Legacy is a charitable and voluntary organization that is supporting and is also supported servicemen and women, veterans and volunteers who are drawn from all kinds of walks of life. Their services and support are now extending to include dependants of members of current Australian Defence Force who have lost their health or lives due to military service.
Legacy is devoted to giving care to the families of incapacitated and deceased veterans. Currently, Legacy's compassionate and caring service is assisting in excess of 90,000 widows plus 1,900 children as well as dependants having a disability.
There are above 5,900 volunteers across Australia acting as mentors to the Australian Defence Force widows as well as their families who are ensuring Legacy’s pledge of caring for the deceased veterans’ families is kept.
Work of Legacy
Legacy is committed to improving the opportunities and lives of their families through practical and innovative programs aiming at:
- Assisting people thrive, in spite of their loss and adversity
- The protection of the individuals and family basic requirements
- Helping families through their bereavement
- Advocating for their rights, entitlements and benefits.
Legacy is devoted to giving care to the families of those veterans who have been incapacitated or died when on service or after. This care extends to veterans serving in war and on humanitarian and peacekeeping missions.
At present, Legacy assists in excess of 1,900 children, 90,000 widows and dependants through practical and innovative programs.
Defence force families protection
Defence, peacekeeping and humanitarian operations are essentially dangerous activities. Australia’s airmen and women, sailors and soldiers appreciate that in the sad event of dying when they are preparing for service, when in service or subsequent to their service, Legacy is available to offer care, support and safety for their families. This level of support is greatly valued and regarded across the Australian Defence Force and by the entire Australian community.
Care for dependants having disabilities
Legacy believes that people having disabilities got an inborn right to similar opportunity as the other people. Most of the dependents having disabilities that are being served by Legacy have acquired and congenital disabilities which are causing considerable impairment to the affected. Such disabilities could be neurological, psychological, physical or intellectual.
The Legacy programs connects people with special facilities and community in an effort at improving their life quality, promoting lifestyles that are healthy, reducing social isolation, and in providing support for the carers. In addition, Legacy also provides financial and organizational help whenever needed.
Whilst majority of primary care get delivered by expert service providers, Legacy assumes an individualized and long-range interest in the wellbeing of its dependants plus their families through:
- Social inclusion
- Giving enduring care
- Promoting independence and lifestyle skills
- Transitioning into residential care.
Enduring Care
Providing counsel to those who are living with, or are caring for somebody having a disability is among the most useful methods Legacy could assist. Welfare officers and volunteers liaise with providers and agencies to establish suitable family and disability support packages. Typically include options are care, mobility and medical appliances; help with house maintenance and home modifications.
The enduring care program also provides counsel on guardianship and respite issues for families and carers, all-embracing care for the carers who might have lost a spouse themselves. In case the person having a disability no longer got parents, the promised Legacy lifetime care to the parent gets transferred to the individual dependant.
Social Inclusion
For the dependents, an extremely loved part of their work is the popular cultural, fellowship and sporting outings. These are regularly held events organized in local areas and also could embrace more elaborate trips away and day excursions. The social activities always are fun, being conducted with social development and personal growth in mind.
Lifestyle & independence skills
Persons having disabilities frequently got considerable levels of life skills and independence. Legacy supports and encourages dependants through employment, education for children and adults, lifestyle options and mobility aids to assist every person, regardless of their disability, to attain their maximum potential.
Transitioning to Residential Care
Dependants having a disability usually require a variety of residential options during their lives. Each individual move could be difficult to the affected person as well as for the families. Whenever required, case managers from Legacy will help each transition with the needed planning, communicating with guardianship authorities, and helping with legal advice, financial planning, and offering practical assistance during the actual move.
Pension Advocacy
Legacy has the know-how in understanding about the individual conditions and entitlements of its partners plus dependent children of the deceased eligible merchant mariners and members of the Australian Defence Force.
Legacy got a countrywide network of experienced and trained Pension Officers who are accessible to help eligible families to obtain their rightful entitlements such as:
- Military Compensation
- Commemoration
- Government Superannuation
- Income Support
- Associated Benefits
These services are offered free of charge to widows and widowers.
Volunteering
Legacy got numerous ways you could get involved being a volunteer and they are always on the lookout for additional volunteers to help with their national appeal yearly. Volunteers are required for:
- Collecting donations on Badge Day and during the Legacy Week
- Providing administrative support leading to and during the whole Legacy Week
- Providing pro bono help in areas like law, finance, law, technology and marketing.
Dependants and Widows
Through its countless programs and opportunities for widows, Legacy is bringing together people having a shared experience, offering providing a support and friendship platform.
Although running under a variety of diverse names, which include Widows and Laurel Clubs, Torch Bearers and Women’s Auxiliary, each of the groups are existing to offer activities, companionship and outings for members. These groups are offering priceless support to Legacy via their own endeavours at fundraising, and help in lots of other activities.
Getting Involved with Legacy
There are lots of ways of getting involved and helping out at Legacy. They offer opportunities for persons of all backgrounds, ages and genders to come together in supporting the families of war veterans who are deceased or incapacitated. Among the opportunities is volunteering, donating, sponsoring, fundraising and leaving a bequest.
