Michelle’s Story

“It’s more than home — it’s home with the cherry on top.”

“After my dad passed away in January 2023, my mum was living independently and loving life — aqua aerobics, volunteering, staying active. Then in September 2024, she had a massive stroke. She was on her own for hours before we found her, and in an instant, everything changed.

I live three and a half hours away, and I was the only one who could help. After months of rehab, Mum came to stay with us, but she was desperate to get back to her own home and her independence. We tried respite at a few aged care facilities, but none of them felt right.

Then late one Friday night, out of nowhere, I came across a video about Hunter’s Hill Lodge. I must have watched it forty times that night. Everyone in it looked so genuinely happy that I honestly wondered if they were actors. Within 48 hours I was walking through reception — and I quickly realised it wasn’t too good to be true. It was real.

What makes Hunter’s Hill Lodge different is that Mum has her own independence — her own unit, her own coffee in the morning — but the care and the community are there whenever she needs them. The staff aren’t just carers, they’re family. They know exactly how Mum likes things, they go above and beyond, and they’ve given her genuine friendships with people she now calls her closest friends.

But the thing I’m most grateful for is what it’s given back to me. I’m not my mum’s carer anymore — I get to just be her daughter again. I have peace of mind, I’ve been able to return to work, and Mum and I are simply mother and daughter, best friends, a great team.

My only regret is that we didn’t find Hunter’s Hill Lodge sooner. My advice to any other family: don’t wait until you need it. Come earlier. Come and have some fun. It’s more than home — it’s home with the cherry on top.”

— Michelle, daughter of a Hunter’s Hill Lodge resident