CatholicCare was last week successful in a funding bid to expand their Community Aged Care services, through the Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) funding round.

Executive Manager Aged & Disability Services, John Paul Troiani said the funding boost will provide more flexible options for support at home, and will benefit many older people in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.

"In line with the way funding is now being rolled out, our approach is individually tailored to deliver services that are specified by the older person. Clients can choose services to assist them to maintain their health and independence and their capacity to manage around the home."

"The funding allows people to start with just one hour's service and then expand this up to 20 hours per week, depending on their individual needs". Mr Troiani said.

Other than domestic assistance, clients may wish to make or maintain family and social connections or keep up interests and hobbies. They may also decide to try something new to improve their quality of life or regain lost capability. One of CatholicCare's recent initiatives is partnering with local gym Physical Therapy to open up opportunities for ageing people to maintain a level of fitness and well being.

"That is what it's all about", Mr Troiani said. "Having older people as not simply the recipients of services but designers of their services and having people staying in their own homes", he said.

The funding also means employment opportunities.

"We have a great partnership with TAFE, which has just seen CatholicCare employee five recent young graduates as Care Support Workers. This new funding will mean that there will be many more opportunities for work in their area", he said.

"Its an exciting time for people to be working in their field".

Read our news story published in the Illawarra Mercury on Thursday January 23.