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Celebrating ten years of the Papakura Selwyn Centre
Date: 1 November 2010
The Selwyn Centre in Papakura has recently celebrated ten years of providing much needed community day services to older people. The Centre, which is based in The Homestead at 21 Youngs Road, has held a 10th birthday celebration for the seniors who attend on a weekly basis and for the volunteer coordinators who help run the wide range of activities and outings it offers.
Special guests at the event included a number of the original attendees, as well as committee members and coordinators who were instrumental in establishing the Centre in 2000.
Open every week-day morning (except Thursdays), the Centre provides social activities, help and support for elderly people who may be living on their ownor who have few opportunities for social interaction. A fun programme includes social games and gentle exercises, morning tea, a cooked lunch and return transport, all offered at minimal cost.
The over-65s attending also benefit from the presence of an on-site gerontologist nurse, who can help with any concerns or queries that they may have regarding health, access to social services or resources. An all-day respite service has also recently been launched on Mondays, which caters particularly for people who may be more frail and extends to 4.00pm to give extra time of respite for families and carers.
The Papakura Selwyn Centre is one of twenty-three centres operated by The Selwyn Foundation Parish Partnership Programme in (mainly) church premises throughout Greater Auckland. Hosted in association with local Anglican churches, the centres are part-funded by The Selwyn Foundation – one of New Zealand’s largest charitable providers of quality aged care services.
Commenting on the importance of the services the Centres provide, Sally Naulls, Selwyn Centre parish liaison consultant, says:
“The impact of social connections on well-being has led researchers to call on GPs and health officials to take loneliness as seriously as other health risks.
“The Selwyn Centres provide invaluable social interaction as well as comfort, help and support to older people who may be lonely or isolated. Therefore, they’re filling a real need in local communities, where social isolation of the elderly is increasingly becoming a problem.”
Details of the other Selwyn Centres available are listed on www.selwyncare.org.nz.
Ends
Papakura Selwyn Centre volunteer, Neil Redman, and original Selwyn Centre guest, Grace Fitz-Maurice, at the 10th anniversary celebrations.
