PRONIA has successfully delivered two major community information events in the past fortnight, bringing together over 200 Greek-speaking attendees to introduce the Australian Government’s new Support at Home program and to raise awareness of vital services available through the Carer Gateway and Dementia Support Australia.
The first event, held on Tuesday, 27 May at Clayton Community Centre, saw more than 120 community members gather to learn about the upcoming changes in aged care and the evolving supports for unpaid carers.
Hosted by Lucy Louca, Coordinator of PRONIA’s Stronger Together dementia program, the event featured a detailed presentation from the Carer Gateway team—a free national support service for Australia’s 2.65 million unpaid carers.
Attendees heard firsthand how the Carer Gateway can support carers with counselling, respite care, peer support, and tailored advice to manage the demands of caregiving. This was followed by PRONIA’s first public presentation of the upcoming Support at Home program, delivered by Sophia Koutes, Coordinator of PRONIA’s Home Care Packages (HCP).
Launching on 1 November 2025, Support at Home will replace the current HCP and Short-Term Restorative Care programs to provide older Australians with more personalised, flexible, and transparent in-home aged care services.
“This is not just a reform—it’s a chance to improve how older people live independently at home,” said Ms Koutes. “PRONIA will be there every step of the way to guide our clients through the transition and ensure continuity of care.”
A second event was hosted by PRONIA on Wednesday 11 June at the Balam Balam Community Centre in Brunswick, in collaboration with Dementia Support Australia. The session focused on practical communication techniques for interacting with people living with dementia—an issue affecting a growing number of families in the Greek-Australian community.
The event also included a presentation on Support at Home, reinforcing PRONIA’s commitment to ensuring families are informed and equipped ahead of the reforms. The session concluded with a light lunch, offering a chance for attendees to connect directly with PRONIA staff, ask questions, and share their stories.
Participants at both events expressed deep appreciation for PRONIA’s ongoing support and voiced strong interest in learning more about the reforms.
PRONIA will be delivering additional information sessions over the coming months to ensure Greek-speaking older Australians and their families are informed, confident, and supported through this period of change.
For more information or to register interest in future sessions, please contact PRONIA on (03) 9388 9998 or visit www.pronia.com.au.
