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Christadelphian Aged Care A U T U M N N E W S L E T T E R
RIDGEVIEW Address: 95 Daintree Drive, Albion Park NSW 2527
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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
Phone: (02) 4235 7600 Email: admin@chomes.com.au
Manager’s Message
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Welcome to Ridgeview Dear Residents and Families, I would firstly like to thank all the Residents and Family members for their support over the past 3 months while I have settled into Ridgeview Aged Care as the Facility Manager. We have had some significant changes over this time starting with a change in the management team and the management structure. Karen Fleming was recently appointed as the Care Manager at Ridgeview Aged Care and we are privileged to have someone with her extensive experience in the Aged Care Sector assisting me in ensuring we are meeting the needs of the Residents and their families. The Clinical management team, now called the Care and Compliance Team, has been restructured to ensure that we are focussing on a more proactive approach to the provision of care and ensuring compliance with care requirements. This team will commence coordinating more family meetings so we can identify from you things we are doing well and things we can improve and we encourage you to contact us to arrange a conference with the Care and Compliance Team. Karlene Hlis who you would all know well has expanded her role and is assisting the management team in ensuring the corporate requirements of the site are being met. Sunny Peiris recently joined the Ridgeview Team as the Diversional Therapist, overseeing our Leisure and Lifestyle program at the site. This has provided us the ability to review our current programs, expanding our options and developing new look calendars. Feedback regarding the programs we offer and how we can expand on our current programs is greatly appreciated, so please do not hesitate to let us know if you have some ideas. We have commenced a number of new initiatives at the site and you would have seen some changes to the way in which we are approaching care of our residents and we are constantly reviewing and refining processes to ensure that we are providing quality care to our residents. The summer was a lovely one, although the heat was at times a little stifling. We had many a BBQ , and we had a lovely Christmas party which was attended by our CEO, Ross Peden where we officially opened the Tranquillity Garden in the Sunshine area for our Dementia residents. The staff dedicated many hours to developing the garden and we were graced with two baby doves who were living in the tree and who looked on while Ross cut the ribbon. It was a beautiful day and I have had lots of lovely feedback from family and friends regarding the day, so a big thank you to all the staff and volunteers who assisted. Please do come and have a look at the garden, the Tranquillity Garden sign will be erected over the next couple of weeks. continued over page
Manager’s Message continued
You would have noticed the commencement of many improvements at the site. Through the positive and creative feedback we receive, this allows us to plan and to continually review what we do. Thank you to all who have assisted us in our Continuous Improvement process. Please continue to provide us with the constructive feedback. Suggestion Improvement forms are located throughout the home and at reception. These can be handed to reception or placed in the secure box on the door of the office in the foyer. You would have noticed many new staff faces around over the last couple of months as we have successfully filled all our Registered Nurse and Care Staff vacancies. With this will come the need for extra support from the Management Team as our new team comes together. This has given us the ability to review the culture of the staff and make some changes in the way we approach our day to day operations. We have introduced the STAR awards, Staff Thank You and Recognition Awards To ensure that we are recognising staff for the contribution they make to the workplace. We all like to be acknowledged for the hard work that we do and sometimes management do not get to see the hard work carried out by the quiet achievers who deserve to be recognised. If you experience one of these moments you should take the time to let us know. I look forward to what 2016 will bring and look forward to hearing about ways we can make things better at the site, but also things which are working well. Regards, Michelle Murphy
UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
9 Eliza Karagianakis
4 Mavis Tiyce
10 Vasna Panov
11 Doreen Collison
12 Robert Gray
9 Marko Vidovic
12 Clarice McKee
3 Conrnelia Van Dongen 10 Edward Jobson
14 Leslie Bush
19 Christine Snider
11 Heather Duff
16 Connie Harvey
27 Joseph Marley
14 Mary (Peggy) Edgar
21 Patricia Moran
19 Margaret Richardson
14 John Lee
3 Leila Smith 5 Norma Smith 5
5 Tomislav Jovanovski
23 Winifred Ackroyd 5 Kevin Street
14 Audrey O’Donnell
24 Muriel Deem
20 Doris Wilby
15 Jean Connell
29 Jasper Tulloch
13 Ruth Tootell
16 Frieda Schwarz
6 Anne O’Reilly
19 Reshty Sultana
15 Marjorie Peirce
20 Dientje Hendricks 28 Edgar Miller
7th - Resident & Relative Meeting 8th - Probus Men’s Choir 17th - Happy Beats St Patrick’s Day Concert 21st - Ridgeview Choir 24th - Easter Morning Tea 25th - Good Friday 27th - Easter Sunday 28th - Easter Monday
APRIL
1st-11th - Senior’s Week 4th - Resident & Relative Meeting 21st - Silver Bells Concert 22nd - Anzac Day Service 25th - Anzac Day 27th - Happy Hour with Stan Ellis
MAY
2nd - Resident & Relative Meeting 6th - Mother’s Day High Tea 12th - Nurses & Volunteer BBQ and visit from Mr Whippy to celebrate International Nurses Day & Volunteer Week 19th - Happy Beats Concert 25th - Happy Hour with Swingaleles
Activity Reviews Over the past 3 months, the residents from Ridgeview have been busy attending various events and celebrations.
RIDGEVIEW FAMILY FUN DAY Summer was kicked off with the Ridgeview Family Fun Day, which was immensely enjoyed by our residents, families, staff and our local community. Everyone was entertained by the very talented Baringa Christadelphian Band in our lovely courtyard. Our cake and craft stall was a huge success, where many people delighted in a huge variety of sweet treats and colourful, creative handmade artistries. At the Costume Photo Booth, residents had not only the opportunity to take happy snaps with their families and Santa but dress up in a character. Also, our Face Painting Booth proved popular for the young and ‘young at heart’. The sausage sizzle was a huge success, thanks to our dedicated volunteers.
TRANQUILITY GARDEN The Family Fun Day was not just a fun day but the official opening day of the Tranquility Garden, located in Sunshine. We would like to give a huge thank you to Michelle Bonner for all her hard work and dedication for organising the day and for raising a huge $2,500. A special thank you to Michelle Murphy and Vikki Wilesmith for their dedication and hard work on bringing the Tranquility Garden to fruition. To our dedicated volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly leading up to and during the day, THANK YOU!
CHRISTMAS December was also a month to enjoy season festivities. Sunshine, Sapphire and Amethyst, celebrated Christmas with a High Tea, themed to each of the wings. Residents each enjoyed a variety of sweet and savoury treats created by our very talented Kitchen Staff. The entertainers brought plenty of music and joy to these special events. To end the day, there was a special visit from Santa bearing a special Christmas gift for all and many winners from the yearly Christmas Raffle. A special thank you to the RAO team and all the staff and volunteers who helped make the Christmas High Teas a memorable and enjoyable day. A special thanks to Kim Lillie for her hard work on organising the raffle and everyone who contributed towards it. A big thank you to the Kitchen Staff for putting on such a delicious and decadent spread. The residents in Sapphire and Amethyst have enjoyed a variety of in-house activities, themed around the festivities. The festive season flowed into our arts and craft sessions, giving our residents an opportunity to be creative and get into the Christmas spirit by making a variety of arts and crafts which were given as gifts or used as decorations. Well done on your great work Ridgeview Artists! The Christmas Lights Bus Tour was thoroughly enjoyed by all those who attended. Residents had the opportunity to sing carols, and to gaze at all the beautifully lit Christmas lights, in local community neighbourhoods. Residents also had the opportunity to be special guests at the local school and pre-school Christmas concerts and morning tea. Ridgeview also had the chance to shop for Christmas decorations and gifts at a local stall. Sapphire and Amethyst residents also enjoyed Carols by Sunlight in their cozy lounges to feel and spread Christmas cheer.
Family Fun Day photos
Family Fun Day photos
Activity Reviews MUSIC Music is an activity embraced by many at Ridgeview, especially when you have the volunteer Ukulele Singers, singing golden great’s bringing back happy memories. Everyone is a star at Ridgeview Choir. Our Residents have enjoyed attending Choir with our volunteer Lyn, singing their favourite songs together in harmony. Thank you Ridgeview Choir for bringing music into our hearts. For our dancing fans, we have been fortunate to have the Silver Bell Tappers and Shoalhaven Shufflers entertain us like the Golden Days of Hollywood and we look forward to see them tapping in 2016. Entertainer Suzie J, had everyone singing, tapping their feet or fingers, at her music concert. Many residents commended her so much, that by popular demand Susie J will be returning after Easter.
OUTINGS Ridgeview residents have enjoyed bus outings to Bunnings for a DIY workshop where residents had a chance to creative decorative pots to place a plant of their choice, kindly donated by Bunnings and morning tea. Fish n Chips was on the menu for a special lunch outing and was most enjoyed by everyone who attended. Sapphire and Amethyst residents have continued to enjoy our scenic drives to Kiama, Jamberoo and Wollongong. A special thank you to our volunteer driver Wayne who has dedicated so much of his time for our bus trips. Australia Day was celebrated with afternoon tea and trivia which the residents enjoyed in the decorated sunny courtyard.
EXERCISE & WELLNESS Ridgeview has introduced a Wellness Spa and ‘Mindfulness Moves’ program to promote total wellbeing. Sapphire residents have experienced gentle hand massage with surrounding spa music for an all-out relaxation experience. Enthusiastic ‘Mindful Movers’ attending the Mindfulness Moves class have enjoyed experiencing a conscious awareness of their mind, body and soul in Amethyst to promote not just gentle body movements but a sense of peacefulness and calmness of the mind. Our walking and Tai Chi group has assisted many of our residents maintain a sense of wellness, providing opportunities for our residents to not only benefit from exercise but get outdoors into the fresh air and soak up some Vitamin D from the gentle sunshine in the mornings.
Activity Reviews IN HOUSE ACTIVITIES A sense of togetherness and fun is found at our Ladies High Tea as well as Beer n Bowls. Meanwhile, the Armchair Travel event has taken residents to Scotland and Paris. These activities have given our residents the chance to enjoy each other’s company, reminisce and just have fun. Our wonderful kitchen have always provided a variety of delights to suit these events. Our Birthday Afternoon Tea is an exceptional event held each month to celebrate our resident’s special day, with a birthday cake and lots of birthday wishes and cheer. Ridgeview residents and staff were also involved in community fundraising for Camp Quality by attending a sausage sizzle. Thank you to all the residents, volunteers and staff for supporting such a great cause. There will be plenty of entertainment coming up - Bingo and all your favourite activities, as well as some new ones for 2016, focused around wellness. We are also planning random pop-up activities on a weekend. The Leisure and Lifestyle Team are excited to bring these activities to you to promote enjoyment, meaning and sense of wellbeing.
SUNSHINE ACTIVITIES We hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year. As we embark on the year ahead, we have been developing a new program for 2016. The focus of our new program will be physical, cognitive and spiritual wellbeing. The day will start with the Sunshine Program, where residents will have time in our new Tranquillity Garden to read a newspaper, hang out washing, sweep the path or just sit in the morning sun, listening to the sound of the water features. The Tranquillity Garden is themed to reflect a small back yard, with a painted mural of a shed, clothesline and garden. Inclusions such as a garden hose and reel, door handle, latches and locks, a clothesline and pegs for hanging light items, brooms, mop and bucket allow for interactive engagement in familiar daily activities. If you haven’t had a chance to see the garden yet, pop in and have a look. Art, Music or Reminiscence therapy will provide opportunity for creativity, self-expression and sharing of past experiences. Each month there will a theme to assist with achieving this. During February, being symbolic with Valentine Day, we have had fun making hearts, painting and dancing to some wonderful old love songs. Our favourites were ‘A daisy a day dear’ and ‘When you were sweet sixteen’. Best wishes and cheers for now, Vikki - Sunshine RAO
Christmas Photos
Resident Story - Dennis Cook Dennis Cook was born in Corrimal and is the eldest of six siblings. Dennis was raised by his Grandparents and lived with them until he got married. Dennis’s father was a coal miner and worked locally, while his mother was a housewife. Dennis’s Grandfather worked in Metal Manufacturing. Dennis left school at the age of 15 years and worked in various jobs including metal manufacturing and also at David Jones. Dennis got married to Glenda in 1960 in Bulli. Dennis and Glenda met at a social dance in Thirroul. Dennis remembers how beautiful she looked, wearing a white dress with blue motifs, dancing to good old rockn-rolls songs together. Dennis believes he got married to the most beautiful woman in the world. Dennis and Glenda have had a long marriage, having been married for 56 years. After Dennis & Glenda got married, they had 2 children; a son and daughter. They have also are blessed with 6 grandchildren. Dennis and Glenda have travelled a lot to Asia, seeing countries such as China, Hong Kong and Singapore. They have also travelled together as a family around Australia. Dennis recollects a very special memory when the children were young. During the school holidays, the family would pack the car with the tent. Then Dennis would ask the children “Which way should be go?” Each holiday the kids would point to different directions and Dennis would drive in the direction they pointed to. Along the way, Dennis and his family would have good old Australian sing-alongs on their road trip to an unknown destination. Dennis’s past activities include playing rugby league for Corrimal Cougars as a front rower. Dennis has also spent many years volunteering for Warrigal Care and has been involved in many fundraising projects. Dennis moved to Ridgeview, Albion Park in October 2015. Here at Ridgeview, Dennis likes to play bingo and cards. Dennis is warm, friendly and witty gentleman who is adored by so many people. Dennis’s quote is “I’ve lived a full life”.
The History of the Grandmother Clock The Grandmother Elliot Clock is of solid timber cedar cased antique and the chimes are called Whittington/Westminster – overall height 73 inches. The clock was purchased from Fairfax and Roberts of Sydney, circa 1920 and installed in the Roberts family home at Chatswood, Sydney NSW. In the 1970’s, the Roberts family moved it to Kiera Street, Wollongong where the clock was again installed. In the 1980’s, Mrs Jean Roberts moved to Belmont Road, Dapto NSW and the clock was installed at this address. Mrs Roberts was admitted to the ‘Christadelphian Aged Care’ Albion Park, NSW in October 2015 - it was her wish the Grandmother Clock be donated to the home to be shared by all residents and staff and the clock once again has a new home, being installed in January 2016. Ridgeview Aged Care would like to thank Jean and her family for donating this historical Grandmother Clock. The residents and staff welcome this feature that has an amazing story behind it.
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 “pulses� 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.
Staff Profile - Dianne Ostermeyer Hi my name is Dianne Ostermeyer and I have been at Ridgeview Aged Care for 12 months. I am passionate about helping others especially the residents, families, staff and volunteers at Ridgeview Aged Care, where I can make a difference. I have three children and one gorgeous baby granddaughter I absolutely adore. My family and my dog Molly (who is turning 20 this year) bring me so much joy and I love spending time with them. I also enjoy spending time and relaxing with my friends, catching up over dinner and a good glass of wine. I also enjoy watching movies, music and shopping. I can be found at the reception area so feel free to come over and say hi.
Physiotherapy Corner ALLIED HEALTH We are pleased to announce the establishment of Ridgeview’s expanding Allied Health team: Kath Castles (Allied Health Assistant), Keryn Johnson (Physiotherapist), Kate Thomas (Physiotherapy Registered Nurse) and Hayley van der Jagt (Occupational Therapist). We are all very excited to be working with both residents and staff closely to assist in engaging residents in activities that are important and meaningful to them and to assist in reaching their goals. The Allied Health team at Ridgeview, as well as the support of Ridgeview’s Facility Management are proud to announce the opening of the “Wellness Centre”. This is available for all residents to utilise within Ridgeview. This is where most allied health treatments take place, including pain clinics, one on one functional retraining programs and group exercises. The Wellness Centre is located in Sapphire (upstairs), where the internet café and sports lounge previously was. At Ridgeview’s ‘Family Day’ in December 2015, residents, visitors, staff and volunteers raised $2500, which Ridgeview is pleased to announce will be going towards the opening of the Wellness Centre and the purchasing of equipment to set this up. This is already under way. The Allied Health team are very grateful for everyone’s contributions to make this possible. Ridgeview Allied Health Department current programs are as follows: Staying Active Pain Clinic Staying Active Pain Clinic Pain Clinic Staying Active
Monday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9am 9am-4.30pm 9am 9am-4.30pm 9am-4.30pm 9am
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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Volunteer Christmas photos
This is a Keeper I grew up with practical parents. A mother who washed aluminium foil after she cooked in it, then reused it! She was the original recycle queen before they had a name for it. A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now - Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mum in a house dress, lawnmower in one hand and dishtowel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. But then my mother died and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away... never to return. So... while we have it... it's best we love it... And care for it... And fix it when it's broken‌ And heal it when it's sick. This is true. For marriage... And old cars... And children with bad report cards... And dogs with bad hips... And ageing parents... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special... And so, we keep them close!
Volunteer Corner As we begin 2016, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our wonderful Volunteers at Ridgeview. We are so privileged to have such a dedicated group of men and woman who give of their time every week to enrich the lives of our Residents at Ridgeview. You are greatly valued and appreciated. Farewell We sadly say farewell to Sheila (end of January) and Wayne (end of February) who have been instrumental to the volunteer team. Sheila has been a long standing volunteer who originally commenced visiting with the Catholic team at St Paul’s Church Albion Park. She later went on to visit residents in Amethyst and do resident ironing in Sapphire on a Monday. We wish Sheila all the best on her move from the Illawarra. We are also farewelling Wayne who has been our dedicated Bus Driver. Wayne has been a fantastic asset to our volunteer team, juggling work commitments to drive our residents to fun and interesting places and activities each week. The residents will miss your smile, kindness and friendship. We wish Wayne all the best. On a brighter note, we have some new Volunteers at Ridgeview. Welcome David, Sandra, Peter, Fay, Helen, Narelle and Teihana, Natalie, Skye and Jemma from Oak Flats High School. We hope that you will enjoy your time volunteering at Ridgeview. Labelling Clothes We now have a professional labelling machine to label residents clothing and reduce the amount of lost property going to the laundry. A group of volunteers will be handling labelling residents clothing. This is now a FREE service. Please see Reception to arrange for your clothes to be labelled. Knit n Natter Knit n Natter group is held every Tuesday of the NEW TIME of 10.30am - 12pm in the Sapphire exercise area (see Staff for location). Our knitting group is busily knitting items for our future Ridgeview Fete (date to be later in 2016). On behalf of the knitting group I would like to thank families for generously donating balls of wool to our knitting group. ALL residents are welcome to join the knitting group at any time please see Lifestyle staff Sunny, Kim, Vikki, Jean, Debbie or Donna. Donations of 8ply wool are always most welcome. Please drop off any donations to Reception, attention Michelle Bonner. Wednesday Table Games/Cards with David One of our new Volunteer’s (David) is available to play table games/cards every Wednesday morning from 10.30am in the Sapphire dining room. This is open to men and woman who would like to join a weekly social group. Please see one of our Lifestyle team if you would like to attend.
Volunteer Corner Computers and iPad Lessons Throughout 2015, Angela (Volunteer) commenced Computer and iPad lessons with residents. This was so popular with many residents learning how to use email, Facebook, Skype, Google search as well as playing games on the computer. Angela is available on a Wednesday afternoon from 1.30pm - 3pm for computer/iPad lessons. If you are interested in gaining some more skills and have a bit of fun, please let one of the Lifestyle staff know so we can allocate a time slot for you each week. Activity Assistant Program During December and January, we were delighted to have Phoebe as Activity Assistant. The Activity Assistant Program is offered to Christadelphian Young People aged between 16-25 years during December and January to gain experience working within our Homes. This program has been well received from both staff and residents who have enjoyed the assistance during such a busy time of the year. Phoebe developed a great relationship with the residents and enjoyed doing many activities over the Christmas/ New Year period. Her kindness and beautiful smile will be greatly missed. We wish Phoebe all the best during 2016 as she completes her HSC. Come back and visit us again soon.
SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER - Kristie Manning My name is Kristie Manning and I’ve been volunteering at Ridgeview since December 2013 (when I was 15 years old). I started volunteering on a Saturday afternoon every few weeks while I was still at school. Now that I’ve finished school, I am now volunteering during the week. I assist in various activities such as knitting, board games, craft and card making. I also enjoy volunteering in the community with dancing, swimming, reading, helping people in any way possible e.g., volunteering, fostering kids from all ages since I was young. I have completed my Certificate lll in Health Services and now looking at completing an Enrolled Nursing course, and then working my way up to be a Registered Nurse. I really appreciate the staff and residents at Ridgeview allowing me to volunteer with them by giving up their time so I can volunteer and interact.
Volunteer Corner Year 9 Oak Flats High School Students During 2016, we are again partnering with Oak Flats High School and hosting four Year 9 High School students. Once a fortnight, on a Tuesday, these students will be volunteering and assisting the Lifestyle team in providing activities throughout the day. Kiama Annual Show In January, Ridgeview Aged Care entered 1x knitted knee rug, 2x knitted caterpillars as well as a photograph of our new dementia garden into the Kiama Show. We were thrilled to place 2nd for our Knee Rug and ‘Highly Commended’ for our Dementia Garden photography. Kaitlyn (Volunteer) and her pet guinea pig ‘Archibald’ did a surprise visit to the residents in Sapphire. Archibald received a pampering warm bath, blow dry, brush and powder as residents watched on in delight. Archibald later received 2nd prize in the Kiama Show and totally enjoyed all the cuddles and fuss he received by all the residents.
If you are interested in joining the Volunteer program, please do not hesitate to contact me: Michelle Bonner on 0434 421 617 or mbonner@chomes.com.au Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator
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. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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.