Casa Mia Spring Newsletter - Christadelphian Aged Care

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Christadelphian Aged Care S P R I N G N E W S L E T T E R

CASA MIA !

Address: 28 Alma Road, Padstow NSW, 2211

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Phone: (02) 8707 6010

Email: admin@chomes.com.au

Managers Message

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Welcome to Casa Mia

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

- Robin Williams Spring is the Birthday of the World 'Tis like the birthday of the world, When earth was born in bloom; The light is made of many dyes, The air is all perfume: There's crimson buds, and white and blue, The very rainbow showers Have turned to blossoms where they fell, And sown the earth with flowers.

- Thomas Hood

Dear Families, Spring is nearly upon us and it will be so nice to see some warmer weather and say goodbye to Winter.

As you are aware we have seen a number of Residents with Influenza in recent weeks despite receiving the Flu Vaccine.

During this time we liaised on a daily basis with the Public Health Unit and took advice from them in regards to managing this outbreak. This was a difficult time for everyone and we thank you for your support and understanding.

Whilst spring is now here it does not mean that the Flu Season is over. We would ask that if you are unwell that you please do not visit your loved one to help prevent a further outbreak.

We also ask that you wash your hands with hand sanitiser when entering and leaving the facility.

During the outbreak I sent messages via SMS to keep you updated on our progress during this time. If you did not receive one and would like to be added to this group message please give your details to Reception Staff.

Our renovation continues. This was suspended whilst Residents were unwell to help prevent the further spread of infection.

Hopefully there will not be any further disruptions.

We will be having an “International Food Fair” on Saturday the 1st November. Please pencil the date into your diaries as we would love to see you there. You will shortly see signs up to remind you.

Wishing all the Dad’s a Happy Fathers Day. Regards, Sharon Fletcher

“For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”

- Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Message from our CFO Can you remember a time when someone in your life showed you great kindness?

In my personal experience, the acts of kindness that stand out most haven’t been ‘a matter of life or death’ - they have been the help and consideration shown by people who put me first when they saw I needed a boost – when times were sad or my health was below par.

And it wasn’t just the kind action of itself; it was as much the thought of that help that counted – knowing that someone cared for me. So their actions and intentions came together – they lifted my spirits and boosted me. It felt like I wasn’t on my own in this burden, they were sharing my load. The kindness was uplifting and obvious to me. As Mark Twain once wrote, “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see”.

The kindness people have shown me, the kindness I hear of and see being shown to others around our troubled world, and the kindness that God shows me, motivates my life. Acts of kindness take the quality of our lives far above ‘survival of the fittest’.

One of Christadelphian Aged Care’s eight values is about Kindness. We describe this as ‘operating as Jesus did with kindness, integrity and respect’.

It doesn’t necessarily cost you anything to be kind. You can talk in a respectful way to each other, using the ‘golden rule’ to treat others as you would like to be treated. You can say thank you to someone who helps you. You can let someone through the door first. You can give someone a helping hand.

Related to this, another of Christadelphian Aged Care’s eight values is about Support. We describe this as ‘assistance for those in particular in need of help’. You can show support by spending some extra time with someone who is lonely, who hasn’t had visitors for a while. At CAC we can show support by providing care, assistance and accommodation to a resident in genuine financial difficulty.

And talking of Values: values are the things that people believe are important in the way they live and the way they work. Values direct our decisions, activities and behaviour as a group of people working together to provide care. We have focused on eight values in how we conduct ourselves which are summed up in the words: Kindness, Support, Excellence, Comfort, Atmosphere, Innovation, Compliance and Sustainable.

Our goal and desire is that our residents, visitors and families ‘see’ and ‘feel’ our Mission and Values in action, in what we all do each day at CAC. We can be so thankful for the dedication of our staff and our volunteer supporters. It means everything.

In being kind and supportive to each other we seek to enrich the quality of the lives of the people in our care by nurturing them through our compassion, service and comfortable living environment.

On the news each day, we see the terrible troubles being experienced by millions of people around the world suffering in civil wars, terrorism and from diseases including Ebola. Yet sadly too many times those with the resources to act watch on helplessly from the sidelines. It’s a great worry. This makes me look forward in hope to a promised day coming soon when the Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return to the earth and bring peace and healing to all humanity. That’s the great change that this world desperately needs.

In the meantime, I think the words of Charlie Chaplin sum things up. He said “We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.”

God bless you, Andrew O’Toole

News & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

4 Shirley M

1 Glora M

4 Jack H

10 Betty M

13 Margaret W

14 Aubigney T

13 Leslie B

16 Helena D

20 June D

14 Joseph G

17 Jean C

26 Raymond M

18 Frank A

23 Paul N

SEPTEMBER 4th - Heather Honey (Entertainment) 19th - Pfizer Community Day

OCTOBER 24th - Kane (Entertainment) 31st - Halloween

NOVEMBER 1st - Cultural Family Day 24th - Dominique Sepe (Entertainment) 26th - Kris’s Feathered Friends

26 Theodora C 27 Thomas W

A Trip Around the World

Cultural Family Day Saturday 1st November 1pm - 4pm

Come and taste delicacies from various countries while enjoying traditional dancing and music from abroad.

All friends and families welcome to join us for an afternoon of food and entertainment plus Jumping Castle for the kids!

Tastes from – The British Isles, Cost: $5 pp

Greece, Italy, China & more

Dances from - Tonga, Philippines & Scotland

www.chomes.com.au

All are welcome to visit!

Activity Reviews Men’s Club

Sydney’s heritage-listed Royal National Park was established in 1879, it’s the world's second-oldest national park. It features unique heritage attractions, along with fascinating plants, birds and animals. Perfect for bushwalking, cycling, surfing, picnicking or whale watching, this diverse park offers everything from beaches to rainforest.

For many thousands of years the Dharawal language speaking people have lived in the area and enjoyed the diversity and abundance of the land and sea. In July 2006, this park was added to the National Heritage List.

We stopped in Audley. Where we had a beautiful day and were joined by all sorts of birds, Cockatoos, crows, ducks and the purple swamp hen. The Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyria) is a "swamp hen" in the rail family Rallidae.

The men enjoyed the beautiful and idyllic surroundings, an their we settling in and had our morning tea. Which was a hot beverage and a mini chocolate muffin. We then had a chat about various interests, after which we had a spot of lunch. Some of the birds wanted to get in on the eating action.

Other activities in Mens Club included remote cars try out, this was held in Strawberry Fields and was good fun. We had fun listening to the horse races out in the Pagola area in the expansive lawn of Casa Mia. A beautiful sunny day, we chose our individual horses running in various races and then listened to the races on the wireless while having afternoon tea. A mini bar of chocolate was received by the winner of each race.

We also had our morning tea, looking at planes taking off by the Cooks River in Kyeemagh on a beautiful sunny morning.

We express our gratitude to volunteers Ed, Ces & Diane for their invaluable help, and the RAO team for making this happen.

Italy – Republic Day

What better way to celebrate this special day with our Italian residents than to hire a wood fired pizza oven and cook pizza for everyone. Well, that is just what we did. We had hoped to have lunch outside but winter had finally arrived and it was just too cool. Those who didn’t want pizza had their choice of garlic bread & Spaghetti Bolognese.

The residents had a lovely time eating to the sounds of Italian music drifting through the dining room. In the afternoon we enjoyed watching visions of Italy and catching up on some trivia about this beautiful country. Maria (Guiseppe’s daughter) was able to show us (via Google) where her father grew up. So many memories!! Carlo was singing to the music with a big smile on his face and Robert finally got to sing his beloved song “O Sole Mio”.

Activity Reviews contd Divine Mercy Choir

If you've ever been to Casa Mia on the weekend you may have heard the beautiful voices of the Divine Mercy Choir. The choir of divine mercy donate their time and talents to fill the walls of Casa Mia with amazing gospel hymns every month. The residents are always so happy to hear the lovely island voices of the choir. The choir has members as young as 4 years old singing their hearts out for our residents.

Our residents not only love the music but also enjoy seeing the smiling faces of so many children.

The choir also enjoy visiting us saying “it gives us so much joy, to give the residents joy”. The residents truly love the uplifting hymns, singing and clapping along with the music.

Thank you Divine Mercy for brightening the day for our residents.

Gardening - Over the last few

weekends the residents have been gardening, With spring right around the corner residents have been planting seedlings basil, chives, parsley and some succulents. We are hoping that our lovely plants will grow big, strong and healthy enough to sell at Casa Mia's food fair in November.

Our next batch of plants will be some pretty pansies, which always look beautiful in any garden. Our residents love getting their hands dirty, while chatting and planting around the table, Casa Mia has some excellent gardeners in our facility.

Happy Hour

One of the newer activities at Casa Mia is happy hour. RAO’S start at the top of Casa Mia and then slowly work their way to the end calling out “happy hour” at every stop. Every Friday the residents are able to enjoy a light beer, white wine or ginger beer. The Bunderberg ginger beer is very popular. RAO’s are offering white wine spritzers (white wine and lemonade), shandys (light beer and lemonade) and delicious nibblies. Cheese, crackers, tomatoes and cabanossi are all on offer with residents calling out "ohh it's Friday, I love Fridays.”

Afternoons on Friday are defiantly more lively some of our ladies out on the lawn drinking spritzers and a few blokes sitting around the table enjoying a beer.

Activity Reviews contd iPads - RAO’S have recently been given our very own

Samsung tablet. RAO’S are using it all the time now, often leaving it to charge overnight as its battery is flat due to over use. The tablets are used by our staff to personalise our activities and communicate with our culturally diverse residents. Our resident’s can watch movies or listen to music in their native tongue , catch up on the news from their home country and amazingly even Skype loved ones around the world . The advances in technology also allow staff to open and view images of the past and reminisce with our residents. Here are two of our residents using the tablets, Norman is watching his beloved Rabbitohs play and Jane is listening to traditional Scottish music.

Other photos from Activities

Resident Story - Jack B John (Jack) B was born in Balmain. Jack has a passion for sailing with his first sailboat named “My Toy” his father’s 16ft skiffs was “our toy”. During World War 2, when Jack was 10 years old army ships full of troops being deployed overseas would throw their mail wrapped in plastic overboard to be posted. Jack’s father would take out their old style half cabin launch and scoop up the mail in the harbor and post them for the diggers. Jack has very fond memories of going on the launch with his dad to watch him race on Saturday afternoon.

Jack met his wife Robyn in 1952 and was married on 25th October 1958.

Jack and Robyn built their house in Caringbah and had three beautiful children, Sue, Peter and Jeffrey. Jack worked for the Sydney City Council for over 50 years in managing and administration. Jack is also a huge sportsman and loves golf, rugby league (huge Balmain tigers fan), lawn bowls and fishing.

Thanks Jack for sharing your story with everyone at Casa Mia.

Staff Profile - Amy McKee Casa Mia would like to welcome to our family, Amy McKee. Amy has come on board as our new physio aid and loves the satisfaction she gets everyday from working at Casa Mia. Amy was born in Kareena (Sutherland) Hospital in 1995 and has a older brother named Josh. Amy loves soccer and plays back with her proudly boasting "I've scored one goal, from halfway”. Amy has one love in her life, a little Maltese x Shitshu named Molly.

Amy enjoys being a physio aid as she can spend quality time with the residents.

A warm welcome to Amy from all of us at Casa Mia.

When you are being hurt by words, remember taking a rose and crushing it, you have destroyed the rose but not the perfume which is the essence or soul of a rose.

“Any man! can be a father.

It takes someone special to be a dad.

Pastoral Care ENCOURAGING OTHERS There's no doubt that people need encouragement. Just ask any counsellor or pastoral carer who deals with people, and you'll get the same answer. There are many hurt people who have nowhere to turn, or no friend to talk to. What about those who carry inside themselves hurt feelings or guilt or fears that they don't share with others? There are many like that who keep those feelings to themselves and don't want to talk about them. All around us there are people who are crushed by life and have nowhere to turn. Their marriage is falling apart or their financial affairs are in a mess and they're worried about their kids. Maybe their health is in jeopardy with some bad news from their doctor. Maybe they are lonely, grieving the loss of a loved one, or in the depths of depression, or unable to find a job. The tough experiences in life are on going.

That's why it's so important to be an encourager and lend a hand. God made us to mix with others. You were made for this connection, and there is a universal need to belong somewhere. From the moment we're born, we long for the warmth of love and acceptance from others. In the Bible we read Proverbs 17:22 which says "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength�. Maybe that's how you feel today, and you're very discouraged, unable to smile about life. That's the time you need someone to come alongside and bring encouragement, and that's when the church is so important. Church is different to other organisations, because you can be yourself and find encouragement from like minded people. A lot of people don't understand what Christianity is all about. It's about relationships with God and with other people. Jesus said "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment". A second is equally important, "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mat. 22:37-39).

You may well ask "How do I encourage people?� The Bible has the answer to that. In verse 24 of Hebrews 10 it says "Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds". Maybe you have a gift of encouragement and find it easy. That's really good, because God has given you that gift. Use it creatively. Others may find it a bit more difficult, and it won't happen unless we plan ahead. What's wrong with dropping a short note in the post or email someone with a brief message saying you're thinking about them? You'll be amazed at the result. Or use the phone to speak for a few minutes with that lonely friend you know who can't get out of the house. Sometimes the best way to encourage isn't through words at all it's through listening. It's by trying to understand the other person. Did you know that understanding is better than giving advice? Howard Hendricks made a wonderful statement once that went like this "You can Our deepest sympathies have impress people at a distance; you can only impact them up close. The gone out to the families who general principal here is this: the closer the personal relationship, the have lost their loved ones over greater the potential for impact", the idea of getting close to people and the Winter period. sharing with them. You can't do that from a distance. In fact, Scripture says we should do something special everyday. Hebrews 3:13 "

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Bereavements

Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness". Unless we do it each day, we can forget. Hidden opportunities for encouragement will surface only as we are sensitive to other people, and look out for those opportunities.

In Proverbs 12:25. It says "Worry weighs a person down. An encouraging word cheers a person up". Can you think of friends that have said the right word at the right time? It was as if God sent them to you, as an encourager.. - By Chris Witts

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Physio Corner WHY IS PHYSICAL EXERCISE SO IMPORTANT? Exercise is important at any age, but as you grow older, it is even more important to engage in regular activity. Regular exercise can improve your health, help prevent conditions that typically develop with age and some research suggests even extend your life expectancy!

When you become older your muscles can shorten and bones can become more brittle, and elderly people can quickly lose the balance and co-ordination that they once had. Staying active helps keep the body be flexible, and routines such as stretching will lengthen muscles and help prevent shortening and deterioration. Exercise can even reduce incidents of arthritis and osteoporosis by increasing bone density and range of motion.

Regular exercise also helps keep the heart muscle in shape. Exercising at even a light intensity will raise the heart rate and improve overall fitness.

Light exercise can even help fight off common illness such as colds and flu by increasing respiratory intake. Exercising also helps the heart by lowering blood cholesterol which can block arteries and reduce blood flow to vital organs. It doesn’t just stop there, because exercise is good for your brain and can even increase your mental focus and cognition!

If all the physical benefits of exercise aren’t enough, why not just exercise to feel good! Exercise is a natural mood enhancer. When you work out, the body releases endorphins that make you feel capable. If you are fighting the psychological effects of ageing, exercise may be the key to giving you your energy and drive back. Even a short walk can lift your spirits and help you soar through the day.

So why not come and join us for some of our great group exercises or ask for an exercise program to be tailored to your needs.

Please speak to your Physio Team if you have any questions.

Note: Please remember that it is always advisable to have the doctor assess you prior to any new exercise activity.

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Volunteer Corner

“The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers” - Terri Guillemets We are so grateful to all the volunteers at Casa Mia who give so generously of their time despite the on-going upgrade and disruptions around the home. They have been such a blessing and help with the residents and we’re looking forward to celebrating the completion of the renovations with a Family Cultural High Tea in our beautiful gardens.

We have some new volunteers who have joined our team to help out - in the kitchen, with feeding residents and with one-on-one visiting. No matter how big or small the task, your help is very much appreciated.

We have also had some volunteer training including Dementia education to assist with our care of the residents, and we will be L-R: Brenda, Cecil & Di having a pastoral care training course starting in September if any family or volunteers would like to attend.

SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER - Eddie Snelling Eddie has been a volunteer at Casa Mia for years. He first came as a visitor to see his wife when she was admitted in 2007 and he was so impressed with the care that she was given while she was at Casa, that when I asked why he volunteered, he said “Why Not? I love doing it. They staff have been so wonderful to me; I’d like to give a little back”. He certainly gives more than “a little” – he’s always cheerful and friendly and helps out with bus trips and men’s club and anything else he’s ask to do.

Ed has had a very interesting life. He is an only child, born in Rozelle in 1934 but sadly, 9 years later, his Mum passed away. His Dad was in the army and once Ed had left Granville Tech he joined the army too.

He spent 3 years at the Woomera Rocket Range (where he met Prince Phillip!) and in 1953 was posted to Emu Field where the first atomic testing was done in Australia. In 1955 he came back to Sydney and met his wife, Jess, on a blind date. She was a nurse at Concord Hospital and they married the same year, on her birthday. Jess had 2 children, Lyn and Denis, they had a son together, Noel, and they adopted Raymond, and so after 56 years of marriage Ed now has 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. In 2007, Jess was admitted to the Dementia ward at Casa Mia where Ed visited every day until she passed away in 2011.

He is still incredibly active, apart from the time he gives to Casa Mia. He is on a large number of committees for exservicemen and women and has been granted the Queen’s centenary medal for work with the ex-service community and the general community. Thanks Ed for sharing your story with everyone at Casa Mia.

If you are interested in joining the Volunteer program, please do not hesitate to contact me: Cathy Strachan on 0435 814 411 or cstrachan@chomes.com.au Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator

Read, Rest & Relax!

With Age comes skills.

It’s called Multi-tasking.

I can LAUGH, COUGH, SNEEZE AND PEE all at the same time!

Hummingbird Cake

• 3/4 cup plain flour

• 3/4 cup self-raising flour • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar • 450g can crushed pineapple in juice, drained, reserving 1/3 cup juice • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut • 1 cup mashed banana • 2 eggs, lightly beaten • 1/2 cup extra light olive oil • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped CREAM CHEESE FROSTING • 125g cream cheese, softened • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar Serves 12

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1.Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease 23cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.

2.Sift flours, soda, cinnamon and sugar into a large bowl.

Stir in pineapple, reserved juice, coconut, banana, egg, oil and 1/4 cup cold water. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

4. Make cream cheese frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Gradually add icing sugar. Beat until smooth.

Spread frosting over top of cake.

Sprinkle with walnuts. Serve.

Spot the Differences There are 10 differences between the two images in the French scene below.

Circle what is missing from the right hand picture.

Can you find all 10?

Artist in Paris

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