Hills Community Care

About Our Services

Hills Community Care is a Hills Shire Council Community Service and commenced operations in 1991. Hills Community Care conducts a variety of programs funded at local, State and Federal levels to assist frail aged, persons with dementia, people with disabilities and/or their carers.

Hills Community Care Services Guide (156.37kB)

The Centre is located at the Baulkham Hills Community Centre complex (off Conie Avenue) and also utilises a variety of facilities within the Shire.

Office hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday

Telephone: 9761 7600

Fax: 9761 7619

Email: hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Hills Community Care Quick Reference Phone Numbers (105.03kB)

Hills Community Care does not operate on public holidays but appropriate arrangements are made to ensure service is available if required.

Who is eligible to use our services?

Services are available to the frail aged, people with a disability, clients with dementia and carers residing within The Hills Shire, with special assistance offered to clients in the Wiseman’s Ferry area. Some of our culturally specific programs are now available in the Blacktown Local Government area.

How do I access these services?

You can enquire by contacting us via email or phone. A staff member will then explain the process in accessing services to ensure we meet your needs and that you are eligible to receive services.

How is Hills Community Care funded?

Services are made available through funding provided by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (HACC), Australian Government – Department of Health and Ageing (National Respite for Carers Program), NSW Ministry of Transport (HACC and Community Transport Organisation) and The Hills Shire Council.

Social Day Care Program

Seniors Banner

When getting out independently to meet and make friends becomes difficult, Social Day Programs may be the answer.

What social day care offers:

Transport to and from programs
Planned activities
Monthly outings
Companionship
Fun and laughter
Morning tea
Practical assistance as needed
All programs are wheelchair accessible

Assessing your needs

After you have made contact and gained more information about the service, we can come to visit you and discuss ways in which we may be able to support you.

If we can assist you an agreement will be made on the service you are to receive including regularity, transport arrangements, any special dietary requirements, how much assistance you require and the service fee involved.

Our programs operate throughout The Hills Shire. Venues include:

North Rocks Community Centre
Baulkham Hills Community Centre
South Maroota Community Centre
Beaumont Hills Community Centre
Balcombe Heights Estate.

You can phone our Co-ordinator on 9761 7615 9761 7697 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Domestic Assistance

What type of assistance is available?

Essential cleaning ie. the cleaning of essential living areas:

Cleaning of toilets and bathrooms
Cleaning of bedroom area including light dusting
Cleaning of kitchen, cupboards and bench tops and small kitchen appliances as required
Vacuuming and mopping of floors in main living areas including light dusting
Cleaning of laundry area including clothes drier and washing filters and testing to ensure working order.

Other cleaning tasks may be highlighted during as assessment and may be conducted as a one off or on a roster basis dependent on client needs:

Window cleaning
Defrosting and cleaning of fridge/freezer
Cleaning of oven
Walls, ceiling fans and lighting
Steam cleaning of carpets

Light domestic duties include:

Washing of essential clothes and hanging clothes out to dry
Ironing of essential clothing
Changing of bed sheets
Assistance with basic food preparation
Assistance with shopping for essential grocery items and during this time payment of bills

For more information contact our co-ordinator on 9761 7698 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Community Transport

Hills Community Care Bus The Community Transport Service specialises in assistance with your personal transport needs from your door to your destination and home again.

Eligibility

Transport is available to frail aged people, people with a disability of any age and also carers. We also try to assist any other person who has a transport disadvantage.
Transport is provided in modern buses which are fully air-conditioned, have comfortable seating and vehicles can be converted to carry wheelchairs.

Shopping

Door to door transport to Winston Hills, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill and Richmond on a fortnightly basis depending on where you live.

Nursing Home Visitations

Door to door transport is provided to friends and relatives who wish to visit residents of nursing homes or retirement villages located in and around The Hills Shire. One week's notice will be required for these appointments.

Social Outings

Every second Wednesday Hills Community Care provides outings to places of interest from Balmoral Beach for fish and chips to IMAX theatre at Darling Harbour for a show and lunch. The rural sectors of the Shire have a monthly outing on Tuesdays.

Library

Every second Wednesday we provide free door to door transport to Castle Hill or Dural Libraries.

Medical and medical related appointments

A volunteer will pick you up from your home in their own vehicles. They will take you to your appointment and then drive you home again. Taxis may be used if volunteers are not available.
Volunteer support is also provided at the appointment if needed.

It is essential that bookings be made for this service at least three working days prior to appointments.

For more information contact our Co-ordinator on 9761 7604 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Dementia Services

Provides flexible support to people with dementia and their carers. This assistance is aimed to enable people with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementia related illnesses to live in their own homes and participate in community activities while providing support and information for their carers. All service is provided by staff members that have an education and understanding of dementia related issues.

In home services – regular in home respite is tailored to the needs of the person with dementia and their carer. Services can include:

Staying with the person with dementia to enable their carer to attend to shopping or participate in community activities.
Monitoring clients with dementia that live alone. Providing assistance with meals, shopping and social outings.

Occasional and flexible respite

This respite provides family carers the opportunity to attend doctors appointments, hairdressing appointments or family outings. Being assured the person with dementia is being cared for during their absence.

Overnight Respite

This respite provides overnight care in the family home. This allows family members to have a night's sleep while our trained staff monitor and care for the person with dementia.

Emergency Respite

When emergency situations occur staff can be contacted at short notice to provide care and support.

Carer Support Groups

Carer support groups provide an opportunity for family carers to meet on a monthly basis to share experiences in a safe and friendly environment. Guest speakers are invited providing education and information to assist with the caring role.

For more information contact our co-ordinator on 9894 7751 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Orange Blossom Cottage

(Dementia specific centre based care)

Provides social activity programs for people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia related illnesses. Orange Blossom Cottage provides social support and friendship to clients through mentally stimulating recreation and social interaction.

Activities can include:

Transport to and from the programs
Hot meals
Music therapy
Pet therapy
Theme days
Bus outings
Exercises
Reminiscence
Games and lots of fun and laughter to be shared

Groups are held Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays).

Extended days can be arranged for working and stressed carers.

With a special Saturday program for under 65’s.
For more information contact our Co-ordinator on 9659 3964 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Mental Health Respite Program

Provides respite to carers of people with a mental illness, or people with an intellectual disability, living in the Council areas of Auburn, The Hills, Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta. Respite services provided include in-home respite, social and recreational support, centre-based day programs and transport to medical appointments. There are no fees for these services. For more information, contact the co-ordinator on 9672 6309 or email sdinatale@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Food Services

Food services provides meals to the frail aged or people with a disability and their carers residing in The Hills Shire.

We can provide:

Chilled or hot meals each weekday
Frozen meals are provided for weekends
Meals are delivered each day by trained volunteers
Meals for an emergency

Hills Community Care Food Services (130.82kB)

For more information contact our Co-ordinator on 9761 7602 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Easy Care Gardening and Lawn Mowing

With the assistance of volunteers our Easy Care Gardening service provides practical gardening help through mulching, weeding, pruning etc. Advice can also be provided on how to simplify gardens to make them more manageable.

The Lawn Mowing service offers:

Mowing of client’s property up to approximately 900 square meters of lawn
Mowing the nature strip (if applicable) and clipping edges
Sweeping paths and driveways.

For more information contact our co-ordinator on 9761 7695 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Home Modification and Maintenance

The Home Modification and Maintenance Service provides assistance in maintaining your home, keeping it secure and in good repair.

Home Modification services includes:

Installation of internal/external ramps
Fabrication and installation of hand rails
Modifications to kitchens and bathrooms
Installation of hand held showers
Installation of grab rails
Furniture modifications
Application of anti-slip to wet floor areas
Installation of battery smoke detectors and replacement of batteries

Home Maintenance services includes:

Repairs to doors, windows, gates, including locks and fly screens
Repairs to steps and paths
Plumbing—hot water systems, toilets, tap washers and sewer blockages
Electrical work (includes changing light bulbs)
Gutter cleaning

All Home Modification and Maintenance work is carried out by qualified and highly skilled trades people. Clients will be provided with a written quote before any work commences.

For more information contact our Co-ordinator on 9761 7611 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Korean and Maltese Social Day Programs

Social Day Programs for the Korean and Maltese Communities in The Hills and Blacktown Local Government Areas.

Each program is delivered by trained staff who speak Korean for the Korean group and Maltese for the Maltese group. All programs are supported by Korean and Maltese volunteers.
Programs are designed to meet the needs of Korean and Maltese cultures in a social environment. This includes provision of authentic and fresh Korean and Maltese meals.
Programs operate on a rotating fortnightly basis, one week for the Korean community then the following week servicing the Maltese community.
T ransport is provided to and from programs. Buses have a hoist for those who require a wheelchair or for persons who can not manage steps due to poor mobility.
Social Day Care Programs offer:
- Transport to and from day program
- Morning and afternoon tea
- Midday meal
- Planned activities
- Monthly outings
- Companionship
- Fun and laughter
- Practical assistance as required
- Referral to other services if required

For more information contact our Co-ordinator on 9761 7697 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Working Carer Liaison Officer

A working carer is someone who juggles paid employment with unpaid caring. They may care for a child, relative or friend who needs help because they are ill, frail, have a disability or are ageing.

What is the Working Carer Liaison Project (WCLP)?

The WCLP is a new project funded by the Australian Government which is trying a new way of meeting the needs of working carers who are supporting frail older people in the Cumberland-Prospect area of Sydney.

The purposes of the WCLP are:

To provide information and education to working carers and employers
To provide a short-term case management service for working carers to locate and establish appropriate support services
To establish networks and working relationships with employers

How can the WCLP help you as a working carer? The WCLP can:

Provide information and support to assist you in your caring role
Refer you to appropriate services
Provide you with ten weeks case management to assist you to get the services y ou need
Advocate on your behalf with employers and support services

Do you want to know more?

Phone the Working Carer Liaison Officer on 0434 562 713 or email jwallace@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Volunteering

Volunteering is a commitment of time, effort and energy in helping others. It is a choice to work without receiving payment. It provides a service to the community, which benefits t he community in a variety of ways.

The benefits of volunteering are many. It is an opportunity to gain work experience and to learn new skills, to become involved in the community and have a sense of belonging, to meet new people and form new friendships, to give back to the community and most of all to gain personal satisfaction.

Before volunteering you need to consider:

Why you want to volunteer
Your health and energy level – volunteer for a job of which you are physically capable
Other commitments – avoid promising time you cannot spare
Personal likes, dislikes and interests
Skills and experiences you have to offer
Availability, preferred days and times, how often you want to commit yourself

These are the programs that are currently using volunteers:

Food services (Meals on Wheels)
Community Transport
Social Day Programs
Easy Care Gardening
Domestic Assistance

For more details contact the Volunteer Development Service on 9761 7613 or email your interest to hcc@thehills.nsw.gov.au