Extra cash for Haberfield’s D-Caff

The Australian Government’s National Dementia Initiative will provide $18,000 to help expand ‘D-Caff’, a support cafe for carers of people with dementia in Haberfield in Sydney’s inner west.

The announcement was made yesterday by the Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot and the member for Grayndler, Anthony Albanese at the opening of the Ella centre’s sensory garden called SOLARA which was completed with the assistance of funding under the Australian and NSW Government’s Home and Community Care program.

The ‘D-Caff’ initiative is a program run by the Ella Centre which provides social and respite support to hundreds of people living in Sydney’s inner west.

D-Caff is held on the first Saturday of each month at Lilies on the Park Café, Bicentennial Park.

“The program specifically targets carers who are working and allows them to get together on a Saturday and share their experiences over a cup of tea or coffee,” Mr Albanese said.

SOLARA was designed by the Ella Centre and occupational therapy students at the University of Sydney. It is based on research that shows the health benefits provided by natural environments.

The Ella Centre intends to expand SOLARA to include musical based apparatuses and a herb garden.

The garden also has wheelchair access and hopes to encourage residents living with dementia to spend time outside and enjoy or work in the garden.