General News
15 February, 2023
Aged care residents take to the streets
AGED care residents in Terang and Camperdown hit the streets in style last week thanks to a special visit from the Portland branch of not-for-profit organisation Cycling Without Age.
AGED care residents in Terang and Camperdown hit the streets in style last week thanks to a special visit from the Portland branch of not-for-profit organisation Cycling Without Age.
The residents at Mount View Aged Care in Terang and Sunnyside House in Camperdown had an opportunity to take a casual ride through their respective towns on special rickshaw-style electric bikes.
Cycling Without Age community captain Michelle Simons, along with volunteer Robin Parry, made the trip from Portland to offer the rides.
“We’re a worldwide organisation which focuses on riding for people with either a disability or limited mobility to get them out,” Ms Simons said
“Our motto is feeling the wind in your hair.
“We have 20 volunteers in Portland who can take passengers out, predominantly from our local aged care facilities but also from within the community.
“What we’re all about is just taking people out for a ride; it’s all free so there is no charge to anyone.”
Ms Simons said the group does not normally offer their services so far from home but working in the region she saw an opportunity to provide locals with an outing.
“I was working in Camperdown and realised there was a couple of aged care facilities that would not have access to this, so we wanted to make a special trip to give them a ride,” she said.
“We’re having a nice road trip, so I touched based with Terang and Mortlake Health Service and organised the visit.
“It’s really good fun.”
Terang and Mortlake Health Service director of nursing Melissa Mitchell said it was amazing to see the Mt View lifestyle staff organise such a wonderful outing for the residents.
“It’s an opportunity they don’t have anymore and they reminisce so often about riding bikes when they were kids, so to have this opportunity at their age is very exciting,” she said.
“We’ve seen their huge smiles and you can’t ask for more than that.
“To have these volunteers provide this service is extraordinary, and it’s amazing they’re doing this in our district.
“To be doing something like this off their own back is amazing.”