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Christadelphian Aged Care A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R
SOUTHHAVEN HOSTEL
Address: 11 Queensbury Rd, Padstow Heights
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Phone: (02) 9782 6030
Email: admin@chomes.com.au
Managers Message
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Welcome to Southhaven Hostel
Hello all, Well we have all survived the good Christmas food and I hope there has not been too much damage to the waist line.
Look long and hard at people who live lovingly. Notice how beautifully they age. Notice how relevant their wealth or status is. Notice how much other people want to be in their presence. Notice how they smile. nnn
“When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them. Job 29:24
2014 is our year with the ground floor renovation now complete, ONLY 3 more floors to go. The residents, families and staff are very happy with the new look Hostel rooms, which will be even better once all kitted out with new furniture I would like to congratulate all residents for accepting the disruption without complaint, you have all been amazing. Also what wonderful staff we have, they have had to carry meals and linen up and down the stairs when the power is off, they have not had a staff room for 8 months and have just got on with the job at hand. I am very proud of them all. I would like to remind everyone, if you have a concern, please do not hesitate to call, email or make an appointment. I have an open door policy and am more than happy to answer any of your enquiries. Bye for now, Kim Howard
“Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself” - Og Mandino
Message from our Senior Manager I’m very happy and excited to be part of Christadelphian Aged Care. I have a passion for aged care having come from a quality improvement background. I have worked as an aged care quality assessor with the Agency, a facility manager and as a registered nurse in cardiac, triage and aged care. I’m keen to share my industry knowledge and experience gained in having assessed a variety of systems and processes across a number of aged care facilities throughout NSW, ACT and Victoria. My main responsibility is for clinical governance across the homes under Christadelphian Aged Care. Fundamentally, this means achieving the best possible care for residents using a defined approach. This is done by focusing on what’s best for the resident and then building the service or environment around those needs. This will better enable us to approach challenges and continuous improvement activities proactively and confidently. My wife Maria and I have three daughters, all of who play for the State League competition with Netball NSW. Two are currently at university studying physiotherapy and business respectively and the third currently undertaking her HSC exams this year. I coach representative netball for the Under 12s age group for the Hills District Netball Association NSW and I enjoy travel and culture, although I haven’t had much of an opportunity to do so in recent times. I have however travelled extensively throughout the USA with the highlight being at Elvis’ Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. I’m friendly, approachable and I very much look forward to learning more about each home and meeting members of the Christadelphian care team. - Jose Rigor Senior Manager, Operations
UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH Harmony Day
APRIL Easter Hat Parade
MAY Floral Arranging
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
13 Betty H
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Rita S
16 Adrian H
9 Doreen M 31 Alf H
BUS OUTINGS
Activity Reviews Brays Bay Reserve
We left the busy streets of Rhodes and turned into a quiet oasis that is Brays Bay reserve. It’s the start of the Kokoda memorial track and often chosen by photographers for some great pictures of the Bay. This we witnessed while having morning tea as pictures were being taken of three people dressed up in confectionary products doing different poses and a spot of dancing. Some birds did try to muscle in on our tea but we obeyed the sign not to feed them. We ended the trip with the traditional visit to McDonalds where we were treated to our customary 30c soft serve ice cream. This was much appreciated by the residents and the bus driver.
Chipping Norton
Aboriginal Culture: There are two traditional custodians of the Chipping Norton Lakes area – the Tharawal people, which inhabited the southern side of the Georges River, and the Darug people to the north and west of the River. European Settlement: Thomas Moore was granted waterfront land that is now part of the park. 'The Homestead' within the reserve grounds was built in the 1880s. Apparently the town was named for Chipping Norton in England. We stopped here for morning tea to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Activity Reviews contd Chinese New Year
Residents and staff enjoyed celebrating Chinese New Year, the year of the horse. The residents made special hats as a craft activity for the day and feasted on a lovely chinese lunch together.
Chocolate Temptation
Valentine’s Day was celebrated with the chocolate fountain. Residents dipping their strawberry, banana,wafers and marshmallows. Not sure if anyone wanted dinner that night!
Australia Day
Australia Day was quite a fun event, with staff dressing up and getting into the spirit. The lunch menu was typical Aussie fare. Lunch over, and there is still smiles from our residents, they delight in having their photo taken. We have nearly everyone wanting to look crazy, and they did, but they loved it. It was like they were kids again dressing up and s trik ing various poses.
Activity Assistant Program The Hostel was very lucky to have two activity assistants start in December 2013. Tobias Niven and Angela Smith were both wonderful and became part of the team at Southhaven Hostel very quickly. Having Tobias and Angela on board allowed for more variety in the activity program. Tobias was not with us for very long due to other commitments, but Angela stayed until the end of January. The residents looked forward to seeing their happy faces every day helping out with various activities such as cooking, craft and bingo. T h a n k s To b i a s a n d Angela, we wish you every success in your careers.
Being my second time working at Southaven Hostel, I initially didn't think it possible I could learn, experience or contribute much more than I did the year before. But the experience exceeded my expectations once again, as I grew closer friendships with the residents and the employees. My time at Southaven has been so precious to me it will never be forgotten. - Angela Smith
I loved working during the Christmas holidays, at CAC Southhaven in the nearly renovated Hostel. I used to visit the hostel, when my Grandma lived there a few years ago. It was nice to see familiar faces, and get to know new residents. The program created opportunities to support and care for the residents individually and in group activities. It gave me an insight into the day to day workings of the hostel and the diverse support it provides. I shared some lovely personal conversations and enjoyed hearing their life stories and wisdom. It was with great relief, on my first day, that I successfully made a cup of coffee for the first time! Angela was a great mentor. I’d have to say the most rewarding part of this job was the joyful and gracious responses from the thankful residents and seeing the positive effect our role had on everyone. I discovered how simply a smile or a kind word can change a dull day to a happy one. The laughs, the smiles, the dancing and music and the endless carols, made my first job, a happy lasting memory.
- Tobias Niven
Resident Story - Moya S
Moya S was born on 8th August 1932. A widow of twenty three years, her husband Edward was a self employed builder. Moya ran a cake decorating business from her home while raising five children. She recalls that while running a cake stall at a fete, a customer informed her there was a sleeping child under her stall to which Moya instantly replied “yes the child’s mine.” It still makes her smile. Moya was raised in Earlwood, before marrying Edward and moving to Picnic Point. Once they had children they built their current five bedroom house in Kyle Bay. She still owns the house, which she misses very much. Kyle Bay is infamous for the shooting of Leslie John Cole. He was married to Judy Moran and he was shot dead in Boronia Street, Kyle Bay in Sydney during a gangland conflict on 10 November 1982. Judy Moran was divorced from Cole at the time of his death and had begun a relationship with Lewis Moran. Moya loves to travel and spoke of the excitement of travelling. She has journeyed around most of Australia and overseas, she has been to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Fiji, Malaysia and many other places around Asia. But she focused more on the shortcomings of various places in Asia that she had visited, such as their washrooms. She liked travelling by train in the different places that she has been to. She disliked flying but enjoyed cruises. additionally she expressed her love for Mongolian food.
Staff Profile - Keiko Jones
My name is Keiko Jones; I was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1965. At the age of three my family moved to Yokohanea where I spent most of my youth. When I was in junior high school we started learning about other countries and Australia really inspired me. Big land, lots of nature, cute animals, beautiful beaches and wonderful weather. Since then I had always had a dream to go to Australia and live there. After finishing my university degree at twenty one, I finally flew to Sydney in 1987, planning to stay for three months on a working holiday. Guess what? I’ve stayed more than twenty seven years living in Sydney. I started working as an au pair looking after a four years old girl at the time. I learned my English from her, as we did not practise English as much as writing in Japan, this is why a lot of Japanese know English grammar so well but cannot speak so well. My father was not happy as his only daughter decided to stay living over seas. Also at the time Japan was not yet so open to foreigners. Not many young people travelled overseas and lived overseas. But nearly thirty years on, japan is much more westernised. And so many foreigners live in Japan now. Then in 1989 I started working in the banking industry as a Japanese translator, mainly translating
share market information to Japanese investors... The Japanese economy was booming then, but did not last for ever. So by 1999, I moved into a call centre job at North Sydney, working for Cisco systems IBM. When my mother in law moved to a nursing home in 2005, I became interested in working with the elderly people. It is more rewarding and satisfactory and that is how I became working as a carer at Southhaven hostel. Apart from my working career, I married an Australian in 1990 and had two daughters. One daughter currently studies Art design at the University of NSW and the other goes to the school of performing arts at Newtown to enjoy drama. My own hobby is a Japanese martial arts, called Kendo. I started the sport in my high school back in 1983 and have 4th Dan belt. I won Australian female championships in the past. My highest achievement in Kendo was participating in World Kendo Championships- I came in best eight and received the fighting spirit award in 1997. I have been away form the sport the last ten years, but I am still hoping to return to it before I become too old. My life in Australia has had its ups and downs for the last twenty seven years, currently living as a single mum but enjoying my job in Southhaven Hostel and having two beautiful daughters.
Pastoral Care CAN GOD HEAL A BROKEN HEART? It was a comedian who said, "If broken hearts were commercials, we'd all be on TV." In some strange way he was saying we each have a broken heart, not physically I hope, but inside, where no-one else can see. One of the most popular groups of the 1970s was the Bee Gees. They sang a song that asked five questions and added one plea: "How can you mend a broken heart? How can you stop the rain from falling down? How can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go round? How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again." You might recall the song. The Bee Gees never answered that question. But we know many people have broken hearts because of all sorts of reasons, death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, loss of status, loss of health, betrayal by a friend, loss of a child and, yes, loss of your childhood. All of these reasons can leave you a broken man or woman. What is a wound? If you have ever had an injury or a deep cut, you know how painful it is and how it hurts to be touched. Often, sorrow and loss are like deep wounds. They can be so painful that it seems no one or nothing can make the pain go away. Sometimes our heart is so broken that we can't even express the words and nothing seems to take the pain away. Is there hope for healing a broken heart? Something or someone has just broken your heart. You were caught off-guard by a betrayal, a shocking behaviour, or loss of a loved one. Suddenly you are feeling like you've lost all hope. You can feel a physical aching in your chest that leaves you wounded and scarred. How can you ever hope to recover or discover what steps will end this suffering? We know that emotions are a vital part of the way we are made. Yet we can't understand why it takes so long to heal from emotional injuries and others try to help. Many times, our wounded heart is the result of someone else's actions toward us, and other times it's because of actions we took. Sometimes too, it's a combination of both. But in trying to encourage us, they can't seem to say the right thing. Like a deep wound, a broken heart will not heal overnight. Like some medicines that burn when you apply them to a skin wound, so can a well-meaning friend who says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Who wants to pour rubbing alcohol on an open wound? We search the stores to find an ointment that we can apply to our skin wound that will not burn and then cover it gently with a Band-Aid. It's the same way with our broken heart. We need the right ointment to bring about healing. They say time heals all wounds. But what about the wounds that people can't see? We can't go to the doctors and say "I have a broken heart, can you fix it!" So who can we go to when we have a broken heart, is there anyone who cares? Who are those with the broken heart? They say time heals all wounds. But what about the wounds that people can't see? The pain of past hurts rules many lives. It simmers, it stifles, and sometimes it shuts a person completely down. However, God heals hurts. He is waiting and ready to touch our deepest pain if we will let Him. In a sense, His healing is another divine exchange, in which we offer to Him our hurt and He offers to us His healing. Psalm 147:3 states, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (or sorrows)" "Brokenhearted" refers to the wounds in the innermost portion of ourselves. Most of us do not know how to go about receiving Our deepest sympathies have this wonderful healing gift of God. Some of us have not been aware gone out to the families who that this level of deep healing was available. I like what Max Lucardo have lost their loved ones over says in his marvellous book "He still moves Stones". Why did God leave the Summer period. us one tale after another of wounded lives being restored? So we could be grateful for the past? So we could look back with amazement at what Jesus did? No. The purpose of these stories is not to tell us what Jesus did. Their purpose is to tell us what Jesus does. 'Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.' Paul penned. 'The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope.' (Romans 15:4) These are not just Sunday school stories. Not romantic fables. Not somewhere-over-the-rainbow illusions. They are historic moments in which a real God met real pain so we could answer nnn the question, 'Where is God when I hurt?' He's not just doing it just for them. He is doing it for me. He's doing it for you." - By Chris Witts
Bereavements
Alzheimer’s Disesase Outside of a cure, the most vital need of people with Alzheimer’s disease and their loved ones is real emotional connection. How do we continue to communicate with someone with AD who doesn’t talk or remember me? How can we be with people with AD so they are not left feeling the pain of isolation, abandonment, and loneliness? How do we overcome our own feelings of selfconsciousness, awkwardness, and fear of AD to be fully present with someone with dementia? Some pointers: try to remember how it is to feel safe while vulnerable, how to let go of judgment, to offer empathy, to see the humanity and vulnerability in every person, to remember that everyone matters, how to communicate joy, understanding, and love without words or memories - through body language, emotional connection, and the willingness to be fully present in front of another human being.
Poem
TWO MOTHER’S REMEMBERED I had two mothers – two mothers I claim Two different people, yet with the same name. Two separate women, diverse by design, But you loved them both because they were mine. The first was the mother who carried me here, Gave birth and nurtured and launched my career. She was the one whose features I bear, Complete with the facial expressions I wear. She gave her love, which follows me yet, Along with the examples in life she set. As I got older, she somehow younger grew, And we’d laugh as just mothers and daughters do. But then came the time that her mind clouded so, And I sensed that the mother I knew would soon go. So quickly she changed and turned into the other, A stranger who dressed in the clothes of my mother. Oh, she looked the same, at least at arm’s length, But now she was the child and I was her strength. We’d come full circle, we women three, My mother the first, the second and me. And if my own children should come to a day, youcomes smile at someone, is anaway, action of When“Every a new time mother and the olditgoes love, gift tonothing that person, beautiful I’d ask of athem that Iadidn’t do -thing” Love both of your mothers both loved you. - MotherasTeresa - Anonymous
SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE •
Difficulty remembering recent events
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Poor judgement and decision making
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Inability to manage a budget
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Losing track of the date or the season
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Difficulty having a conversation. Repeating the same stories over and over again.
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Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them
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Changes in mood and personality, inappropriate social behaviour
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Withdrawal from work or social activities
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New problems with spoken and written words
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Trouble understanding visual images
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Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
Physio Corner SHARING WITH OTHERS We are regularly reminded of the benefits from exercise and activity to improve our daily life especially as we age; it therefore becomes increasingly more important for us to keep our bodies moving. Our mobility levels may change suddenly, we may have feelings of uncertainty, or our desire to remain socially interactive may decrease. These changes are common to many people and finding the courage to overcome this may seem impossible at times. Participating in a regular exercise group or activity enables us to adjust to changes of ourselves and others whilst receiving the rich rewards physically, socially and emotionally. Tai Chi brings residents together and creates feelings of wellbeing, involvement, participation, acceptance and a sense of belonging to all those who attend. Tai Chi is an “all inclusive” seated program, where residents are positioned together in a circle joining all equally as one group. Each resident brings something unique to the group “themselves”. Judith Forst, a regular attendee from one of our facilities said she remembered her first time coming along to Tai Chi. She said, “I felt safe, warm and comfortable to be with a group of caring people who accepted each other and shared each others company, and the interaction between the group was so special”. There are many physical benefits with Tai Chi, but the emotional and social acceptance builds you with strength. Other residents report to our Physio team daily of their own personal rewards by attending Tai Chi. There are many social and active groups available to all our residents and families looking for new friends. So come along and try Tai Chi if it is available at your facility and experience the wonderful enjoyment of sharing with others. - Megan Higgins, Physio Assistant
Volunteer Corner After the hectic rush of Christmas, January was a much quieter month at Southhaven, with many volunteers and families away on holiday. It was wonderful to have some new, young faces helping out with our Residents during their holidays. We are always so grateful for the energy and enthusiasm they bring and the residents appreciate the time spent with them. What a blessing they are to our facility! Our big annual event this year is to be a Spring Ball in October, instead of the Fair that we usually have. This is mainly because of the alterations being done to the facility affecting the space we have for the fair stalls, but the Ball will be a fabulous occasion for residents to get dressed up for an evening with their families around good food and music. Our Pastoral Care volunteers have begun a program of ongoing education to help them with their care and support of our residents. We have been privileged to have a few more carers join our team this year so that more residents can have the benefit of their time and love. And on the subject of education: the mandatory training for volunteers is scheduled for 27 March, 17 June and 22 October 2014. We look forward to a wonderful year together, serving the needs of our wonderful community at Southhaven. God Bless, Cathy Cathy Strachan, Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator 0435 814 411
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves� - James Barrie
Read, Rest & Relax! WHAT’S YOUR NAME AGAIN?
Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to playing cards a few times a week. One day when playing cards, one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get mad at me. I know we've been friends a long time, but I just can't think of your name. I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is." Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared. Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?
QUIZ: HOW OLD ARE YOU REALLY? From the following list of 25 items, count all the ones that you remember -- not the ones you were told about! How to score yourself is at the end. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Blackjack chewing gum Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar-water Candy cigarettes Soda-pop machines that dispensed bottles Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers 7. Party lines 8. Newsreels before the movie 9. P. F. Flyers 10. Butch wax 11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix
Super-simple Peach & Raspberry Tart
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds) • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 egg separated
• 2sheets frozen butter puff pas try, partially thawed • 2 medium peaches, halved, stones removed, cut into thick wedges • 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoon apricot jam, warmed, strained
• Vanilla ice-cream, to serve Serves 4
(e.g., Olive - 6933) 12. Peashooters 13. Howdy Doody 14. 45-RPM records ... and 78-RPM records 15. S&H Green Stamps 16. Hi-fi systems 17. Metal ice trays with lever 18. Mimeograph paper 19. Blue flashbulb If you remembered: 20. Packards 21. Rollerskate keys 0-5 = You're still young 6-10 = You are getting older 22. Cork popguns 23. Drive-in theaters 11-15 = Don't tell your age 24. Studebakers 16-25 = You're older than 25. Washtub wringers you think! 1. Preheat oven to 220°C/ 200°C fan-forced. Grease a large baking tray. Line with baking paper. 2. Combine almond meal, sugar and egg white.
3. Place pastry sheets on top of each other. Gently press to secure. Cut a 22c m round from pastry. Place round on prepared baking tray. Score a 19cm round in centre of larger round. Prick 19cm round all over with a fork. 4. Spread almond meal mixture over 19cm round. Top with peaches and raspberries . Brush pastry border with egg yolk. Bak e for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed and peaches are tender. Brush pea ches and raspberries with jam. Serve with ice-cream.
Word Search Find and circle all of the old TV shows that are hidden in the grid. The remaining letters spell the name of an additional old TV show.
ALICE BEN CASEY BEVERLY HILLBILLIES CHIPS CANNON CAPTAIN KANGAROO DOBIE GILLIS DONNA REED DR. KILDARE EMERGENCY FLIPPER
FLYING NUN FUGITIVE GOMER PYLE GOOD TIMES GREEN ACRES GREEN HORNET HOWDY DOODY I SPY IRONSIDE JETSONS KOJAK
L.A. LAW LASSIE LOVE BOAT MAD ABOUT YOU MAUDE MEDICAL CENTER MIAMI VICE MOD SQUAD MOONLIGHTING MURPHY BROWN
ODD COUPLE PEYTON PLACE RAWHIDE RIFLEMAN RIN TIN TIN SOAP ST. ELSEWHERE TAXI THREE'S COMPANY WALTONS
Summer Newsletter Puzzle Answer Scrambled Christmas Carol: Merry Christmas
Disclaimer: All photos and stories have been published with consent of relatives and residents involved. Thank you for your submissions.