Southhaven Aged Care Spring 2015

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

SOUTHHAVEN Address: 11 Queensbury Rd, Padstow Heights

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Phone: (02) 9782 6010

Email: admin@chomes.com.au

Managers Message

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Welcome to Southhaven

Farewell to a very cold winter filled with a lot of flu and cold in the community. Thanks to all our visitors for staying away whilst being sick, we were able to keep the flu from spreading to our residents.

Spring is notorious for the gastro bug, so again I urge you to refrain from visiting if you or anyone you have come in contact with has symptoms so that we can protect our residents from getting sick. When visiting, please remember to wash your hands with the alcohol gel on entry and when exiting.

Prevention is always better then cure.

We are very excited to be welcoming our new Care Manager Veronica John. Veronica commences employment on 24th August and comes to us with vast experience. Please help me in making her feel welcome. She will be a part of our team in no time.

The building appears to have come to a halt. Rest assured, work will recommence on the link building at the end of August. The dementia wing renovation will also recommence in early September. We will keep you updated on any building works that affect you as it comes to hand.

We are very happy to inform you that Southhaven received a glowing report from the Quality Agency during our 3 year accreditation in July this year. I would like to also congratulate our kitchen staff on receiving an “A” rating in their HACCP audit in August.

If you have any concerns please feel free to come and see me as my door is always open.

Regards, Peter Jessing

my favourite weather is bird-chirping weather - Terri Guillemets

News & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Patricia Belcher

Donald Betts

Lydia Belford

Frances Borg

Chrisoulla Danilidis

Joyce Bostrom

Robert Caldwell

Hazel Gordon

Zara Boyd

Edna Camichael

Melva Harrington

Eileen Broome

Betty Donaldson

Dawn Niven

Rita Conyard

Mona Gladchenko

Thelma Topple

Christopher Geddes

Francis Green

Valerie Hamilton

Jean Jacbobs

Gwen Langdon

Cora O’Shea

Dzidra Mezaks

Norma Priday

Doris Monaghan

Robert Sclanders

Leslie Rae

Kevin Seargent

Selwyn Robinson

Grace Thomas

SEPTEMEBER 1st - Father’s Day 2nd - Entertainment 9th - Cooking 16th - Entertainment 17th - Club Outing 22nd - Activity of the Month International Peace Day 29th - Club Outing

OCTOBER 7th - Entertainment 15th - Club Outing 27th - Club Outing 28th - Entertainment

NOVEMBER 4th - Entertainment 17th - Feathered Friends 19th - Club Outing 24th - Club Outing 25th - Entertainment

Activity Reviews BASTILLE DAY - Cultural Day Southhaven Nursing Home celebrated Bastille Day on Tuesday 14th July.

That day brought out the finest berets and we wore our tricolour outfits to celebrate the French Revolutionary spirit with music, food, wine and entertainment.

It was amazing watching our residents, staff and relatives having fun dancing and singing the French way! Thank you to all residents and staff who helped make this day perfect.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS On Monday 8th June, our residents had a wonderful time celebrating the Queen’s Birthday.

They were so happy to see the dining room decorated with fine tablecloths and delicious finger food. Soothing classical music filled the air while everyone socialised and enjoyed the day together.

A big thank you to all staff, especially the kitchen staff who provide us with beautiful food!!

Resident Story - Angela Thompson Born in the seaside village of Colwyn Bay in North Wales on 16th May 1932, Angela was the second daughter to Charles and Eileen Butterworth.

Angela had an older sister named Rosemary and in the early years the family employed an assistant named Polly. Angela's father Charles was the local doctor and the family home was also his surgery; so the family had to clear up their breakfast dishes before the first patients arrived.

During the second world war, Angela's family had two of the few motor cars in town, as it was necessary for her father to attend patients in their homes.

She learned to drive in her fathers car, which was uncommon for young women at the time. When times were tough, Dr. Butterworth assisted the local community regardless of whether they could pay or not, as was the way of health practitioners of the time.

Angela was sent to boarding school at a young age and attended Cheltenham Ladies College as a boarder and returned home to Wales for holidays. At the age of 17, Angela commenced training as a radiographer at the John Radcliffe Medical School in Oxford, England. At this time Angela learned to ride a motor scooter, which she used to get around, quite unusual for a young woman in the early 1950s.

At the age of 19, Angela became very ill and was admitted to The Radcliffe as a patient. While her classmates graduated & started working, she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a condition that caused great pain and difficulty throughout her life. Also while working at the hospital, Angela met Frank Thompson, an engineer who maintained hospital equipment. Frank was also a Jazz musician and they developed a relationship and in 1959, went to live in West Germany, in Cologne.

Returning from Germany in 1961 with their first daughter Lynda, the new family set up home in North London. After the birth of two more daughters, Sandra in 1962 and Claire in 1963, the family moved to Hertfordshire where they purchased a large house in which they built a recording studio.

In 1968, the family decided to cast their fortunes to the wind and sold up the house and business to set forth in an old 4WD land-rover and travel overland to Australia. With three girls between the ages of 5 and 8, the family lived a semi nomadic lifestyle for the next few years.

Angela and Frank found work in Kuwait and the family settled there for almost a year, before relocating to Saudi Arabia for another 6 months. Eventually the family emigrated to Australia, arriving in Sydney in 1970.

Frank took off in search of a fortune in the USA, leaving Angela alone in Australia to start a new life with three young daughters. Unable to manage financially and with rheumatoid arthritis making it increasingly difficult to stand and to walk, Angela was helped by charities such as the Smith Family and the Salvation Army, who provided assistance such as accommodation, food and clothing.

Throughout the 1970’s, Angela and her daughters lived around Maroubra, Bondi & Coogee in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, in a series of low-rent flats until eventually Angela was granted a Housing Commission flat in South Coogee in 1978. Angela underwent many medical procedures at this time, having her first knee replacement in 1975 at the Prince of Wales Hospital and eventually went to a rehabilitation program at Mount Wilga in Hornsby. Here, she retrained as a bookkeeper, as she was no longer physically able to work as a radiographer. Since then, Angela has had 3 knees, 2 hips & 3 shoulders plus other orthopedic surgery on her joints, earning her the nickname "the Bionic mother" .

As her daughters grew up and moved away from home, Angela continued to live in South Coogee and then later in Maroubra Junction. She was an active member of many community groups such as the NSW Arthritis Foundation (for which she was Treasurer of her local branch for many years), and the Randwick Older Women's Group ( ROWGS, where she was also Treasurer of her local branch).

Angela also made multiple appearances on Television, speaking about Arthritis. In the last few years Angela also participated in Patient education, teaching medical students about her condition.

Angela was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2010, and lived with her daughter Lynda and husband Paul for almost two years prior to arriving at Southhaven in March this year.

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.

Bereavements

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

- By Chris Witts

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Volunteer Corner We’ve had a busy couple of months with new volunteers and a number of others expressing their interest in volunteering at Southhaven. I’ve enjoyed seeing the Men’s Groups (Treetops and Riverside) and Thursday Bible readings (Riverside, Level 4) get off to a great start with more enthusiasm and participation from the residents than we initially expected!

Thank you to those who’ve taken on new volunteer roles and responsibilities over the past month, especially Brian, Maxine, Joan, Don, Elaine and Jean. We have some exciting new activities in the pipeline and I look forward to working with everyone to get these up and running!

Welcome - We welcome Wendy Mc. to our Thursday Bible readings team, her enthusiasm and insights will be much appreciated by our group of residents at Riverside.

New speakers - Friends of Southhaven have generously funded the purchase of a second set of speakers with Bluetooth connectivity. These speakers will live in the Riverside building and be used for group music listening and room visits. The residents in Treetops and Riverside are already enjoying putting in requests for their favourite songs. Once again we thank the members of the Friends of Southhaven committee for their financial support in purchasing these items that make such a huge difference in the lives of our residents!

Volunteers needed! - If you, or someone you know, would like more information about volunteering opportunities at Southhaven, please don’t hesitate to contact me. If I’m not visiting residents throughout the facility, I can be found at the nurses’ desk on Level 3 of the Riverside building.

Farewell - After over 20 years of volunteering on the kiosk, we are sad to see volunteer Elston Murphy retire from Southhaven.

When the decision was made some months ago to close the Southhaven Kiosk due to changes in the building and the needs of our residents, we were sad to receive Elston’s resignation. We were able to honour him at a morning tea on 31st July with a speech from Kim and the presentation of a small gift. This morning tea saw many of the current and past kiosk volunteers gather to mark the occasion.

Many staff and residents will have fond memories of the kiosk and the smiling faces of volunteers like Elston who sold them their favourite treats and other small luxuries. We thank all of our kiosk volunteers for their faithful service and commitment to our residents. We wish Elston all the best in his second retirement and look forward to seeing the remaining volunteers involved in other activities at Southhaven.

If you are interested in joining the Volunteer program, please do not hesitate to contact me: Wendy Gould on 0400 016 809 or wgould@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.