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Helping the Sydney community with relationships, parenting, ageing, disability, pastoral services and mental wellbeing.

Supporting ministries for older people across Sydney

Communities of Care

CatholicCare Sydney is working with parishes across Sydney to help them to provide, support, information, companionship, connection and care for older people in their communities.

To assist parishes to develop these communities of care for older people, we are offering a collection of group classes, workshops, training and information for participating parishes. These events are designed to complement activities, events and other parish-based ministry initiatives already offered by parishes to their communities.

Stay up to date with Communities of Care information and events at your local parish by registering for the CatholicCare Digital Community.

Participating Parishes Seniors Ministry

Register for the CatholicCare Digital Community for a participating parish.

Find our more Seniors Ministry

Interested in connecting with CatholicCare to support a Communities of Care in your own community? Please contact us to find out more.

Events Seniors Ministry

Supported by CatholicCare Sydney, find out more about the Communities of Care events available in participating parishes.

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Ministry events 

The following events are offered by CatholicCare Sydney to participating parishes. Events selected by each parish will be based on the interests of their community. CatholicCare welcomes financial contributions from participating parishes to help sustain these activities.

Health and Wellbeing Talks

Health and Wellbeing Talks Seniors Ministry

Hear from CatholicCare’s specialist Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Home Care experts on a range of useful topics to keep parishioners healthy and well. Topics covered will include:

  • The Benefits of Exercise
  • Brain Health
  • Falls Prevention
  • Healthy Eating
  • Medication Safety
  • Osteoporosis
  • Sleeplessness

Be Connected – an introduction to the digital world

Be Connected Seniors Ministry

In partnership with the Australian Government, CatholicCare delivers the Be Connected technology workshops for parishioners 50 years and over, including access to digital devices during the training session. There is a wide range of topics to choose from including the absolute basics, getting started online, safety online, using mobile phones, connecting to others, social media apps and internet banking.

Volunteer Companion Training

Volunteer Companions Seniors Ministry

Volunteer Companion Training consists of seven foundational modules and one additional module specific to the chosen area of support:

  • companioning for older people to reduce loneliness and isolation
  • companioning for those going through a difficult transitional period in their lives
  • companioning for those with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones

Training is offered face-to-face or online and is supported by CatholicCare’s online learning platform.

Participants are guided through topics such as:

  • What is Accompaniment?
  • Self-care
  • Setting Boundaries
  • Loss, Grief and Trauma Informed Care and Response
  • Generative Listening and Speaking

The training supports participants to grow their confidence and capacity in being with someone who is isolated, vulnerable and in need of care in a variety of settings and life circumstances.

Ageing Well Masterclasses

Ageing Well Seniors Ministry

Ageing Well brings together a team of clinical experts and professionals in the field of ageing to deliver a six-part masterclass series covering the following topics.

  • Masterclass 1: Social Connection and Psychological Wellbeing
    Explores the importance of social connections, discusses mental illness in later life and introduces the 5-ways to wellbeing.
  • Masterclass 2: Physical Wellbeing
    Discusses the importance of physical exercise, nutrition, falls prevention, health checks, carer fatigue and memory loss in later life.
  • Masterclass 3: Navigating Aged Care outlines the aged care options for older adults from Retirement Living, to Home Care, to Residential Care communities.
  • Masterclass 4: Planning for your future - financial and legal decisions
    Service NSW discusses the importance of planning for your older age right now and outlines what needs your careful consideration.
  • Masterclass 5: Engaging in a digital world and avoiding elder abuse
    Discusses the benefits of embracing digital technologies and outlines some of the essentials of internet safety. This class also discusses identifying and avoiding elder abuse.
  • Masterclass 6: Ageing Gracefully, Living Fruitfully
    Explores Catholic spirituality and the blessings and challenges of a more faith-filled life.

CatholicCare Sydney delivers Ageing Well in collaboration with Catholic Healthcare and Grief Care.

Grief care logoCatholic Healthcare stacked

Living Well Dying Well 

Living Well Dying Well Seniors Ministry

Living Well Dying Well is a two-part workshop that discusses what it means to live well and how this shapes dying well. An initiative of the Archdiocese of Sydney, it aims to normalise conversations about death and dying so that we are better able to support those with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones.

Living Well Dying Well is a collaboration between CatholicCare Sydney, CatholicCare Broken Bay, Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria, Grief Care, University of Notre Dame, St Vincent’s Health Australia and Catholic Healthcare.

Bereavement Support

Bereavement Support Seniors Ministry

In partnership with Grief Care, CatholicCare will deliver specialised training, resources and support to volunteers to enable them to support others in their local community. Support provided will focus on the following key areas:

  • planning funerals, practical support and dealing with grief
  • pastoral care, companioning and bereavement
  • bereavement education

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Contact the Communities of Care team

Register now for the Digital Community linked to your parish of choice or complete the form below to find out more about how your parish can get involved.