Wellness centre enhances independence in age
A new wellness centre is challenging preconceptions of typical aged care services by bringing together a one stop shop of aged care specialist health practitioners focused on supporting seniors to maintain their independence, in what has been described as a ‘first’ for Canberra.
The Goodwin Wellness Centre was officially launched by ACT Minister for Ageing, Mick Gentleman, at a VIP event on last week.
Goodwin has long been prominent in Canberra for its retirement villages, home care packages and residential aged care facilities.
“However the population of over 60s is richly diverse, and becoming even more so as the ageing population increases,” says Sue Levy, Goodwin chief executive.
“Our aim is to prevent the preventable aspects of ageing, for quality of life for all, and to avoid seniors moving through the stages of the aged care system prematurely,” she says.
The Wellness Centre offers access to a team of specialists in the one centre, all bulk billed and working collaboratively for the individual under the coordination of an Aged Care Specialist Nurse Practitioner and geriatrician to ensure consumers can access supports to maintain their health and wellbeing.
Specialist services include physiotherapy, podiatry, dietetics, occupational therapy, and geriatrics.
“We will work in collaboration with clients’ GPs. The value of including aged care specialists is the deep understanding of the nuanced effects of age on individual bodies, medical conditions and treatments,” Ms Levy says.
The centre also offers follow on supports, such as tailored exercise groups through Goodwin Health Club, postural and balance training, mobility aids and a free education series for clients.
“Projections of massive increases in the population of over-60s require us to respond to our clients’ changing needs in innovative ways,” Ms Levy says. The ACT Government’s 2010 Population Ageing in the ACT report projects a 509% increase in over 85s by 2056.
The Wellness Centre is in Goodwin’s Monash village, serving residents of all Goodwin Independent Living villages, as well as Goodwin’s home care clients across the region.
