The Foundation For Aged Care, established in 1984 as the charitable arm of Anglican Retirement Villages, plays an important role in raising funds to improve the quality of life for residents and clients. To date, it has contributed some $22 million and seeks to provide more.
The Foundation begun by helping raise capital for major projects like the Lady Fairfax Therapy Centre, 180-bed Donald Coburn Centre, Castle Hill as well as the Brian Watt Lodge at Forestville.
While still supporting capital projects like providing furniture and equipment for Brian King Gardens (Castle Hill) and funding a Dementia Specific Unit at Nuffield (Castle Hill) today’s Foundation is increasingly concerned with initiatives that make it easier for ARV staff to continue improving the quality and standard of aged care they provide.
The Foundation funds resident essentials like buses for shopping trips, a restorative exercise pool and providing tracking pendants for safety and peace of mind. Other funding covers bowling, a reading and listening library, large print books, craft room, walking paths and computers. There are also spiritual activities like Palm Sunday, Easter Service, Christmas, Christian Program Channel, St Andrews Church Cathedral Reading and memorial services.
The list of equipment supplied with the Foundation’s help is endless: everything from
air purifiers to defibrillators, therapeutic baths and more "” over two hundred items and
counting! Plus there’s the endless round of repairs and refurbishments required for existing (and hardworking) equipment.
The success of such Foundation initiatives obviously depends on the generosity of
supporters. These include our own residents, their relatives "” and ARV staff.
Other major fundraising sources include community appeals, bequests, special events
and the support of charitable trusts, foundations and corporate partners. Private
donations are always welcome: by mail, fax, phone, e-mail or ARV’s website at ww.arv.org.au.
In addition to direct donations, there are countless ways for intending supporters to
become involved, such as becoming a Care Partner or Friend of the Foundation, joining
the Dorothy Mowll Circle or becoming an ARV volunteer or an ambassador.
Another option is to sponsor such excellent and valuable activities as the pet therapy
program, the Better Balance Centre, palliative care and art-as-therapy.
Charity fundraising events are another great way to support the Foundation’s work while
having an enjoyable time. What about a café morning with coffee and cake. Even a stroll around the village is a great way to get some exercise while asking others to exercise their generosity.
For further information about any of these projects and to see how you can become involved, please contact the Foundation’s Manager, Barbara Ward at 02 9421 5352 or e-mail: barbara.ward@arv.org.au
A message from Ken Barber, CEO Anglican Retirement Villages
Welcome again to "Life Matters" " a series that highlights the many ways in which ARV meets the physical, social, spiritual and emotional needs of our residents and community clients.
This month we focus on the Foundation For Aged Care and how much it supports the work of ARV"” as it has for over two decades. The Foundation gives back to seniors in our caring communities by enriching and promoting their wellbeing through a variety of caring initiatives. In addition to helping fund major ARV projects, the Foundation’s focus has become increasingly directed towards helping us meet the cost of the specialised programs and equipment needed to continue raising the standards and scope of care we offer.
The equipment, facilities and support programs the Foundation has helped provide are indeed amazing. They vary enormously, ranging from basics like lighting and specialised bedding to any number of repair and refurbishment programs. In order to provide the quality of care our residents deserve, we depend on the Foundation a great deal "” just as they depend on the generosity of those who remember them with donations, bequests "” and that other precious gift: their time as volunteers.
