Local Collaboration Supports Fred French Residents to Open Up on Mental Wellbeing 

A group of residents at our Fred French home in Newstead, Tasmania, recently enjoyed the opportunity to share a cuppa and open up about their mental wellbeing, as part of a unique community collaboration between our home and Richmond Futures, a Hobart-based health organisation. 

The special session was aligned with both Senior’s Week and Mental Health Week (which both took place in October), and continued a wonderful, ongoing connection between Fred French and Richmond Futures to support the emotional wellbeing of its residents. 

Joanna Thompson-Hawes, Fred French’s Lifestyle Coordinator, says the session was well-received by residents, who found it beneficial to speak to others (including their fellow residents) about their mental and emotional health, including both challenges as well as positive approaches and proactive coping techniques. 

“The session was a really meaningful experience for residents, and they appreciated the opportunity to have a broad discussion about wellbeing and spoke openly about what it is like to live at Fred French,” she says. “We also did a series of fun memory support games that the residents responded very well to. 

“A big thank you to Sendhill, the representative who attended from Richmond Futures, for his ongoing work with our residents, who always love it when he comes to visit us. We look forward to holding more sessions like this in the future, especially considering the great feedback we regularly receive from participating residents.”