HEALTHY AGEING NEWSLETTER- Winter Edition 2015 Client-centred, Care and Choice
Page 1 Front cover
In this edition
- Winter Safety Tips
- Community Transport
- Seniors – It’s your time
- Free public transport
- Question corner
- Disabled parking permits
- Community meals – home delivered or dining rooms
- Volunteer’s lunch
- Spirit award nominations open!
- Home Care Packages are changing
- Crown Street Stables
- The café is open!
- Community Meals – home delivered or dining rooms
Winter Safety Tips
There are many ways to keep warm over winter - here are a few tips to help you stay safe too.
Be careful with heaters
Place heaters at least one metre away from anything that might catch fire, such as curtains, bedding and furniture.
Check smoke alarms
Last year there were 55 preventable fires in Moonee Valley. Smoke alarms save lives. Council’s home maintenance service can supply and install smoke alarms at a cost of $20.00 each, batteries can be replaced at $6.10 each plus a $10.85 per hour installation charge. If you wish you can supply your own smoke alarm or batteries and just pay for installation, minimum charge half an hour at $5.40. Please call 9243 8748 to find out more.
Prepare a fire escape plan
It is a great idea to have an escape plan in place for emergencies, practice it and make sure your family and carers know about it – especially if you have reduced mobility. When at home, leave keys in or near deadlocks so that you can quickly escape in an emergency.
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In Brief – box down left hand side
Community Transport
If you require assistance with transport to your social club, library, shopping centres, or medical appointments, then our Community Transport may be able to help you.
Call 9243 8888 for more information.
Seniors – It’s Your Time!
Council will again host a range of Seniors Festival events in October. Keep an eye out for details about fun events including information sessions, training courses and film events.
Free public transport
Victorian Seniors Card holders can access eight days of free metropolitan trains, trams and buses (including regional town bus services) from Sunday, 4 untilSunday, 11 October.
Question corner
Question: I missed myscheduled homecare visit lastmonth as I had to go to aspecialist appointment. Whywas I still charged for a serviceI did not receive?
Council requests 24 hours’ notice(where possible) for cancellationsof scheduled services. If you needto cancel a scheduled service, callour office on 9243 8748 (duringbusiness hours). This noticeallows Council to reallocatestaff to provide support to otherresidents in need.Without 24 hours’ notice ofcancellation, late cancellationfees will apply unless thecancellation was due toan emergency.To cancel your booking after business hours or on weekendsdue to unforeseen circumstancesplease call 9243 8888.
Disabled ParkingPermits
Disabled parking permits areavailable if you have mobilityproblems or a severe disability.For information on thesepermits and details on theapplication process, visit thedisabled parking permits pageon Council’s website or call9243 8888. Residents who havea disabled parking permit andlive in a street with parkingrestrictions might also wish toapply for a resident or visitorparking permit, if they areeligible to do so.
Volunteer’s lunch
Council benefits from the contribution ofaround 400 dedicated volunteers and a further300+ who help with one off events andprograms. In the last year these volunteersdonated over 16,000 hours of their time,providing invaluable support to Council andthe community.
On Friday, 15 May Council held a celebrationlunch at Windy Hill as part of NationalVolunteer Week to say thank you. The eventwas attended by over 130 volunteers as wellas Councillors, staff and sponsors. Twenty-sixvolunteers received certificates and gifts formilestone years of service, including one for40 years!
Without volunteer support, we simplywouldn’t be able to provide the breadth ofservices, programs and events that we deliver.So thank you again to all of our wonderfulvolunteers!
Crown Street Stables
Looking for a venue for an anniversary, birthday party or special event? The historic Crown Street Stables was recently restored by Council and is available for community groups and private function hire. The building was originally constructed in 1886 and is said to have once housed Pharlap! The beautifully restored first floor hall can accommodate up to 60 people, while the café offers bookings for larger groups. Catering is available through the café. For more information please call 9243 8888.
Spirit award nominations open!
You have the chance to shine the light on someone doing great things in Moonee Valley. Nominations for Council’s prestigious Spirit of Moonee Valley Community Awards are now open! This year we are recognising outstanding contributions in the following categories: Arts and Culture, Environment, Family, Neighbourhood, Older Persons, Sport, Contribution by Business to the Community, and Contribution by Youth. Nominations close on Friday, 24 July. Forms can be found at mvcc.vic.gov.au/spirit or at Council’s Civic Centre, libraries and community centres.
Home Care Packages (formerly CACP) Corner
Home Care Packages are changing
Council is progressing towards the formal commencement of Consumer Directed Home Care Packages.
As we transfer to these new guidelines for the administration of Home Care Packages, your Case Managers will visit you to update the Home Care Agreement between you and Council.
At the same time your Case Manager will review your Home Care Budget with you or your nominated contact in preparation for the financial year ahead.
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The Café is open!
Council has launched a café at Crown Street Stables, 40 Crown Street, Flemington. The café is open seven days a week, from 10am until 4pm.
The café offers a warm welcoming, friendly environment where anyone can come along and purchase their coffee, morning tea or lunch. Families can enjoy their refreshments while their children enjoy playing in the park.
The café offers a variety of soups, hot meals and an assortment of sandwiches, focaccias, croissants and pastries. Cakes, cookies and ofcourse tea, coffee and cool drinks are also available.
Meals are sold at affordable prices and discounts are available for seniors or concession card holders.
The café have received positive feedback from residents and the local papers such as:
“The café is more a community meeting place than a café, the atmosphere is relaxed and caring for all ages. A number of groups regularly visit the café from the knit and knatter group,young mums with their babies and younger children, people with disabilities and seniors.”
Community Meals – home delivered or dining rooms
Our staff and volunteers can deliver threecourse meals to your home, seven days a week.You’re also welcome to come to our diningrooms for a three course meal, five daysa week.
Our dining rooms are at:
Ascot Vale Neighbourhood Centre
Corner Union Road and Munroe Street, Ascot Vale - Monday to Friday
Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre
69-89 Military Road, Avondale HeightsFridays
Crown Street Stables
40 Crown Street, Flemington - Monday to Sunday
Flemington Neighbourhood House
25 Mt Alexander Road, Flemington - Wednesdays
Kellaway Avenue Neighbourhood Centre
5 Kellaway Avenue, Moonee Ponds - Thursdays
Niddrie Neighbourhood Centre
3-15 Matthews Avenue, Niddrie - Wednesdays
These meals comprise of soup, your choice of amain meal (five options each day), dessert anda vitamin C supplement such as fruit juice.
Specific dietary options are also available,including diabetic, gluten free, low salt, halalor texture modified meals. Call 9243 8748 formore information.