Casa Mia Autumn 2016 Newsletter ~ Christadelphian Aged Care

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Christadelphian Aged Care A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R

CASA MIA

Address: 28 Alma Road, Padstow NSW, 2211

Come, said the leaves to the wind one day, Come o’er the meadows and we will play.

Put on your dresses

Scarlet and Gold For Summer is gone and the days grow cold.

- George Eliot nnn

“God makes everything beautiful in its time” Ecclesiastes 3:11

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Phone: (02) 8707 6010

Email: admin@chomes.com.au

Manager’s Message

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Welcome to Casa Mia

Happy New Year! I hope 2016 brings you all much happiness.

Finally, our community vegetable garden is underway. Our Residents have planted many vegetable seedlings. We are enjoying watching them grow and are looking forward to the crop!

Just a reminder that as the temperature starts to cool, we need to turn our attention to preparing for the flu season. You should have by now received the Flu Vaccine consent form. If you haven’t, please let us know and we will give you one. I have ordered the vaccines and we expect to take delivery of them in early March. If you haven’t already, please return your consent form ASAP. Just a reminder, if you are showing signs and symptoms of Influenza, we ask that you do not visit to help prevent the spread of infection.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Residents and their loved ones for their contribution to the Christmas Festivities. It was such a pleasure to see everyone enjoying themselves and each others’ company.

I have hired a new Chef, Rune Christiansen. Rune has a wealth of experience as a chef. His most recent position was on board a ship and he had been at sea for five years. Prior to that, Rune had been a Chef for an Aged Care Facility in the Coffs Harbour region. We are looking forward to his input.

I would also like to thank Paul for his hard work over the recent months relieving this position.

Recently, you may be aware that there had been a recall on lettuce. I would like to reassure you that we take these recalls seriously and always follow these recalls.

Please remember my door is always open and if there is anything you would like to discuss, I am more than happy to see you.

Regards, Sharon Fletcher

News & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH APRIL

MAY

7 John P

5 Carmen F

5 Thelma S

13 Vincent F

12 Paul G

7 Ronald D

22 Emily A

13 Thelma H

9 Berly S

22 Mervyn W

18 Doreen H

10 Lesley H

23 Eugene K

25 Iris H

11 Robert C

25 Gwen C

12 Robert W 21 Greta C

17th - St Patrick’s Day 25th-28th - Easter Weekend

APRIL 12th - Heather Honey Entertainer 25th - Anzac Day

MAY 8th - Mother’s Day 9th - Dominigue Sepe Entertainer

Happy Mother’s Day

MARCH

Activity Reviews CHRISTMAS This year we took a few residents out on the bus in the evening to see the Christmas Lights in the area. We had our traditional Christmas Lunch for the residents and their families and our resident choir sang carols - they had been practising for a few months. Dr Cameron played his bagpipes again, to the delight of the residents and Father Christmas came early to give out gifts. Our kitchen did a sterling job of catering for 200 people and everyone commented on the fabulous food.

MEN’S CLUB - BEER BREWING Over the last few months, the male residents of Casa Mia have participated in a variety of activities for Men’s Club. They helped build and paint a wooden model Christmas tree for the Home’s festive decorations, while the regular Men’s Club Movie Afternoon continues to be a success.

The latest major activity of Men’s Club has been a home beer brewing project. A DIY beer brewing kit (complete with all required equipment and instructions) was obtained by our resourceful Diversional Therapist - thanks Tara!. In late December, Men’s Club convened for the first stage of the brewing. The men observed as the brew can was emptied into the fermenter and helped maintain the correct temperature by adding cold and hot water as needed. Carlton then added yeast and the brew was left to ferment for a week. The fellows regularly reminded Sam to check the progress of the brew using the hydrometer and eagerly observed its changing colour and scent. On New Year’s Day, it was a nice amber hue and the time for b o t t l i n g h a d c o m e. M e n’s C l u b reconvened and the beer was tapped into 10 bottles and carbon drops were added. In another two weeks the brew should be ready and Casa Mia will have its own ‘home brewed beer’. The anticipation is evident as one resident remarked that he was “looking forward to a celebration beverage!”

Christmas Lunch Photos

Christmas Lunch Photos

Activity Reviews AUSTRALIA DAY - THONG THROWING We had a big crowd of residents outside for the annual Thong Throwing Competition for Australia Day. Each person took a turn to throw a bright yellow Australian thong and we encouraged them by using a staff member as a “target” to hit ☺. There was much hilarity and Robert was delighted to be the winner by throwing the longest distance.

COMMUNITY GARDEN IN THE DEMENTIA GARDEN Our Community Garden is slowing taking shape. Large raised beds have been delivered, filled with soil and seedlings have been planted by our residents. The Residents loved being involved, commenting on the smell of the soil and plants and working outside in the sunshine. We have started putting up trellises to grow climbing beans (which we would like the residents to propagate, before transplanting outside). We would also like to grow passion fruit vines over the garden fence and perhaps some strawberries on the veranda side of Lavender Fields. The idea is that the residents can pick fruit and veggies and enjoy them as they wander around the garden.

VALENTINE’S DAY We asked our resident’s: What do you love most in the world?

Carmel – “a special smile from somebody special” Lola – “I know my husband still loves me” Nancy – “A good old surprise” Gwen – “Elvis” Fay – “my husband” Maisie – “to have my 3 daughters with me”

Amy – “music” Robyn – “my family” John – “good health” Pat – “Men” Jack – “my family” Dr Cameron – “Entertaining these residents and seeing them smile”

Staff News & Changes ACTIVITY ASSISTANTS This year, we had 4 Activity Assistants, which are students from the Christadelphian community who work during the Christmas holidays.

Jasmin and Hannah were only with us for 2 weeks, but Rebecca and Erin got 6 weeks of fun with our residents. Rebecca said “Thank you for being welcoming! It was a joy working here”.

Erin said “Working at Casa Mia has been a great experience for me.

Although quite confronting at times, it is always amazing to see a resident smile after a one-on-one chat or after an activity. The staff are easy to work with and Making Lamingtons with the residents are always ready for a laugh. Bingo, Mr for Australia Day Whippy and Happy Hour is always a highlight and enjoyable for the residents”. <— Music in Thank you to them all for their time and talents Lavender Fields they shared with us.

GOODBYE SAM Sam started working at Casa Mia as an Activity Assistant and was so good with the residents we didn’t want to lose him. He stayed with us until he got a job in his field (Accounting) back in his home town of Adelaide. He was a key part of our Men’s Club and he is very much missed by the staff and the residents for his gentle manner, his willingness to do anything for anyone and his care for each resident.

We wish him everything of the best for future.

WELCOME CHERIE, OUR NEW HAIRDRESSER As hard as it always is to say goodbye to someone that was a part of the Casa Mia family for so long, it is always nice to welcome new fresh faces to the family. Cherie is our new hairdresser. Cherie is married to a lovely man Jamie and has 3 beautiful children, Katie, Joel and Koby and recently added to their family a gorgeous little puppy called Bella. Cherie hasn’t always been in the hairdressing industry. When she left school, she was in hairdressing for 10 years at 2 salons in Engadine and Cronulla, did part time work for a while and was a Physio Aide for 3 years at a nursing home in Sylvania called Moran.

Cherie says she loves working with the elderly and she really looks forward to coming to work. As well as her work life, Cherie loves reading books but most of all loves spending her free time with her family, whether it is watching them play sports of a weekend or just having family dinners together.

Recently, Cherie and her family went to America to watch her youngest son play baseball and says it was definitely her favourite trip. Cherie loved the atmosphere of over 30,000 people there watching a bunch of 12 year olds play baseball. She says it was so overwhelming and exciting and she was so happy to share it with her family. Cherie is one lovely lady who is always willing to have a chat and we welcome her with warm open arms to the Casa Mia family.

Resident Story - Robert Wood Robert was born in 1939 and lived in Kingsford with his parents, who originally moved to Australia from England in the 1920s. He was the youngest of three, with a brother in Sydney and a sister who has since moved to England. Robert left school at age 14 as he “did not enjoy academics” and started a job at Sydney Hospital collecting and distributing mail. He then worked in the building industry for a few years before starting a 5-year apprenticeship in engraving during his late teens. Having completed his apprenticeship, he started a job at a printer and this set the foundation for the next step in his career. He and his friend purchased a tattoo kit for fun and they soon became tattoo artists “by accident”, working from a backyard for 12 years!

During this time, Robert got married and had 3 children - his eldest, named Colin and identical twins Cheryl and Leanne!

In the fifties, Robert expanded his tattoo business and leased a shop in Bankstown Shopping Centre. He stayed there for 40 years, before retiring in the late nineties and still has many drawings he designed for his clients at home. He is also a big Elvis Presley fan and agrees with John Lennon that “before Elvis, there was nothing”.

Another passion of Robert’s over the past 30 years, has been model ship building. He has built 26 ships in great detail, ranging in size and the biggest is about 1.5m long. When he built “The Victory”, he travelled overseas and saw the original ship, came back and made alterations to ensure his model was as accurate as possible! Thanks to Robert for sharing his story!

SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER - Lonnie Edge We were very sad to say good-bye to Lonnie who has moved to the Central Coast and finding it difficult to get down to Casa Mia. Lonnie has been sharing her considerable piano playing talent with our Residents. Although she is an Australian, she lived in South Africa for many years and organised music and choirs for Aged Care there. When she retired and came back to Australia she missed her work and volunteered to come to Casa Mia to continue to share her love of music. Occasionally she would bring a singer or two with her and her choice of songs and music was always very popular. We hope she will be very happy in her new home and find others to entertain with her music.

Ageing is not loss, it is a time to add spiritual substance to the soul

International Year of Pulses 2016 The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2016 to be the International Year of Pulses (IYP).

IYP 2016 aims to raise public awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security and nutrition.

Pulses are an annual plant that is part of the legume family. They yield one to twelve grains or seeds of variable size, shape and colour within a pod, and are used for food for people and feed for animals. The term â&#x20AC;&#x153;pulsesâ&#x20AC;? is limited to crops which are mainly harvested solely for dry grain. The term excludes vegetable crops harvested green for food, crops used mainly for oil extraction, and leguminous crops that are used exclusively for sowing purposes.

Pulse crops such as lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas are a critical part of the general food basket.

Pulses are a vital source of plant-based proteins and amino acids for people around the globe.

They should be eaten as part of a healthy diet to address obesity, as well as to prevent and help manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary conditions and cancer.

Pulses are also an i m p o r t a n t s o u rc e o f plant-based protein for animals.

The pulse plant itself has nitrogen-fixing properties which can contribute to increasing soil fertility and have a positive impact on the environment.

The United National website at http://www.fao.org/ pulses-2016/en/ is to be the main platform to share information and relevant resources about pulses, including recipes from various countries around the globe.

love

1 John 3:18

Pastoral Care

Let us not with word or speech but with actions and in truth

AN EXTRA DOSE OF PATIENCE

Have you ever noticed the number of times we need to wait… and it’s the little things that require this. Like going to the doctor. If my appointment says 10am, I’m fairly certain I won’t be walking through his door at 10, usually it will be 10.15 or later. Or you wait for that tradesman who said he’d come at 2.00. For some, it’s no big issue. For me, it’s quite a challenge, as I get impatient. I am bound by times, which can often be frustrating.

There is a lot of waiting in life. What about when a woman is to give birth to her baby. No-one can tell the exact minute her child will be delivered. As children we wait to start school, and the little boy or girl looks forward to that first day of adventure. In fact, when you think about it for a moment, life is full of waiting. We wait to find our first job. We stop at the traffic lights, annoying when we’re in a hurry. We wait in line at the supermarket. And, if we’re honest, we dislike it. Patience is needed in life, but few virtues are harder to come by than patience. It’s a real struggle . Two of the great laws of life we must eventually learn are: 1) Many circumstances we have in life are uncontrollable 2) Things don’t always go as planned: – Life just doesn’t always go the way we want – Many things in life are beyond our control Especially 3 times in our life we need an extra dose of patience. Let’s take a look at them…

1. When circumstances are uncontrollable.

We like to be in control of everything that happens - relationships, work, circumstances. But that’s not really what happens. “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.” – George Bernard Shaw What we need to remember is that my circumstances do not define me.

When circumstances are uncontrollable, we often lose our peace. Much of life is beyond your control. You sit in gridlock traffic for hours and miss an important event. A couple keeps trying desperately for a baby, and it just isn’t happening. When these things - big or small - happen, we get frustrated and lose our peace of mind.

Did you know God has promised peace of mind, because it’s a fundamental need of your life. One of the Hebrew names of God is Jehovah Shalom. “Shalom” means peace. “Jehovah Shalom” means “I am the God of peace.” If God says, “I’m offering you a gift of peace,” he means it. It’s not something you work for. It’s not something you deserve. It’s not something you try for. You don’t beg for peace. You don’t plead for peace.

Isaiah 26:3-4 says “The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. So always trust the Lord because He is forever our mighty rock”. But here’s what Jesus says to us: “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT) 2. When people are unchangeable, we tend to lose our peace. People naturally resist change. And they resent it when we try to change them. The quickest way to lose our peace of mind is to try to change somebody else, because most people are just not going to change. We can’t change people – we can try to influence them. But that’s about all…

3. When problems are unexplainable, it’s easy to lose our peace.

We know that life is not fair. But who told us it would be ? A lot about life doesn’t make sense. Not everybody has a happy ending. Things don’t always turn out right. That’s when we need a special dose of patience.

4. What makes it more difficult is that we are not always going to know why. And when we don’t know why, we tend to get anxious, nervous, and stressed, and we lose our peace.

God has promised peace of mind, because it’s a fundamental need of your life. One of the Hebrew names of God is Jehovah Shalom.

“Shalom” means peace. “Jehovah Shalom” means “I am the God of peace.” If God says, “I’m offering you a gift of peace,” he means it. It’s not something you work for. It’s not something you deserve. It’s not something you try for. You don’t beg for peace. You don’t plead for peace.

Peace has nothing to do with problem-free living. It is simply a gift that you must accept, and it’s available to you today. - By Chris Witts

Bereavements

Our deepest sympathies have gone out to the families who have lost their loved ones over the Summer period.

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Read, Rest & Relax!

I'm the life of the party - even if it lasts until 8 pm.

I'm very good at opening childproof caps - with a hammer.

I'm usually interested in going home before I get to where I am going.

I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a thing you're saying.

I'm very good at telling stories; over and over and over and over…..

I'm not really grouchy, I just don't like traffic, waiting, crowds, lawyers, loud music, unruly kids, barking dogs, politicians and a few other things I can't seem to remember right now.

7. I'm wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that's just my left leg.

8. I'm sure they are making adults much younger these days, and when did they let kids become policemen? And, how can my kids be older than I feel sometimes?

9. I'm wondering, if you're only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?

10. I'm a walking storeroom of facts - I've just lost the key to the storeroom door.

Yes, I'm a SENIOR CITIZEN and I think I am having the time of my life.

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Anzac Slice

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats • 2/3 cup raw caster sugar • 2/3 cup desiccated coconut • 125g butter, chopped • 2 tablespoons golden syrup • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Makes 15 Pieces HISTORY: Anzac biscuits were developed for soldiers in World War I. Oats were chosen because of their high nutritional value and other ingredients for long shelflife properties. For crunchier biscuits allow to cool on the tray. For chewier ones remove from tray and place on a wire rack to cool. You can store biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan-forced. Grease an 18cm x 28cm (base) slice pan. Line with baking paper, extending paper 2cm from edge of pan.

2. Combine flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Place butter, syrup and 2 tablespoons cold water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until butter has melted.

Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Stir butter mixture into oat mixture.

3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using the back of a spoon, press mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Cool completely in pan.

Cut into pieces. Serve.

CROSSWORD He is not here. He has risen!

Words taken from John 20:1-18 (NIV)

Disclaimer: All photos and stories have been published with consent of relatives and residents involved. Thank you for your submissions.