Greensborough Plaza in Melbourne’s north east, has launched a program of activities for seniors with the opening of a new Retreat, the centre is leading the way when it comes to catering for the growing number of adults in the 55+ age group within its community.
The Retreat area will offer a relaxed environment for shoppers 55+, giving them a special place to unwind and connect with other locals. While free activities such as chess and jigsaw puzzles are on offer, one of the highlights of the Retreat will be a POP UP Book Exchange, where shoppers are invited to sit back, grab a coffee from neighbouring cafes and relax with a borrowed book. Books can be returned or another book put back in its place.
The Book Exchange is a popular addition
The Retreat is inspired by research conducted by a Community Connector Program that has been running at Greensborough Plaza during the past six months, which indicated that there are a large proportion of customers in the 55+ age group that were experiencing loneliness. The activities will be overseen by volunteers from Nillumbik and Banyule Combined Churches and Korus Connect.
“Research conducted by Greensborough Plaza identified many retiree shoppers are looking for activities that will keep them engaged, active and socially connected. Developing programs to specifically suit the needs of retirees has been very successful for our centre and we are looking at new ways to cater to this growing target market”, said Simone Dirckze, Centre Manager at Greensborough Plaza.
From 2011-2016, the City of Banyule and Nillumbik Shire saw a massive change in age structure between 65-69 years and 70-74 years. On a larger scale, it was noted that compared to Greater Melbourne, a larger percentage of persons aged 55-59 and 65-69 now reside in both these areas.
The multi-use space is welcoming and in the heart of the shopping centre
This is the second initiative developed by Greensborough Plaza for the 55+ demographic with the centre launching an Evergreen Club earlier this year which provides locals 55+ with tailored in-centre activities such as Bingo, events, exclusive offers, discounts and free monthly movies on the first Monday of each month. The Evergreen Club has attracted more than 1000 members since its launch in March 2019.
