Casa Mia Spring Newsletter 2015

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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

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

Just a reminder that Flu Season lasts right through Spring. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that if you are unwell it is important that you refrain from visiting, as the best way to treat Influenza is to prevent it!!!!

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

We have finally completed our Wisteria walk and are now eagerly awaiting the Wisteria to spring into action. Our next major project is to purchase some large raised garden beds which we will turn into a community Vegetable Garden. These will be purchased with the funds raised from our Christmas In July Lunch and Raffle.

Colleen is about to start her Maternity Leave; at this stage she will be on leave until the new year. We wish her all the best and for the safe arrival of her baby. Sue Geddes will be relieving Colleen whilst she is away.

I will be on annual leave through the month of September. Lily will take over the reigns during my absence.

Wishing all the Dads a Happy Fathers Day. Regards, Sharon Fletcher

my favourite weather is bird-chirping weather - Terri Guillemets

News & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

2 Shirley M

1 Gloria M

4 Ernest H

10 Judith B

12 Nina S

6 Christina B

13 Margaret W

12 Sandra T

16 Helena D

14 Aubigney T

17 Faye S

15 Stamatia N

17 Jean C

17 William C

22 Yvonne E

20 June D

26 Theodora C

22 Jean A

28 Wen C

26 Ray M

29 Lillian A 30 Elizabeth C

Family and Crrs of residents re invited to a FAMILY MORNING TEA When: 2nd Wednesday of every month at 10:30am Where: Casa Mia Garden Gazebo Look forward to seeing you there for a social chat and/or support if you need it.

Cathy Strachan 0435 814 411 Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator

SEPTEMBER 23rd - George the Entertainer

OCTOBER 31st - Halloween

NOVEMBER 3rd - Melbourne Cup

Activity Reviews PET THERAPY Pet therapy is a wonderful therapeutic tool for anyone but especially in aged care and the RAO team is very pleased to welcome Honey and her owner Valet from Precious Pats to the home. Honey is a beautiful cocker spaniel that loves to sit and receive hugs and kisses from the residents; one resident stated “she has very soft ears”, while another stated “Isn’t she a good girl?” I am not sure if her owner Valet called her Honey because of her stunning coat colour or her sweet darling personality, whatever the reason she is as sweet as honey. We will definitely see Honey back at Casa Mia. Benefits of Pet Therapy Research has revealed many benefits to pet therapy, some of which may include: • Decreased blood pressure and stress • Improved communication and reminiscence • Many people who are normally unresponsive to other therapies may ‘brighten up’ and ‘chat’ with a pet • Pets may motivate and encourage the elderly to stay healthy and exercise, giving them a feeling of being ‘needed’ • Motor skills may improve with the assistance of an animal trained for pet therapy

CANTERBURY LEAGUE CLUB The Canterbury League Club is the home of the mighty Bulldogs with three fabulous restaurants, two coffee shops, an extensive Health Club, full function facilities for 200 guests, a Showroom and an extensive entertainment program - all located in a stunning new building with indoor and outdoor water features and tropical gardens.

On the third Thursday of each month, the club has a day for senior patrons. RAO Colleen and bus driver Carlton and about ten residents, head for the club. When we arrive, we get the residents seated and they have morning tea which is then followed by a 2 course meal in the Banyan Brasserie. Following this, a live cabaret show plays in the Paragon Room from 12.30pm.

It’s always a beautiful day out as we watch the show, sometimes singing a few of our favourite songs and once in a while have a dance as well. Once the show is over, we load the bus up and head home via Maccas for our customary ice cream, which ends the day off nicely.

Activity Reviews WISTERIA WALK We have been fundraising for a Wisteria Walk in the Casa Mia gardens for the past 9 months and we done it! Two beautiful wooden arbours have been built and wisteria planted at the base of each upright support.

The residents were involved in the planting and all assembled for the “grand opening” and ribbon cutting. Pat, a resident who has been at Casa Mia for a long time had the honour of cutting the purple ribbon. Well done to all those involved in every stage of the project and we look forward to beautiful foliage and fragrant blossoms in the very near future.

MEN’S CLUB: Aviation Museum The male residents of Casa Mia have enjoyed a variety of Men’s Club activities during the winter months, including a number of bus outings. Among the most popular activities was our excursion to Bankstown Airport’s Aviation Museum! The residents were on board the bus bright and early for the trip and enjoyed morning tea before entering the museum for a guided tour.

The hangar contained a large variety of flying machines from hang gliders to helicopters and small ‘backyard built’ planes to larger airplanes. One resident was struck by how tiny some of the aircraft were and remarked that he was “happy to keep both feet on the ground!” We were led expertly by our tour guide - whom the residents’ agreed was “wellversed and knowledgeable” – and he discussed various topics of interest, such as the Wright brothers’ first flight and areas of future technological advances in aviation.

At the end of the tour we thanked the guide and loaded back onto the bus for the trip home, before dropping into McDonald’s for a soft serve ice cream and a chat, which is always a popular highlight of the Men’s Club bus trips. Many thanks to bus driver Carlton, whose sense of direction and driving skills make these outings possible!

Activity Reviews CHRISTMAS IN JULY This year, we decided to enjoy Christmas in July as our big event and what a spectacular day it was.

Everyone was looking their best and families flooded in the door to sit-down and eat with loved ones.

The kitchen was outstanding, getting delicious food out to the tables in record time. The entrée was a crumbed prawn cocktail and calamari served with crisp lettuce, followed by a wonderful hot roast lunch with all the trimmings. Everyone was entertained by Kane as they ate and drank a great meal and to finish we all enjoyed a homemade trifle. Thanks to Mark and the amazing kitchen staff who made the day a huge success.

After our bellies were full, Kane took a few requests from the audience; Bruce Russell requested Piano Man and they both belted out a duet. Kane wrapped things up and Doctor Cameron played through the facility with his bagpipes. To end a amazing afternoon, Santa stopped by to bring us some good cheer and remind us that Christmas is only four months away.

Thanks to everyone for making the day a huge success and if you missed out, Casa Mia will be doing it all again on Thursday 10th December.

“Very enjoyable day for me and my daughters” - Maisie P

“I loved the singer; he played ‘Piano man’.”- Bruce R

“I liked the trif le” - Brian W

“What a fantastic day! The food was fabulous” - Gladys Y

“I did enjoy the meal” -Lesley H

“I liked the bagpipes!

Dr. Cameron looked great.”

- Gwen C

Activity Reviews CHRISTMAS IN JULY photos

“A delightful day! My sisters and I had a wonderful time” - Elizabeth C

“What a wonderful experience!

All the staff worked so well to make it pleasurable” - Yvonne E “Nicest meal I’ve had here” - Bev H

“Lovely lunch”- Lillian A

“I quite enjoyed myself ” - Pat D

Activity Reviews ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICES In July, Jack Burke from the Royal Flying Doctors Service came to speak to us about all the life saving work the Flying Doctors achieve each year. TRFDS began as the dream of Rev John Flynn, a minister with the Presbyterian Church. He witnessed the daily struggle of pioneers living in remote areas where just two doctors provided the only medical care for an area of almost 2 million square kilometres. Flynn’s vision was to provide a ‘mantle of safety’ for these people and on 15 May 1928, his dream had become a reality with the opening of the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service (later renamed the Royal Flying Doctor Service) in Cloncurry, Queensland.

The residents were amazed that of the sixty three aircraft the Flying Doctors own, they flew 26,615,000 kms and their medical teams treated 295,156 patients. The selfless work they do in rural Australia is funded mostly by donations and government funding and is leading the way in rural medical care on a global scale. Jack and his whole family are members of the Flying Doctors and what a wonderful family they are helping so many in the rural community.

Activity Photos

Resident Story - Yvonne Edwards Casa Mia would like to welcome Yvonne to our home here in Padstow.

Yvonne was born in Launceston in Tasmania on 22/10/1944.

Yvonne has very fond and happy memories of living in Tasmania, and it was here she met her husband. Yvonne was acting in a play ‘Ghost Train' when she met Tony, another fellow actor. They later married and moved to Sydney in 1972 with two children Trent and Naomi.

Yvonne worked for a pathology company for 11 years as a receptionist before working as a resident caretaker of a funeral home for five years, where she would answer phones from 4pm-8am. Yvonne also worked at her husband’s menswear store in Double Bay. Yvonne likes chatting on Facebook to family and friends, doing jigsaw puzzles online and reading and chatting with new friends. Please help us make Yvonne feel very welcome.

CRAIG KELLY - LOCAL MP VISIT Local member of parliament Craig Kelly stopped by on 23rd July to donate some books to us at Casa Mia. It also gave the residents a chance to talk to Craig in an open forum, and discuss any questions or concerns they may have.

What a great way to get to know the residents, and we have some excellent new books for the library.

REG JOHNSON - BONDI RSL MEMBER OF 50 YEARS Reg Johnson was honoured by his local club Bondi Junction RSL for being a member for 50 years.

The manager and sub-branch manager both gave a beautiful speech’s to congratulate Reg on being a Life Member.

Reg and his family sat under the gazebo and enjoyed some light refreshments’ while enjoying the morning sun. Congratulations Reg.

Physio Corner ALL ABOUT SHOES Hi all, First off all I would like to introduce myself and my team members. I am Kanchan Dagaonkar, the Physiotherapist working at Casa Mia Aged Care. I am supported by my lovely Physio Aide Veronica Walters, who is the backbone of my team and Sharon Dsouza,who helps me with pain management. We spend most of our time at Casa Mia Aged Care looking after your loved ones by providing them with pain management in the form of therapeutic massage and heat packs. We also focus on their gait reeducation through walking programs and designing individual exercise program for our every resident to keep their mobility levels high so that they can safely perform transfers with or without their nurses help.

In this newsletter, I would love to talk to you all about importance of correct footwear/shoes and why and how they are important for our ageing population at Casa Mia. Shoes and our body share a big deal of connection. This very human relationship with shoes is a strange phenomenon that is subject to a lot of contemplation by neophytes and experts alike.

Even sociologists have tried to understand why shoes hold such a strong intrigue for so many people. I know why… shoes give us the feeling of confidence in ourselves. They help maintain our body balance correctly, which in turn helps us perform activities like walking, exercising and other standing activities very well.

A good pair of shoes gives complete support to our ankles, sole and foot joints and makes us walk better.

A good pair of shoes has the following qualities: correct size, good sole, supports the heel well and is soft inside like these ones to the right.

On the other hand, a bad or ill fitted shoe can lead us having falls or gives us poor posture and painful foot joints. See photo on the left.

Every movement that your foot makes in the act of walking affects other parts of your body. If your shoes don’t provide the necessary support for the arches and heels, they prevent an essential range of motion in the foot. When your feet are not able to function properly, other parts of your body must overcompensate. When your body overcompensates, it is common to suffer from pain in the heels, ankles, knees, hips and lower back. The pain in these joints can then lead to weakness and further injury.

Our physiotherapy team at Casa Mia can guide you as to what type of shoe is beneficial for your loved one. Ask for a shoe sample diagram sheet from us, for your reference, while you are shopping for the correct shoe for your family member. We also celebrate “Shoe Day” on Melbourne Cup day, checking residents’ shoes and reminding and contacting families if their loved one needs a good pair of shoes.

Please feel free to talk to our physiotherapy team at Casa Mia if you need any further information regarding shoes.

Pastoral Care TESTING TIMES Have you ever felt like giving up? I think many of us have ( I know I have). Certain events come in life that throw us off guard and we say “is it time to give up?”. Some of the worst tragedies that happen come when people give up. We sometimes also think that all the successful people in life have been strong individuals who had their lives altogether; not true. Let’s take a minute to talk about that. We might think of scientists, for example, like Louis Pasteur who made some amazing discoveries in the field of chemistry. He is written up in all the history books. But this incredible man suffered from a paralytic stroke at age 46 which actually made him handicapped for the rest of his life. And what about the great musicians and poets with time to entertain people with their incredible gifts?

Beethoven struggled to write his music because of his deafness. The English poet John Milton wrote some of his poetry after he became blind. So it’s amazing to see that people often discover that despite their handicaps, great work can to be accomplished. Here’s someone else; James Watt, the Scottish inventor famous for the steam engine, was a very sick man and didn’t have much money. The thing that made all these people famous and unique was not their psychical strength, emotional stability or large amounts of money – it was a sense of purpose, and a total commitment to that purpose. I sense in meeting some people that that purpose is missing because of the difficulties of life.

They give up because it’s too hard or they don’t feel they have a purpose.

Some of our problems are short-term, like a bout of flu or a falling out with someone at work. Others may last much longer: a chronic illness, a disability or an addiction, the loss of someone close to us, or an ongoing battle to overcome a personal weakness such as anger or moodiness. You may have to struggle with such difficulties for weeks, months, or even years. And sometimes problems persist even when you feel you’ve already done all you could: You’ve been praying, reading and following the Bible, claiming His promises and trying to trust God. Still you see no answer, which can be discouraging.

When you think you’ve reached the end of your rope, just hold on a little longer. Patience is often the key that opens the door to God’s blessings and sometimes we must be content to wait for His answer.

While we may expect God to put an end to our problems right now, He may know that later is a better time. God’s timing is impeccable. “He has done all things well.” (Mark 7:37.) Trust Him! Faith is believing. Faith is trusting. Faith doesn’t quit. Faith refuses to call anything impossible. Faith refuses to be robbed of its joy and peace by circumstances or battles.

Once, a little boy was trying very hard to lift a heavy piece of furniture. His father came into the room and, noting his son’s struggle, asked him “Are you using all your strength?”” Yes, of Our deepest sympathies have course I am!” the boy impatiently shouted. “Oh no, you’re not,” the gone out to the families who father answered. “You haven’t asked me to help you!” That’s the have lost their loved ones over problem with our faith and trust in God. We fail to ask for His help. the Winter period.

In cases like that, God may be testing you to see whether you will continue to trust and believe and thank Him for all the good He sends your way, even when it seems He is not answering your prayers. “We walk by faith, not by sight. Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.” (2 Cor 5:7; John 20:29) God loves to see His children’s faith manifested, and He promises to greatly reward those who bravely endure the trying of their faith.

If God is working in your life to bring out a special quality, the nnn process may take some time. Lumps of coal aren’t turned to diamonds overnight; so it is with our lives.

- By Chris Witts

Bereavements

Volunteer Corner The 2015 definition of volunteering is: Volunteering is time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain.

“Volunteering is often considered as contributing to community wellbeing” and our residents are certainly blessed at Casa Mia to have volunteers contributing to their well being and complimenting the staff care. We have a few students come in and it’s wonderful to have young people who are striving to make a change through volunteering working with our residents. We also have a number of musical volunteers who regularly give of their time to play the piano for listening pleasure but also for the residents to sing along (Lorinda has started choir practice again).

Another very special service that our volunteers do for our residents is Pastoral Care. Pastoral care is not only religious care but on most occasions it is the offer of a compassionate, respectful listening ‘ear’ to the residents. We have two Pastoral care workers who are especially aware that residents suffer many different losses, or that they feel alone or in a dark sad place.

They seek to be an empathetic listening presence and the result of such an encounter is that the resident has an increased awareness of being understood, valued and hopefully feels less alone. These Pastoral care workers are available to all and will tailor their support to suit each individual.

We also have a number of volunteers who visit residents one-on-one just for a chat.

What’s new for Volunteers in the next few months?

• We have started a new fundraising drive (now that our Wisteria Walk is finished!) and we’re hoping to start a community garden for our residents, families, volunteers and staff to enjoy. Anyone who is keen on gardening or fresh fruit and veggies, is most welcome to help us out. The garden beds have already been ordered as well as trellis work for vines.

• We have annual volunteer education again in October (Thursday 15/10), but there is also a new opportunity for volunteers to do e-learning if they can’t attend that session because of other commitments.

• Sneak Preview: we’re hoping to do something different and special for the residents on Melbourne Cup Day if you’d like to come and join in the fun!

A very big "Thank You” to all the volunteers who give so generously of their time to care for our residents.

God bless you all, Cathy

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!

SPRING CLEANING TIPS Finally, springtime is knocking at our door! After winter, we’re ready to swing open the windows and let the fresh air flow in. Spring is a season of renewal. Symbolically, it’s when nature comes alive again: blooming flowers, baby animals and cleansing rain showers!

Many people grew up with a seasonal tradition: the spring-cleaning. It’s an annual reminder its time to clean house and de-clutter. For seniors, it’s a great way to shake the winter blues and reminisce. Many older adults are rejuvenated by the warming weather and sunshine. A cleanup confers health benefits as well: reducing symptoms of respiratory illness and risk for falling. A good cleaning is beneficial both physically and emotionally!

Spring Cleaning To-Do List: Discard old medications Clean out bedside drawers and sort books/magazines De-clutter; remove objects that obstruct the flow of movement through the room such as unnecessary furniture Bust dust - don't forget photographs and art on walls, blinds, vents & light bulbs Open windows to circulate fresh air

Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Cookies • 100g unsalted butter, chopped • 200g dark chocolate, chopped • 1/3 cup (100g) crunchy peanut butter • 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1 1/4 cups (185g) plain flour • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder • 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped Makes 24

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place the butter and half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don't let bowl touch the water) and stir until melted.

Remove from heat.

3. Stir in peanut butter, followed by sugar and egg. Sift over flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa, then stir to combine. Fold in half of the remaining chocolate.

4. In a separate bowl, combine nuts and remaining chocolate.

5. Roll 2 teaspoons dough into a ball and place, 3cm apart, on trays. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon and press nut mixture gently into dough. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked but still soft in the centre.

Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Insect Word Scramble All of the scrambled words below are names of insects you have probably heard about. Can you put the letters in the right order to spell 19 different insect names correctly?

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