JRV resident's ballooning wish takes off

Seven residents, along with three staff members, got a bird's eye view of the region from a hot air balloon which took off from Canowindra.

The balloon flight opportunity came about through Catholic Healthcare's MyWish program which grants residents who are living in one of their Residential Aged Care Homes their special wish.

The balloon flight was a wish by JRV resident Dianne Golding who said she was flabbergasted when she found out they were granting her wish.

"I love flying but I've never been up in a hot air balloon before. And when I found out they were only here at Canowindra, I thought why not?"

Mrs Golding said it was surreal to be up in the air, and kind of like driving on a freeway.

She said most of the other residents who joined her didn't take much convincing to join her on the balloon flight, except for one who she managed to talk into joining.

She is hopeful to get the chance to get back up in the air again in the future.

Jemalong Residential Village Activities Officer Judy Prior said the balloon ride was fantastic and unbelievable.

"Everyone should have a go at it. It was magic. It was just so peaceful up there," she said.

Ms Prior said Catholic Healthcare was absolutely fantastic through their MyWish program and they didn't even think it was real until they had to get ready for the flight.

For this balloon trip, the residents were of varying ages and abilities, Ms Prior said, and things like this are amazing for the residents and a beautiful gift.

"The last couple of years have been really quite tough on our industry with COVID and the restrictions on visitations with families," she said.

"This is just a beautiful gift we have been given this day."

In the future, Ms Prior said they are hoping to do more activities which also cater for residents that are less mobile.

The group took to the skies dressed in green Hawaiian themed shirts for mental health awareness, particularly with COVID-19 having such an impact on the community over the last couple of years.

Following the balloon flight, the residents enjoyed a champagne breakfast at Montrose House, Canowindra.

During the breakfast the JRV resident Sally Spencer said it was so peaceful up in the air and they were able to actually look at things on the ground.

JRV resident Nancy said it was like going across the terrain in slow motion.

Catholic Healthcare's Daniel Stanton said it is a fantastic program for residents to fulfill a lifelong wish and that it was a really great that the team at Catholic Healthcare were able to help with this wish.

Mr Stanton said the experience was amazing for the residents, with all of them cracking jokes, laughing and spotting kangaroos.

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