Opinion Piece by former CEO, Richard Hearn: Unley Legends
Unley Legends embody community spirit
The Unley Legends film series, launched recently at the Capri Cinema, showcased the importance of helping each other. Every day, people help each other – some in small ways and others more generously – yet all are significant to community and family.
It is important to encourage this community spirit and connectedness, neighbours speaking with neighbours, supporting each other, and taking pride in the shared local community.
Unley Legends is the culmination of a collaborative project between Resthaven, the City of Unley, and seven Unley Legends, which explores and shares the perspectives of normal, every-day life of older people as they have aged, remaining positive, active and valued members of their family and community.
In aiming for a more age-friendly community, it is a challenge to overcome ageist stereotypes and encourage real, typical and positive examples of older people who are active and valued members, contributors and founders of our community. The Unley Legends represent the good work of others – and there are many, everywhere. Some are volunteers, some are integral to their family and others just go about their lives, active members of their community. There are many like-minded ‘legends’, all of whom have made a wonderful, positive contribution to enrich our society.
The longer we live, inevitably, some may require support from partners, families, or paid assistance. Many others are blessed with good health and independence. Having to pay for support to manage day to day activities can be difficult to accept. However, if paid services assist in sustaining quality of life, relationships, and treasured activities, they are worth considering.
People generally want to live in their own homes as they age. The reality is that most people do, for the great majority, if not all, of their lives. Only around 7% of the older population live their final years in a residential aged care home and 8% in retirement living.
I encourage people to be generous to themselves and use their financial resources to pay for support to sustain their quality of life. For those with very limited means, the Government offers financial assistance to access services.
Support can be accessed by contacting My Aged Care (phone 1800 200 422) or your preferred local service provider, who can assist you to contact My Aged Care.
Pictured: Resthaven Malvern Manager, Terry Kirkwood, with ‘Unley Legend,’ Noreen Bray.