More than $190,000 will be made available to 18 Western Australian organisations, including local governments, to implement age-friendly, positive ageing and dementia-friendly strategies.
Seniors and Ageing Minister Mick Murray today announced the recipients of the State Government's Age-friendly and Dementia-friendly Communities Grants Program for 2019-20.
The program fosters the development of age-friendly communities, where people are respected, feel safe and have opportunities for social, cultural and economic participation in community life as they age.
Eligible organisations can apply for grants to support age-friendly planning and implementation of community priorities and recommendations.
Funded projects include:
- $10,600 to fund a 'memory café' and a virtual reality program in the City of Wanneroo;
- $14,900 for a co-design project to explore appropriate housing options for older women who are in the inner south-east metropolitan region;
- $9,770 to provide a monthly library initiative in Port Hedland, targeted at local seniors to gather and enjoy a variety of activities and make new connections; and
- $8,000 to pilot a 'Seniors Village Hub' in Dwellingup to address a lack of services and transport, high costs of trades and services as well as elder abuse and social isolation.
To date, 82 WA local governments and community-based organisations have received grants under the Age-friendly and Dementia-friendly Communities Grants Program.
As stated by Seniors and Ageing Minister Mick Murray:
"Having communities that are age-friendly and dementia-friendly is becoming increasingly important for everybody, regardless of their age.
"Age-friendly and dementia-friendly communities strengthen community support and increase inclusion to ultimately benefit the whole community.
"People are supported to continue living with meaning, purpose and value.
"The Age-friendly and Dementia-friendly Communities Grants Program encourages innovative strategies and pilot projects, to test new ways of achieving age-friendly communities.
"While local governments play a big role, it's also gratifying to see many community-based and volunteer-run organisations receive funding under this program."
Age-friendly and Dementia-friendly Communities Grants Program: Recipients for 2019-20
| Organisation | Project name | Amount | Project description |
| City of Vincent | Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly Communities Education and Training | $9,500 | Through education and training the City aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people living with dementia, to recognise the signs of dementia, and how to better connect with people suffering from dementia. |
| Town of Cambridge | Cambridge Living Well with Dementia | $6,200 | The project will enable seniors and people with dementia to remain physically and mentally active and will promote diversity and inclusion to reduce isolation. |
| City of Joondalup | Joondalup Stirling and Wanneroo Seniors Clubs and Groups Conference | $9,970 | The City of Joondalup, in partnership with the cities of Stirling and Wanneroo, will establish a regional network for senior clubs and groups through a special conference style event. |
| City of Wanneroo | Clarkson Memory Café and Clarkson Library Virtual Reality | $10,600 | The Memory Café will be provided at Ocean Keys Shopping Centre, in Clarkson, which will be an informal and social environment for people to connect and foster relationships within their community. The Virtual Reality component will be delivered at the Clarkson Library and will be available for seniors and people living with dementia to improve quality of life. |
| Alzheimer's Australia WA Ltd. | Local Government and Memory Café Resources | $14,750 | The Alzheimer's Australia WA Ltd. will develop a series of resources to assist local governments and businesses to be dementia-friendly. The organisation will also provide online training resources to set up and establish Memory Cafés and ensure the information is sustainable and regionally accessible. |
| City of Belmont | Creating Connections: Belmont | $5,100 | The City of Belmont will deliver a pilot initiative to explore the model of connecting people living with dementia in an aged care facility with younger community members through an educational program. |
| Connect Victoria Park Inc. | Guide to Age-Friendly Rental Housing in the Inner South East Metropolitan Region | $14,900 | The Connect Victoria Park Inc. will co-design a Guide to Age-friendly Rental Housing in the inner south-east metropolitan region to explore appropriate housing options that meet the current and future needs of older women who are renting in the community. |
| The Darling Range Seniors' Hub | Neighbour Hub and Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly Business' Program | $15,000 | The project will focus on the design and implementation of two key initiatives: a support network where volunteers and neighbours can offer friendly visits, transport, support and assistance; and an information service providing access to affordable and vetted services such as household repairs, tradespeople, homecare, IT, and discounted products. |
| City of Fremantle | Cultural Convergence: Sharing Our Story | $8,500 | The City of Fremantle will offer a story-sharing program to assist with reconciliation and inclusion to dispel the myths and misunderstandings surrounding marginalised and culturally diverse people. |
| City of Melville | Melville Age-Friendly Accessible Business (MAFAB) Network: Stage Two | $15,000 | The City of Melville will develop and expand the second stage of the Melville Age-Friendly Accessible Business (MAFAB) Program by building on community consultations and learnings from the pilot program undertaken in partnership with Garden City Shopping Centre. |
| Soroptimist International of Albany | Sensory Kits | $15,000 | The Soroptimist International of Albany will develop Sensory Integration Kits to be used by people living with dementia and their carers, family and friends in care homes or private settings. The kits will evoke memories, encourage vocalisation and communication, and promote awareness of the need for senses stimulation for people living with dementia. |
| Shire of Murray | Dwellingup Seniors Village Hub | $8,000 | The Shire of Murray will pilot a Seniors Village Hub in Dwellingup to address key issues identified by local community members including a lack of services and transport, high costs of trades and services, elder abuse and social isolation. |
| Town of Port Hedland | Older Wiser Library Seniors (OWLS) | $9,770 | The Town of Port Hedland will provide a monthly library initiative targeted at local seniors to gather and enjoy a variety of activities and make new connections. |
| Shire of Manjimup | Repair Café: Business Case and Pilot | $11,410 | The Shire of Manjimup will develop a business case and implement a pilot of the Repair Café concept. The Repair Café will provide a meeting place for seniors, people with dementia, carers and other community members for social interaction. |
| Shire of Nannup | Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly Communities Information Sessions | $4,000 | The Shire of Nannup will engage the community through the delivery of information sessions to increase knowledge and awareness of dementia and reduce the stigma about the condition. |
| South-West Aboriginal Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation | Barang Koorliny: Get Moving | $14,600 | The South-West Aboriginal Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation will implement a 12-month program consisting of monthly workshops including education and information, physical activity, a healthy lunch, and the promotion of social connections. |
| Pingelly Somerset Alliance Inc. | Addressing Prejudicial Attitudes and Discriminatory Behaviour Based on Age in Pingelly | $15,000 | The Pingelly Somerset Alliance Inc. will deliver an engagement campaign targeting people of all ages in the community to raise awareness and understanding about ageism discrimination and enhance positive ageing. |
| Shire of West Arthur | Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly Communities: Community Awareness Training | $3,620 | The Shire of West Arthur will deliver dementia awareness and education programs to be provided by Alzheimer's WA. |
