Aged Care Online

Find an aged care home for you!
Call My Care Path on 1300 197 230

Flying High to Combat Social Isolation

on Monday, March 22, 2021

The Royal Commission into aged care has identified social isolation as a key risk factor for older Australians, making social groups for older people more important than ever. 

It’s for this reason that groups such as the Resthaven Community Respite Services' ‘Men About Town’ and ‘Just Fellas’ are tackling social isolation head on – and their activity on Wednesday 17 March, 2021, was their boldest one yet. 

At 10.30am on Wednesday 17 March, the combined groups visited Parafield Airport, and enjoyed a first look at the latest technology in electric aeroplanes, as well as checking out the other planes in the hangar. They then heard about the planes over morning tea, and at 11.15am, one lucky client, Mr Ian McCarthy, was taken up in the electric plane – making him the oldest person in Australia to do so at 91 years of age.

Mr McCarthy went up for a spin with Eyre to There’s chief pilot, Catherine Conway, in the fully electric Pipistrel Alpha Electric 2 seat aircraft, returning to the Hangar at 11:45am.

The Resthaven Community Respite Services social groups have enjoyed previous outings to the Mount Bold Reservoir, the Majestic Fig Tree, community gardens, art centres, desalination plant, Adelaide Oval and museums. However, this latest adventure might take the cake!

The weekly outings for the group members are an important social outlet for the older gentlemen, who otherwise may not have the opportunity to socialise and meet other people with similar interests. Other social groups include Koffee Club, The Golden Girls, The Shed, Friday Ladies Luncheon and The Cue Club.

Respite services include group activities to help ease isolation and encourage social interaction, group excursions, and activities. Carers and family members may take part or leave the older person in Resthaven’s care to enjoy some time out for themselves.

Resthaven recently received funding to provide centre-based respite for carers, with priority for carers of older people of culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Resthaven is an experienced provider of carer respite in all regions we serve, and has participated in demonstration projects and new innovations in developing carer respite services. The new funding will assist Resthaven to develop additional carer respite services in rural regions of Gawler and Mount Gambier, and in the Unley area of the Metropolitan East.

Resthaven is one of only a select few aged care providers in Australia offering the full range of aged care service options. A not for profit, South Australian aged care community service associated with the Uniting Church, Resthaven’s residential and in-home care and support options are offered throughout metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Riverland, Barossa, Fleurieu Peninsula and the Limestone Coast.

Banner