Doreen Knows You Are Never Too Old for an Adventure

Adventures around Adelaide are quickly becoming a regular occurrence for Buddy Respite client Doreen Read.

Doreen attends Myrtle Cottage for respite two days a week and also has a one-on-one social outing with Buddy Support Worker Sarah Stamoulis every Tuesday afternoon.

Southern Cross Care’s Buddy Respite program allows clients, with the help of a Buddy Support Worker, to "create their own adventure". 

The aim is to support clients to engage in meaningful and cognitively stimulating activities while accessing the community.

Sarah and Doreen have developed a close friendship and Sarah uses her understanding of Doreen’s likes, dislikes and treasured memories to organise a range of engaging and meaningful adventures.

Outings have included a trip to Mount Lofty to see the view, a drive to visit the home Doreen’s husband was born in, which prompted some discussion and reminiscing, and a stop at a memorial before Anzac Day so Doreen could add her own poppy to the public display.

At Mount Lofty, Doreen made sure to tell Sarah how much she was enjoying their day out, so Sarah knows her support is making a difference. 

On a recent drive to Port Adelaide, Doreen even took the opportunity to make a light hearted joke about an old-fashioned post box, asking Sarah to take a photo and "show it to your friends so they can guess which one is older".

Doreen can’t wait to see what adventures Sarah has in store for her next.

To read more about our community respite programs, visit the Community Respite page.