Seniors

Senior residents are invited to discover a range of fun, affordable activities and events as part of the annual Seniors Festival in March each year.

Visit our What's On page to check what other regular events are happening for our residents in the City of Canada Bay.

Community transport

BayRider: a community shuttle bus service jointly run by the Drummoyne Community Centre and City of Canada Bay. It operates on Wednesday and Thursday between 9am and 12pm, taking passengers from their homes to locations including shopping centres, libraries and medical appointments. Bookings are essential and a gold coin donation is requested for each trip. To make a booking or for more information please contact the centre on 97198102. 

Access Sydney Community Transport: a safe, reliable door-to-door transport service for older people, people with disabilities and transport-disadvantaged communities for health-related and personal transport. They also provide group social outings, shopping trips and social support. For more information and to book call 8241 8000. 

Sir Roden and Lady Cutler Foundation: assists with transport to and from the hospital and other medical appointments, as well as the provision of mobility scooters and other transport related products/subsidies. The foundation was established to help people with disability or those who are disadvantaged and struggling financially to be mobile.  Visit their website for more information.

Volunteers at St Ambrose (VASA): maintain contact with the elderly in our community by organising monthly morning tea gatherings, assisting with shopping on a fortnightly basis using the Council's community bus, and providing transport where needed for local appointments. Call 9736 3686 or 8765 1295 for more information.

Public transport

Our local area is well serviced by public transport including buses and ferries. Visit Transport NSW website to plan a trip or find information about tickets, service information or route maps. You can also access information about the Gold Opal Card for seniors.

Social Outings for Seniors

The City of Canada Bay provides full-day bus outings to exciting locations around the Sydney metropolitan area and beyond. 

Active Adults bus trips are designed for people who: 

• Live in the City of Canada Bay local government area and are over 55 years of age.
• Are active and able to walk moderate distances.
• Do not require assistance getting on and off the bus.
• Can provide their transport to the bus pick-up locations. 

Trips operate on Wednesday and Thursdays. Get in touch with a Community Development Officer on 9911 6595 or email ccbcbustrips@canadabay.nsw.gov.au to find out more about the dates and destinations. 

To apply, please either download or complete the form online below: 

Online: Active Adults - Program 2 Online Application
Download Form: Active Adults - Program 2 - Application and Trip Preference Form

Bookings subject to eligibility criteria and the availability of places on scheduled trips.

Bay Connection bus outings are designed for people who:

• Live in the City of Canada Bay local government area and are over 55 years of age.
• Are active but prefer to walk short distances.
• Require assistance getting on and off the bus (we provide light support to the participants during the Bay Connection outgoings).
• We pick you up from your residence. 

The trips operate on Tuesdays and Fridays. Get in touch with a Community Development Officer on 9911 6595 or email ccbcbustrips@canadabay.nsw.gov.au to find out more about the dates and destinations (please leave a voice message if they are unavailable). 

Participants must meet eligibility criteria. Light support is provided to all participants during the outings but we don't have the capacity to provide 1:1 support for the participants. Please note, the service is not available to nursing home residents.

The first step to join this service is to complete and send us your application form: Bay Connection Application Form.

What is dementia?

Dementia impacts close to half a million Australians and almost 1.6 million Australians are involved in their care. The number of people living with dementia is set to double in the next 25 years. 

Only a doctor can diagnose dementia. Dementia is a general term to describe problems with progressive changes in memory, thinking and behaviour. Dementia can happen to anybody. While it becomes more common over the age of 65, and again over the age of 75, it is not a normal part of the ageing process. 

It remains the number one cause of disability in Australians aged over 65 years and the second biggest cause of death overall. People living with dementia can live active and fulfilling lives many years after diagnosis, but the quality of life can be impacted by the physical effects of the disease and the way society responds. 

Understanding dementia and its causes, consequences and care options can help promote appropriate support to enhance quality of life.

Dementia Australia has online educational resources and programs, fact sheets and support for people living with dementia, family friends and carers, including resources in a range of languages. 

Worried about memory or finding support locally?

Key information and referral pathways can be found using a locally developed brochure called ‘Worried about your Memory’. The resource outlines some key steps, phone numbers and other ways to get help and support locally, and is available in English and other languages at Inner West Aged Care Services resources website. 

Inner West Region Dementia Friendly Community Alliance

City of Canada Bay has collaborated with other organisations and community members to form a Dementia Alliance, supported by Dementia Australia. Our action plan has a series of goals and actions, including awareness raising, improving the built environment, carer supports, and more.

My Aged Care

My Aged Care is a Federal Government program for older people who need help to remain as independent as they can and remain living at home with supports. 

You can call 1800 200 422 or review the myagedcare.gov.au portal if you are over 65 years of age to arrange an assessment and find services. 

Registering early is advised. Service categories include: 

• Domestic help such as cleaning
• Allied health such as nursing, podiatry, physiotherapy and more 
• Garden care and home maintenance and modifications 
• Meals and food preparation
• Equipment aids
• Personal care
• Social support
• Respite services and more
• Transport. 

National Disability Insurance Scheme

If you are under 65 years of age living with disability, you can enquire about applying for support by reviewing the National Disability Insurance Scheme website or phoning them on 180 800 110.  

Veterans Home Care

To find out if you are an eligible veteran or war widow, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. You can also call 1300 550 450.

Trouble getting help?

Did you know you can access a Care Finder Service if you have no-one to support you to navigate the system. Call 1800 346 337 for queries.

Healthy Ageing Hub

The Healthy Ageing Hub provides information, support, and referral services that respect diverse cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTQI+ individuals, and people living with disabilities in need of the above assistance. Email Healthy.ageing@3bridges.org.au or call on 1300 327 434. Download their brochure. 

Computer Help

Did you know Council runs Tech Savvy programs in the libraries? Tech Savvy programs are free, delivered face-to-face and are term-based training sessions. Dates and times vary throughout the year. Bookings will be essential. Visit the What's On to register. 

Be Connected

A Government program helping Australians online. Learn at your own pace with free courses on everything from how to access the internet, make video calls or set up your device. Visit the website to learn more.  

Council-supported activities

There are lots of ways to stay active and healthy as we age. Here are some ideas to benefit your physical and mental wellbeing.

Visit our Community Centres webpage to find activities offered through the local centres in Drummoyne and Concord. 

For those interested in technology and who want to make things, learn new skills, meet people and contribute to the community, Tech Shed is a weekly get together based at The Learning Space, Rhodes. Meet up to explore 3D printing, robots, and electronics. Membership is required after initial attendance. For more information, please email techshedders@gmail.com.

Council's Home Library Service is for those unable to access the Library due to illness or disability. Our Home Library service provides a personal service to individuals in need. You can contact the Home Library officer on 9911 6211 to find out more or visit the Library and Services webpage. 

Council’s pools and recreation centres offer various programs for older people such as Fit for Life, fitness passports and other concessions. Visit the following webpages for more information: 

• Concord Oval Recreation Centre
• Rhodes Recreation Centre
• Five Dock Leisure Centre
• Drummoyne Swimming Centre
• Cabarita Swimming Centre 

Volunteering

Volunteers play a vital role in contributing to the City of Canada Bay community, but it’s also a great way to learn new skills, support and meet other community members. For more information visit the Volunteering page. 

Hoarding and Squalor Support

Hoarding is a mental health condition that manifests in the compulsive acquisition of possessions. For many years Catholic Healthcare have been the trusted specialists in supporting those living with the effects of hoarding and squalor in NSW. For more information and support services visit the Catholic Healthcare website  about understanding and support for people experiencing hoarding and squalor. 

Fall Prevention

The Stepping On is a seven-week program helps older people build confidence and reduce falls at home. It’s free for people 65 years and older or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. For enquiries contact Trish.Lynch@health.nsw.gov.au or visit steppingon.com. 

The NSW Active and Healthy website provides information about keeping active, healthy and on your feet, plus how to make your home environment safe, what to do if you have a fall, and lifestyle checklists to help you reduce your risk. 

Relationship Support and Mediation

Let’s Talk Support and Mediation service, run by Relationships Australia, assists older people and their families to resolve or prevent interpersonal differences and disagreements. The service is designed for individuals and their families to address age-related issues and to support them to have mediated conversations about important things affecting them. Visit the Relationships Australia website for more information or call them on 1300 364 277. 

More information

Haven't found what you're looking for on this page? For more activities, visit our What’s On page or download a copy of our Directory for clubs and organisations in the area. Other helpful websites include: 

• Active Ageing Australia: Supporting active lives at any age.
• Centre For STRONG Medicine Concord: an outpatient service that helps older adults with chronic disease and frailty improve their health.
• Healthy and Active for Life: offers a free 10-week online only program for people over 60 years of age.
• Live Upand LifeCurve: online tools that can help you keep fit, well, and independent.
• Meet up: a search engine to find groups in your local area.
• NSW Active and Healthy: find exercise programs available in your local area. Search using your suburb.
• SHARE: a not-for-profit delivering exercise classes to people over 50 years of age.
• Seniors Rights Service: a community legal centre dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights of older people in NSW.
• Telecross: volunteers make a morning check-in phone call to elderly people living alone in their own home.
• U3A: not-for-profit education for retired or semi-retired people who enjoy learning.
• Wesley School for Seniors: offering a range of learning opportunities. 

Council is committed to working in partnership with residents, police, community organisations, the business community, and State and Federal Governments to ensure the City of Canada Bay is a safe and welcoming place to live, work and visit. For a flip chart that outlines a range of phone numbers and information to keep you healthy and safe as you age, email mary.ciantar@canadabay.nsw.gov.au. 

You can also visit our dedicated Safety page for information that relates to older people, such as Preventing Abuse, Fire Safety, Frauds and Scams and more.  

Did you know? City of Canada Bay is part of the Inner West Region Collaborative, where organisations have joined forces to develop resources, inform and promote information about the abuse of older people and where to seek advice locally. To find out more email mary.ciantar@canadabay.nsw.gov.au. 

The Carer Gateway

Carers provide unpaid care and support for a family member or friend. While caring can be rewarding, it can also be challenging. The Carer Gateway is a program providing free access to services for anyone caring for a family member or friend who is living with a disability, a long-term medical condition, mental illness, alcohol or drug dependency or someone who is frail due to age. 

Carer Gateway services are delivered through a network of not-for-profit organisations known as Carer Gateway Service Providers. To get the support you need, contact the Carer Gateway by phoning 1800 422 737. You can also request a call or email back using the form on the Carer Gateway webpage.  

Carers NSW

Getting the right information is important in helping you to manage in a caring role. Carers NSW has information hubs, tips on how to look after yourself, advice for planning ahead, resources and access to an Aged Care Hub on their website. 

Grandparent Advisers

Did you know you can get support if you are a non-parent carer? Grandparents, foster carers and kinship carers who have taken on parental responsibilities for children can get: 

• Tailored information about payments and support services based on your family circumstances.
• Support arranging appointments for grandparent carers and non-parent carers with specialist staff, including social workers.
• Referrals to federal, state and community service providers.
• Help with any other Medicare, Centrelink or Child Support enquiries. 

For more information about assistance available for grandparents, and non-parent carers, go to: 

• Support for grandparent carers.
• Support for non-parent carers. 

To speak to a Grandparent Adviser, call 1800 245 965.