City of Casey Senior Citizens of the Year 2006, Beryl Maddern, and 2004, Dawn Daikin, celebrate friendship at the launch of the City of Casey’s Pathways to Social Connection poster series.CASEY’S ‘Pathways to Social Connections’ poster series was unveiled on Friday and is designed to address the issue of social isolation among older residents.
The unveiling, at the City of Casey Civic Centre, coincided with the launch of the Victorian Local Government Positive Ageing Project.
Secondary School students from the City of Casey have interviewed older residents in the community about their secrets for ageing positively. Their stories are now the subject of the new series of inspirational posters.
The posters will now be featured in all at all Casey customer service centres, libraries and community centres in Casey to encourage the older population to become more involved in the community.
The Victorian Local Government Positive Ageing Project was launched by Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan on behalf of the Minister for Aged Care and Minister responsible for the Office of Senior Victorians, Gavin Jennings.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford also officiated at the launch and explained the poster project, which was partly funded by a State Government grant and is another initiative of Council’s Ageing Positively in Casey Plan, which addresses the issue of social isolation of older residents.
“The posters represent a fantastic community effort with Year 9 students from Narre P-12 Secondary College interviewing some ordinary local Australians willing to share their take on getting older, keeping active and staying socially connected.
“The posters showcase the value in working across age groups and that we all have skills and experiences to share, plus I understand those involved all had a lot of fun.”
Cr Bradford said within the next seven years Casey would have around 57,000 people aged 55 years and over and it was therefore important to highlight what the older population could achieve and encourage residents to become involved.
The Victorian Local Government Positive Ageing Project is a joint initiative of the Municipal Association of Victoria and Council on the Ageing (Vic) funded by the Department for Victorian Communities.
Mr Donnellan said the new $1.3 million Postively Ageing Project funding would further strengthen the capacity of Victorian local governments to plan for an ageing populations in their community.
“Local governments will build age-friendly communities, enabling senior Victorians to live active and fulfilling lives.”
Mr Donnellan also congratulated the City of Casey for its leadership on positive ageing issues and residents, younger and older, who participated in the Casey project. Copies of the posters are available at Council Customer Service Centres, libraries and community centres in Casey, and via www.casey.vic.gov.au/ageingpositively.
