Ashburn House Summer Newsletter 2015

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

ASHBURN HOUSE Address: 20-34 Ashburn Place, Gladesville Phone: (02) 8876 9200

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Email: admin@chomes.com.au

Manager’s Message

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Welcome to Ashburn House Dear Residents and Families, You may have noticed changes within the facility’s physical environment, with the introduction of fresh live plants and ornaments for decoration. Further ornamental pieces are coming and we will be looking at having seasonal changes with this so as to keep fresh and uplifting.

We have also begun the face lift of the Kimberly garden area, with brand new raised garden beds with seats. The funds were raised from the Country Fair this year. This is just the beginning, with further decorative elements and tactile elements coming with completion planned for February.

We would also like to remind relatives and friends to ensure their loved ones have enough summer clothes for the upcoming summer and that all clothes are to be labelled before being put in the wardrobe. Labels can be purchased from Admin area.

Lost property continues to be displayed in the activity room located on LG the first Friday to Monday of each month. Please take the time to have a look, as many missing items are here waiting to be reclaimed.

With Christmas just around the corner, we have begun the planning of Christmas parties with 3 ‘section’ parties now confirmed for the following dates: for residents of Katherine and Fitzory - 2/12; for Kuringgai and Minnamurra - 4/12 for Kimberly and Daintre - 8/12.

We also urge families to organise a wheelchair from local chemists if wanting to take their loved ones out during Christmas period. Due to the limited number of wheelchairs we will not be able to lend ours out.

Finally a reminder that feedback forms are always available at front reception area and all feedback is welcome and valued.

Warm Regards, Yan Li

News & Upcoming Events UPCOMING EVENTS DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

1 Phyllis D

5 Joan B

2 Irene H 80th

3 Mavis D

16 Sook H

5 Liese Lore

3 Betty P

22 Margaret P

16 Gwendolyn B

6 Christine F

24 Josephine B

21 Dorothy P

7 Margaret S

26 Joan R

22 John W

12 Jessie L

30 Michel R

25 Beverley H

14 Gloria G 17 Elaine M

26 Mary A

DECEMBER 2nd - Katherine & Fitzroy Christmas Party 4th - KuRingGai & Minnamurra Christmas Party 8th - Daintree & Kimberley Christmas Party 17th - Armchair Travel: Greece 22nd - Anglican Christmas Carols 31st - NYE celebrations

JANUARY 25th - Australia Day BBQ 28th - Resident High Tea

FEBRUARY 8th - Chinese New Year 12th - Valentine’s Afternoon 25th - Residents High Tea

Resident Service Officers When friends talk to you about the frailty of their parents or grandparents, uncles or aunts, neighbours or other loved ones, you might like to share this newsle:er with them, recommending Christadelphian Homes as a “home away from home”.

Stephen Bradley, RSO, would love to hear from you and have a chat about the various individualised needs Ashburn House Aged Care can offer your loved one.

Call 1800 246 637 or email admin@chomes.com.au

Activity Reviews

by Tara P

Hello residents, friends and family of Ashburn House, What a wonderful kick start to the warmer months we’ve had. Our Country Fair fundraising day was a large success with perfect weather and not a cloud in the sky. We had the animal farm, book stall, flowers, jams and fruits for sale as well as the array of yummy baked treats, all lovingly made and donated. In addition, we say the biggest thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who made the day such a success. We couldn’t have done it without you, so thank you all! I’m excited to say the fundraising total was double to last year and are dedicated this year the dementia wing, specifically Kimberley. Changes have begun already and will continue all the way through to February. Be sure to have a peek.

Other fun events we have enjoyed within the facility include the ‘Sound of Music Sing A Long’. How much fun! Every one sung their “Doe ray mee’s” beautifully. Thank you to the kitchen staff for the delicious afternoon tea made up of a few of our favourite things! The apple strudel was delicious.

November brought us our annual Melbourne Cup celebrations. Champagne nibbles and sweeps.

Diana D was the winner of the Staff sweeps and best dressed! Libby, Sabi and Courtney worked tirelessly with residents leading up to the day creating fun and fabulous hats and fascinators. A special thanks to Rhonda for overseeing the staff sweeps. My horse came 2nd!!

Another fun monthly event which we have begun is ‘Armchair Travel’. Our second one was to India and Bollywood dancing was the highlight with nurse Shahana teaching us some dance moves!

Staff dressed in traditional saris and residents were able to see the detailed Diana, Best Dressed jewellery and embroidery as well as taste treats such as chai tea and rasgulla dumplings. Our next destination is Greece as requested by Don S. So, what a fun quarter we have had and another fun quarters lies ahead with the big Christmas and New Years festivities to come. See you all soon and from us all - Merry Christmas and a happy joyous New Year.

Kid’s Corner Treasure Basket You may have noFced in our acFvity room on lower ground a mysterious cane chest that has appeared. This is a wonderful donaFon from our volunteers put together for visiFng grandkids and children.

Inside are puzzles, books, acFvity packs galore -­‐ a kid’s treasure chest just waiFng to be explored! Please help your self and have a play but return the treats for the next visitors.

Activity Photos

Resident Story - Colin Nancarrow Colin Nancarrow was born in 1942 in Adelaide, the youngest child with two older sisters. He showed academic ability and, with his mother’s active support, he secured a cadetship with the South Australian Department of Agriculture to study Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide. He did Honours Entomology and a PhD in Animal Physiology, particularly female hormones in early pregnancy.

Colin loved sport. He played in the State Junior Lacrosse team, but then met a school girl, Judith McKenzie, who told him “Men play football”. So he joined the Adelaide Uni Australian Rules Football Club. There were hard fought games between Judith’s Teachers' College team and the University club. Colin’s memorable performance as Centre Half Back during the Premiership win in 1965 was recently remembered at the 50th celebrations of that win in Adelaide. Since Portait in 1970 living in Sydney Colin has been an ardent Swans supporter.

Judith and Colin married in 1967 and two years later moved to New York for Colin’s post doctoral studies. There he was recruited by a local expat Rugby Union team, solely for his kicking ability. He engaged in fiercely contested international squash games with his English friend Mike Cooper whenever they found themselves in the same city. In the 1980’s, he never missed his weekly tennis game with Brian McGuirk, even on the evening of his 40th birthday party.

From 1971, Colin worked for the CSIRO’s Department of Animal Production at Prospect. He forged many f r i e n d s h i p s w i t h i n t h e s c i e n t i fi c community around the world and he and Judith hosted many of these friends at their home in Willoughby. Some With wife Judith, 1970 colleagues, now Professors, spent time in his laboratory at Prospect. One PhD student Masa Tetsuka, now a Professor of Agriculture in Hokkaido, invited Judith and Colin to visit in 2009. They enjoyed a wonderful week of Japanese hospitality. Colin’s sense of humour was appreciated by Masa and his many other friends.

Coney Island NY 1969-70 Colin and Judith had a daughter, Amy Louise, who was born in Sydney in 1979 and a son Benjamin, born in 1980 in St Louis where Colin was continuing his reproductive research. Colin was a wonderful hands on father, packing school lunches, taking the children to school, and scheduling work meetings to start after 10am. In 1988, the family enjoyed six months away while Colin did further research at Cambridge University in England.

They travelled all over the UK and to Italy and France.

Holidays in the 80s

Resident Story - Colin Nancarrow cont In 1992, at 49 years old, Colin was diagnosed with Parkinson's’ Disease. He took medical retirement in 1995 after organising an International Meeting of the Society of Reproductive Biologists, later receiving Life Membership of that scientific organisation.

He was active in retirement, sitting on the staff selection committees of Chatswood High School and chaperoning on his son Ben’s rugby trips. He was involved in the local Parkinson's support committee and his interest in the research led him, in At the local Parkinson’s 2005, to be one of the early recipients of Deep Brain support committee Stimulation. The outcome, though not a cure, was miraculous.

Judith and Colin resumed travelling, visiting friends in the south of France, staying in the Greek islands and visiting Amy in Edinburgh. Their birdwatching hobby took them to the Galapagos Islands and Colin proudly climbed Machu Picchu after that. They continued birdwatching trips to Lake Eyre and outback NSW and Queensland.

However, the Parkinson’s Disease was progressing and affecting him greatly. Colin did give Amy away at her wedding in 2013.

In January 2015, he was fortunate to be able to make Ashburn House his new home.

Thank you Colin for sharing your story with us all

Staff Profile - Cristina Santos Hello, my name is Cristina and I am the physio assistant at Ashburn House. My home town is Porto, in Portugal and I have being in Australia for 7 years. In my free time, I like to drive to country towns, take bush walks, go to the cinema… and enjoy a nice piece of cake!

I’ve been working at Ashburn House for just over 1 year; I assist our physiotherapist Abdul with his Porto, Portugal prescriptions, which cover massage therapy to exercise programs.

Massage therapy is generally considered part of a complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for wide range of medical conditions and situations. Studies of the benefits of massaged demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, anxiety, pain and muscle tension; it also aids in maintaining flexibility in your joints.

The benefits of exercise are endless. The more research that is done the more we learn that exercise can be preventive and can be an illness management strategy. Adding more walking to your routine will improve your mobility levels and if we focus on strength, balance and flexibility it will improve your quality of life.

Exercise classes are provided from Monday to Thursday at 11am in one of the lounges in Ashburn House. Everybody is welcome, even just to watch.

It is rewarding to contribute daily to the team of staff members across the board and I would like to remind residents, family members and staff how important feedback is for improving the quality of living of residents and our work place - it takes a team to achieve that caring and understanding of all residents. Let’s work together to help you get the most from your mobility – see you at your next session! Thank you to all.

Poem - My Rememberer

My forgetter's getting better But my rememberer is broke To you that may seem funny But, to me, that is no joke.

For when I'm 'here' I'm wondering If I really should be 'there' And, when I try to think it through, I haven't got a prayer!

Often times I walk into a room, Say "what am I here for?"

I wrack my brain, but all in vain A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away Where it is safe, but, Gee! The person it is safest from Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone, Say "Hi" and have a chat, Then, when the person walks away I ask myself, "who was that?"

Yes, my forgetter's getting better While my rememberer is broke, And it's driving me plumb crazy And that isn't any joke.

love

1 John 3:18

Pastoral Care

Let us not with word or speech but with actions and in truth

THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.

Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.

Luke 2: 4-19 says: "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.� When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

Why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins.

Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus.

Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole.

Bereavements

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

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." I John 1:9 We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met. - By Martha Noebel

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Volunteer Corner SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER Helen Russell A couple of times a month I have fun making coffee and tea and serving in Bronte Café at Ashburn House. Hopefully the coffee is good and the service friendly. As a volunteer, I wish to add a happy atmosphere for the residents and their family and visitors.

As a by-product, I have lots of fun and get to know a variety of people.

In 2002, my mother was a resident of the old Ashburn House so my contact for many years was as a family member. From 2002 to 2008, I watched with interest the moving of residents to Ryde while the new Ashburn House was built and the move back to the beautiful new buildings.

Mum enjoyed good care and the benefit of volunteers, some of whom she had known from their youth!

When I retired from teaching 8 years ago, it was a natural progression to volunteer at Ashburn and for a short time volunteering and visiting Mum coincided.

At the time I started at the Café it was all volunteers, including my brother Andrew, who taught me baristering better than the course I completed! Part of what I enjoy is that it is very different to my paid employment - learning new skills and talking to adults instead of teenagers.

As much as I loved teaching teenagers it was a pleasant change.

A typical day volunteering means a 40 minute drive from home, then setting up the café ready to open at 10am. Usually I work with Alison and she prepares food while I take orders and make coffees. There is usually time for chatting with each other and “customers”. At 2.30pm we pack up and I head home.

Volunteers are always needed and there are many other roles that can be filled with volunteers but I feel I’ve found the one that suits me.

If you are interested in joining the Volunteer program, please do not hesitate to contact me: Sherene Noble on 0435 496 184 or snoble@chomes.com.au Volunteer & Pastoral Care Coordinator

Advice on Caring for Alzheimer’s Patients

By Joy Glenner

Dear family and friends; please try to understand What I am now, not think of me as I was.

I am alone, shut in, with my fears My frustration, my forgetfulness.

Forgive me if I strike out at you.

Why do I do that?

What has happened to me?

I cannot cope in this alien world.

I feel threatened, I am frightened.

Speak softly, approach slowly.

Repeat again and again what you want of me.

Those twisted tangles in my brain Have messed up my world.

Be patient, for I do love you, And I need your help and love So very, very much.

-­ Your Alzheimer’s Patient

Read, Rest & Relax!

Laughter is the best medicine

An elderly man was having hearing problems and went to see a specialist. The doctor fitted him with some hearing aids that brought his hearing back to full strength.

After a few weeks the man came back to make sure the new equipment was working properly, which it was. The hearing specialist said, “It all seems perfect. Your family should be delighted you can hear everything now.”

“Oh no,” the man responded. “I haven’t told any of them. I just sit quietly, listening carefully. I’ve changed my will four times.”

Christmas Trifle

• 4 x 85g packets strawberry jelly crystals • 2 1/2 cups boiling water • 1/2 x 800g light fruit cake, cut into 3cm cubes • 2 tablespoons brandy (optional) • 2 cups Pauls Double Thick Vanilla custard • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries • 125g fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced • 300ml thickened cream • 1 teaspoon icing sugar mixture, sifted • 50g white chocolate, grated fresh raspberries and hulled, quartered strawberries, to decorate Serves 6 Tips: You could use leftover fruit cake or pudding in this trifle and replace brandy with orange juice

1. Place jelly crystals in a heatproof bowl.

Add boiling water. Stir to dissolve crystals.

Stir in 400ml cold water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until just starting to set (it should have a thick, syrupy consistency).

2. Arrange cake in a 13 cup-capacity serving bowl. Drizzle with brandy, if using. Spoon half the jelly over top. Top with custard. Sprinkle with raspberries and strawberries. Spoon remaining jelly over top.

Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Fold through chocolate. Spoon mixture over trifle. Top with raspberries and strawberry quarters and grated chocolate.

Serve.

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