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Services for Older People

At Canterbury City Community Centre we are committed to helping you live independently in your own home for as long as you are able. We do this though providing services through the following programs:

Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)

Services available from Canterbury City Community Centre under the CHSP includes our Garden Care service (easy care gardening, consumer directed gardening and lawn mowing) and Social Inclusion and Wellness Services. (including large and small groups, individual visiting, shopping, telephone calls and monitoring). Other Organisations can assist with CHSP entry level support at home including respite, personal care, meals and food preparation, help with housework, shopping, transport, and allied health.

Home Care Packages

Support at home for people with more complex needs. Different levels of consumer directed packages are tailored to meet individual needs. As an Approved Aged Care provider, our Home Care Packages are delivered at every level of care and largely use our own staff. We can provide domestic assistance, gardening and home maintenance, personal care, nursing and allied health, transport, social support and respite.

How do I access Services

To access any Canterbury City Community Centre Aged Care Service you will need to be referred to us by My Aged Care. My Aged Care is a Government Service and is the first point of call for all your aged care needs. You can contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. There is also a website for further information www.myagedcare.gov.au. The My Aged Care contact centre staff will ask you a range of questions and may arrange for a face to face assessment. If you would like to receive a service by us, remember to ask to be referred to Canterbury City Community Centre. If you experience any difficulties call us and we can try to help.

CHSP services are supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Visit the Department of Social Services website (www.dss.gov.au) for more information

Canterbury City Community Centre Services which require a referral from My Aged Care include Garden Care and Social Inclusion and Wellness Services.

Most of our Senior Services require that an assessment is completed so as to target your individual needs. There may also be a waiting period to commence or receive services and your name might be placed on a waiting list.

Other Services we offer which don't require a referral from the My Aged Care service include

OMNICAN

The Canterbury Older Men: New Ideas group meets twice a month to share conversation, listen to a Guest Speaker or share an occasional meal together.

We also encourage seniors to visit our volunteering and community engagement pages and consider the activities listed there.

Elderly woman sitting on her walker in her garden

Garden Care

Garden Care provides support for older people in the Canterbury Marrickville and Leichhardt Local Government Areas to remain living in their own home by converting gardens to become easy care, assisting with garden maintenance and by providing a lawn mowing service. From the 1st July 2015 you need to  be referred to Garden Care through My Aged Care - by phoning 1800 200 422 or visiting their website www.myagedcare.gov.au

Garden Care aims to convert gardens to “easy care” so that they become easier to maintain, are safer and are ecologically friendly. Garden Care staff work with our trained volunteers to undertake the garden conversion. This is achieved over one to three visits and includes weeding, mulching and pruning. We may also visit to safely poison difficult weeds prior to the main visit and can also assist with seasonal jobs such as rose pruning.

Once the garden has been weeded and mulched we return approximately 12 months later to maintain the work and top up the mulch.

For Garden Care clients we can also help with one off jobs that can help you stay at home in addition to the annual easy care gardening visit.

The Lawn Mowing service uses contractors or Garden Care staff to mow lawns up to 15 times each year at a reduced cost for clients. This is a regular and on-going service.

Close up of elderly female smiling for the camera

Home Care Packages Program

Home Care Packages offer a coordinated and flexible suite of services for those with higher care needs. Four levels of consumer directed packages are available and are tailored to meet your individual needs. Services offered can change as your needs change. We work closely with you to provide services best suited to your needs. We employ our own staff and try to match according to individual preferences. 

A group of 3 seniors enjoying a day at the beach

Social Inclusion

Staying connected to friends and getting out and about are important to keeping well. We offer a range of large and small groups, individual visits and telephone contact, accompanied shopping and outings to assist you enjoy each day and make and maintain friendships. We try to match you with others that share the same interests and provide door to door transport to make participating easier.