Published on Wednesday, 18 November 2020 at 10:31:19 AM
The City of Albany’s efforts to support and connect seniors in its community during the Covid-19 pandemic has been recognised with the WA Age Friendly Local Government Award.
Announced last Friday by the Minister for Seniors and Ageing Mick Murray, the award acknowledges Albany for adapting and responding quickly to the changing environment of Covid-19, and celebrates the outcomes it achieved for its seniors during this time.
The City’s Community Development, Recreation Services and Library teams implemented initiatives to ensure seniors were connected to essential services and their risk of social isolation was reduced.
This included Community Development staff making welfare calls to more than 3,000 residents aged over 65 to have a conversation and offer assistance as needed, and distributing neighbourhood call cards throughout the community to encourage people to offer assistance with shopping or other errands for their self-isolating neighbours.
Albany Public Library offered assisted services including home delivery, click and collect, technology mentoring and purchased tablet computers to lend to seniors without home internet to keep them connected with essential services and continue ‘face-to-face’ social connection with family and friends.
Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre adapted its recreational programs for Long Live You members to provide home workout sessions online, regular check-in calls and a gym library for borrowing equipment to help seniors stay active and fit while confined to home.
City of Albany Chief Executive Officer Andrew Sharpe said the award is a testament to the passion and commitment City staff have for their community.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do and we’re really proud of the way our staff collaborated to support seniors in our community and keep them connected, safe and positive during a very challenging time,” he said.
“Seniors were among the most vulnerable in our community during this pandemic so to be able to respond quickly and support them was a great outcome and reinforces the recent work we’ve done with the WA Primary Health Alliance and community to adopt a Compassionate Albany Charter and deliver on the inclusive goals of our Age-Friendly Albany Plan.”
The WA Aged Friendly Local Government award will be presented to the City of Albany on December 15 at Government House in Perth.
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