Christadelphian Aged Care 2 0 1 6 / 1 7 S U M M E R N E W S L E T T E R
SOUTHHAVEN
Address: 11 Queensbury Rd, Padstow Heights
Phone: (02) 9782 6010
Email: admin@chomes.com.au
Manager’s Message Welcome to Southhaven
Another eventful year is coming to an end and I am sure 2017 will be full of exciting changes. The completion of the link building will be a great relief to all. The long awaited link building will provide a host of new facilities, including a new reception area, cafĂŠ, theatre and a hairdressing salon. This will greatly improve access to both buildings. The driveway leading down from the road will soon be resurfaced, which will include a pedestrian walkway. This will cause some disruption but access will be much improved as a result. Sometimes, we have to put up with building works so that improvements can be made. Thank you for your ongoing patience. I hope you have had a chance to meet and welcome our new care manager Jane Burton. Jane comes to us with a lot of aged care experience. We are very happy to have her as part of the Southhaven team. Melbourne Cup this year was a very exciting day. It was great to see everyone coming together to help our residents participate in the festivities. The RAOs worked very hard to make the day run so smoothly. A special thanks to Brian Howard for assisting with the sweep. Congratulations to all the winners. Could I please ask that you ensure your loved one has enough clothing and that the clothing is labelled, as we have a lot of unlabelled clothing in our lost and found section of the laundry. Please also be reminded not to place items on top of the wardrobes, as they may fall and injure someone. continued over page
Manager’s Message cont Please be aware that our residents Christmas party will be held on December 13. Due to our limited room, we are unable to cater for relatives to participate on this date. However, on December 15 at 6pm, all relatives are invited to our relative cocktail party. This will be held on Level 4 in the Riverside building. We would love to see you there, as it is a great opportunity to catch up and have a chat. Invitations have been sent to your home address. On behalf of the Southhaven team, I wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and an even better New Year. Kind Regards, Peter Jessing
UPCOMING EVENTS DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
Treetops Anne Martin
Treetops Sheila Fay
Treetops Dorothy Brace
Mounir Soliman
Vivian Hill
Edmond Catford
Jerry Wah
Andrew Tambours
Marie Marion
John Winchester
Diana Katrin
Marie McGill
Alida Valdmanis
Wayne Stephens
Riverside
Riverside
John Strachan Riverside
DECEMBER 7th - Catholic Healing Mass 13th - Resident’s Christmas Party 15th - Relative Cocktail Party at 6pm
JANUARY 9th - Half Day Bus Trip 23rd - Half Day Bus Trip 26th - Australia Day
Noella Gard
Marjorie Boyd
Nita Evans
William Hendersen
Gwen Gatherer
Elizabeth Mindzosa
Maizey Little
Barbara Green
Jessie Walton
Karen Priday
Zoe Koulamas
6th - Half Day Bus Trip
Betty Waters
Noreen Sidney
14th - Valentine’s Day
Lily Yee Lower Ground Margaret Awad
Julie Thomas Lower Ground Kaiji Ji
16th - Club Outing ( Canterbury )
Ronald Reid
Tan That Ton Patricia Wynter
Lower Ground Kenneth Hayward
FEBRUARY
20th - Half day bus trip 28th - Club Outing (Cabravale)
Activity Reviews MELBOURNE CUP Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday of November and is known as “the race that stops the nation”. At Southhaven, preparations began a week before the race, when we started our $2, $1 and 50c sweeps. On the big day, we had lots of fun playing games, with the staff joining in dressing up and out of uniform! Not to forget our hat parade that our residents and staff enjoyed. Wine and snacks were served to our residents while watching the big race and much encouragement was given to the horses from our residents and staff. A big thank you to Brian, one of our volunteers, who helped organising the sweeps. Also, a big thank you to our kitchen team who prepared our snacks and made a beautiful Melbourne Cup cake.
LOWER GROUND BARBECUE On Tuesday November 8, Southhaven had a barbecue for our residents in the Bluegum Wing, which was its first barbecue after renovation. We sat outside in the sunny weather with the nice smell of our barbecue, consisting of sausages and onions. This led to the opening of our resident’s appetites and gave them the opportunity to socialise and bond together while enjoying their food and drinks. A big thank you to our volunteer coordinator David, who helped with the barbecue.
Resident Story - Margery Walsh Margery Walsh (nee Exton) was born on July 4, 1929 at Paddington Women’s Hospital. She was the only daughter of four children born to Wilfred John Exton and his wife Gladys Frances Cole. Her eldest brother, John Roland, died before she was born. She also had an older brother Kenneth and a younger brother Barry. Living in Garden Street, Alexandria, Marge was around the age of three when she met her future husband Raymond Frederick Walsh, who was only four years old at the time. Ray and his family had moved into number 100. Margery and her family were living four doors away, at number 108. Marge attended Alexandria Public School, followed by Gardeners Road Public School for her high school education. Leaving school as soon as she was able, Marge gained employment as a tailoress with L.E. Isaacs Pty Ltd in Surry Hills. At the age of 21, Margery became engaged to Raymond and they married a year later on September 29, 1951 at Waterloo Congregational Church (the same church Marge’s great grandparents had attended since it was founded in the 1860s and where Margery had been christened and had attended Sunday School). After a honeymoon at Forster, the young couple returned to 100 Garden Street where they lived with Ray’s mother and his brother, George. By 1955, they moved into their own home at 106 Garden Street, next door to Marge’s mother and father. In 1956, Marge gave birth to their first child, a daughter Karen. Five and a half years later, their second daughter, Dianne was born. This completed their family. Marge left Isaacs before the birth of Karen and became a ‘stay at home mum’ caring for her family. She was a very talented seamstress, knitter and crocheter and she made beautiful clothes for her daughters. Marge would look in the children’s dress shops and then go home and create something similar for her girls. Years later, she made Karen’s wedding dress and her bridesmaid dresses. She was in high demand with her nieces as well, also making a wedding dress for one and a formal dress for another. She became involved with the Alexandria Congregational Church, supporting her daughters in their church activities and making beautiful cross stitch aprons and sun hats for the church fetes. Holidays were spent at Ettalong on the Central Coast, renting a beachfront house for a couple of weeks during summer. Their extended family members would holiday together; grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. This followed the holiday tradition, which had started with Marge’s family when she was aged five. Ettalong holds a special place in her heart. In 1972, Marge and Ray bought their first house and the family moved to Camden Street, Newtown. There, Marge and Ray lived together until 2008, when Ray needed to move into an aged care home. Marge and Ray were married for 60 years; Ray was in a nursing home on their 60th anniversary and he passed away just four months later. In 2011, Marge moved in with her daughter Karen and son-in-law David. Margery is the beloved grandmother to six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
love
1 John 3:18
Pastoral Care
Let us not with word or speech but with actions and in truth
GRIEF: COPING WITH SPECIAL OCCASIONS Birthdays, Religious Celebrations, Anniversaries, Holidays You may experience an unexpected increase in your feelings of grief on special days that are important and meaningful to you and your family. For example - birthdays, anniversaries (especially the anniversary of the death), Christmas or Easter, or any other special family traditions. These feelings can also be triggered by other occasions such as hearing a meaningful song, smelling a particular perfume, or visiting places that bring back memories. It is normal to feel this heightened sense of loss with this type of reminder. It is common to wonder why you are experiencing increased feelings of loss and not understand the cause, only to realise that a significant date is approaching or has passed. It can be useful to plan ahead for these days, realising they may be difficult. Depending on the individual, you may like to spend the day alone or with friends and family, or keep yourself occupied in some other way. You cannot change the circumstances but you can change the way you approach these occasions. Religious celebrations are supposed to be a joyous time and most people spend them with family. Again it will be normal to experience increased anxiety and heightened grief when anticipating the first occasion without your loved one. Be prepared for this to be a time of intense grief and sorrow, as family traditions at these times can bring painful reminders of your loss and loneliness. It is difficult to smile and pretend everything is okay when inside your heart is breaking. It is your choice whether you wish to continue with your family traditions as they were or change things – for example: go somewhere different for your family holiday, or change the seating at the Christmas table, or open gifts at a different time. Perhaps you could start new traditions in memory of your loved one like sharing fond memories or donating to a special charity. Difficult feelings may come and go or be mixed with happy feelings and memories too. Don’t feel you’re not coping as well as you should. It is very important to realise that you are unique and you will grieve in your own way and in your own time. There is no right or wrong way. The grief doesn’t end, but it does change and will become less intense as you adjust to a new world without your loved one. You could: Plan what you want to do or do not want to do during the special occasion Accept that your distress is normal Do something to honour your loved one – plant a favourite tree, hang a special ornament on the Christmas tree… Recognise that the absence of your loved one will cause pain no matter what you do. It is often a time of bittersweet memories. Sharing these reminiscences with friends and family can be helpful. Give yourself permission to have fun and be happy in the same way as you allow yourself to mourn. Feeling happy is not a betrayal, and neither does it mean you have forgotten your loved one. Tell people what you might find helpful. Sometimes others are unsure of how to help. Take it slow and easy. Rest if you feel tired and don’t over commit yourself for that occasion. By Cathy Strachan, Pastoral Care Coordinator, Casa Mia
Bereavements Our deepest sympathies have gone out to the families who have lost their loved ones over the Spring period.
Volunteer Corner SPOTLIGHT ON A VOLUNTEER Brian Howard. My mother was a resident at Southhaven for over two years until her death at the age of 92. My siblings and I were always impressed by the staff with regards to the affection, attention and care she received. When I retired in July 2014, and was looking for something to fill the hours previously taken up by full-time work, the choice was obvious and I was keen to give something back to Southhaven for the care my mother received. Initially, I was asked to visit with some of the men in Tree Tops. I soon discovered that, unlike the women, most of the men were reluctant to join in many of the activities organised for the residents. The women tended to gather in groups and chat away, whereas the men did not appear to form such groups. We now have a group of men who eat lunch together and talk for a couple of hours during the day. I soon found myself floating between the men's group and some of the women's groups and I have formed some good relationships with a number of residents, both men and women. Over time my volunteering duties have extended to cooking the barbecue lunch a couple of times each month during summer and I now drive the small company bus which takes some of the residents to the Menai Mall on the first Tuesday of each month for an outing and a little shopping. I have found volunteering to be both stimulating and rewarding.
Christadelphian Aged Care
2017 Resident
 Movie Calendar Residents at all our Homes and Villages recreated a favourite movie for photos that have been printed as a wall calendar. All residents will receive a copy for Christmas. If family or friends would like a copy, 
 please see Reception.
Read, Rest & Relax! CHRISTMAS POEM Take a heap of child-like wonder That opens up our eyes To the unexpected gifts in life Each day a sweet surprise Mix in fond appreciation For the people whom we know; Like festive Christmas candles, Each one has a special glow. Add some giggles and some laughter, A dash of Christmas food, (Amazing how a piece of pie Improves our attitude!) Stir it all with human kindness; Wrap it up in love and peace, Decorate with optimism, and Our joy will never cease. If we use this healthy recipe, We know we will remember To be in the Christmas spirit Even when it’s not December. Written by Joanna Fuch
Chocolate Snowballs • 200g dark chocolate, chopped • 100g unsalted butter, chopped • 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar • 3 eggs, lightly beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder • 1 cup (150g) icing sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. 2. Place the dark chocolate and chopped butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water over low heat (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water).
Stir mixture until melted and smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and stand for five minutes to cool. 3. Using a wooden spoon, stir caster sugar into chocolate until dissolved. Gradually add eggs, stirring until well combined. Add vanilla, flour, cocoa and baking powder and mix until a smooth dough. Cover and chill for no more than 30 minutes to firm. 4. Use hands to roll two level tablespoons of the dough into a ball. Repeat until you have 14 balls. Sift the icing sugar into a dish, then dip each ball into the dish and dust heavily in icing sugar and place on the prepared trays about 2cm apart. Bake the snowballs for 10-12 mins until firm to the touch. Cool on the trays.
Makes 14
Disclaimer: All photos and stories have been published with consent of relatives and residents involved. Thank you for your submissions.