Helping Hand

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Helping Hand

Helping Hand is a not-for-profit offering help at home, allied health, retirement living & residential care homes to over 7,000 South Australians.

Our mission is to create communities and experiences to enable older people to live their best lives. Helping Hand is a not-for-profit organisation offering home care services, retirement living and residential care homes to over 7,000 South Australians.

06/09/2025

Happy Father's Day to all the father figures in our lives. Be sure to take the time today to let them know how much their guidance, support and love means 💙

02/09/2025

📢NEW PODCAST EPISODE ALERT
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gA9gRx6jdUZMc73knuZHD?si=60a5da0690284293

It’s estimated that more than 400,000 Australians are living with dementia. While everyone’s experience is unique, there are some early signs to watch for.

In this episode of Aged Old Problems: New Aged Care, Helping Hand’s Tanya McIver shares what dementia is, how to recognise early changes, starting the conversation with loved ones, and where to find support.

If you’re worried about someone, your GP is a good first step. You can also call the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500 (24/7).

The podcast is available on our website and via Spotify. It’s one of three episodes that we’re dedicating to understanding and addressing dementia.

Thanks as always to our host Kate from KTB Communications and recorder/editor Drew Radford from PodTalk.

02/09/2025

Tuesday Tips to live your best 60+ life!

Tip of the week: Spring Clean in Small Steps
Small clean-ups add up to a fresh home. Tackle one drawer, shelf, or cupboard a day. Less pressure, more progress!

30/08/2025

Expressions of Interest are now open to join the Australian Government’s Council of Elders. If you are an older person and are passionate about improving care for all older people, apply today.

As a Council member, you’ll attend around eight meetings a year and share the voices of older Australians directly with government decision-makers.

So if you’re 65 or over and have lived experience in aged care – whether that’s receiving care, caring for someone, working in the sector, or being part of a diverse community – this is your chance to make a difference.

Applications close on Friday 26 September 2025, learn more and apply here 👉 https://www.health.gov.au/apply-to-council-of-elders-2026

This is a fantastic opportunity to help shape aged care for the future – please share with anyone who might be interested!

28/08/2025

PEOPLE OF HELPING HAND

Joan – nurse, adventurer, mother of five, and puzzle queen.

Meet Joan, mum of five, now living at Helping Hand’s Lightsview residential care home, Joan has packed more into her life than most. With a sharp mind and a great sense of humour, she’s not one to sit still. Her drive and energy led her to train as a rehabilitation nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where she also travelled widely during her training. Her three sons and two daughters have gone on to lead diverse and impressive lives. Both daughters followed in her footsteps: one became a palliative care specialist, and the other a registered nurse.

All three of her sons have varied careers—one works in dental prosthetics, another is a linesman doing electrical work, and her eldest is retired and visits regularly to enjoy lunch with her. He also brings printed word jumbles, which Joan loves.

She also enjoys solving puzzles on her iPad and watching family photos on her electronic picture frame, keeping her connected to loved ones.

Looking back on her childhood, Joan remembers her father travelling to the Middle East, which led her to attend boarding school in Mount Barker. She fondly recalls:

“I really enjoyed boarding school. I always had company and made good friends.”

Reflecting on her nursing career, Joan shared:

“Back in my day, you could train for an extra year and then work in the country for two years—it was a great experience.”

At 18, Joan moved to Mannum for two years to broaden her nursing experience. It was during this time she met her husband, Frank, at a wedding where he was the best man and she was a bridesmaid.

After finishing her training, Joan saw an ad in the paper for a Registered Nurse role in Hobart and decided to go for six months:

“Everyone was shocked, but I thought it was now or never.”

Frank wrote to her every day and proposed they marry in Hobart. They tied the knot at Eaglehawk Neck and later returned to Adelaide.

When television began, Frank joined the ABC as an electronic engineer, and the couple spent a year in Sydney:

“We bought a block of land on the North Shore for £50 pounds—it had the most beautiful view of the bush.”

Joan also remembers the excitement of seeing colour TV introduced in 1975 during their time in Sydney.

Now at Lightsview, Joan continues to live a full and connected life. Her ever-growing digital photo album keeps her close to loved ones near and far, while puzzles and word games keep her sharp. She’s also formed strong friendships with fellow residents and staff—sharing stories, laughter, and plenty of good company.

23/08/2025

🗣️ It's Speech Pathology Week!

From sharing a laugh with friends over morning tea, to telling a favourite life story to a grandchild, communication is at the heart of connection, dignity, and belonging.

This Speech Pathology Week, we’re shining a light on the incredible work of our Speech Pathologists, who support older adults in so many ways — helping them:
💬 Stay connected to loved ones and community
💬 Build confidence to speak up with pride
💬 Access inclusive ways to communicate
💬 Feel empowered to share their needs
💬 Unlock new opportunities to participate in daily life
💬 Boost wellbeing through meaningful interaction
💬 Maintain independence at every stage of life

Communication is more than words — it’s a bridge to friendship, purpose, and joy. Thank you to our Speech Pathologists for ensuring every voice is heard and valued.

14/08/2025

PEOPLE OF HELPING HAND

Brenton – Chairman of North Adelaide fundraising group and gift shop volunteer

Meet Brenton, who serves as both Chairman of Helping Hand's North Adelaide fundraising group and volunteer manager of Penny Lane, the on-site gift shop. Before retiring, Brenton was an accountant overseeing retirement funds and the finances of aged care homes. In his personal time, Brenton enjoys diving into a good book and has become something of a historian, tracing his family tree and discovering interesting facts along the way.

“For the last 29 years I have been volunteering at Helping Hand,” Brenton says.

He first began volunteering when he was very young through Apex, a service group supporting fundraising efforts.

"It is through Apex that I first became involved with Helping Hand, volunteering to help with their Christmas Fete in Wellington Square," he said.

"At the fete, I was invited to join the Fundraising Group—and that’s how my Helping Hand journey began in 1997.”

Since then, the group has evolved to now manage the finances of the Penny Lane Gift Shop.

"After retiring I started to manage the finances of the gift shop and began to look more into the products being sold," Brenton said.

"We now still stock items from individual sellers, but also offer affordable giftware through a wholesaler.”

For Brenton, the importance of the gift shop is not about what it sells, but what it stands for.

"I have come to realise we are a place where residents can come and look at things and do a bit of shopping to bring some normality into their lives,” he said.

“Above all, we are a place run by dedicated volunteers who are more than happy for residents to pop in and have a chat, representing an important touchpoint for social interaction," he said.

When it comes to what Penny Lane offers and the shopping experience it provides residents, family and friends alike, Brenton says there are many factors.

“For a start the fact that we have a gift shop is quite unique,” he said.

"Something we have also started in the last 12 months is working with the Lifestyles team to identify residents who are less mobile but happy to be visited. We offer a Monday trolley service for these residents so they can shop from the comfort of their armchair.”

"This is run by one of our wonderful volunteers, Karen, who works with residents to bring through items they would be interested in, providing another point of social connection."

Brenton says a great feature of the gift shop is that all funds go back to Helping Hand.

"For example, in the past with the funds raised through the gift shop we have been able to purchase a whole suite of updated outdoor furniture for the courtyard to provide vital spaces for residents and families to connect and spend time together," he said.

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering at Helping Hand please visit https://www.helpinghand.org.au/careers/volunteer-opportunities/

06/08/2025

Happy Aged Care Employee Day!

This week, we're celebrating the amazing people who make Helping Hand the caring, connected community that it is.

From cooks to carers, cleaners to clinicians, lifestyle coordinators, maintenance crews, admin teams and beyond – aged care is made up of so many roles, and every one of them matters.

Whether you're supporting residents, clients, or your fellow teammates – your compassion, your care, and your commitment to excellence truly make a difference.

During the week, we’ve been sharing sweet treats, coffee carts and well-deserved thank yous across all our locations. Our team have been taking well-deserved breaks to grab a cookie and enjoy a cuppa – they’ve earned it!

Thank you for living our values of Respect, Excellence, Community and Compassion every day.

We're proud to say we are There to care. Here for good.

06/08/2025

Our latest There To Care Awards recipients have been announced! The awards, which focus on celebrating our values of excellence, respect, compassion and community, help us to celebrate the amazing work our people do every day. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing the stories of our colleagues who’ve demonstrated living our values in small ways and big - this week, we meet Trish.

Helping Hand extends its congratulations to My Care Coordinator Team Leader Trish, who has been recognised as a There to Care award recipient.

This accolade celebrates Trish’s consistent demonstration of the organisation’s values – Compassion, Respect, Excellence and Community.

Trish started at Helping Hand two and a half years ago as a coordinator, visiting clients in their homes to ensure they have the support needed to live independently for longer.

“I love that I am able to identify changes and implement strategies to provide the best possible outcome for our clients,” she says.

“Clients are always happy to have me back because I genuinely listen, go the extra mile, and put plans in place.

“I get immense satisfaction knowing I can make a difference in people’s lives.”

Now a team leader, Trish still gets the opportunity to visit clients to coordinate support. Her genuine care always shines through, no matter the role, as she empowers her team of coordinators to meet clients’ needs and achieve positive outcomes for everyone.

“It’s so important to build meaningful relationships with my team and our clients. I love that every day presents me with new opportunities.”

When she received the news of the award, Trish says she was overwhelmed, but grateful for the recognition.

“I am truly humbled and incredibly grateful. I feel incredibly lucky to work alongside an amazing team of professionals and to be mentored by an amazing manager,” she says.

Thanks Trish, for being there to care.

06/08/2025

Our latest There To Care Awards recipients have been announced! The awards, which focus on celebrating our values of excellence, respect, compassion and community, help us to celebrate the amazing work our people do every day. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing the stories of our colleagues who’ve demonstrated living our values in small ways and big - this week, we meet Jim.

Helping Hand congratulates enrolled nurse Jim on being a There to Care recipient for his constant delivery of high-quality care.

For the past 19 years, Jim has dedicated himself to the residents of Helping Hand, especially the Memory Support Unit. He comes to work each day committed to ensuring they live their best lives and creates many cherished memories.

And his compassion extends far beyond the walls of the Memory Support Unit. Family members have complete trust and confidence in Jim, knowing their loved ones are in the best hands.

“The families are so positive and appreciative and very grateful knowing their parents are in a safe, clean environment and well looked after,” he says.

“I’m very protective of the residents; they have become part of my family.

“I try and make the residents laugh all the time. Humour is seriously important for them and for us (as care workers).”

Jim was genuinely moved when he received the news of his award and was very grateful for the recognition.

“I was a bit embarrassed about it as I didn’t expect it, but it felt really good, I felt chuffed telling my two sisters. It touched me a lot more than I realised it would,” he says.

“I love working here; management is very supportive, they make us feel safe, comfortable and I feel heard and supported. It’s a good team to be part of.”

Thanks Jim for being there to care.

Address

PO Box 66, North Adelaide
Adelaide, SA
5000

Telephone

+611300653600

Website

https://www.helpinghand.org.au/

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Our Story

Helping Hand is one of South Australia’s most trusted aged care organisations.

From humble beginnings over six decades ago, Helping Hand has grown through dedication and design, and due to some generous donations. There are now three Helping Hand aged care homes in regional South Australia and five care homes in metropolitan Adelaide. A new home at Golden Grove will open in 2019.

The not for profit organisation has expanded its services to include home care, retirement living and respite and employs more than 1400 people across the state. Every year, more than 7000 people access services through Helping Hand.

Notably, the organisation’s leadership has been involved in several significant service delivery and policy achievements such as building and piloting the first “ageing-in-place” care facility in Australia and being part of the national Advisory Group reviewing and rewriting Aged Care Standards.

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