Seniors living life to the full!

By Debra Vermeer

Depending on what day you drop into CatholicCare Broken Bay’s Memory Innovations Centre in Waitara you might see seniors dancing, navigating their way through technology, or engaging in mindfulness and brain-training exercises, but one thing’s for sure, you’ll definitely see them having fun.

The Memory Innovations Centre opened its doors last January, and despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gathering together, the Centre has proved to be extremely popular.

“The Centre was established by CatholicCare to meet the needs of older people who may be noticing changes in their memory, or who have been recently diagnosed with dementia or who may simply want to be proactive in their brain health,” says Michelle Dickson, Team Leader and Senior Specialist at the Memory Innovations Centre.

The professionally-run programs which combine science and social activity, focus on having fun, connecting with others, stimulating the brain and using emerging technologies.

Programs include dance, art, exercise, food preparation, mindfulness and relaxation, brain training, and navigating technology.

“All of the programs have been popular, including our new Navigating Technology program,” says Michelle.

“The aim is to help seniors to use technology to assist in their daily lives – things like Zoom catch-ups with family or buying groceries or using the MyGov website or the My Aged Care portal.

“With COVID, some clients have been quite isolated from loved ones who couldn’t come to visit because of infection vulnerability, so Zoom and smart phone technology has been really important in keeping up that family and social contact.”

Michelle says the programs are based on science and directed by highly qualified staff with experience in aged care and dementia care services.

“We use research and innovative tools, such as tablets and virtual reality devices, to get the best outcomes for our clients and we operate in a dementia-friendly environment, where the space is orderly and well signposted.”

Many of the Centre’s clients enjoy it so much that they attend more than one class and for those who may not wish to go onsite due to COVID vulnerability, programs are available online, with appropriate support.

“Our clients are absolutely lovely,” says Michelle. “Most of them stayed with us during COVID when we had to go online, and now it’s great to have a lot of them back in person.

“One of our goals is to introduce people to each other in the local community, so it’s been really encouraging to see the clients exchanging phone numbers and catching up socially outside the program.

“All of the programs have been well received and we’ll be soon be starting to run some programs on the Central Coast at Connectability in Erina too.”

One happy client is Maria Schilt, who says that at “87 years young”, she loves the programs on offer at the Memory Innovations Centre.

Maria has a long history of volunteer work on the Central Coast and when she moved into an over 55’s residential community on the upper North Shore, she missed the activity.

“I missed being amongst people,” she says.

“It’s lovely living here, but sometimes I feel as though I have to get out. I don’t want to just sit here. I’m lucky because I’ve still got my drivers’ licence, so I can drive myself to places.”

Maria started out attending seniors programs run by Catholic Health Care at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral before getting involved with the Memory Innovations Centre.

“I started with the mindfulness program and then the dancing and then Build Your Brain. I always like to try out anything new they put on,” she says.

“At the moment, I do the Let’s Get Moving exercise session on a Monday morning and then head home for a quick lunch and come back in the afternoon for the Navigating Technology class. Then on Tuesday, I do the Dance with Me session.

“With the technology class, I think it’s the case as you get older that if you don’t use it you’ll lose it. The technology keeps changing and you have to keep up with it.”

One of her favourite activities at the Centre was spending time with a group of pre-schoolers last year as they did various craft projects. “We sat with them when they made Christmas cards for their parents and we made biscuits and a necklace. They’re such fun. And I’m going to sign up again to do that, but this time we’ll be teaching them some dance movements together.”

Maria says that together with spending time with her family, her outings to the Memory Innovations Centre help keep her active and engaged.

“It’s a full life that I’m living,” she says. “I don’t feel depressed or negative at all.

“The people who work at the Centre are so lovely. I consider them my friends. You come through the door and they greet you with a big smile. It’s just so nice.”

Michelle Dickson, Team Leader and Senior Specialist with client Maria Schilt