BaptistCare opens new At Home hub to support seniors in the inner west and southwest of Sydney
The newest BaptistCare At Home hub was opened in style with 100 year old Sylvia Prestons cutting the cake and the ribbon to loud cheers.
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22 October 2024
News
| Home Care, BaptistCare
An excited crowd of clients, employees and special guests gathered in Strathfield NSW to officially open the newest BaptistCare At Home hub.
With a gold knife in hand, 100-year-old Sylvia Prestons, along with her BaptistCare care worker Linda Baroutis and BaptistCare General Manager of At Home Sarah Newman, cut the cake and then the ribbon tied across the front door to formally open the hub.
BaptistCare has been active in the inner west and southwest Sydney for over 30 years, and the deep sense of service and community to this region was acknowledged across the event, including in the address by the Strathfield Mayor.
"You have a rich history in this community and with the opening of this office in Strathfield, the work you do can extend further," Mayor John-Paul Baladi said.
"So often caring for someone at home falls to a family member and when they can’t do it, that's when BaptistCare steps in. You're not just part of the community in Strathfield, you're part of local families and that’s something I hope you never forget."
The hub is part of the BaptistCare strategy to address changing customer demands and the growing ageing population in the Strathfield, Inner West, Canada Bay, Bayside, City of Sydney, Randwick City, and Sutherland Shire council areas.
It will be a space for the team of local employees, including administration, care facilitation and care workers, to provide care for older people in the Inner West and beyond.
“We’re excited about the expansion of BaptistCare Home Care services in Strathfield and are constantly assessing how we can grow our services to support more people through allied health, care management, clinical and direct care workers across the Sydney Basin," said Sarah Newman, General Manager BaptistCare At Home.
“Our new hub will provide local seniors with support for their care needs and social connectivity, enabling them to continue living independently in their own homes."
BaptistCare Home Care clients and staff gathered today at the new office for the official opening.
Sylvia Prestons is a BaptistCare At Home client in Sydney and said the local team was there to help from the very beginning.
“BaptistCare were the only people who were any help at all when I was trying to work out what help I could get,” said Sylvia.
“It was such a hard system to navigate and BaptistCare gave me a lot of time and found out information for me so I could start getting care.”
Now, with regular visits from the BaptistCare At Home team, Sylvia values being able to continue to live independently at home.
“It takes a lot of tension out of my life and allows me to do the things that are important to me and that keep me healthy,” she said.
“It’s always so easy to talk about what I need, and BaptistCare has always been wonderful at giving me as much care as they can and finding solutions to little problems.”
“I was having trouble sleeping, so they found me a new pillow and my sleep is so much better! It’s those little things that make a big difference,” Sylvia said.
Linda Baroutis has been working with BaptistCare for 19 years and says the trust that clients place in their care workers is incredibly special.
“We know as people get older it can be hard to trust people and to let people into their homes,” said Linda.
“But when we start working with our clients, you see that trust build, and the connection you form is a really special thing. You often become part of the family.”
Beyond the social connection, Linda has seen firsthand how empowering and healing it is for BaptistCare clients to be able to remain in their own home with At Home support for as long as possible.
“It’s one of the best parts of the jobs because you get to see your clients in a space that they’re comfortable in, where they have all their favourite things and an element of control over their situation,” she said.
“When you pair the one-on-one care we provide with the comfortable surroundings of the clients own home, you see them happy and healthy. It’s a real privilege of this job.”
“We believe our new hub in Strathfield will be a great asset to older people and their families needing access to care services. Providing social contact and stimulating activities for our clients in the region is vital for BaptistCare to continue providing the best quality care and to continue improving the sector for future ageing Australians in regional areas,” said Sarah Newman.
As well as Home Care services, BaptistCare operates a number of Aged Care Homes, Retirement Living Villages and Community Housing for seniors within the Sydney Basin, providing high-quality and specialty services that enable all seniors to live and age well.