Mayo Seniors Guide launch cancelled

Posted March 16, 2020

Due to health advice about avoiding large gatherings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Federal MP Rebekha Sharkie has cancelled her March 27 launch events for her Mayo Seniors Information Guide.

“While I was certainly not expecting my morning tea at Balhannah and my afternoon tea at Port Elliot to attract more than 500 people, the recommended mass gathering threshold, these events did target our senior citizens who are the most vulnerable to this virus,” Rebekha said.

“Cancelling these non-essential events and holding a ‘soft launch’ for the guide is, I believe, a proportionate and sensible decision.

“In the coming weeks and months we need to exercise common sense, go about our daily lives as much as possible while also doing what we can to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”

The Mayo Seniors Information Guide is an easy to read 75-page guide to important services and contacts for seniors.

The booklet includes information about a wide range of topics including financial matters, health and aged care, community participation, employment and volunteering.

“Older Australians make a significant contribution to our community and it is a priority of mine to make sure they receive the care and services they deserve,” Rebekha said.

“Many of our charities and community organisations are heavily dependent on the hours of volunteering from our retired and semi-retired residents.

“Indeed, I believe one of the reasons why Mayo has such a high volunteering rate - standing at 29 per cent of the population compared with the state average of just over 21 per cent and the national average of 19 per cent – is because we are an older community with a heart for community service.

“At the 2016, Census residents aged 65 years and over made up more than 22 per cent of our population making Mayo the electorate with the oldest median age (46 years) in the state and the sixth oldest in Australia.

“In some areas such as Goolwa and Victor Harbor the median age is around 60 years and residents aged 65 years and over make up around 40 per cent of the population.

“Mayo has changed slightly since the 2019 election but servicing the needs of older Australians remains an important issue for our community.

“I created this guide because I wanted our senior residents to have a trusted source to turn to for relevant, local information, and while many older Australian are tech savvy, the feedback I have from my community is that they still prefer to have a written brochure.”

The Mayo Seniors Information Guide is available for collection at Rebekha’s electorate offices at 1/72 Gawler Street, Mount Barker; and 26 Hindmarsh Road, Victor Harbor.

For more information or to arrange distribution to other locations, please call the Mount Barker Electore Office on 8398 5566.