Community gardens, intergenerational playgroups and cultural-heritage workshops are among 51 projects to share $750,000 in state funding aimed at helping older South Australians stay active, connected and confident.
The Office for Ageing Well has awarded the money through its 2024-25 Ageing Well Community and Research Grants, which span four streams: Age-Friendly SA, Positive Ageing Fellowships, Impact Research for Ageing Well and Grants for Seniors.
Although the grants are modest, state officials say they address the social side of healthy ageing just as much as the medical. “These grants encourage communities to harness the strengths within, which can be something as simple as those with lived experience sharing culturally rich personal stories of resilience across generations,” said Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well Nat Cook. “Supporting older people to learn new things and enhance their experience of activities they are already involved in is important not only for physical and mental health, but for maintaining community connections.”
Green, blue—and culturally safe—spaces
Among the larger awards, Alexandrina Council will use $35,000 to promote “green and blue” wellness along the Fleurieu coast and Kangaroo Island, encouraging seniors to exercise together in parks, beaches and riverside areas. Aboriginal Community Housing has received $40,000 to measure the well-being of Elders moving into a new purpose-built village at Warriparinga.
Research grants are backing questions of why older adults do—or don’t—join shared activities. Torrens University will study barriers to intergenerational playgroups with $25,000. “Intergenerational playgroups bring children and older adults together to share fun activities, create meaningful connections and learn from each other,” said Dr Louise Townsin, Director of Research Management Services. “With this grant, we want to build an evidence base so we can expand these intergenerational playgroups across SA and beyond.”
Stories that cross oceans and ages
Cultural heritage also features strongly. The Maltese Aged Care Association is putting $9,970 into workshops and digital media that pair seniors with young people to record migration tales. “Participating in MACASA’s Cultural Heritage Storytelling and Intergenerational Program gives older adults a chance to share their valuable life experiences, helping them feel seen and valued,” said services manager Madeleine Williams. “This grant will provide the resources to create an inclusive platform, allowing older individuals to be heard, while enriching the younger generation’s understanding of history and heritage.”
Projects funded in this round will also feed into South Australia’s Week of Ageing Well, set for 1–7 October 2025. Minister Cook said the initiatives “aim to build older people’s confidence and encourage informed decision-making as they navigate systems to access services and supports.”
For small councils and community groups, the money arrives as Australia’s population ages rapidly: one in five South Australians will be over 65 within a decade. Grant recipients say the backing helps them test ideas that could be scaled statewide, precisely the purpose, officials add, of an Ageing Well program designed to “tackle ageism while recognising the diverse social, economic and cultural needs of older people.”
Related: $420K grant to build adaptive advance care tool for seniors
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
