2 0 1 5
Christadelphian Aged Care A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R
MARANATHA Address: 1582 Anzac Avenue, Kallangur QLD 4503
z
Phone: (07) 3482 5333
Email: admin@chomes.com.au
Managers Message
z
Welcome to Maranatha
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
Life at Maranatha over the summer months been marked by the changes that we have become accustomed to since the building renovations began in March 2014. Back in February 2000 when I first began working at Maranatha, the pace of life here was more sedate. Changes, when they occurred were occasional, well advertised, widely discussed and welcomed as an interesting diversion in the day to day lives of staff and residents alike. Since those days the winds of change have been gathering strength and could now be seen as reaching gale force! We have had newly renovated rooms opened, new areas created, new furniture purchased, new colour schemes created and we have welcomed new residents and staff members. We could almost think that change has become the only constant! The concept and reality of rapid and relentless change is a relatively modern phenomenon. In the lives of Maranatha residents most of whom were born in the period between the wars (WWI & WWII that is!) change was something that commonly happened in the context of years, not in the time frame of days and sometimes minutes that we now experience. Some of us will remember the book “Future Shock” that was popular in the 1980s. It described the acceleration of change in our modern world and how that impacted on our lives. In retrospect the pace of change in the 80s seems tame in comparison with the world today. Few things seem stable and durable, from governments and international boarders to the latest electronic invention or fashion trend. We live in a world where the kaleidoscope of life can be turned and in the blink of an eye and building blocks of our societies fall into a different and unfamiliar pattern. It seems that change, like death and taxes are the fundamental certainties of life in the 21st century. However I believe that the King Solomon, widely acknowledged as one of the wisest men to walk our Earth, challenges that perception when he records in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” So change is only superficial, a perception rather than a reality. Certainly our world may have a different appearance, it may seem an unfamiliar place but the fundamentals of our lives remain. Nothing is really new. We continue to laugh, experience gladness or sorrow, hope and joy, pain and suffering, hardship and comfort but most of all, not matter what our experiences and the changes to our external world we experience the ability to give and receive love. At Maranatha we continue to face a period of disruption and as we enter this new Autumn season we can fear and even regret the changes that the next months will bring or we can see them for what they really are, passing events which against the context of our real lives are less significant. Imagine if we could focus on the things of timeless importance which have remained constant since the creation of time. Then we could find reassurance and contentment but most of all we could find a haven of love in this sometimes chaotic and uncertain world. I guess the choice ours! Regards, Kathy Hallmark
Birthdays & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH
APRIL
MAY
Maranatha Choir practices every week on Thursdays
1 Arthur W
5 Robert L
2 Bev C
4 Bobby M
10 Merle F
3 Gertie D
5 Peggy E
16 Gerald P
11 Margot S
5 Mary H
18 Christine R
13 Marjorie G
7 Wal J
18 Agnes C
14 Annie T
10 Wendy P
19 Graham W
16 Jean T
28 Jean B
23 Robert C
17 Betty C
28 Phyllis W
24 Daphne F
22 Ailsa B
26 Ronald G
23 Lorna C
28 Joy G
23 Peter D
APRIL
30 Daphne S
24 Betty H
2nd – Easter Celebrations 9th – Play Group 10th – Birthday Party 24th – Anzac Remembrance 27th – TAFI Shoes 29th – Resident & Family Meeting
30 Kitty J 31 Myrie W
Help Needed In June (God Willing) Maranatha will be holding a Bridal Parade – we are looking for dresses and models. Please contact Anne with details if you can assist in one or both off these areas. aforster@chomes.com.au Ph – 3482 5333 (Monday, Tuesday & Friday)
MARCH 6th – Birthday Party 10th – Ye Old Brass Band Concert 12th - Kids Play Group 15th – Christadelphian Choir 25th – Resident & Family Meeting 27th – Coach Trip (Caboolture Historical Village) 31st – Henny Penny Chickens arrive
MAY 1st – Birthday Party 8th – Mothers Day High Morning Tea 9th – Car Boot/Garage/ /Trash and Treasure Sale Organised by the fundraising committee. Bookings are necessary and are made through Dawn Middlecoat or Ailsa Pittaway 14th – Playgroup 15th – Autumn Ball - Ceilidh 22nd – Coach Trip
Maranatha News Welcome! 2015 has seen the employment of 2 new staff members Joe and Adam – Joe is the Maintenance man and Adam is predominately Gardening but helping Joe should the need arise.
“Thank you so much for a warm welcome. I am so excited that I have been given such an amazing opportunity to work with the staff and residents. I feel very much at home and I love the family feel and the strong sense of community at Maranatha. I strongly believe in giving 110% and I am here to assist anyone that may need my help. So if there is anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.” - Adam We have given you a photo of Joe’s back just to help you recognise him as he has been so busy he has been running everywhere ☺ “Hi everyone my name is Joe. I have come to the Maranatha Family as your new maintenance man. This is an exciting new chapter in my life and I am looking forward to getting to know you all. I moved to Australia from bonnie Scotland 4½ years ago with my wife and 3 children. I am a fully qualified carpenter, very friendly and always happy to help in anyway I can. I am looking forward to many good years working at Maranatha.” - Joe
ACTIVITY ASSISTANT PROGRAM It was once said “youth is a wonderful thing – such a shame it is wasted on the children!” All jokes aside, recent research (biologist Chun-Fang Wu of the University of Iowa) suggests that this youthful energy may not be “wasted” after all. Through social interaction alone, the young can actually pass on some of their energy, improving cognitive abilities, vascular health not to mention technical knowledge. Over the holiday period, Maranatha was blessed by the presence of two such youths through the Activity Assistant program run and funded by CAC – Michael and Sara. Under the direction of the Diversional Therapy team they both had opportunities to assist the residents in activities, walking, one on one chats and music – and in return the residents shared with them their talents, resources, life stories and history.
Activity Reviews DECEMBER Well 2014 is over and 2015 has begun… The man in the red suit hadn’t even finished packing up the trees, tinsel, baubles and wrapping paper (with the help of the Joan, Nancy and Cindy) when the residents of Maranatha starting singing out the old year and welcoming in the new. 2014 has seen some changes in Maranatha with the refurbishing taking place throughout the facility. It was in one of those refurbished areas “Sunnyside” that our celebrations took place.
JANUARY Australia Day is the official national day of Australia – marking the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson, NSW. Today we also celebrate Australia’s diversity – by joining together and remembering the joys and friendships we have made and will make in the future. Eating, drinking and singing with friends, in fact we had such a great Australia Day, it became Australia Week so the fun could continue.
Activity Reviews FEBRUARY On Valentine’s Day we think of those who have made our lives worthwhile, those we treasure and those that are special. “The best part of the day…. The part when you and me become We” - Winnie the Pooh
Love is a splendid thing…
Alec and Lee Eden have just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They were married in Brisbane on 21st January 1950. During those years they have raised seven children and now have many grandchildren, great grandchildren and even a great, great grandson. Alec and Lee have had a busy life with work and raising their family and yet always found time to enjoy the occasional old time dance and then spent many years playing golf together in their retirement. The love they have for each other and their family continues to give them much happiness on their beautiful journey together. (We thank Robyn and Di for this peek into their lives)
Activity Reviews MUSIC THERAPY “Music expresses that which cannot remain silent and that which cannot be put into words” - Victor Hugo Music is used to actively support people as they strive to improve their health, functioning and wellbeing. It addresses the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals. The treatment includes creating, singing and moving to the music and provides avenues for communication especially for those who have trouble with words. Music can access people’s pasts, triggering short and long-term memory, helping them to renew old memories. Music therapy plays a huge part at Maranatha with “Wayne’s World” every Wednesday afternoon, as well as his hour in the Dementia specific unit each week. Wayne sometimes is supported in his music by volunteers Anthony and John (who also entertains the residents with karaoke sessions) We have singing in the Sunshine Group, as well as our monthly – “Sing-aLongs with Dawn and Audrey” these two wonderful volunteers have been supporting the residents of Maranatha through music for many, many years in fact Dawn started the Sing-a-longs in 1983. The Friendship Groups singing also relies on Audrey’s piano playing. The Christadelphian’s Children’s choir, and recently we have had the introduction of the “Maranatha Choir” with both hostel residents and ILU residents joining in song every Thursday with the help of Glenys at the piano. We would like to thank all those you bring to life the memories of the residents of Maranatha.
Resident Story - Joan Tribe
Joan Winifred Tribe was born in Hampton in Middlesex in England on 7th November, 1992 to Nellie and Alfred Vennard. She had 2 sisters, Irene and Marjorie but they are now deceased. Joan used to play piano for her school assemblies. She won many trophies for running races that were in the school foyer. Joan married Robert William Tribe in 1945. My father used to see Joan riding her bike to work and one day stopped to ask the time…the rest is history. At their wedding a ray of sunshine fell on my parents while at the altar, they immigrated to Australia on the Orion after being given a free ticket by my great grandmother. They stayed in a bungalow in Melbourne until father built our house in South Kingsville. He and his friends all pitched in and built each other’s houses. Wayne and Sandra (twins) were born, Sandra had a dislocated hip and wore a calliper for some time. Mum did accounting work at Dickies Towels Pty Ltd. We lived in different areas in Melbourne and my parents owned a Milk Bar at Carrum, then we lived at Frankston where Wayne and Sandra began primary school. Mum and Dad went to many dances and often and luckily we two children went, and ended up sleeping on benches and being carried to the car. They were great nights. We used to visit many friends and all the families had pianos and we had sing-a-longs. Our lives were full of music. Mum used to play tennis with the girls and had a lot to do with raising money for the local community centre. We shifted up to Queensland to Redcliffe when we were 12 years of age and started high school. Mum did accounting work at AMP in Brisbane. Mum also enjoyed going to morning teas with our neighbour’s wives. Sandra passed away with Multiple Sclerosis in 1999. My parents were devastated. Sandra had been an Ansett Airlines air-hostess after she left school. Mum and Dad moved to Adelaide for 3 years because of Dad’s work, but they came back to Brisbane where Dad worked at Royal Brisbane Hospital until he retired. They lived in 2 retirement villages – Golden Downs at Carseldine and Village Life at Caboolture. Then they lived at Sandgate. But mum had a fall and being my father’s carer they moved to Pilgrim Nursing Home in Kallangur. I would take them to Maranatha to view my weekly music programmes and they were invited to live at Maranatha which they did and were always grateful for going into a loving Christian nursing home. My father passed away 3 years ago aged 89 years… At 92 years, mum continues to enjoy attending all the activities especially self-expression such as craft and painting pictures. Mum attends all music session in Sunnyside and A wing concerts. She still goes shopping and frequent drives with Wayne around North Lakes and the Redcliffe Peninsula. Mum loves flowers – always commenting on the flower gardens around Maranatha and Pauline’s front garden with its variety of flowers and colours. A verse for my Mum Mum, I loved you yesterday, I will love you tomorrow and everyday. You were there for me my first day of school, to hold my hand and give me courage to go. You listened to me when I needed to talk, you talked to me when I needed to listen. You let me grow and learn from my mistakes. You never left my side when I was feeling down, I always knew you would be there to pick me up. I wish there was a way I could repay all the things you have done for me, but there’s nothing great enough to repay the greatest mother of all. LOVE YOU MUM xx Story and Verse by Wayne Tribe, son of Joan Tribe
In Loving Memory
Grace Smith
Eric Shipley
Dulcie Mathews
Kevin Mc Laughlin
Eunice Phillips
23/05/1923 – 09/12/2014
26/11/1926 – 12/12/2014
13/06/1922 – 13/12/2014
Ben Knottenbeld
Joe Holland
John Stirling
15/08/1927 – 05/01/2015
9/3/1925 – 10/1/2015
16/6/1933 – 13/1/2015
22/6/1927 – 25/12/2014
18/3/1923 – 15/1/2015
Though their smiles are gone forever And their hands we can not touch We still have so many memories Of the one we loved so much
Phyllis Ekert
1 3/3/1929 – 1/2/2015
Kitty Clacher
26/8/1928 – 20/2/2015
Their Memories are now our keepsakes Which with we’ll never part God has them in his book But we have them in our heart Sadly missed but never forgotten.
Pastoral Care THE 10 COMMANDMENTS The 10 Commandments. What are they? Most people have probably heard of them, either from Sunday School or church days, or recall the 1956 film "The Ten Commandments", the Cecil B deMill spectacular motion picture, the account of liberation from slavery of the Hebrew people, led by Moses. But today how many people can recite the 10 Commandments? Are they still relevant today? Are they a relic from the past? One of the problems with the 10 Commandments is we see them as a list of "do's and don'ts". Are they a list of infringements and restrictions? Is God a divine tyrant who issued a list of rules to keep an eye on us? No - nothing could be further from the truth. They were not given by a God to satisfy His need to manipulate our lives‌ they are statements of principle which give an expression to an idea. They were first addressed to the people of Israel as they left Egyptian slavery, and moved out into freedom as a community under God. That's why He issued the rules - they moved out of bondage into servanthood of God's rule. They had changed masters ..no longer under slavery of Pharaoh. And the living God wanted to give them some principles of behaviour to help them. It was an attempt to express what a community under God looks like. That's why the Ten Commandments have a dual focus - relationship with God and with our fellow human beings. The people of Israel started to learn about God as a loving God who wanted them to be free .. and that's the wonderful message about these rules. They are designed for our freedom and happiness. They provide some security ..But there's more to it than that. God's Ten Commandments bring order to our world, in any generation. They are not just a set of out-dated laws for a former generation. They are still relevant for us today. After all, what is the basis of morality? Who can be sure of what is right and what is wrong? There are lots of opinions on these big issues ..Thousands of years ago, God gave man a plan for order within society, a plan for mortality and ethics that would guide mankind down through the centuries. They are His ideas, not the prejudices of man, or based on the latest popularity polls or what a particular government wants. It's what God wants. The basis of the Ten Commandments is God Himself, and if taken seriously, they work. They work because He knows man, and knows what we need to live a fulfilled and orderly life. When Moses came down off Mt Sinai, we read in Exodus 20 "He told the people what the Lord has said. God said to the people of Israel I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Our deepest sympathies have Egypt where you were slaves" (1-2). They are true statements, the gone out to the families who basic laws that govern our lives and our society. They show us how have lost their loved ones over to live together in love, joy and peace. It's wonderful to know God the Summer period. loves us so much He speaks to us. Despite our rejection, and rebellion, God cares for us. He has communicated with us, telling us how to live. He spoke and gave the law to man .. God did not leave man in the dark, wondering how he is to live. We don't have to stumble around in the dark groping after truth, wondering how we can bring reconciliation to the world, wondering how to please God. So, more than just speaking to Moses, he saw fit to pass on His law written down for man. He has communicated the 10 nnn Commandments, so we will always know how to live with Him and with others. - By Chris Witts
Bereavements
Read, Rest & Relax! SENIOR JOKES
An elderly man was having hearing problems and went to see a specialist. The doctor fitted him with some hearing aids that brought his hearing back to full strength. After a few weeks, the man came back to make sure the new equipment was working properly, which it was. The hearing specialist said, “It all seems perfect. Your family should be delighted you can hear everything now.” “Oh no,” the man responded. “I haven’t told any of them. I just sit quietly, listening carefully. I’ve changed my will four times.”
EXERCISES FOR OVER 50S • Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. • With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. • Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. • Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. • After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
sides
Hot Cross Muffins • 135g dried cranberries • 1 cup currants • 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 2/3 cup sunflower oil • 1 cup buttermilk • 2 eggs • 200g caster sugar, plus extra 2 tablespoons • 80g icing sugar • 1 teaspoon lemon juice Makes 12
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12hole muffin tray and line with paper cases.
2. Soak dried fruit in just enough boiling water to cover for 10 minutes. Drain well, then pat dry with paper towel.
3. Sift the flour, soda and spices into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs and sugar until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently stir in the fruit. Divide the mixture among muffin cases, then bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, place the extra 2 tablespoons sugar in a pan with 2 tablespoons water and simmer over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Brush the glaze over the muffins.
5. Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add lemon juice and just enough hot water to make a thick, pipable icing. Use a piping bag or drizzle from a spoon to draw a cross on each muffin, then serve.
Word Search Find and circle all of the words relating to Easter that are hidden in the grid.
Disclaimer: All photos and stories have been published with consent of relatives and residents involved. Thank you for your submissions.