Bankstown Sports Club Allows Elderly to Rest Easily

Due to the support of Bankstown Sports Club members of the community are being given the chance to age with dignity and privacy, says the CEO of Bankstown City Aged Care Terry Madden.

Mr Madden says without the ongoing financial assistance from the club, the charity would be resigned to offering its elderly clients “hospital ward-like” conditions at its Revesby centre.

Since 2008 Bankstown Sports has given the charity more than $430,000 in financial assistance towards the completion of a new 60-bed facility at its Yallambee Village in Revesby. The financial support was provided through the Community Development Support Expenditure scheme (CDSE).

“Without Bankstown Sports Club’s support we just simply wouldn’t have been able to build the place,” Mr Madden says.

“This has enabled us to build single rooms with ensuites and maximum social and interactive areas...which all go to providing a home-like environment. Otherwise it would have been hospital ward-like rooms where patient privacy and dignity is seriously diminished.”

Mr Madden says the club’s contribution makes up over half of the money received to date from supporters to fund the project.

The facility at Yallambee Village was previously a 52-bed, low-care centre which could not service the full spectrum of aged care. In other words, its clients would have been forced to move to other care centres if their needs changed.

With the addition of the extra 60 beds, the facility is now able to offer its services to high-care patients as well as low-care clients. 

“It is a tremendous addition to what we can offer,” Mr Madden says.

“Now our clients don’t have to be moved if their condition changes from one of low-care to high. It means they can rest easy.”

Bankstown Sports plays a valuable role in the local community through programs such as the one at Yallambee Village with financial support worth millions of dollars every year.

Bankstown Sports’ Secretary/Manager John Mackay says: “It is very important for the older generation to be given the respect they deserve at this time in their lives. To know our assistance is helping them receive services that best suit their needs is very satisfying indeed.”

The club, which celebrated 50 years in 2008, has given more than $58 million to the local community since 1985.

Contact: Sue Nelson, Quick Thinking Communications, 0403 343 275, 02 9939 3555 or sue@qtcommunications.com.