Community house makes ageing well education accessible

For Caulfield local Lesley, attending free health and wellbeing sessions at Caulfield South Community House has given her confidence to connect with her new community after moving from South Africa.

After joining the Caulfield South Community House, Lesley has become a regular at Bolton Clarke’s Be Healthy and Active sessions, which operate at community venues across Australia providing free practical information to help people age well.

“Even if you pick up one thing, can make a big difference in your life when you need to help yourself,” Lesley said.

“I was married to a doctor and people think because of that one is clued on about how the body works and functions but it isn’t so.  

“That’s why I’ve enjoyed going to the Be Healthy and Active talks and learning a lot, especially because I live alone – one of the sessions I came to was about falls prevention and now I know if I fall what to do and how to do it.”

Moving to Melbourne to be closer to her two children and four grandchildren, Lesley found the community house and health sessions by chance and now includes them as part of her weekly routine.

“I moved into a little flat down the road and my daughter took me for a drive around the area to see where I could go.

“It was by chance that we found this place. I would have never known what goes on here because they don’t have anything like this in South Africa.

“So, I signed up and started to spend my time there and that’s how I meet people and made friends.”

Living alone in a new country has brought challenges but Lesley says the social atmosphere at Caulfield South Community House has help her make new connections.

“I had to leave all my friends and my world behind and come here. When you do it at this age, it can be lonely and there is nothing worse than that.

“I always head down now for the Be Healthy and Active sessions when they are on, I join the lunches, play rummy, and sometimes just come down to sit and enjoy a cuppa in the garden.

“This little place has been a godsend for me and I’ve made so many friends which makes me much more comfortable.”

Bolton Clarke’s Be Healthy and Active program provides free, practical sessions to help older people get the most out of life. Each session focuses on different topics including nutrition, falls prevention, CPR and defibrillation, bladder healthy, skin healthy and positive ageing.