For Baldivis resident Delys Nielsen, being able to access care in her community means a lot.
The 84-year-old is a long-time client of in-home aged and community care provider Silverchain, who for more than 110 years have been helping West Australians like her live a healthy life at home.
“Silverchain looked after my husband before he passed away in 2017 and they were marvelous,” Delys said.
“I have stayed with them for many years because it means I can keep living at home and I don’t have to worry about looking after the house.”
With 84,000 clients around the state, Silverchain is Western Australia’s largest local health and aged care provider. For Delys, around the clock support in the form of a 24-hour, WA-based contact centre gives the grandmother great peace of mind.
Silverchain provides a one-stop shop for in-home health and aged care, where professional staff, backed by a research team, provide the best levels of care focused on individual abilities and reablement rather than passive treatment.
For Delys, this is delivered through her Home Care Package, where she receives cleaning, personal care, podiatry services and social support with care aide Christine Hulme.
“I really look forward to when Christine comes,” she said. “We sit down and have a cup of tea, or she takes me down to the shops or down to the foreshore. It’s nice to have her to talk to.”
Christine is one of 348 local care givers in Perth’s south western suburbs providing more than 700 visits to clients a day.
“We really strive to link care with care givers nearby,” Christine said.
“It means a lot to me provide care in my local community. I know what is going on in the area, so I can pass on information to my clients and we can share that knowledge together, then I can take them to events or an outing together. I think it is important that we provide a caring environment in our community that we know a lot about.”
A care aide with Silverchain for 14 years, Christine said the bonds formed with clients was what she loved most about her job.
“I treat clients like they are the only clients I have – giving them 100 per cent and my very best care every time I visit. I love my job and I love my community and I will stay with Silverchain until I retire.”
For more information on how you or someone you know can access a Home Care Package, click here.