Melville Age-Friendly Accessible Business Network

Melville Age-Friendly & Accessible Businesses (MAFAB) is a network made up of local businesses committed to implementing accessible and age-friendly initiatives that improve the customer experience for seniors and people with disabilities including those living with dementia.
Did you know:

- 23% of Melville residents are currently over 60
- 18.5% of Australians identify themselves as having a disability
- The City of Melville is the second highest local government area for people living with dementia (Access Economics Report, "Projections of dementia prevalence and incidence in WA: 2010-2050")

Seniors and people living with a disability make up a significant part of the community. The MAFAB network was created to support businesses meet the needs of this important group and is part of a wider strategy to ensure Melville is an accessible, inclusive and age-friendly city.
 
The City of Melville was formally included in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities network in 2010 and extends the benefits of being part of this network with local businesses as part of the MAFAB initiative. By raising awareness at a business level of the strategies that can be implemented to improve the customer’s experience accessibility and age-friendly service becomes more widespread across the community.  
 
MAFAB members are supported by the City of Melville with:
- Access to the latest government and community initiatives to support
- Age-friendly and accessible businesses including technology, applications and more
- Training and support through workshops and forums
- One-on-one meetings and support from City of Melville staff
- Information from other businesses about initiatives and strategies

One of the disabilities that MAFAB members wanted to gain a better understanding and awareness about was dementia. City of Melville linked MAFAB members with Alzheimer’s Australia WA and sourced resources to share with businesses. For some MAFAB members, such as Apple Garden City and Coffea Café staff training was offered, via the City of Melville’s on-line engagement portal, Melville Talks.
 
The dedicated MAFAB page on Melville Talks has enabled two-way feedback between the business employees and City of Melville and also provides an opportunity for businesses to share information about what has worked for them 
 
Visit www.melvilletalks.com.au/mafab to find out more about the businesses involved and join in the conversation.
 
MAFAB Outcomes 2016
- Garden City/AMP, foundation member of MAFAB, awarded the 2016 WA Seniors Business Award. - Garden City was recognised as the only retail centre in WA to implement strategies to provide outstanding service to seniors.  
- Dementia awareness training provided to network members who had requested support in this area.
- Launch of Memory Café, a collaboration between Alzheimer’s Australia WA, Garden City/AMP and the City of Melville, to provide people living with dementia, and their family or carers, a monthly informal get together at Coffea coffee shop.  
- Participation at the City’s Your Business Our Future Business Forum
- Reporting to Advocare on the potential for abuse of people in mobility devices at payment counters, as identified by a MAFAB member.
- Feedback to the Council on the Ageing (COTA) about the benefits the Garden City Mall Walking group participants provide to MAFAB businesses at Garden City.
Positive customer feedback provided to MAFAB members on the exceptional customer service for customers with a disability and/or dementia
Current MAFAB members include:
 
  • Garden City AMP
  • Apple Garden City
  • Priceline Garden City
  • Prouds Jewellers Garden City
  • Coffea Fine Espresso Garden City
  • Rhubarbs Booragoon
  • Emprise Mobility Equipment
  • Granny Flats WA 
The MAFAB network is growing, with new businesses joining frequently. If you are a business and would like to know more contact mafab@melville.wa.gov.au
 

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