Until he was introduced to ACH Group, Francesco Barresi, 81, never imagined that taking up the offer of a Home Care Package would see him return to the airwaves of Radio Italiana 531.
For a decade, Francesco Barresi caught the bus to Wright Street in the city to be part of a weekly talkback segment.
A singer and poet in his younger years in Sicily, Francesco loved to play requests and share stories with his listeners, many of them Italian migrants themselves.
In January with support from ACH Group, he revisited friends and toured the station’s new headquarters at Hindmarsh. He was also given the chance to speak again on air.
“When I walked in, they said to me ‘It’s the poet, Francesco!’” he says. “They invited me to sit and chat with them. It was good to be back.’”
Francesco and his wife Grace live at their home of 37 years with support from ACH Group, including house cleaning and gardening, as well as weekly exercise therapy.
Francesco ventures over to the nearby Coopers Stadium to watch his beloved Reds train, with the support of his care workers while Grace goes shopping and takes some time out.
Grace says she and Francesco, who sailed to Australia in 1966 with an 18-month old daughter and baby boy on the way, are very happy living in their own home.
“I would love to be able to look after Frank here at home for as long as possible,” she says. “The help and support of my aged care team has made this possible for me.”
Find out more about ACH Group’s home support services here, or phone 1300 22 44 77.