NSW Government funds $100,000 'seniors lounge' to fill facilities gap for ageing Broken Hill
An aged care provider at Broken Hill in far west New South Wales says a grant of $100,000 will allow it to set up a "lounge" to reduce boredom among the city's ageing population.
Far West Home and Community Care Services (HACC) provides bus transport and home maintenance services to elderly residents and people with disabilities.
The organisation is one of 24 successful applicants for money from the State Government for community hubs, and competed with more than 400 other applicants.
Far West HACC manager Sue Johnstone said the organisation had identified a gap in activities and social spaces for older people in Broken Hill, especially since another centre closed several years ago.
"We used to transport a lot of the clients to the centre [but] they were at a loose end with nowhere to go [when it closed]," Ms Johnstone said.
"Since then, we've been lobbying and trying to put in applications to fill this gap and get some funding to open another centre."
Ms Johnstone said the grant would be used to set up a seniors' lounge, purchase equipment for it and employ two new staff members.
The lounge will provide a space for elderly residents to participate in activities like knitting, scrapbooking and board games.
It will also have sections for hairdressing, computer use, and a space for performances or concerts.
Ms Johnstone said the grant provided enough money to fund the lounge until mid-2017.
"The idea is to try to become self-sufficient and we need to look at ways to do that over [the next] 12 months," Ms Johnstone said.
She said Far West HACC hoped the centre would be ready for use by July.