Support Services
Better Place Australia
Professional counselling, financial support, and elder abuse advocacy
Caring for others group at Outlook Community Centre
Do you help look after an elderly family member, friend, child or parent with an illness, addiction, disability, or mental health condition? Take some time for you to relax and unwind - Meet other carers, get support, share what works for you, share your frustrations, and also have some fun! Morning tea provided. FREE to join.View info on Caring for others group at Outlook Community Centre
Deaf Victoria
Deaf Victoria is the peak advocacy body representing deaf and hard of hearing Victorians. We aim to ensure deaf and hard of hearing people in Victoria experience equality, opportunity and connection, and are valued for their unique contributions towards a diverse society. Deaf Victoria does not sell or recommend hearing aids or assistive devices nor do we provide Auslan Interpreting, training or workplace support services. Please refer to Expression Australia https://www.expression.com.au/Extended Family Network
We provide a suite of services for people living with disabilities, including Tham Gia South, which means JOIN IN in Vietnamese, we hold capacity building fun socially inclusive events in the school holidays and monthly for youth and children. Offering assistance through friendship support and physical assistance that is gardening, maintenance etc.Fernlea Community Care
Adult Day Respite Centers in Emerald & Pakenham, and in-home care services in surrounding areasFight Parkinson’s (formerly known as Parkinson’s Victoria)
Peer support group in Pakenham. Peer Support Groups offer information, social connection, hope and support to those affected by Parkinson’s. There are more than 70 Parkinson’s Peer Support Groups meeting regularly throughout Victoria. Find out more about Peer Support Groups in your local area. Call Fight Parkinson’s on 1800 644 189, select option 1 to speak to a staff member for more details about this group.View info on Fight Parkinson’s (formerly known as Parkinson’s Victoria)
Free text-based support for Australians dealing with grief
If you live in Australia and are grieving the death of a loved one, you are invited to sign up to receive ongoing, expert grief support via text message, tailored to your loss. If you have friends or family members who want to support you, Help Texts will send them tips and reminders too. It will take less than 5 minutes to sign up and your texts will begin right away. You'll receive two texts each week and additional messages on anniversaries and holidays. You can stop and start the messages anytime. You're also welcome to explore the Griefline Resource Hub or call our Helpline at 1300 845 745 between the hours of 8am & 8pm (AEST)/7 days a week. Link to sign up: https://helptexts.com/sign-up/griefline/View info on Free text-based support for Australians dealing with grief
Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG)
A statewide organisation that represents older renters and tenants across a range of different accommodation types. They provide free and confidential information and advice.Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Service
Do you care for someone with a mental health or substance use challenge? We offer a safe, welcoming space for you to get support, connect, or relax. Visit our drop-in site fortnightly on Mondays, from 9 September, between 10am to 4pm at Living and Learning Pakenham Free for family, carers and supportersMonash Health
Services including cardiac rehabilitation, chronic condition support. Prevention, early intervention programs and home care.
Open Arms - Support for Veterans and their families
Open Arms provides free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, their partners and families. Where there has been a death of a service person, parents and siblings may be able to access the service. Counselling is working out your personal concerns with the help of a trained professional. The counsellor helps you to resolve your problems in a positive way by helping you to clarify the issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness. Counselling is usually a short-term treatment for a specific problem. Open Arms offers face-to-face, telephone and online counselling.View info on Open Arms - Support for Veterans and their families
Rainbow Connection
Regular volunteer social support for older LGBTIQ+ people who live in aged care or receive aged care supports at home. This is a FREE service, funded completely by the Department of Health and Aged Care, under the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme. Whether they are living at home, or in aged residential care, their volunteers can visit regularly of a cup of tea and a chat.The South East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Centre - Better Health Network
At the Connect Centre we offer support to you; the family, carers, supporters, and kin of people with mental health and/or substance use challenges. The Connect Centre has been co-designed with and is staffed by people who have lived or living experience as a family member or carer of someone with mental health and/or substance use challenges. Our centres offer a safe, welcoming space to connect with our team, seek assistance, or simply enjoy some quiet time. We have multiple sites across the region, with a main centre in Dandenong. Satellite site in Pakenham. For more information about our satellite sites, including opening days and hours, call us on 9066 1500.View info on The South East Metro Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Centre - Better Health Network