Tag: meals on wheels

Delegates’ Report: Celebrating diversity and promoting art

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There are several items I’ll be reporting on:

On the 23rd of October I attended the Khaudo Festival, organised by Maroondah’s Zomi community. The Zomi are an ethnic group from Burma and Maroondah has one of the highest populations of refugees from Burma within Metropolitan Melbourne. The Khuado Festival is a celebration of the Zomi New Year and a welcome to the community.

Similarly on the 13th of November I attended a Sudanese Cultural Festival featuring music, food and dance from Maroondah’s growing Sudanese community. It is great to see our emerging communities sharing their culture with the wider Maroondah community through showcasing traditional dance, music and food.

On the 28th of October I attended Monkami’s production of ‘Hey Hey Its Monkami’. Monkami is a not-for-profit community based organisation that provides services and opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. The organisation has an emphasis on community development including theatre and the arts as well as community partnerships. The Ringwood Movie Makers have continued to work in partnership with Monkami and filmed a cameo performance as part of the script.

On the 7th of November I attended the Maroondah Festival and it was fantastic to see so many community groups and residents participating in the festival. For the first year in a while, we had pleasant weather and in addition it was fortunate the rain held off.

On the 11th of November I attended the Remembrance Day services at the Croydon RSL and I would like to commend the members of the RSL for their community focus and involvement of local schools and community members.

Also on the 11th I officiated the Maroondah Volunteer Recognition Function, where we recognised the valuable contribution of Maroondah’s volunteers. Many of these volunteers have been assisting Council in the delivery of services, including Meals on Wheels, as well as supporting our environment and social support services.

Lastly, the 11th also featured the opening night of the Mayoral Art Show, which supports the Croydon Branch of the Bone Marrow Donor Institute. All proceeds from the exhibition support cancer research and features 90 artists across a range of mediums and styles.

Media Release: Maroondah’s volunteers recognised

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Time is a valuable commodity in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But time is something that Maroondah City Council’s volunteers are willing to offer every day as they assist their fellow community members and our natural environment.

Maroondah City Council hosted a special function at the Karralyka Centre on Thursday 11 November to recognise the valuable work done by the huge number of volunteers who help to support and deliver the services and facilities provided by Council.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said approximately 500 volunteers who give their time to Meals on Wheels, Social Support services and Planned Activity Group, which provides support and social activities for Maroondah’s frail aged and people with disabilities, Community House Committees of Management, Wyreena Community Arts Centre, and Maroondah Art Gallery.

“In addition there are volunteers from Council’s bushland and sporting reserves who contribute their time to our natural environment and they are also to be thanked and commended for their efforts and contribution to the Maroondah community,” Cr Makin said.

“All Maroondah City Council volunteers were invited to the ceremony in recognition of the tremendous work they have achieved over the past year. Special awards were also handed out to 43 volunteers in recognition of their extended periods of service – ranging from 10 to 35 years,” Cr Makin said.

This year, there are four Meals on Wheels volunteers and one AC Robertson Reserve Committee of Management volunteer recognised for an outstanding 35 years of service.

Four volunteers, who worked with Meals on Wheels, Hughes Park Committee of Management or Heathmont Bushlinks, were recognised for 30 years of service.

A further two volunteers were recognised for 20 years of service, 12 volunteers for 15 years and 20 for 10 years of service.

Such long-term loyalty to volunteering highlights the obvious level of satisfaction and fulfilment that Council’s volunteers receive.

“The Maroondah community is indeed fortunate to have a wonderfully dedicated base of volunteers who strengthen and extend the social, environmental and cultural dimensions of our city,” Cr Makin said.

“Why not help to grow our volunteers by offering your time and skills to a variety of Council programs, such as Social Support Services where you can provide a friendly hand or ear for the frail elderly; Bushcare to help manage and improve our valuable bushland areas; Meals On Wheels; or Committees of Management for parks, reserves and community houses,” Cr Makin said.

To find out how you can make a rewarding and valuable contribution to the Maroondah community through volunteering, call Council on 1300 88 22 33.

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Media Release: New holistic approach to Home and Community Care services

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Maroondah City Council will this week launch a change to their Maroondah Home and Community Care program as part of the Department of Health’s newly developed approach to service delivery.

The changes are a State Government legislative requirement aimed at improving services for frail older people, people with a disability and their carer.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the changes would result in more flexible, personalised services which promoted wellness to maintain and or improve an individual’s capacity to live as independently and autonomously as possible.

“The services will not be a one size fits all approach, Council has adopted the wellness approach which is centred on assisting each client with their individual nutritional, social and cultural needs,” Cr Makin said.

“This includes encouraging and assisting people to continue their hobbies, walk around their communities and maintain their levels of activity. The changes will help clients and their carers to establish goals and supply them with the relevant services to enable them to best meet their goals,” Cr Makin said.

“It is about providing services which promote capacity building and restorative care so that people can stay involved in everyday activities, maintain or rebuild their confidence and strengthen their capacity to adapt to changing life circumstances,” Cr Makin said.

“Growing evidence suggests that being physically active, having a nutritious diet and remaining mentally and socially engaged with friends, family and the broader community can help to reduce the impact of some conditions associated with ageing,” Cr Makin said.

“So with the assistance of these services hopefully more and more people can maintain their independence for longer and avoid premature admission to long term residential care,” Cr Makin said.

Services provided through HACC include:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Planned activity groups
  • Carer support
  • Social support programs
  • Domestic assistance
  • Personal care
  • Respite care
  • Home from Home pilot program
  • Support Residential Services
  • Integrated Holiday Program
  • Property Maintenance

Councillor Makin said while the services being offered were still the same, the way they will be delivered to clients will change.

“The service will be a person centred approach. Clients will continue to be assessed by Council officers in their own home and a Wellness Action Plan will be prepared identifying goals they would like to achieve,” Cr Makin said.

“These will vary for each person but could include things like building up the strength to be able to clean their own home, or being mobile enough to do their own shopping,” Cr Makin said.

“During this initial phase clients and their carers will be provided information on a range of other HACC services which would also enable them to live more independently, remain active members of the community and achieve the goals of the Wellness Action Plan,” Cr Makin said.

“Supporting an individual in this way is a shared responsibility and where appropriate, clients, family and friends will be encouraged to be involved in preparing and maintaining the Wellness Action Plan,” Cr Makin said.

People eligible to receive HACC services are the frail older people, and people with a disability and their carers. Services are provided on the basis of eligibility, assessed need and within service resources.

While Council provides the HACC services, the Department of Health is responsible for managing the program under the Home and Community Care Act 1985.

Maroondah City Council has already received recognition for the transition into this new approach being a finalist in the Award for Outstanding Program or Project (Grant Based) category at the LGPro Aged and Disability Services Awards. The award recognises the development and implementation of a project or program which has achieved a significant service improvement though an effective and innovative approach.


For more information contact Council’s Aged and Disability Services on 9294 5729.

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Media Release: Maroondah celebrates National Meals on Wheels Day

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Maroondah City Council will be recognising the local heroes of its Meals on Wheels service on Wednesday 25 August as part of National Meals on Wheels Day.

Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin, and Councillor Nora Lamont will be joining volunteers to deliver the delicious meals to clients in and around Maroondah.

“It’s a pleasure working with a team of dedicated volunteers to ensure the Meals on Wheels service continues to offer nutritious meals while allowing clients to retain their independence,” Cr Makin said.

“There are approximately 190 Meals on Wheels volunteers in Maroondah delivering up to 1200 meals to 300 clients each week. Each volunteer is a valuable asset to Council and the community,” Cr Makin said.

“As well as enjoying a delicious meal, clients also receive the benefit of having a friendly volunteer checking on their well being and making sure they are alright,” Cr Makin said.

“On average 60,000 meals are made and delivered each year. Piping hot and fresh from the kitchen at Karralyka, the meals are delivered to those in our community who are having difficulty in preparing and cooking their own meals,” Cr Makin said.

Meals on Wheels menus offer a choice of three hot meals 5 days per week, chilled meals are also available and frozen meals are provided for weekends and public holidays.

Menus are developed with dietary guidelines in mind and some medical conditions, such as diabetes and coeliac disease may be catered for.

Meals on Wheels is a Council-run Home and Community Care service. To find out more about the service in Maroondah, phone Council on 1300 88 22 33 or visit www.maroondah.vic.gov.au.

For more information on volunteering contact Aged and Disability Services Volunteer Coordinator Trish Matthes on 9298 4569.

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