Coming together: SeniorLink ‘rewarding’ experience
YOU can hear the Friday SeniorLink meeting long before you can see it — there is plenty of loud laughter ringing out from SeniorLink’s Hillside Rd meeting room.
The activity centre meets twice a week, providing a day’s worth of activity and social interaction for whoever turns up.
The dozen or so people who arrived on the dot have had tea and scones, and have now been split into teams for trivia games.
One table is trying to match names with photographs of entertainers, while the other is debating which birthdate belongs to which celebrity.
Muhammad Ali and John F Kennedy are causing some debate, and 91yearold Ian Bartlett is thoroughly enjoying it.
‘‘If I wasn’t here I’d just be sitting at the table or sleeping.’’
Mr Bartlett reluctantly started going to SeniorLink last year at the suggestion of his hospital psychologist, but the activity centre has rapidly become a highlight of his week.
‘‘I’ve found it very rewarding coming here,’’ he said.
‘‘I didn’t think I would like it to start, but once you get to know the people, and the people who work here are marvellous.’’
Mr Bartlett — a bit of a shark — is looking forward to the afternoon card school.
So is Makarita Huihui (63) who rather plans on trumping Mr Bartlett today.
She was also recommended to SeniorLink — in this case by the hospital, after suffering an injury last year.
‘‘I used to hate coming, I used to hate going out of the house, but I like it now — they’re all my friends, and we get on quite well.’’
SeniorLink coordinators Gaynor Propsting and Geraldine Tait have set up the day’s activities, helped by a dedicated group of volunteers.
‘‘It’s quite small but it’s good being independent and not tied in to an organisation,’’ said Ms Tait, who started as a volunteer and 13 years later is now the coordinator.
‘‘We have a tight budget, but each year we somehow manage to stay afloat . . . volunteers help with getting people here and with meals, but more importantly just by sitting and chatting to clients and taking part in activities.
‘‘We could not do it, and it would not be the same quality of service, without volunteers.’’
Ms Tait and her team cater for clients aged from their 60s to their 90s.
They help with food preparation, cleaning, games, activities and transporting SeniorLink members to and from the centre.
‘‘Some of the clients have memory loss or early stage dementia and are being cared for by a family member, which is a 24/7 job — having them come here for a day or two lets those people have some time out, too.’’
SeniorLink has mental and physical health benefits — members may well meet more people and do more physical activities in a few hours than they might in several days.
‘‘Just talking, that interaction between people, they feel welcome and involved and that’s pretty important for people,’’ Ms
Tait said.