Health, wellness and celebrations

The Uniting AgeWell Community Hubs in Berwick and Burwood East have been a hive of activity this week hosting community open days and welcoming visitors to the opening celebrations of both sites.

Director AgeWell Centres Clare Irvine is delighted with the success of the open days heralding them as a great way to showcase the broad range of services Uniting AgeWell offers.

Claire says “The open days have been amazing and the response from the broader community re-affirms the demand for innovative, high quality and accessible services to support people through their ageing journey.

The signature hubs feature a fully accessible Wellness Centre complete with a state-of-the-art AgeWell Gym specially designed for seniors and bring together community, home care and allied health professionals under one roof making it easier for cfssustomers to access services.

The hubs also provide varying opportunities for people to connect socially, including formal classes and education sessions and informal spaces to relax and enjoy a cuppa and a chat.

Uniting AgeWell Community Hub, Berwick

While the Uniting AgeWell Community Hub, Berwick including the Wellness Centre and AgeWell Gym is already operating, the Community Open Day celebrated the opening officially and offered a day filled with social connections, interesting and informative activities and refreshments,

Opposite the beautiful Pioneer Park in Berwick, visitors flowed into the Hub eagerly wanting to see the AgeWell Gym or find out more information about what they can expect. Many locals were excited to have a gym and services so close by and others were ready to find out more about Home Care Packages.

Deputy CEO, Fonda Voukelatos welcomed visitors and acknowledged country. Uniting AgeWell CEO, Andrew Kinnersly celebrated the growth of the organisation and thanked the commitment of everyone to get the Community Hub up and running. Director of AgeWell Centres, Claire Irvine provided an overview of the services available at the hub and the important place they hold in communities.

AgeWell Gym member Elaine Houston and Andrew Kinnersly cut the ribbon.

Visitors enjoyed information sessions, Yoga, Tai Chi and Steady Standers Exhibition Classes, free optometry testing and a mini expo providing information for those interested in accessing home care and community services.

People explored the hub enjoying barista-made coffee and speaking to Uniting AgeWell team members.

Uniting AgeWell Community Hub, Burwood East

On day two of the openings, the Uniting AgeWell Community Hub, Burwood East took centre stage. The day’s events included information Sessions, Tai Chi, yoga and pilates exhibitions.

Golden Days Radio also joined the celebrations with a live broadcast taking place from the site throughout the day.

The spacious three-storey Burwood East site has brought together staff from the Melbourne East Metro Home Care Team, Allied Health and Social Connections Teams.

The ground floor houses a full suite of wellbeing and allied health services including podiatry and occupational therapy. The AgeWell gym provides an experience suited for all abilities and goals while home care staff are based on the second floor and the top floor has room to host seminars and workshops.