushland, birdlife and rural views. Enjoy an active and varied social life, peaceful and outdoor areas, all the support you need and the village town centre just a short stroll away. Watch the video below to get a feel for what our village is all about.... If you like what you see and want to find out more about our single or double rooms, or want to book a tour, phone us on 02 6659 5300.

15.01.2022 We have some really talented residents in our communities. One resident from RFBI Moss Vale Masonic Retirement Village, Pat, has been keeping herself busy this year by creating some amazing abstract art. Her watercolour and acrylic artwork were beautiful and we were delighted to receive a few samples.... Aren't these amazing! For details on RFBI Moss Vale Retirement Village visit https://rfbi.com.au/retirement-villages/moss-vale/

12.01.2022 Today is French Toast Day. And whilst it may not be a day that will change the world, it could change an elderly loved one's day. Why not visit a grandparent, parent or elderly friend and cook French Toast for them to brighten their day. Yes - on French Toast Day you can have French Toast for dinner! Here's a recipe to get you started. Do you have a secret tip to the perfect French Toast?...

12.01.2022 We’ve spent the past few months celebrating some of the amazing people who are in our team. Our #RFBIAgedCareHeroes do so much for the people we provide services to and to our community, and we appreciate everything they do. Thank you. Why we’d love to highlight every single member of our team, we’re proud to have been able to share some of our people’s stories with you to inspire your own career in aged care.... You too can become an aged care hero and turn your passion for helping people into a meaningful career. Visit http://careers.rfbi.com.au/ or call your local RFBI Village.

11.01.2022 Our residents and staff at RFBI Goulburn Masonic Village recently had a fiesta! We all enjoyed a Mexican themed day complete with sombreros, a piñata and festive, colourful decorations!!! For more details on our RFBI Goulburn Masonic Village visit https://rfbi.com.au/residential-care/goulburn/...

11.01.2022 In response to the growing number of Covid-19 cases, the government has implemented visitor restrictions which impact all RFBI Villages. The government is regularly updating their information and hotspot locations. As such, we encourage anyone looking to visit an RFBI Village to contact the Village ahead of your visit to confirm the current visiting restrictions in place and measures we are taking to keep everyone safe.

10.01.2022 # - - Enjoy an online movie night... Looking for a fun way to reconnect with friends or family? Find a time to watch a movie together online. For example, Netflix Party allows friends to watch its shows online, synchronise video playback and a group chat function. There are also other apps that offer the same option. It’s a lot of fun to choose a movie and watch it together, even from apart. And it is easy to hit play at the same time, watch and chat throughout via the chat feature or another app. The hardest part is finding the right movie! It’s time to get the popcorn ready. For more tips on coping with COVID-19 visit https://rfbi.com.au/coping-with-covid19/

09.01.2022 On Wednesday The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, Member for New England, awarded three World War II Veterans commemorative medallions for their service. Trevor Schwalbach, Stanley Thomas Allen and Richard Orman (who are residents at RFBI) were honoured for their service and our CEO, Frank Price said he felt privileged to be able to attend the special ceremony.

08.01.2022 --! This festive season we're doing something different to get everyone together to celebrate a very special time of the year. We're holding a Big Christmas Sing-A-Long - kind of like a big, virtual carols with performers and all of your favourite Christmas tunes.... It will be livestreamed on www.bigchristmassingalong.com at 1:00pm AEST on Thursday 17 December. We have a stellar line-up of performers ready to get you singing along to all your favourite Christmas songs and special guests joining in the festivities. Stay tuned for the announcement of our line-up! Visit www.bigchristmassingalong.com for more information.

07.01.2022 Every year we have a fantastic number of students and schools who put their hands up to create Christmas cards for our annual competition. We had 32 schools participate in the competition this year. Residents from our villages judge the local student’s creations, and we award a certificate and $50 book voucher to the student, and $100 book voucher for the library of the school to the winner. Congratulations to everyone who participated and thank you for bringing a smile to our resident's faces. Here are a few of the winners.

05.01.2022 Thank you to all who tuned in to our Big Christmas Sing-a-Long! We hope you enjoyed all the amazing performances. We are grateful to Aged & Community Services Australia and Leading Age Services Australia for partnering with us for such a wonderful Christmas event. We were overwhelmed to receive over 600 Christmas messages from all over and although we were unable to feature them all in the show, we have shared them on www.bigchristmassingalong.com for everyone to enjoy. Click... on the WATCH tab to view these lovely messages. A very big thank you to our generous sponsors for making this show possible. Thank you HSU NSW , Epicor Software Telstra Health, Leef Independent Living Solutions , CareVision, Comcater , Coles Refrigeration & Air Conditioning + Catering Equipment , Gilmore Interior Design , The Orchard Talent Group, Reward Hospitality , Aware Super and PFD Food Services #thebigchristmassingalong #RFBI #agedcare #virtualevent #christmascarols

05.01.2022 This year, more than ever, we all need a little Christmas. That’s why we are excited to partner with aged care peak bodies, Aged & Community Services Australia and Leading Age Services Australia for the Big Christmas Sing-A-Long! This livestream event is created to lift spirits, bring together aged care residents, workers, older people in our communities, their families and all local community members to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year CHRISTMAS! Stay tuned f...or more info and announcements. #thebigchristmassingalong #christmascheer #RFBIChristmas

05.01.2022 Residents in our Acacia and Grevillea house in our RFBI Hawkins Masonic Village recently became parents in the Hatching Chicks Program, after receiving eggs earlier this month. We already have four little chicks that have hatched and become feathery friends to our ecstatic residents. They’ve named the chicks Oscar, Blondie, Fluffy and Lucky. Read more by visiting https://rfbi.com.au//baby-chicks-and-ducklings-bring-joy-/

04.01.2022 In light of the growing number COVID-19 cases, RFBI has been advised by NSW Health to restrict access to all visitors until midnight 23 December. We understand that this news will disrupt some of your visiting plans but please know that our staff will do what we can to assist you to connect with your loved ones. At each of our Villages, we have staff available to assist with alternative forms of contact such as assisted telephone and video calls. To avoid any disappointment,... we ask that you please schedule these calls in advance by calling your RFBI Village. All staff have also been instructed to wear a mask while in the village as we take extra precautions to protect others. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to do all we can to keep our residents, clients and staff safe. To stay up to date with our response to COVID-19, please visit our dedicated COVID page at https://rfbi.com.au/covid19/

03.01.2022 An experimental Alzheimer's disease drug could potentially hold a key to treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Read more about the research by clicking the link below.

03.01.2022 Looking for something new to listen to? Take a look at Seniors Card NSW’s Seniors Stories audio series. Their stories illustrate the substantial contributions made by older eople and emphasise the need to ensure seniors are afforded ongoing opportunities to participate in our community and impart their knowledge and wisdom to younger generations. https://www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au/news-act/seniors-stories...

02.01.2022 Thank you for the feature ABC Newcastle.

01.01.2022 Residents from our gardening group in RFBI Lake Haven Masonic Village were delighted to harvest their very own vegetables from their garden. After planting seeds in Winter and tending to them weekly with the help of our Village’s gardener, Paul, their silverbeet and cos lettuce were ready to be picked. Our catering staff prepared a delicious meal of cooked silverbeet and Caesar salad for all our residents to enjoy. The gardening group were pleased to be able to contribute and... share their home grown produce with everyone. For more details on RFBI Lake Haven Masonic Village visit https://rfbi.com.au/residential-care/lake-haven/