Balmoral Drop in Center envisages being safe place of choice for everyone in community
Shanti Niwas and Bhartiya Mandir, have teamed up together to start Balmoral Drop-in Centre – a place where seniors can socialise and relax in a safe and central location.
The drop in centre is scheduled to start on Friday, July 20, at Balmoral temple, Sandringham.
The centre is planning to remain open twice in a week on every Wednesday and Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Idea behind the initiative
Explaining the rationale of this special drop-in centre for seniors Mrs Nilima Venkat, General Manager of Shanti Niwas Charitable Trust told the Indian Weekender, “There is always a demand for services for seniors in the community, and we feel that all the time.
“At this instance, we have teamed up together with Bhartiya Mandir to come up with a centrally based drop-in centre.
The facility intends to help in reducing isolation, improve mental health and wellbeing of seniors.
“Seniors have always mentioned that apart from meeting their friends at Shanti Niwas once a week there is no other common location available during the weekdays, where they can catch up on a daily basis.
“The need for meeting and exercising on a daily basis like back home is immense. “They would like to make new friends but are unable to do that because of the absence of a common ground wherein they can meet and interact regularly,” Ms Venkat said.
“The facilities will help in reducing isolation, improve mental health and wellbeing. Further, the exercises are approved by ACC which will help in the prevention of falls. Regular activities and learning of new skills are always helpful in delaying the onset of dementia among seniors,” Mrs Venkat said.
How is it different
Initially, the idea about Drop-in Centre was exclusively dedicated for the seniors, whereby volunteers and staff of Shanti Niwas Charitable trust which have decades of experience in delivering services for elderly people in South Asian Communities would be providing and managing the centre.
However, gradually the idea developed to involve everyone else in the community including children and women to make it more inclusive.
“Bharatiya Mandir has been providing services targeted at children and youth from the Indian Community since last 25 years.
“We have been running various classes for dance, music, yoga, arts & crafts and language speaking.
“Bhartiya Mandir can chip in with other like-minded community organisations to provide educational and recreational activities for the youth and children,” Hemant Parashar of Bhartiya Mandir told the Indian Weekender.
The centre envisages being open for use by the whole community including seniors, adults, youth and children.
Regular activities for those who want to learn new skills or revive their skills will be made available during different parts of the day.
“Everyone is welcome to walk in and take advantage of the newspapers, books, magazines, surf the internet, play games, take part in activities, or just sit back and have a chat with friends or even a snooze during the day,” Mrs Venkat said.
Activities for seniors will be provided and managed by Shanti Niwas.
Shanti Niwas Social worker will be available for seniors at the centre once a week.
Some of the services of Shanti Niwas include Auckland wide Positive Ageing Day programmes, Elder Abuse Response Service (contracted by the Ministry of Social Development), Emergency Home, Dosti visiting services, Women’s Prison visiting service and other aged care support.
For further information visit websitewww.shantiniwas.org.nz or phone -09-6221010.
All community members are welcome to take advantage of this facility. Coffee and tea will be available to all visitors using the facility.
Shanti Niwas and Bhartiya Mandir, have teamed up together to start Balmoral Drop-in Centre – a place where seniors can socialise and relax in a safe and central location.
The drop in centre is scheduled to start on Friday, July 20, at Balmoral temple, Sandringham.
The centre is planning to remain...
Shanti Niwas and Bhartiya Mandir, have teamed up together to start Balmoral Drop-in Centre – a place where seniors can socialise and relax in a safe and central location.
The drop in centre is scheduled to start on Friday, July 20, at Balmoral temple, Sandringham.
The centre is planning to remain open twice in a week on every Wednesday and Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Idea behind the initiative
Explaining the rationale of this special drop-in centre for seniors Mrs Nilima Venkat, General Manager of Shanti Niwas Charitable Trust told the Indian Weekender, “There is always a demand for services for seniors in the community, and we feel that all the time.
“At this instance, we have teamed up together with Bhartiya Mandir to come up with a centrally based drop-in centre.
The facility intends to help in reducing isolation, improve mental health and wellbeing of seniors.
“Seniors have always mentioned that apart from meeting their friends at Shanti Niwas once a week there is no other common location available during the weekdays, where they can catch up on a daily basis.
“The need for meeting and exercising on a daily basis like back home is immense. “They would like to make new friends but are unable to do that because of the absence of a common ground wherein they can meet and interact regularly,” Ms Venkat said.
“The facilities will help in reducing isolation, improve mental health and wellbeing. Further, the exercises are approved by ACC which will help in the prevention of falls. Regular activities and learning of new skills are always helpful in delaying the onset of dementia among seniors,” Mrs Venkat said.
How is it different
Initially, the idea about Drop-in Centre was exclusively dedicated for the seniors, whereby volunteers and staff of Shanti Niwas Charitable trust which have decades of experience in delivering services for elderly people in South Asian Communities would be providing and managing the centre.
However, gradually the idea developed to involve everyone else in the community including children and women to make it more inclusive.
“Bharatiya Mandir has been providing services targeted at children and youth from the Indian Community since last 25 years.
“We have been running various classes for dance, music, yoga, arts & crafts and language speaking.
“Bhartiya Mandir can chip in with other like-minded community organisations to provide educational and recreational activities for the youth and children,” Hemant Parashar of Bhartiya Mandir told the Indian Weekender.
The centre envisages being open for use by the whole community including seniors, adults, youth and children.
Regular activities for those who want to learn new skills or revive their skills will be made available during different parts of the day.
“Everyone is welcome to walk in and take advantage of the newspapers, books, magazines, surf the internet, play games, take part in activities, or just sit back and have a chat with friends or even a snooze during the day,” Mrs Venkat said.
Activities for seniors will be provided and managed by Shanti Niwas.
Shanti Niwas Social worker will be available for seniors at the centre once a week.
Some of the services of Shanti Niwas include Auckland wide Positive Ageing Day programmes, Elder Abuse Response Service (contracted by the Ministry of Social Development), Emergency Home, Dosti visiting services, Women’s Prison visiting service and other aged care support.
For further information visit websitewww.shantiniwas.org.nz or phone -09-6221010.
All community members are welcome to take advantage of this facility. Coffee and tea will be available to all visitors using the facility.
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