Growing aged care services

Ian and Mazza in their home-based broadcasting studio.

As a reflection of the organisation’s growth and increasing demand in the region, Uniting AgeWell has opened a new home care office in Castlemaine.


The Castlemaine-based team is currently supporting 400 clients throughout the Mount Alexander Shire, and following the transition of Commonwealth Home Support Program services from the Central Goldfields Shire earlier this year, to those living in Maryborough and surrounds.


From its new location in Castlemaine, Uniting AgeWell is delivering government-funded home care packages and CHSP services – including personal care, domestic assistance, gardening and social connection.


Local resident and 88FM broadcaster, Mazza Bennet, started accessing home help through a government-funded home care package following knee replacement surgery.


She receives assistance to manage her garden and ensure her home is safe as she navigates her mobility issues.

Mazza and her husband and co-host, Ian Braybrook, continue to live busy lives, but having additional support means they can get on with the things they enjoy.


“David Woitowyez, my care advisor, is amazing, I just have to get on the blower to him and he makes himself available. I tell him the problem, and he comes up with a solution,” Mazza said.


“I’m planning on a second knee replacement soon, and I will be working with him to see how I can get help to make the shower safer before the surgery.”


Uniting AgeWell director of regional Victoria home care, Meagan Thomas, said people were recognising they could access services as they got older and might need a little extra help to live safely and independently in their own homes.


“We have seen an increase in demand for home care services along with those wanting support to get out and about to do the things they’ve always done,” she said.


“Referrals have continued to flow through from the broader community across the region. We want to make sure we’re in the best position to be responsive to the enquiries coming through and the new office in Castlemaine will help us achieve just that.

“For us to grow and be able to offer the best service, we need the space for more staff and to be in a location that is easy for people to find. This is a positive step forward in our commitment to the region,” she explained.