Innovative initiatives earn Future of Ageing wins
Bolton Clarke’s innovation across at home support and retirement living has been awarded with wins in two categories in the 2023 Future of Ageing Awards, announced this week.
The Easy Living Bags initiative, streamlining the process for people living at home to test and access simple assistive devices, was a winner in the restorative care and reablement category.
The initiative supports independence by providing low-cost, readily available aids to assist with activities of daily living. Occupational therapists and at home support teams are equipped with easy living bags and flip books of products with more than 20 items from pick-up sticks to shoehorns.
Training and checklists help teams quickly identify needs, demonstrate equipment and assess if additional referrals are required within a single visit.
The Memory Lane Café in the regional Western Australian community of Jurien Bay won in the Social Inclusion category.
The café, led by retirement village residents and volunteers from Bolton Clarke’s Acacia Living Group Jurien Bay Village with support from the at home support team, provides a much-needed space for people who live with dementia and their carers to connect.
Café Manager Amanda Wallis says the café attracts about 40 guests every Friday and is an important connection point for older people.
Bolton Clarke Research Institute’s Connect Local program using a social prescribing model in Glen Eira, Victoria also earned a Highly Commended in the Community Engagement category.
