My Mum has just come out of hospital and needs short-term help around the home.
Is there anyone that can help her?
One of the first things you need to do is check with your Mum to see what was
arranged with either the Discharge Planner or the Aged Care Assessment Team when
she was discharged from hospital.
If she is not sure what was organised, contact the Aged Care Assessment Team at St Vincent's Community Health Service (02 9369 0225); they can arrange an interview with your Mum to work out exactly what help she may need and give her a referral for those services.
If you find that your Mum still needs help with general home duties like cleaning, washing and vacuuming you can contact the Home Care Service of NSW on 1800 350 792 to see if she is eligible for assistance. They provide personal care (bathing, dressing) and respite care to frail older people, people with a disability, and carers.
For more information about general home help (respite services, home library, neighbour aid, meals and shopping etc). We also publish a brochure of Home and Community Care Services for people living in Waverley. Give us a call on 02 9386 7999 to request a copy of the brochure, or to speak to our Community Worker for Older People and Access.
I have a disability that makes it difficult for me to do the shopping and
prepare my own meals, is there a service that can assist me?
Yes, the Waverley Meals on Wheels and Shopping Service is funded by Waverley
Council and the Department of Ageing, Disability and Homecare. The aim of the
service is to make sure that people can continue to live comfortably in their
home. You are eligible for the service if you are frail aged, have a disability,
or care for someone with a disability.
This service runs weekdays only and you can receive heated or chilled meals daily or frozen meals weekly depending on your needs.
The Waverley Meals on Wheels and Shopping Service can also order your shopping for you over the Internet and arrange for it to be delivered to your home up to once a week. The cost of the service is subsidised by Council.
To find out more, telephone the Meals on Wheels and Shopping Service on 02 9386 7977 between office hours, or click on the above link.
(Would you like to be a Meals on Wheels volunteer? Volunteers are needed for morning deliveries from Monday to Friday. You don't need a driving license to help, just spare time and community spirit.)
Getting older means I find it hard to do things like change light bulbs and tap
washers. Can anyone help me?
Yes, the South East Sydney Home Maintenance and Modification Service can help around the home by changing light bulbs, installing internal and
external ramps and rails, fitting hand-held showers, cleaning gutters and
carrying out minor plumbing.
They charge a small hourly rate plus the cost of materials and the service is available to people with disabilities, the frail aged, and their carers. Please call 02 8383 2290 during business hours for more information.
Can you help me find out about low-cost housing for older people?
Waverley Council provides secure and affordable housing for people over 60 years
of age who have a low income, are on the waiting list for NSW public housing and
can demonstrate ties to the Waverley area. We have 56 units in six locations
across Waverley and rent is 30 per cent of household income. Units are allocated
strictly in order of application and the average wait for a unit is two to three years.
For further information about our aged housing units please contact our Community Worker for Older People and Access on 02 9386 7999, or view our Waverley Council Housing for the Over 60’s brochure. Guidelines and application forms can be downloaded here.
I need to find a retirement village for my elderly relative, do you have a list
of homes in the area?
There are a few retirement villages in our area. For more information please
view our
Services for Older People Directory or call us on 02 9386 7999 for a
copy of the directory to be posted to you.
What community transport is available?
The Randwick/Waverley Community Transport Group is a non-profit community
organisation that is part of the Home and Community Care network. Anyone who has
trouble using public transport because they are frail aged, disabled or a carer
can use this service. Please give them a call on 02 9369 5366 to find out more
about their pricing policy and availability.
What types of activities and classes do you run for seniors?
The Waverley Community
and Seniors Centre is located on the Ground Floor of the
Mill Hill Centre at 31-33 Spring Street, Bondi Junction. It runs a wide variety
of activities and programs in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. So if you
fancy taking part in gentle exercise, Tai Chi, line dancing, pilates, indoor
bowls, Scrabble, painting, or drawing then give us a call on (02) 9386 7900 for
more information on bookings.
We also publish a free Quarterly Seniors Centre Newsletter
Waverley Library offers special services for older people, including the Home Library Service; Bondi Pavilion hosts monthly seniors' concerts; and Computer Pals holds regular activities for seniors interested in learning about computers.
What is a Seniors Card, and can I get one?
A Seniors Card is a discounts and benefits scheme introduced by the NSW
Government in partnership with the private sector.
To apply for a Seniors Card you must be working no more than 20 hours PAID work per week, a permanent resident of NSW, and 60 years of age or older. To obtain a Membership Application Form you can either contact Waverley's Community and Seniors Centre Association on (02) 9386 7900, or straight from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care by calling 1300 364 758 or clicking on http://www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au.
Do you have a contact list of childcare services in Waverley?
Yes, Waverley Council produces a free
Kids Book, which is a guide to childcare
services in the area for children aged 0-5 and their families. The Kids Book
contains information about Childcare centres, Babysitting services, Child
Protection agencies, Early Childhood Intervention services, Emergency Assistance
contact numbers, Family Support and Advice, Health services, Playgroups and
Library services.
What is the difference between Private Home Based Care and Family Day Care?
Private Home Based Carers are licensed by the Department of Community Services
to care for up to five children in their own homes. Fees often vary and Child
Care Benefit is not available. See our
Kids Book for the address and contact
numbers of carers in your area.
Family Day Care is a government funded and licensed service. Children are cared for in groups of up to five in the carer's own home. All carers are registered and the Family Day Care Service provides supervision and support for them through Child Development Officers who visit regularly. Child Care Benefit is available for this service. See the Kids Book for a listing of Family Day Care providers.
How can I become a family day carer?
Council runs the Waverley Family Day Care scheme. You can contact the Family Day
Care Coordinator on 02 9389 9421 for more information about state regulations
and how you can register as a family day carer.
Where is my nearest Playgroup?
The Kids Book provides a complete listing of childcare services in the Waverley
area together with their address and contact details. It also contains a list of
Playgroups in the Waverley LGA, or you can contact the NSW Playgroups
Association for more information on 02 9604 5513.
I want my child to have access to a wide range of toys and educational material,
but they are so expensive. Is there somewhere I can go to borrow toys and
equipment?
Yes. The Bondi Toy Library operates from the Early Childhood Centre on the
corner of Wairoa Avenue and Brighton Boulevard at Bondi Beach and runs in much
the same way as an ordinary library does. Parents pay an annual subscription
that allows them to borrow up to six toys per week. The library has an excellent
variety of toys, puzzles, games and playground equipment and caters for children
aged 0 to ten years, including those with additional needs. Give them a call on
02 9300 0087 for more information and to check operating hours.
How do I set up a childcare centre in this area?
Contact the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services on
1800 676 446 to get a copy of their Planning to Succeed in Child Care booklet,
or visit their website
http://www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/childcare/services-planning_to_succeed_kit.htm.
Further information can also be obtained by contacting the Department of Community Services' Child Care section on 02 9716 2222 or http://www.community.nsw.gov.au.
Once you have done this, then you can call Council's Environment and Planning Services on 02 9369 8000 for a copy of our Development Control Plan No. 5-Child Care Centres.
What services are there for teenagers in the area?
Waverley Action for Youth Services (WAYS) provides a variety of services for
teenagers and young adults. For further information please call them on 02 9365
2500.
If you would like information about other youth services, please call our Community Worker for Youth on 02 9386 7999.
Do you have information about school holiday activities?
Yes, please give us a call on 02 9386 7999 for an up to date list of relevant
activities, or visit the Bondi Pavilion and
Waverley Library sites to check the
activities there.
We need a venue for our community class, have you got a room we can hire?
The Mill Hill Centre at Bondi Junction has rooms available for hire that may be
suitable for your group. Give us a call on 02 9386 7999 to check availability.
Waverley Council also has a range of venues available throughout the area for hire by the community, cultural organisations, businesses and private individuals. These facilities are ideal for a range of different functions such as seminars, corporate presentations, product launches, training sessions and workshops. Visit our venuehire page for more information, or call our Facility Coordinator on 02 9369 8003.
I really want to take singing and dancing classes, are there any running at the
moment?
Bondi Pavilion at Bondi Beach has a range of activities, including dance classes
and singing groups. For further information please contact the coordinator of
Bondi Pavilion on 8362 3400.
You can also visit our Community Service's Community Information Page and search for a particular organisation or group to view details of the programs they run.
Do you have a mini-bus I can hire?
Yes. Council has two community mini-buses available for hire: a 20-seat and a
14-seat bus.
Waverley Council's Community Buses are available for use by local organisations and groups to support activities and programs that directly benefit the residents of Waverley. Primarily they are used to meet the needs of priority groups and services that are in Waverley, however they can also be hired by other local organisations dependent on availability.
Please click on Community Bus Hire for further information.
Do you have a list of schools in the area?
Yes. For details please visit our Community Services Homepage, click on the
Community Information Page and do a search on 'schools'.
I would like to do some volunteer work for a community group, can you help me
find somewhere?
There are a number of organisations who use volunteers, including:
Meals on Wheels (tel 02 9386 7977)
ECHO Bondi Junction Neighbourhood Centre (02 9387 2885)
Waverley Library (02 9386 7777)
VAST (Volunteer and Service Training) on 02 9349 8200 or
vast@jnc.org.au
Last updated 29-Apr-2008
