Co.As.It. proudly operates several Social Support Groups across the Inner West, Northern, South-West, and South-East regions of Sydney as well as the Sutherland Shire.
Our groups provide structured activities are perfect opportunities to meet the goals of social development, wellness, and reablement for participants across the spectrum of ability. These activities may vary from social outings and gentle exercises to guest speakers and games. All are offered in welcoming spaces for older Australians to socialise and foster connection, essential factors to ensure that physical health needs are accompanied by mental health needs.
The goal of our Group Based Activities program is to keep older members of the community from becoming isolated while also supporting their wellbeing. It is for this reason that our Group Based Activity coordinators organised the Seniors Olympics!
Held across ten groups, the Seniors Olympics challenged our participants mentally and physically so that they could engage in stimulating activity that also builds their confidence in a relaxed and supportive group environment.
Our participants took part in six challenges:
- ‘Master of Time’ – where they had to precisely estimate time.
- ‘Guess the Number’ – estimating the quantity of items in a jar.
- ‘Weight Expert’ – guessing the weight of an item up to 1kg.
- ‘Senior Trivia’ – a test of general knowledge.
- ‘Basket Shot’ – scoring ‘goals’ within a basket.
- ‘Ring Toss’ – challenging their precision.
While these challenges might not seem as exciting as those from the traditional Olympics, they are just as impactful to the lives of our social group participants.
These challenges don’t just offer a fun activity, they also allow participants to improve their concentration and memory, refine their perception and language skills, and maintain their coordination and tactile awareness. As we age, and become less active, these are skills abilities that can quickly deteriorate if we don’t continue to proactively engage with them. This kind of deterioration is common among many ageing Australians and can lead to more serious mental and physical dysfunction. Keeping our seniors active is one way we can ensure our participants maintain their independence.
With our trained care staff and commitment to culturally and linguistically sensitive care, we ensure that participants can build their confidence and ability in a safe community environment that offers respite and connection.
Our Social Support Groups and Group Based Activities are available for those eligible through Commonwealth Home Support Packages (CHSP) or Support At Home (SAH) budgets. To be eligible for the Social Support Group Program, individuals must first be assessed by a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) through the My Aged Care referral website: www.myagedcare.gov.au
Co.As.It. can assist you in accessing this free assessment. Contact us today to find out more!
