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Ageing well in Nillumbik

Ageing Well in Nillumbik: Nillumbik Council publishes a quarterly newsletter for the over 55s called Ageing Well in Nillumbik which aims to keep you up to date with Council & community services and volunteer opportunities. To go on their mailing list, contact them by phone (9433 3345) or email (positive.ageing@nillumbik.vic.gov.au).

Do you need help cleaning your gutters?

For a small donation, the Diamond Creek Men’s Shed is offering to clean gutters for local residents who are at risk using a ladder. Also available for hire, for a small fee, is high reach fruit picking, window cleaning, hedge trimming and tree lopping equipment. Contact the Diamond Creek Men’s Shed on 0400 301 263 for more information, pricing and booking.

Link Community Transport is a not-for-profit which helps people remain active and engaged with their communities. This means that there is help to get to medical appointments, classes, the library or swimming. The drivers are volunteers trained to assist with the elderly and disabled, and they are willing to cover even short distances for a modest fee.

Their contact number is 1300 546528, and their website is www.linkcommunitytransport.org.au.

The Shire of Nillumbik also provides non-emergency medical transport using volunteer drivers for appointments between 9.30am and 3pm. Bookings can be made on 9433 3723.

Advice when making enduring powers of attorney

The Office of the Public Advocate provides advice on powers of attorney. As part of this, it has published two companion booklets. To obtain hard copies of either booklet, contact the Office of the Public Advocate by phone (1300 309337).

Your Voice – Trust Your Choice is a practical guide to helping older Victorians to safely appoint a power of attorney. An enduring power of attorney is where you give someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf. The majority of enduring powers of attorney work well. Unfortunately, in some cases, family members, carers or friends abuse their authority as power of attorney and take advantage of that authority. This is one of the most devastating forms of elder abuse. The booklet includes helpful tips, case studies and sample wording. Download the booklet.

Take Control: a Guide to Making Enduring Powers of Attorney. This guide assists older people to minimise the risk of abuse when appointing an enduring power of attorney by making sure that: a) it captures their wishes about decisions that are made on their behalf; and b) the right people are involved in the decisions. Download the booklet.

Death of a partner: a practical guide for partners and family

Bereaved families sometimes have difficulties related to the multiplicity of procedures and lack of clarity and consistency. For example: What are the procedures to transfer accounts? Who can ask to read an original death certificate? When is a certified copy required? When will a simple copy suffice? Who can reject electronic documentation and require you to attend each office in person with hard copies? The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria has produced a booklet to inform and empower partners and families to take charge of the many legal, administrative and financial matters that follow a death. Download the booklet or order printed copies by phone (1300 135090).

Seniors Information Victoria

Seniors Information Victoria offers free information as an independent service, supported by the state government, on a wide range of issues of interest to older Victorians. This information can be provided to groups or to individuals, is free of charge, and is provided by fully trained volunteers or staff. The information areas listed on their website are:

  • Housing options from independent living to residential care.
  • Concessions and pensions.
  • Home-based and community services.
  • General information on financial and legal issues.
  • Health and wellbeing.
  • Retirement.
  • New learning opportunities.

They are also available for information sessions with community groups, seniors groups, or local government organisations. If interested, contact them by phone (1300 135090) or email. They are based in the CBD.

Seniors Information Victoria is a program run by COTA Victoria. You can sign up for COTA’s newsletter or go to one of their events.

The Be Connected computer conversation program

The Be Connected program aims to support people to get online by providing an opportunity to learn and practice computer and technology skills with the help of volunteer digital mentors. It is free for seniors. It is run by Living & Learning Nillumbik out of their centres in Diamond Creek and Panton Hill and is run on behalf of the government in conjunction with Good Things Foundation. Join to learn the basics of using digital devices and engaging with the internet. The Be Connected mentors will then discuss your needs with you and design a program to suit. You can choose to learn on a laptop computer, a tablet or a smartphone. To find out more, or to make an appointment, contact Living & Learning by phone (9433 3744).

Local book swaps

Did you know that there are many little free libraries / book swaps around the area including right out the front of the historical society, next to the Old Eltham Courthouse. There is a relatively large one in the Greensborough Shopping Centre, in the 55+ meeting area (level 2, near JacquiE, around the corner from the Reject shop).

There is also a website called Street Library, where you can set up one of your own or visit one of the others in our area. It lists:

  • 129-163 Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek.
  • 901 Main Road, Hurstbridge.
  • Kangaroo Ground/St Andrews Road, Panton Hill.
  • 3 Deblonay Crescent, Greensborough.
  • 11 Louis Street, Greensborough.
  • The Living Energy Library, 83-87 Main Street, Greensborough.
  • Greenhill Road, Greensborough.
  • 18 Coventry Street, Montmorency.
  • 275 Gordons Road, South Morang.

Another website called Little Free Library lists:

  • Rivers of Yarrambat, 28 Kurrak Road, Yarrambat
  • 115 Eminence Boulevard, Doreen

And:

  • Bible Street, between Dudley and Arthur streets, opposite Brownes Crescent, Eltham