Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp recently announced that Yarrawonga Health was among the successful recipients of $5.3 million in aged care equipment and facility upgrades that create new ways for residents to stay connected with each other and their loved ones.
Yarrawonga Health received $60,000 in total for their two aged care services, Allawah and Karana.
Karana’s “garden of colour and nutrition” focuses on bringing family recipes to life through homegrown produce.
Allawah’s “living off the land” project inspires residents to have BBQs in their backyard using produce form the garden.
Yarrawonga Health CEO Ellaine Mallows said the funding for several garden beds, fruit trees, a compost and a garden shed will be greatly beneficial to the residents and will bring back an activity that residents have partaken in over their life to the aged care facility.
“The funding was specifically designed at improving residents’ lifestyles and allowing them to be engaged in activities that they enjoy doing and to have that satisfaction of the food ending up on their plates,” Ms Mallows said.
“The garden will provide meaning as well as an activity to the residents that they would have done right throughout their lives.
“We will also have a compost so the residents will be able to grow their own vegetables as well as cook them so they will be able to do the whole lot, and nothing is better than eating your own home-grown vegetables.
“It will be very beneficial to the residents and will bring more life to our outdoor area as well.”
The program helps staff provide more diverse and meaningful activities for residents and enhance their engagement with the outside community, particularly during the global pandemic, when people can’t always rely on their usual methods of communication and contact.
These grants also support the recommendations from the Aged Care Royal Commission, which identified the need for greater emphasis on programs that increase community engagement, reduce social isolation and enhance resident wellbeing.
“Yarrawonga Health is a key part of the Hume community and provides a vital service for our local elderly population,” Mr Gepp said.
“We’re ensuring residents and staff are getting extra support to help them through these challenging times.”
