Helping Hand

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.

Tuesday Tips to live your best 60+ life! Tip of the week: Simple Gift of TimeThe best present is your presence. Offer ex...
17/11/2025

Tuesday Tips to live your best 60+ life!

Tip of the week: Simple Gift of Time
The best present is your presence. Offer experiences – a meal, a walk, tech help. They’re often the most appreciated gifts.

16 November marks the anniversary of the 2009 National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants.Delive...
16/11/2025

16 November marks the anniversary of the 2009 National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants.

Delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the apology recognised the tens of thousands of children who grew up in orphanages and other institutions, many of whom experienced deep trauma. Today, as older adults, many Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers face unique barriers when accessing aged care.

At Helping Hand, we’ve worked alongside people with lived experience to co-design free training and resources that help aged care providers deliver trauma-aware services – and to empower Care Leavers with practical information about navigating aged care.

🎧 In this episode of our Age Old Problems: New Aged Care podcast, we talk with guest Jan about her experiences as a Forgotten Australian and the importance of creating safe, understanding spaces in aged care. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pwXU8h5e0RHdqUe0g6va6

👉 Access our free resources for Care Leavers and providers: www.helpinghand.org.au/forgotten-australians
👉 Learn more about the National Apology: www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/national-apology-to-forgotten-australians-and-former-child-migrants

Image description: An illustration of the South Australian memorial to Forgotten Australians.

🌈 We’re excited to be part of this year’s Picnic in the Park — the vibrant community celebration that wraps up Adelaide’...
15/11/2025

🌈 We’re excited to be part of this year’s Picnic in the Park — the vibrant community celebration that wraps up Adelaide’s Feast Festival!

Join us at Whitmore Square / Iparrityi next Saturday 22 November from 11am, for a day filled with music, food, colour and connection. We’ll be there as a proud stallholder, celebrating diversity and inclusion, and sharing in the joy of this wonderful event.

Whether you’re catching up with friends, enjoying the entertainment or exploring the community stalls, come and say hi to our friendly Helping Hand team. We love being part of events that bring people together and showcase the spirit of our community.

More info: feast.org.au/picnic-in-the-park

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⚠️ Beware of Scams Targeting Older PeopleWe’ve been made aware of scammers pretending to be aged care assessors. They’ve...
13/11/2025

⚠️ Beware of Scams Targeting Older People

We’ve been made aware of scammers pretending to be aged care assessors. They’ve been making suspicious phone calls and even visiting homes, claiming to be from My Aged Care or allied health services.

Please remember to make the older people you support aware of the following:

✔ Assessors always schedule visits in advance and show ID
✔ Never share personal or financial information
✔ If in doubt, refuse entry
✔ Confirm any legitimate aged care activity by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (8am–8pm Mon–Fri, 10am–2pm Sat)
✔ Report incidents to Scamwatch: www.scamwatch.gov.au

This Remembrance Day, we pause in silence to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service...
11/11/2025

This Remembrance Day, we pause in silence to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service to their country, those who returned home injured or ill, and those who bravely serve our country today.

Teamwork makes the dream work in Jamestown!For more than forty years, the Belalie Lodge Auxiliary has been quietly impro...
09/11/2025

Teamwork makes the dream work in Jamestown!

For more than forty years, the Belalie Lodge Auxiliary has been quietly improving daily life for residents in Jamestown. From fundraising for new equipment to running the local saleyards canteen, their commitment and kindness have made a lasting difference.

Read their inspiring story in the latest At Home with Helping Hand: helpinghand.org.au/about-us/resources/our-publications

We’re proud to partner with TAFE SA to bring oral health support directly to our residents!This month, Helping Hand Cari...
08/11/2025

We’re proud to partner with TAFE SA to bring oral health support directly to our residents!

This month, Helping Hand Carinya in Clare hosted TAFE SA’s first rural oral hygiene student clinic, giving residents access to free dental checks and providing students valuable hands-on experience in aged care.

From early morning drives to warm country hospitality, it was a day filled with learning, connection and smiles all around.

A big thank you to the TAFE SA team and our Carinya staff for making this possible - we can’t wait to expand the program to Jamestown, Port Pirie and Whyalla in 2026!

Read the full story on our website: https://www.helpinghand.org.au/tafesa-rural-oral-health-clinic/

Don't miss out! Our last two webinars for the year are available to book now.Our Real Care the Second Time Around projec...
06/11/2025

Don't miss out! Our last two webinars for the year are available to book now.

Our Real Care the Second Time Around project is offering free virtual training for aged care staff on Trauma Aware, Healing Informed Aged Care for Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers.

The training is designed to support aged care providers to provide trauma aware, healing informed services for Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers, and is suitable for anyone working in aged care.

Visit Humanitix to register your attendance at the free training session in November or December:

26 November https://events.humanitix.com/nov-trauma-aware-healing-informed-aged-care-for-forgotten-australians-and-care-leavers

10 December https://events.humanitix.com/dec-trauma-aware-healing-informed-aged-care-for-forgotten-australians-and-care-leavers

Learn more about the Real Care the Second Time Around here: https://www.helpinghand.org.au/forgotten-australians/

PEOPLE OF HELPING HANDRosemary – classical music enthusiast, pianist and mother of threeMeet Rosemary who lives at Helpi...
06/11/2025

PEOPLE OF HELPING HAND

Rosemary – classical music enthusiast, pianist and mother of three

Meet Rosemary who lives at Helping Hand North Adelaide and is a lifelong admirer of Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. Her passion for the fine arts, often shared with her late husband Kevin at symphony orchestra and ballet performances, has inspired her to host classical music sessions twice a month for fellow residents. Featuring her impressive CD collection, built over years through personal purchases and generous donations from friends, Rosemary shares her beloved recordings including pieces by Russian composers, with her resident community.

“When Kevin and I first moved to Helping Hand, I heard pop music sessions were being held but nothing classical, so I put my hand up straight away,” she said.

Taught piano by her father, Rosemary’s love for music runs deep. Though she no longer plays, she continues to attend performances, including an upcoming Mozart-inspired concert with her sister.

Professionally, Rosemary worked for several reputable institutions, including the Bank of NSW (now Westpac).

“I worked as a secretary for nearly 10 years and met my husband Kevin when they sent me to Mount Gambier,” she said.

“My grandfather started the Adelaide Saw Works and had an agent in Mount Gambier.”

“The agent had two daughters around my age, and the three of us went to a dance and that’s where I met Kevin.”

14 months later, they married and later had two children, Michael and Libby. After moving back to Adelaide, their third child, Cate, was born in 1971.

Rosemary fondly recalls a neighbour who nicknamed Libby “Liebchen,” meaning darling in German.

“Michael started calling her Leibe Liebchen, and soon she was known as Libby”, she said.

After raising her children through the busy early years, Rosemary returned to work, continuing her career with the Bureau of Statistics and later in aged care.

Having led a fulfilling family life and a diverse career, Rosemary now enjoys the serenity of classical music, the comfort of good books, and the companionship of fellow residents.

Last year her husband Kevin, also a Helping Hand resident, passed away. Rosemary speaks highly of the staff’s compassionate approach to palliative care:

“Kevin loved the staff, and they loved him. His memorial here was beautiful. Staff and family came together to celebrate his life. It was a truly special moment.”

📣 NEW EPISODE ALERT Loving someone with dementia is a journey filled with both love and heartbreak. But you are not alon...
04/11/2025

📣 NEW EPISODE ALERT

Loving someone with dementia is a journey filled with both love and heartbreak. But you are not alone, and there is support available.

In this episode of Aged Old Problems: New Aged Care, host Kate Holland is joined by Tanya McIver, Group Manager of Residential Services at Helping Hand, and Sharon, whose mother lived at Helping Hand. Together they explore:

• The emotional toll of loving someone with dementia
• Common challenges faced by carers and family members
• Supports available for people living at home with dementia
• What to expect when visiting a loved one in residential care
• The value of dementia support groups for families
• Why dementia is often called “the long goodbye”

If you’re caring for someone with dementia, you’re not alone. Tune in now via our website or Spotify. This is the final episode in our three-part series dedicated to understanding and addressing dementia https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UdCaNVvQP1t9H1IHKorIe?si=99e625c11148471e

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

Tuesday Tips to live your best 60+ life! Tip of the week: Declutter Before the HolidaysClear space for joy this season. ...
03/11/2025

Tuesday Tips to live your best 60+ life!

Tip of the week: Declutter Before the Holidays
Clear space for joy this season. Donate what you don't need before the festive season. It makes space and helps others.

People living with dementia can experience visual and sensory changes that make mealtimes more challenging, for example,...
31/10/2025

People living with dementia can experience visual and sensory changes that make mealtimes more challenging, for example, difficulty recognising food, utensils or the dining surface.

One simple but powerful way to support independence and improve nutritional intake is through the use of colour contrast. Research has shown that using high-contrast items, like coloured plates and cups, can make food easier to see, encouraging residents to eat and drink more confidently.

At Helping Hand, we’re putting this research into action by introducing bright red crockery across all our Memory Support Units. The change is already making a difference for residents at our Parafield Gardens and Lightsview homes, where the new crockery is in use.

This initiative was inspired by the research of a 4th-year Occupational Therapy student who completed their placement with Helping Hand - a wonderful example of how student placements bring fresh ideas, evidence-based practice and lasting impact to aged care.

We’re proud to partner with universities and students who share our passion for improving the quality of life for older people. Their curiosity, innovation and commitment help us keep finding better ways to care.

Check out the photos to see the new red crockery in action!

Address

PO Box 66, North Adelaide
Adelaide, SA
5000

Telephone

+611300653600

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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.