Category: Aged care
The life lessons we have learnt from seniors
The NSW Seniors festival runs 11 - 24 March 2024. To mark this significant event, we asked some CatholicCare staff to share what they have learnt from working with seniors. Their insights are profound and inspiring.
Reconnecting isolated seniors with the outside world
When 99 year old Oi Mei first met Winnie, she finally had someone she could share stories in her native tongue. As a fellow Cantonese speaker, Winnie was able to appreciate and resonate with Oi Mei’s experiences in a special way.
Memory Innovations Centre fills gap in services for seniors
Exercise … we all know it’s good for us and, if we’re honest, we do feel better for doing it. After all, exercise bumps up the production of our brain’s ‘feel-good’ hormones called endorphins.
Lynette’s Story
"She saved my life,” Lynette says, looking gratefully at her Activity Support Partner, Gayle. Once a fortnight, Gayle supports Lynette in the community as part of her Commonwealth Home Support Program package.
A desire for independence
In many ways Jan and Joan, who participate in weekly classes at the Memory Innovations Centre (MIC), are like chalk and cheese. “I love socialising,” says Joan, who has coffee every morning with friends.
Small things make all the difference for Stephen
For Stephen, who is retired and lives on his own, visits from his CatholicCare Activity Support Partners are the highlights of his week, “I have no family, so I really appreciate the company of my two CatholicCare workers.”
Thank you Penelope and all our incredible volunteers
Penelope Kerr’s volunteering journey began over 16 years ago when her father was living in a nursing home in Canberra. “During my visits I’d notice the names of Dad's visitors in the sign-in book.
Reach out to the seniors in your life
Over the years, relationships have changed, especially those young people have with their grandparents. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, in the late 1980s, people had much stronger connections with their grandparents. These connections were marked by grandparents often taking on the role of caregiver to help out the mother in times of need or to give her a break.
Please say hello to Tereza – 83 years young
At 83 years of age and living alone since her husband died several years ago, Tereza loves it when her CatholicCare support workers come to visit to take her on walks or outings. “I’m a people person!” she says. “I just love seeing people and talking to them.”
Caring for carers during National Carers Week
National Carers Week is being celebrated from 10 - 16 October, recognising the valuable work that carers throughout the country perform day in, day out. The week has been held annually since 1992.
CatholicCare’s friendship program ending social isolation for our seniors
Kathleen Herz knows what it feels like to be lonely, following the death of her husband some years ago, and it was this experience which prompted her to fill that gap for others by volunteering with CatholicCare Diocese of Broken Bay’s Community Visitors Scheme. “When I lost my husband, I realised how lonely it was for people being by themselves,” she says.
Reach out to the seniors in your life
Over the years, relationships have changed, especially those young people have with their grandparents. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, in the late 1980s, people had much stronger connections with their grandparents.