Uniting AgeWell Kerang office opens

There’s a wonderful sense of community connection since the opening of the Uniting AgeWell office in the Kerang Uniting Church in early July.

The office in the church, on the corner of Vaughan and Fitzroy Streets, is open three days a week, with Uniting AgeWell Care Advisors Janelle Paterno and Megan Russell based there on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to support their Home Care Package clients in the Gannawarra area.

“The location is perfect,” says Alison Caldwell, Uniting AgeWell’s Manager of Loddon Mallee North Home Care Programs. “Uniting AgeWell is proudly part of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, so there’s a wonderful sense of belonging.”

Alison says plans are already underway to engage with the community, and of course members of the congregation, through special morning or afternoon tea information sessions. “It will be a great opportunity to discuss how we can assist older people to live well and safely at home through a Government-funded home care package.”

And Alison anticipates there will be a significant uptake in older people wanting to use services through the not-for-profit aged care provider, now that the COVID lockdowns are a thing of the past.

“During the long COVID lockdowns, staff worked from home, so there was no need to maintain our previous office,” explains Alison, who also manages Uniting AgeWell’s Swan Hill office. “But now that things are back to normal, it’s great to have a physical presence here once again. Somewhere those wanting more information about living well at home as they age can visit.”

Alison says Care Advisors are experts at working with older people to tailor their home care package to suit their individual needs and goals. And they make sure people get the most from their package, whether that’s domestic assistance or gardening help, personal care, social connections, assisted shopping, respite care or other services in the community.

They can also advise clients on using their packages to buy equipment to enable them to live safely at home – including household modifications like ramps and rails.

If you would like to chat further or to arrange an appointment, or if there are any community groups which would like to host an information session about what services Uniting AgeWell offers, phone (03) 5048 2400 or email [email protected].