By Brendan Rees
The role of grandparents in the City of Casey will be celebrated at this year’s Ageing Positively Festival.
At their 17 July meeting, Casey councillors voted to hold the new event as part of the festival to be held in October.
Cr Amanda Stapledon said she was proud council officers had organised the event to celebrate the valuable contribution of the community’s older residents.
“The event will bring together grandparents and their grandchildren for a free kids show at Bunjil Place theatre,” she said.
“This will help to give grandparents special bonding time with their grandchildren, as well as an opportunity to connect with other community members.”
To address the gap in information available to grandparents, council is currently developing a webpage on the City of Casey website which will provide information about playgroups, support, benefits and links to external organisations, including Grandparents Victoria.
Cranbourne grandmother Dorothy Knowles said the event in October was a great initiative but not everyone had access to the internet if council was looking at new ways to support grandparents.
“There are lots of people in my age group that don’t even have a computer,” she said. “People in their seventies, it isn’t necessarily part of their life.”
Ms Knowles said had had grandchildren living with her for the last 15 years and was luckily enough to be “reasonably up to date” with modern technology.
“If this is going to be something that they want grandparents to have information they need to think of another way of getting it across.”
She suggested a pop up stall could be set up at a shopping centre where pamphlets could be handed out.
Cr Stapledon said the web page would be “informative, useful and easy to navigate.”
“This will be of great assistance to our older residents, and a small step towards ensuring grandparents in the community can access information with ease.”
A report before councillors said council had written to the State and Federal Governments “highlighting the important role grandparents and the need for suitable support and remuneration. Officers will continue to advocate for the needs of grandparents as opportunities arise.”
