3Bridges Community Hub Centre to bring disability, youth and ageing services to Kyeemagh

The Kyeemagh centre, located at 96 Mutch Avenue - the former Kyeemagh RSL - joins 3Bridges' growing clutch of community centres that includes Carss Park, Penshurst, Hurstville, Menai, Mortdale and Oatley.

The newly-acquired Kyeemagh site - which was repurposed by Bayside Council and is also shared by The Fixit Sisters - is only a stone's throw away from Kyeemagh boat ramp.

Importantly, the space is also home to 3Bridges' Dementia Meeting Centre Program, which focuses on supporting people living with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers.

Amal Madani, General Manager Reframing Ageing, said there was "ample evidence supporting the positive impact of this program not only on the person living with dementia but their family members".

"Seeing a client performing tasks that they lost, prior to attending the program and the reaction of their family carer is priceless. The smiles on all their faces warms my heart," Mr Madani said.

The Dutch-developed dementia program provides care to the person living with the condition and their families, under one setting. 3Bridges is the only organisation that delivers the program in Australian and it has won several state and national awards including the 2020 Future of Ageing Award for Dementia Care and 2020 Certificate of Recognition for Creativity from Aged and Community Services Australia.

The Kyeemagh Community Hub was launched at a special event on Friday, April 30, by special guests Member for Rockdale Steve Kamper, and Bayside Mayor Joe Awada.

Councillor Awada said: "I am confident that the programs offered by 3Bridges in this new multi-purpose community centre provide a huge benefit for Bayside residents. I wish 3Bridges every success with this project and for all their work in the Bayside community."

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Senator Richard Colbeck, said the work 3Bridges did in the community was "really important", particularly with regards to the dementia program.

"The Royal Commission has given us a very specific direction with respect to the need for generational change in the aged care sector and one of those things that we are really going to need is innovation," Senator Colbeck said.

"The work that 3Bridges has done in bringing the [Dementia] Meeting Centre support program to Australia by looking around the world and seeing what was working in other places. The Australian Government was very pleased to be able to support the pilot of that program and I'm really delighted to see that it's now up-and-running and it's an award-winning program.

"Dementia is one of those elements of aged care that is unfortunately being more prevalent. We're investing a lot of resources into research, but we still need to ensure that our aged care system adequately cares for those who have a dementia diagnosis, so to see this program - which supports people to stay in their homes longer without having to go into a residential setting - is really exciting."

The centre will also offer vocational training programs, play groups for vulnerable mothers and their babies, day care programs for the aged and disabled, and early intervention youth programs, including mentoring school-aged children.