“Very lucky” is how Vicki Pocius describes Emily Gardens Aged Care Facility at The Rock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ms Pocius is facility manager and sees first hand how much effort locals put in to support the facility.
The Friends of Emily Gardens group organises two annual events a year and runs an Op Shop in the town with all proceeds going to the facility.
“We are very fortunate to have a good community behind us,” Ms Pocius said.
“They are very supportive.”
The fundraising money goes towards items for the residents. To date the group has purchased over $30,000 worth of equipment for the facility.
This has included arm chairs, equipment for checking blood pressure, exercise equipment and tuning the pianola.
While buying small items is important Ms Pocius said the facility is hoping to develop a Sensory Garden.
The garden would be used for dementia patients to walk through and touch and smell plants without having to worry about being poisoned by certain varieties.
“It can help to revive memories of touch and smell,” Ms Pocius said.
It is estimated the garden would cost around $10,000.
“It is our big ticket item but it just keeps getting pushed back,” Ms Pocius said.
The facility has the space for the garden and knows where it could go but needs to get more funding.
Although Friends of Emily Gardens is an incredibly supportive group there are only six members and no new faces are coming forward to support the current members.
“It’s difficult to get younger ones, we just can’t seem to get any new people involved,” Friends of Emily Gardens Treasurer, Nancy Smith said.
Both the fundraising group and the aged care facility can use more volunteers to help out at events or just at the facility.
Before Emily Gardens was built in The Rock a committee was formed to raise money to get on there.
Known as The Rock and District Aged Care Committee they worked hard raising money and approaching companies to come to The Rock.
Lutheran Aged Care took on the project which has been operational since 2009 after construction was finished in September of 2008.
The facility tries to ensure local residents have a place first provided they fit the criteria.
Emily Gardens is a 30 bed facility with six staff.
