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Site Visits of Age-Friendly Facilities

Monday 3rd May 2010

An opportunity to visit one of five organisations that provide a range of community, residential care aged and strength training programmes for seniors in metropolitan Melbourne is being offered to conference delegates.

Date: Monday 3rd May 2010
Departure/Return Point: Conference Venue
Catering: Includes Morning or Afternoon Tea
Cost: $40.00 per person
(Please note that site visits are not included in the conference registration fee)

Choice of 5 Age-Friendly facilities:

Aged and Community Care
1. Jewish Care
2. mecwacare
3. The Brotherhood of St Laurence

Homelessness
4. Wintringham

Strength Training
5. Living Longer, Living Stronger

For more information on each facility, please see below.

Be sure to register now, as spaces are limited. To register for one of the site visits above, please click here for our online registration form. If you have already registered for the conference, please use your access key to edit your registration or contact us via email at ifa2010@arinex.com.au.

Site Visits - Aged and Community Care*

1. Jewish Care

Time: 8.30 am to 12.30pm
Jewish Care is Australia’s largest Jewish humanitarian organisation, with a 150 year tradition of responding to the needs of the Victorian community. They offer support for older people living at home, independent living, high and low level residential aged care, respite care, dementia care and healthy ageing programs. They also offer a range of other community support and housing services,counseling and case management,as well as a suite of financial programs.

2. mecwacare

Time: 8.30 am to 12.30pm
mecwacare is a large not for profit community based organisation established in 1959 with the building of senior citizens club rooms. It has developed to the present day where it offers a wide range of residential, home nursing and care services, community and disability services. Residential aged care services include independent living accommodation; high and low level 24hour care in both well established and recently built facilities and respite care.

3. The Brotherhood of St Laurence

Time: 12.45 am to 4.00pm
The Brotherhood of St Laurence which was established during the great depression of the 1930’s is an independent organisation with strong Anglican and community links. It has a proud history of delivering vital services to disadvantaged individuals and emerging communities. Aged Care services include independent living accommodation, low and high level residential care, home care, respite care and a social inclusion program.for adults with disabilities.Their research and policy unit focus on the root causes of poverty and disadvantage in Australian society.The unit recently conducted research to analyse risks and protective factors affecting social isolation amongst older Victorians to inform a statewide approach to this issue.

Site visits – Homelessness         

4. Wintringham

Time: 8.30 am to 12.30pm
Wintingham is a not for profit community based organisation which provides affordable housing and community support services to frail elderly homeless men and women.  It was established in 1988 as a response to the need for appropriate accommodation of homeless elderly men living in a night shelter in inner Melbourne who were unable to access mainstream aged care services. Twenty years later services include independent living units; high and low level residential care, home care services and recreation services.

Site visits – Strength Training   

5. Living Longer, Living Stronger

Time: 8.30 am to 12.30pm
Council on the Ageing Victoria (COTA) endorsed Living Longer Living Stronger strength training programs are currently attended by approximately 19,000 people over the age of 50 years. The programme is operated by a mixture of community based providers – fitness centres, community health and other community centres - deliver strength training programs for older people in accordance with prescribed criteria. It is available at over 120 venues across Victoria.

Living Longer Living Stronger™ providers deliver group strength training sessions specifically designed to meet the needs of older people, including:

• Initial and ongoing assessments
• Progressive resistance training programs tailored to individual needs and abilities
• Fully qualified and committed instructors
• A safe, supportive environment
• At least two group sessions a week, at a cost of around $5 per session
• An opportunity to socialize over a cup of tea or coffee after each session.

This site visit will incorporate a visit to one of the venues where this program is operating, to see the amazing outcomes of these programs and hear the stories!

*Australian aged care consists of a range of both residential and community care and support services. They are the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government under the Aged Care Act 1997.  Recipients of services  are assessed and approved for Government subsides which is paid directly to approved providers.

Generally services are managed and delivered by a range of not for profit organisations and or the private sector. State and local governments are also involved in this although this differs from state to state. Fees and charges payable by recipients are linked to  income and assets, pensioner or non-pensioner status.

All aged care services are expected to provide culturally appropriate care. There are some services specifically for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and some ethno-specific services that are either auspiced by an ethnic organisation or supported by an ethnic community. There are also some specific services for people with dementia and for older homeless people.