The Goodwin Health and Wellness Centre for seniors won the 2018 NSW/ACT Excellence in Age Services Team Award from peak body Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) at a ceremony in Sydney last night.

Run by Canberra-based not-for-profit Goodwin Aged Care Services it was the first of its kind when it opened in 2014 as a hub of coordinated health services set within a retirement living village.

According to Goodwin Chief Executive Officer Sue Levy the team at Goodwin Health and Wellness Centre, incorporating Goodwin Health Club, provide seniors with access to a hub of specialists in one location, which ensures that clients’ various health services support each other in the context of the person’s lifestyle and mental and physical health.

The team promotes enablement and preventative health measures to reduce falls risk, pain and social isolation; improve joint and muscle tone; and maintain cognitive function to improve overall quality of life. The team also provides advice and support on pain management and living with chronic or complex conditions.

Health assessments have shown clients have gained noticeable improvement in balance, cardiovascular fitness, and muscle strength.

Services include a practice nurse, GP, geriatrician, physiotherapist, podiatrist, and personal trainer who runs weekly classes from weights and resistance to yoga.