Chamberlain Gardens - Summer 2013 Newsletter

2 0 1 3

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

CHAMBERLAIN GARDENS

Address: 53-67 Chamberlain Rd, Wyoming NSW 2250 Phone: (02) 4329 8000 Email: admin@chomes.com.au

z

I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone!

The Saviour - yes the Messiah, the Lord - has been born tonight in Bethlehem!

nnn

Luke 2:10-11

Managers Message

z

Welcome to Chamberlain Gardens

Hi Everyone, The building works are now complete and we will be able to use the new lounges and offices as soon as the furniture is delivered.

This work has improved the living areas for residents and given the staff a better work environment. The work does not change the configuration and we have the same number of beds. Thank you everyone for being so patient during the building works.

We recently had our 3 year Accreditation assessment and while waiting for formal results, I am pleased to say we were recommended to pass all 44 Standards.

We are now gearing up for Christmas events, a very important time of the year for all of us, as we use this time of the year to connect with our families and friends. Chamberlain is having a Pre Christmas function on the evening of 12th December, so keep the date free.

May I take this opportunity as the year comes to an end to thank everyone that contributes to Chamberlain Gardens. The Management, the staff, the volunteers and our supportive families, you are all valued and appreciated for the wonderful way in which you provide care in so many ways for all our residents.

I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Until next time, Leonie Talsi

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

2 Thess 3:16

Message from our CFO

Sustainability is ‘the capacity to endure’. In nature, the word ‘sustainable’ describes how living systems of plants and animals continue on diverse and productive over time, even through many changes in weather and landscape. Ancient, healthy, tropical wetlands like Kakadu or remote, cold climate fern forests in Tasmania are examples of what it means to be sustainable. One day I’d love to visit Kakadu in the Northern Territory to experience its pristine beauty.

A sustainable aged care organisation is one that contributes to society’s need for the daily care, nursing support, recreation and accommodation needed by many older people, consistently across the years.

One of Christadelphian Aged Care’s eight values is about being Sustainable. We describe this as ‘running CAC as a professional and financially sustainable organisation’. In other words, we want to be able to care for people for a long time ahead, providing care and support for our residents and their families and also providing ongoing employment for our staff and suppliers.

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.

Over the years, CAC has taken the view that it is very helpful for our organisation to be of a size large enough to weather cycles in economic conditions and government policy, employ enthusiastic and experienced staff, and be able to upgrade and improve the physical facilities we offer – our buildings, equipment, technology, furnishings and fittings. So for a number of years we have been growing in size.

In November, we have been delighted to welcome our sister organisation in Queensland, Maranatha, to join with Christadelphian Aged Care in a merger. Maranatha operates as an integrated community combining a retirement village of 52 independent living units and a residential aged care facility able to care for 91 older Australians. They are supported by over 90 staff who are now part of the CAC team.

Ongoing changes to regulations and aged care funding continue to impact on smaller residential aged care facilities like Maranatha. Announced changes appear to be framed to fit larger organisations such as CAC that have a corporate support team, economies of scale and extensive systems supporting their six operations. So the Queensland Board and their members agreed that it was in our mutual interest to join together.

The merger allows Christadelphian Aged Care to increase its scale of operations and deliver residential aged care services in both Queensland and New South Wales via a single Christadelphian entity.

In being sustainable we seek to enrich the quality of life of the people in our care by nurturing them through our compassion, service and comfortable living environment.

Best Wishes, Andrew O’Toole

DECEMBER

UPCOMING EVENTS DECEMBER 4th - Coastal & Garden Christmas Party Lunch & Concert 11th - Horizon Christmas Party Lunch & Concert 12th - Residents & Families Christmas Drinks & Ent

JANUARY 23rd - Australia Day Celebrations

FEBRUARY

12th - Valentine’s Day Morning Tea

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

Horizon

Horizon

Horizon

6 Elva H

11 Thelma W

1 Gloria W

15 Stefania W

16 Edith G

2 Dulcie H

17 Jame B

18 Beverly K

14 Maria H

18 Niels P

19 James G

20 Malcom W

24 Eva C

22 Joan S

21 Gwen A

Coastal

24 Genevieve S

Coastal

24 Elizabeth S 25 Lorna S

24 Maureen D 25 May H

2 Maurice K 5 Jean M

Garden

Coastal

18 Joan E

6 Zilla D

18 Nancye L

26 Betsy H

13 Anne W

Garden

Garden

14 Joy T

1 Gladys G

2 Cecil S

28 Ellen J

3 Merle R

5 Millie B

7 Rita S 26 Thelma P

Activity Reviews SEPTEMBER This was once again a busy month with the Electoral Commission arriving Tuesday 3rd September. They set up a voting booth in Horizon, for the Federal Election, which was very well participated by the residents, and did room visits in the afternoon enabling the residents who could not get to the voting booth to vote.

Valley View Primary School Band

visited and entertained us on Friday 13th September. Our residents always enjoy these visits and the children even had some of our residents up dancing.

Suzy J Entertainment

Thursday 26th Sept the residents were entertained by Suzy J. Suzy was an ex-employee of Chamberlain Gardens way back in the beginning and now lives in Wollongong. Suzy’s concert was very interactive with the residents, she had them all wearing Hawaiian lay’s, some residents playing blow up guitars, other’s holding blow up microphones, and Gail dressing up in a grass skirt. Lots of fun and singing was had by all.

Father’s Day All our fathers celebrated Fathers Day on 1st Sept.

They all received lollies which had been boxed and cards written on by our volunteers.

Feet Fitters Saturday 7th September we had a company called “Feet Fitters” come to the facility.

This company sells shoes suitable for our residents at reasonable prices, and approved by our Physiotherapist Paul. They had on display their Spring/Summer range. Both residents and staff attended and bought shoes, and we hope they will come back again with their winter collection in 2014.

Combined Men’s BBQ

September bought with it warmer weather, so we commenced our Combined Men’s BBQ again which is held outside in the garden courtyard. This BBQ is well participated with the BBQ cooked by either Hilton or Mark, and the men enjoyed a chat, beer and an amazing meal!

Shuffe Board

Our residents continue to play Shuffle Board against Peninsula Village, and this time we retained the trophy!!! Woo hoo! It wasn’t an easy game with it coming down to a tie breaker, so good on you Chamberlain Gardens. We now have a couple of men who are interested in joining the team, and we are always looking for extra players, so feel free to come along Wednesday mornings at 10am in the Horizon activities room.

Activity Reviews contd OCTOBER With the proceeds of the kiosk, Gail bought a beautiful sandstone water feature for the outside balcony near the kiosk. She has been beautifying this area over the last few months, making it a more desirable area for residents to sit outside. There have been metal murals put on the walls, some potted Orange Blossom planted in large pots, making it a more inviting area. This area is now used for knit and chat groups, craft and often you will find residents sitting out there catching up on their vitamin “D”. A big thank you must go to Diane a volunteer who does a fabulous job stocking the kiosk and opening it Monday and Fridays, providing the residents with the proceeds.

Entertainment

During October, we had Jerry Wall, Evan Haswell, Waltz time and the Australian Choir come and entertain the residents.

Combined Men’s BBQ was held on Wednesday 30th, and we had to hold this in the garden activity room, as was raining and we could not all fit under the pergola, of course once we moved everyone inside, the sun appeared!!!

Thursday 31st we celebrated RAO Sarah’s departure for a month with a cake, as she was going home to Brisbane to get married. Sarah was married on Saturday 9th November to Zach and we wish them a long and happy life together.

Sarah will be coming back to work in December, after having a honeymoon in Thailand.

Aviary

We also restocked the aviary as one by one our budgies died so after a lot of expert advice we decided on buying some Love Birds. At the moment we have six birds, we have called them Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty, Bam Bam and Pebbles, and are currently raising money to purchase some more. These birds bring a lot of pleasure to both residents and families.

Pink Ribbon Day The staff at Chamberlain Gardens are keen supporters

of charity fundraisers and the 2013 Pink Ribbon Day held on 22 October was no exception. Leah Donohue showed her usual magic touch in the 63 cup cakes she made and we made $180.00 from their sale. As well, the staff were encouraged to participate in the Pink Ribbon Mufti Day and this was well supported with many really coming in their Pink Ribbon Day gear. Even Zoro, the renovations foreman, got into the spirit! But the award for most creative outfit went to Colin Wood, our Garden team leader. More than $350.00 was raised on Pink Ribbon Day for breast cancer research.

Activity Reviews contd NOVEMBER

Melbourne Cup is such a huge day for the RAO’s, Sherine and

Sharon sold sweeps all day Monday, and actually balanced the money at the end of the day. Tuesday we held a staff lunch then were busy organinsing drinks and nibbles for the residents while they watched the race. A big thank you to the kitchen staff who once again put on a lovely combination of finger foods, which was enjoyed by both residents and staff. There were many happy winners, and some not so lucky punters, but a good day had by all.

Entertainment - This month we are being entertained by “Friends for Life”, The Minstrels,

The Gals and Evan Haswell. Dan Hardy is coming down from Newcastle to entertain our residents on our Grand piano on the 18th November.

Memorial Service We held our 3rd Memorial Service to remember past residents on 27th

November. This was a moving event, with families, staff and residents invited as it gives us all an opportunity for closure. We buy a flower for every resident lost, and this is given to the families.

Resident Story - Parlan MacFarlane

Parlan was born in Calcutta, West Bengal, India to Anglo/Indian parents and was one of two boys. Parlan attended a private school in Darjeeling from primary school to high school.

Upon leaving school, Parlan worked for an undertaker and would pick Lillian up in the hearse. Parlan gained employment in a confectionary maintenance shop, working for nine years progressing to General Manager. Parlan then went into business for himself; he was a contractor to the Indian government supplying goods (food) to the military. At that stage Parlan was very successful and owned 3 Jaguar cars.

Parlan met his current wife Lillian at Calcutta at a dance hall, and courted for a short time before getting married; as Parlan said it was love at first sight. They have four children - two boys and two girls.

Parlan was known as “the Incomparable ‘Macko’ the Magnificent”, he was an acrobat/magician and preformed in clubs with Lillian through out India.

In 1964/65, the MacFarlanes moved to Sydney where they bought a house in St Ives and lived there for 42 years before moving to Chamberlain Gardens. Parlan worked for Speedo in Sydney before working at Qantas where he stayed until retirement at the age of 55. Parlan worked hard and paid for all his family to move to England after India got independence. Parlan and Lillian have travelled extensively, he said he has enjoyed life, and had a ball.

Parlan and Lillian will have been married 67 years on the 23rd November, 2013.

Staff Profile - Val Charlton

Val was born in St Mary’s (East Coast), Tasmania, she is one of four children, and has a twin brother Brian. Val went to primary and high school in Launceston, Tasmania and on leaving school she travelled to New Guniea where she worked as a secretary living in the village of Rabaul. The year Val was in Rabaul she experienced a year of massive earthquakes, which was quite exciting for a young girl. Val returned to Australia and attended Secretarial College in Avondale for a year. Upon qualifying, Val moved to Victoria where she worked as a secretary for 3 years before moving to Hobart where she lived and worked for 5 years before moving to Sydney and working for 12 years.

Val married and moved to country Victoria where she lived for 4 years before moving to the Central Coast. Val worked for a Cardiologist before taking employment here at Chamberlain Gardens.

Val enjoys music, and travel. Val has been to America, Canada, Mexico, Fiji and New Zealand, but her one wish is to see inner Australia - Uluru, and has travelled the West Coast and East Coast of Australia. Next year Val is looking forward to a family cruise to New Zealand in October to celebrate both her and her twin brother’s 60th birthday, and her sister Barb’s 70th Birthday.

Val studied off campus, graduating in 1992 with a BA Degree in Consumer Health.

Val has done a lot of volunteer work throughout her life; she currently helps with Coast Shelter feeding the homeless, and also currently volunteers in health education program, the Depression Recovery Program and CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) which are run annually at her church. Since living on the Central Coast she was also involved in running stop smoking programs at Gosford Hospital and stress management programs.

Orchid Donation

This lovely orchid was donated by Anna Forsbey, the daughter of one of our high care residents, Elisabeth Sawicki as a “thankyou” for the care we give her mother.

Anna said she had noticed the other orchid arrangements we have throughout the facility and wanted to give us something for the new multi-purpose room in the foyer.

Thank you Anna for your thoughtfulness. Your gift has added to the ambience of the room.

Christmas Gift Ideas

ACTIVITY ASSISTANTS PROGRAM We welcome the Christadelphian Young People to our facility to be involved in the Activity Assistant Program helping the RAO’s with various activities from Mid December through to the end of January.

A wonderful opportunity for the young to experience “hands on” the needs of the elderly in our community and share with them their youth, their smiles, their energy and their love. The old and the young together a beautiful combination. Thank you young people for your enthusiasm and desire to care for the elderly.

Enjoy your time with CAC.

With Christmas not far away, many of the families must be wondering what to give their loved one as a gift for Christmas. Alzheimer’s Australia suggests giving a gift to connect with the person.

The stage of dementia a person is at will influence what kind of gifts is appropriate.

Here are some ideas: A photo album with photo’s of significant people, places and times from the person’s life.

CDs of music from the person’s youth.

Framed photo’s of people and places from the person’s past.

Digital photo frame with images of family, friends, special events, times and places.

Relaxation CD or DVD. Hobby magazine related to person’s past hobbies and interests.

Favorite movies DVD. Simple to manage clothing (named please).

Fruit basket or flowers.

Things to sort such as coins, buttons or beads.

Some simple puzzles, games.

Tactile objects such as a patchwork blanket with a variety of textures and patterns.

Stuffed toys to cuddle.

Pet visits.

One of the greatest gifts we can give any one is our time and company.

With Christmas comes gifts; could families please ensure these are named, as staff have difficulty knowing who owns what, and this makes it difficult to return things. We are still having problems with unnamed clothing, every month the laundry has a number of unclaimed clothing which is given to charity, so could families please name clothing before bringing to the facility, also shoes, slippers, photo frames, glasses and anything personal. Thankyou!

Pastoral Care A WOUNDED SPIRIT Many people today are walking around with a wounded spirit. What am I talking about? I’m referring to those individuals who have been badly hurt by experiences in life, from which they have big difficulties overcoming.

Maybe that’s you today. We all carry some kind of internal wound or scar, and some have deep emotional wounds.

Maybe you’ve been rejected by a family member and never found resolution. It’s not sensible to ignore how you feel, for you are an emotional being, and emotional hurts can take a long time to heal - it can be a long process.

Physical wounds usually come from without and are easy to understand and cope with, but there are no simple bandages for a wounded spirit. Wounds to the spirit are sudden blows, and most of the time we don't see them coming, for they usually come from those whom we love and trust the most. And that is what is so disturbing about this. A broken arm or leg is obvious - a broken heart is not easily seen. A bruise is an inner hurt or injury, and we ask “where did this come from? Why do I react like this?” It can be serious. One writer describes it “the impairment of our past can bridle our present and detour our future”. No wonder the writer of Proverbs in the Old Testament says “the human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” (Proverbs 18:14). You can’t bury emotional pain or try to forget all about it; it will come to the surface eventually. I guess that’s why we tend to forget the bad and only remember the good. I’m sure no-one wants to stay in this hurtful place, instead we look for help, and getting professional help is always a good thing, indeed sometimes essential.

You can sometimes feel violated by others, by negative words, events, actions. It’s a reaction that knocks you down and you just can’t get up again. Each day is a nightmare, and it seems you can’t heal yourself. Negative, critical words are a common assault. Someone says something so nasty and horrible that you feel devastated, and the words have penetrated into your spirit. Marriages can, and often do, be destroyed by critical words spoken between a husband and wife. How often have we seen that happen? I don’t think we realise how harmful our words can be. And gossip is another harmful action. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:8 “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts”.

It’s important to remember our limitations. Sometimes we try to do everything and get stuck somewhere, trying to please everybody. We are not perfect. We do want to be loved and respected by everyone, but the reality is others will hurt us. Even betray us. That is a deep wound and a very hurtful thing to work through, a betrayal of confidence. To be betrayed actually means “to disclose a secret or confidence treacherously; to break a promise, to be disloyal to a person’s trust”. Guard against it as much as possible. Don’t inflict pain in the lives of your friends – keep confidences and be loyal.

Jesus knows and understands all that you are going through. He understands how you can be wounded by rejection because many rejected Him and His own disciples abandoned Him in the time of His greatest need. He knew the tears of pain and sorrow as He grieved for His friend, Lazarus. He understood how it felt to be misunderstood because His own mother and brothers did not understand Him, and even declared that He was mad. He was also wounded and hurt by the same people that He ministered to and gave His life for.

Someone has said “God does not waste an oun ce of our pain or a drop of our tears. Suffering does not come our way for no reason. He seems especially efficient at using what we endure to mould our character. If we are willing to allow Him into our lives, He takes our bumps and bruises, and shapes them into something beautiful”.

Source: Chris Witts

Bereavements

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

Dental Care

IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HEALTH It is a fact that more and more older Australians are retaining their teeth as they age, thanks to improved dental care throughout life, fluoride and better nutrition. However as we age, natural fatigue and depletion of the salivary flow means that it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep disease and decay in check - Bacteria builds up on teeth making gums prone to infection and tooth decay. The body is then constantly ingesting this bacteria and gums remain inflamed until the infection is brought under control.

Did you know that a build up of bacteria in the mouth can be linked to many other systemic diseases?

There are multiple studies that have found links between many systemic diseases and the constant ingestion of oral bacteria. Years ago, a physician who suspected heart disease would probably not refer the patient to a dentist. The same went for diabetes, chronic chest infections, or just about any other medical condition. Times have changed. The past 5 to 10 years have seen ballooning interest in possible links between mouth health and body health, and for good reason.

In one recent study, people with serious gum disease were 40% more likely to have a chronic condition on top of it.* Optimal Oral Health Practices Best ways to maintain a healthy mouth as we age: 1. Twice Daily Brushing of teeth, tongue and gums 2. High Fluoride Toothpaste 3. Antibacterial Product after Lunch (such as Curacept Gel) 4. Keep the mouth moist (using products such as Biotene if needed) 5. Moderate Sugar Intake 6. Regular Dental Cleans (3-6 monthly) Regular Dentist Visits promotes better overall health By eliminating bacteria and infection and maintaining oral function (and hence vitamin intake), regular dental examinations of the teeth and gums is the best way to maintain better overall health within the Aged Care Environment.

Mobile Dental Services have regular visits to Christadelphian Aged Care facilities and offer our residents the opportunity to visit a dental professional highly experienced in the dental care of the elderly, with the convenience of not leaving the Facility. Please ask Facility Manager/Care Manager for more information on this service. *Source – American Dental Association

Volunteer Corner

What a fantastic year we have had with our volunteers at Chamberlain Gardens. They have supported the activities staff in many of their programmed activities as well as visiting residents, running the kiosk, facilitating spiritual services, showing holiday power points, playing the piano for sing-alongs, hosting lunches for the knit and chat group and much more.

A lot of our programmed activities either wouldn’t be possible or would not be as successful without the dedication, organisation and contribution from volunteers.

Some highlights of the last few months have been our volunteer afternoon tea get together in September. We had a lovely informal get together under the garden pergola. It was a great opportunity for the volunteers to meet and further friendships and share experience with other volunteers. It was such a success and we will be having a volunteer get together, on a different day every three months.

After a request from the Activities Team Leader we now have a Praise and Worship service once a fortnight in the Horizon Lounge which is non denominational and hosted by members from the Christadelphian Community. The half hour service includes morning tea, a prayer, a reading or power point to music, singing and discussion. All are most welcome to attend.

2013 has seen our Pastoral Care Program grow. We have had two volunteers attend the recent Pastoral Care Course held in Sydney over 5 consecutive Wednesdays. I am looking forward to having Brenda and Marcia on the Pastoral Care Team, helping with our new “Meet and Greet” program, which is availing new residents, both permanent and respite, a listening ear and a friendly face to talk over any issues arising from the many changes that are taking place in their lives. They will also assist our current Pastoral Carers in their provision of spiritual support and comfort, and assistance in times of need to any of our residents.

We have recently spent time re-writing our volunteer position descriptions. There is so much diversity and choice in volunteering with Christadelphian Aged Care. You can choose an activity to suit your personality, skills and time preferences.

If you can spare a few hours or would like to know more about the volunteering opportunities at Chamberlain Gardens, please give me a call on 0435 785 244 or speak to me at Chamberlain Gardens on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Safe Christmas Season and Best Wishes for the year ahead.

Liz McKay, Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator 0425 303 916

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves” - James Barrie

Read, Rest & Relax!

In our day-to-day living, most people don't know what it truly means to relax. This very word brings images of some kind of discipline or "shut-down" mode, but the fact is that relaxation can be made up of simple little things you do as you go about your normal daily routine.

Simple things like breathing deeply and stretching outside in nature for 10 minutes before you start your day, reading a book before you go to bed with a candle flickering by your side, taking a relaxing walk along the beach or writing down all the things you are grateful for. Another favourite is laying out in the sun for 15-20 minutes a few times a week with cold-pressed coconut oil rubbed on your skin. All of these rituals are great ways to bring balance into your life, to de-stress and to keep you in the present moment.These simple little rituals can provide a peaceful chance to breathe, unwind and renew ourselves.

Christmas Jokes Q. What never eats at Christmas time?

A. The turkey - it's usually STUFFED! Q. What goes “oh, oh, oh”?

A. Santa walking backwards!

Time for a belly laugh...

I'm not 80 - I'm merely 28 with 52 years' experience!

Growing old is like being penalised for a crime you haven't committed.

'I don't drink anymore, I can get the same feeling from standing up quickly.'

Q. What did the cow say on Christmas morning?

A. Mooooey Christmas!

Fruit Mince Brownies

Makes 12

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped • 300g brown sugar • 250g unsalted butter, choppe d

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour • 1/4 tsp baking powder • 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa, plus ext ra to dust • 1/3 cup (85g) fruit mince • 1 tsp mixed spice • 1 cup (100g) toasted walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm square cake or brownie pan and line the base with baking paper.

2. Place chocolate, sugar and but ter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and well combined. Rem ove from heat, cool slightly, then stir in egg s until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, fruit mince, mixed spice and nuts, stirring to combine. Spread into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until just set.

3. Cool in pan, then dust with coc oa. Cut into 12 squares and serve. Brown ies will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Word Scramble Unscramble each of these famous Christmas Carols.

To find the hidden phrase, copy the letters in the numbered cells to other cells with the same number.

Hidden Phrase: Spring Newsletter Puzzle Answer 9 letter word: Dimension

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