Life & Love Issue 27

Life&Love A HALL & PRIOR P U B L I C AT IO N H E A LT H & A G E D C A R E G R O U P

ISSUE 27 | 2020

YOUR FREE COPY

Mark of approval Premier McGowan visits Karingal Green

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Life&Love A HALL & PRIOR PU BL IC ATION H E A LT H & A G E D C A R E G R O U P

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From the Chief Executive Officer

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Corporate News

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Cover Story: Premier tours Karingal Green

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A Salute to our NSW Team

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Skin Deep

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Infection Control Expert Joins Group

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In Our Homes

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Meet the Staff

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Feasting Around the World

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Keep Active As You Age

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In the Pipeline

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My Favourite Things: Joy Bigelow

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Teabreak

EDITOR'S LETTER Christmas is nearly here, marking the end of a year that has challenged us all.

2020 has undoubtedly had its highs and lows, but hopefully it’s also given you a new-found appreciation for the little things in life that spark delight.

Life & Love Issue 27 | 2020 EDITORS Beverly Ligman bligman@hallprior.com.au Gabi Mills gmills@hallprior.com.au DESIGNER Jennifer Mattison jmattison@hallprior.com.au CONTRIBUTOR Jacki Downs jdowns@hallprior.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Fabrizio Lipari Ryan Ammon Liam Lim COVER IMAGE Premier Mark McGowan and Hall & Prior CEO Graeme Prior at Karingal Green.

Photo: Fabrizio Lipari Printed by VANGUARD PRESS, WA A&O PRINTING, NSW All rights reserved. No material published in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written authority.

Every endeavour is made to ensure information contained is correct at time of going to print. ©2020 Life & Love is published by Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group.

There is so much to be grateful for, and in this issue we hope to share with you some of the moments we have celebrated this year.

I hope you get the time this festive season to celebrate with your family and loved ones and create some special moments that bring you joy.

Visit hallprior.com.au

Happy holidays!

Until next time . . .

Beverly

facebook.com/ HallandPriorAgedCare

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Staff and residents meeting Premier Mark McGowan.

A WORD FROM THE

Chief Executive Officer

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s 2020 draws to a close I can safely say this is a year that we will never forget.

has been nothing short of astounding. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A strange and challenging year in many ways, it is one that I am sure will go down in history as a year that tested us all.

A true highlight of this year for me was our recent visit from Hon Mark McGowan Premier of Western Australia to Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community in High Wycombe.

And as we continue to navigate COVID-19 in our sector I want to say thank you to all of you for the hard work you have “leaned into” this year.

The Premier has reached celebrity status in WA for his often hard fought decisions to keep WA’s borders closed and protect our state from COVID-19.

We have rallied together across states to be as prepared as possible for this pandemic and I am proud and humbled by the way we have achieved that as an organisation, often under very trying circumstances.

We were honoured to have him at Karingal Green and share with him the peaceful home we have created among the gumtrees, where our residents can live the life they choose and enjoy world-class care. You can read all about his visit on page 8.

As the pandemic has evolved so too has our Pandemic Management Plan. It has been no mean feat to stay on top of all of the information that we needed to share with our residents, their families and staff and a special thank you must go to the teams in WA and NSW who manage this mammoth task.

Our number one priority throughout COVID-19 has been to keep our residents and staff safe and well and to regularly communicate with their families and loved ones to give them peace of mind in these uncertain and often frightening times.

I would like to make special mention of our NSW team, led by Kris Healy for their continued resilience and enthusiasm as they have faced the very real threat of COVID-19 on a daily basis.

The love, mercy and care that you have all shown our residents and each other throughout this time

This issue of Life & Love is packed with stories from our homes in NSW and WA. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas from my family to yours.

I hope you can use the Christmas break to rest, reflect and recharge for 2021.

Stay safe, be kind and God bless.

Yours truly,

GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer 5

CORPORATE NEWS

Inclusivity

PLANS LAUNCHED HALL & PRIOR is committed to creating environments in which all people are welcome and feel safe, whether their interaction with us is as a resident, a consumer of home care, or a staff member.

We seek to achieve this aim through our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), and our Diversity Action Plan (DAP).

Our Reconciliation Action Plan was launched in 2015.

This plan, which was further refined in 2018, outlines Hall & Prior’s efforts to ensure that our care programs and our organisation are more accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Key deliverables achieved from this original plan were the appointment of our first ever Indigenous Advisor and also laid the foundations for the employment of Wendy Ashwin, Hall & Prior’s Aboriginal Health Advisor.

Wendy’s contribution to enriching the lives of our Aboriginal residents was recognised in 2019 when Windsor Park Aged Care Home was awarded a Commonwealth Better Practice Award for its ‘Return to Country’ Program.

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Wendy was also called as an expert witness on Aboriginal People in Aged Care by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

This year also saw the launch of Hall & Prior’s Diversity Action Plan. This plan was a companion document to Hall & Prior’s RAP and sought to make our organisation a more welcoming place for residents from diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on consumers who identify as LGBTIQ, consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and, complementing the aims of our RAP plan, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers.

Although gains have been made throughout 2020, there is still much to be done. Renewed energy and focus on these two pivotal programs will continue in 2021, in alignment with Hall & Prior’s environment, social and governance framework.

Both Hall & Prior’s Diversity Action Plan and Reconcilliation Action Plan are available on our website hallprior.com.au

Relationships strengthened, knowledge shared

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he Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) brings together thought leaders from across the spectrum of the aged care industry, including Hall & Prior CEO Graeme Prior.

The Council aims to collaborate for the betterment of the sector at large through delivering on the Aged Care Workforce Strategy, released in 2019.

It aims to enhance the relationship between providers allowing them to learn from one another in a unique collaborative environment.

Hall & Prior CEO Graeme Prior (middle) with members of the Workforce Council The Council also provides opportunities for aged care staff, providers and the Government to be involved in a range of strategic actions that will enhance aged care in Australia.

Working closely with other providers allows CEO Graeme Prior to share his experience and expertise while also learning from others.

“This is a very important council and Hall & Prior is honoured to be part of it,” he said.

“We have been part of the industry for almost 30 years and we are happy to share our wealth of knowledge with others so that we can all

continue to enhance the aged care experience for our staff and residents.

“This is important work and a wonderful opportunity to strengthen relationships with other CEOs in the sector.”

A key focus of the Council will be encouraging all providers to sign up to the ‘Aged Care Voluntary Industry Code of Practice’ - which will encourage all providers to continually set the bar higher to deliver better outcomes for those who need aged care services.

Hall & Prior will be one of the first providers to sign up to the code in early 2021.

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CORPORATE NEWS

PREMIER tours

Karingal Green In late November, the Hon Mark McGowan MLA paid a return visit to Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community, two years after he helped break ground at the Kalamunda facility. By Beverly Ligman

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he Hon Mark McGowan MLA Premier of Western Australia visited Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community in High Wycombe in November to take a tour of the newly opened state-of-the-art 160-bed home.

The Premier had attended Karingal Green’s ‘breaking ground’ ceremony in 2018, returning on November 26 to share a special afternoon tea with our residents.

Hall & Prior CEO Graeme Prior said it was an honour to welcome the Premier back to the home.

“Our sector has been under enormous pressure this year and we opened Karingal Green amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Prior said.

“I am immensely proud of my team for their hard work and I thank the Premier for doing

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a tremendous job this year in keeping us all safe in Western Australia.

“Karingal Green is the aged care facility of the future and we work very closely with the Commonwealth Government to be able to provide new homes like this.

“We know that the Premier has had a very challenging year, so we are honoured that he could find the time to come to Karingal Green and meet with our residents and staff.”

Story continued overleaf . . .

MEET & GREET The Premier took time out of his busy schedule to talk to Hall & Prior staff about Karingal Green.

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COVER STORY

ALL SMILES From left, Premier Mark McGowan meets staff and residents at Hall & Prior’s Karingal Green development.

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The Premier said he was impressed with the facility and Hall & Prior’s vision for the project.

“Congratulations to Hall & Prior for their commitment in the aged care sector and for bringing on more aged care beds for Western Australians through the Karingal Green development,” he said.

“In late 2018, I was able to join Hall & Prior and local Kalamunda MLA Matthew Hughes to mark the start of construction on this development.

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Congratulations to Hall & Prior for their commitment in the aged care sector.

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“It was pleasing to visit again to see this extraordinary residential aged care facility complete and hear directly from the wonderful residents about the benefits it has brought to the electorate of Kalamunda.

SOD TURN The Premier helps CEO Graeme Prior break ground on Karingal Green in 2018.

“Hall & Prior are a great local provider and have done a wonderful job.”

Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community officially opened its doors in May 2020.

To find out more about Karingal Green or to book a tour please visit karingalgreen.com.au

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A SALUTE TO OUR NSW TEAM

A YEAR IN REVIEW

How COVID-19 changed everything As a tribute to our incredible NSW Hall & Prior team, we take a look at how the COVID-19 crisis unfolded and how we have put our residents’ and staff’s wellbeing first from the very first sign of COVID-19.

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hen the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold at the beginning of 2020, Hall & Prior were swift to react and put the first of many pandemic action plans in place.

our staff are continually educated on visitation and transmission precautions and procedures with the health of our residents as the number one priority over the Christmas period,” Kris added.

Even now, at the time of going to press in early December, the threat remains.

Jennifer O’Connell, Director of Quality and Education, NSW, shares Kris’s views that the Group has been nimble in its ability to adapt to the ‘new normal’, while at the same time remaining very sympathetic to necessary changes to the way people could visit loved ones.

“The threat is not over, but to negate any home outbreaks,

AUSTRALIA’S COVID-19 27,854 Cases nationally STATS

907 Deaths nationally

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Deaths in aged care facilities

685

(as at November 26)

Kris Healy, General Manager, NSW, reflects on how the onslaught of COVID-19 has impacted the way the Group reacted to a global health threat.

“Our team of clinicians – based in the homes and within our State Office – have been on high alert for the whole of 2020 as we worked through suburb outbreaks and lockdowns to make sure our residents were kept safe,“ says Kris.

Deaths in home care recipients

2,049 Cases in aged care facilities

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9,827,728 1

Tests conducted nationally (as of November 2020) 12

Cases in home care recipients

Confirmed positive case

0

Deaths

“Probably the hardest thing that we have had to manage over the course of the COVID timeline in 2020 was the amount of lockdowns we have had to enforce in line with the Australian Government Guidelines at our homes,” says Jennifer.

“2020 has been the year of agility and staff’s efforts have kept our homes and residents safe and well.”

COVID-19 TIMELINE 2019 DECEMBER 12 First case of novel coronavirus detected in Wuhan, China.

DECEMBER 31 China notifies WHO of virus cluster in Wuhan.

2020 JANUARY 9 First death recorded in China.

JANUARY 25 NSW records its first case.

JANUARY 31 WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern.

FEBRUARY 5 Australia implements first travel restrictions.

FEBRUARY 21 WA records its first case.

FEBRUARY 11 WHO officially names the disease COVID-19 as global death toll passes 1,000.

MARCH 1 Australia records its first death.

MARCH 2 Hall & Prior begin the development of a Pandemic Action Plan.

MARCH 7 Global cases pass 100,000.

MARCH 11 WHO declares a global pandemic.

Timeline continued overleaf . . .

MARCH 3 An outbreak begins at Dorothy Henderson Lodge in NSW resulting in 22 cases (17 residents and five staff) and six deaths. This was also the day the first death in a residential aged care facility was recorded.

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COVID-19 TIMELINE continued

MARCH 12 Commonwealth Government announces its first $17.6bn stimulus package and Hall & Prior publishes its first Pandemic Management Plan.

APRIL 4

MARCH 18

MARCH 25

APRIL 1

Hall & Prior commences a precautionary 14-day lockdown period for all homes.

Australia bans international travel.

Hall & Prior announces an extension of its lockdown period to April 15.

MARCH 20 Hall & Prior publishes version two of its Pandemic Management Plan.

MARCH 21 The global death toll passes 11,000.

APRIL 6 WA’s border closes to other states.

MARCH 30

APRIL 9

Hall & Prior begins daily communications updates.

Hall & Prior publishes version four of its Pandemic Management Plan on the day WA has its last known community transmission (at the time of going to press).

MARCH 26 Confirmed positive case at Shangri-La Aged Care Home in NSW.

MARCH 27 Hall & Prior publishes version three of its Pandemic Management Plan.

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The number of global cases passes 1 million.

APRIL 11 An outbreak begins at Newmarch House in NSW eventually resulting in 71 cases (37 residents and 34 staff) and 19 deaths.

JULY 13

APRIL 24 PM Scott Morrison demands residential aged care facilities come out of lockdown and Hall & Prior immediately starts planning to ease lockdown restrictions.

MAY 1 Hall & Prior implements new visitor entry requirements and mandatory influenza vaccinations come into force for visitors and staff.

Fairfield Aged Care Home locked down in response to local community transmission.

MAY 12

JULY 15

Industry code for visiting residential aged care homes launched.

Rolling lockdowns occur in Hall & Prior’s NSW homes continuing until November 2.

JUNE 15 Victoria’s second wave of infections starts.

JUNE 18 Version five of Hall & Prior’s Pandemic Management Plan launched.

SEPTEMBER DECEMBER From the end of September to present day, rolling changes to visitor entry requirements and ‘hotspot’ exclusion areas.

SEPTEMBER 7 Hall & Prior releases Outbreak Prevention and Management Plans tailored to each of its 27 facilities across two states.

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A SALUTE TO OUR NSW TEAM

a BIG BBQ

thanks

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very year since 2013, Hall & Prior NSW have held a gala awards event for staff.

The event allows long-serving and exemplary staff to be recognised in an uplifting atmosphere of dinner and dancing.

COVID-19 and the challenges of 2020 has seen alterations to the event schedule with this wonderful event cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.

However offering staff a moment to enjoy their achievements in a particularly challenging year remains a priority for Hall & Prior, and as a thank you for their dedication and support through one of the most extraordinary years on record, all New South Wales homes enjoyed a BBQ lunch, cooked specifically at each home for the home staff.

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for NSW team

To ensure staff had the opportunity to relax and enjoy being ‘cared for’, members of the State Office travelled from home to home over the course of three weeks to cook up a BBQ storm and serve their hard-working colleagues.

As an acknowledgement of the extra work that our home staff have put in this year keeping our residents safe from the COVID-19 virus, each home was awarded a special plaque to hang in their home by General Manager, Kris Healy.

“Having the opportunity to be thanked for their dedication, commitment and professionalism through what has been a landmark year of change in the aged care industry is very important for

those that deliver our care on the frontline,” said Kris.

“I am honoured to work with these people and we want them to know what they do every day does not go unnoticed.”

The menu catered for all tastes with lamb koftas, chicken skewers and falafel burgers along with a selection of fresh salads, followed up with some ice cream – which was very welcome during the recent heatwave conditions.

A big thank you goes out to Benjanmin Chard, Lifestyle & Wellbeing Coordinator, Amit Malhotra, Operations Manager and Patrick Saw, Environmental Services Officer for setting up and cooking the BBQ for the staff at each home.

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SKIN DEEP

Ensuring residents receive top quality care for wounds has resulted in some stunning improvements in their quality of life, reports Gabi Mills.

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ound care has always been a priority for Hall & Prior’s CEO Graeme Prior, and as a result, it’s been a primary focus for the organisation too. To this end, the group appointed a Clinical Practitioner in Wound Management in 2015, an Australian first in that position.

and elasticity becoming drier and more wrinkled making it more susceptible to injury and infection. When you add other co-morbid conditions like diabetes, heart disease, peripheral vascular or arterial disease and cancers, then these conditions exacerbate the potential for injury or delays in wound healing.”

Dr Jenny Prentice RN, PhD STN (pictured right), Hall & Prior’s Nurse Specialist in Wounds, Skin and Ostomy Care, believes that this approach has greatly improved the quality of life of many of our residents.

By putting skin care and maintenance of good skin health as a primary focus, the ability to limit pressure injuries, skin tears and other skin conditions is greatly increased.

“The skin is the body’s largest organ and also its most vulnerable,” says Jenny. “As we age, the skin loses collagen 18

“Hall & Prior has set a standard for people to reach in terms of reducing the incidence of pressure injuries and we have excellent resources at our

disposal to achieve this like our mattresses, protective dressings, and other devices as well as skin care products to prevent these types of injuries,” says Jenny.

The elderly are more susceptible to wounds due to their higher risk of falling, resulting in skin tears, leg ulcers or fractured femurs leading to surgical wounds. For those who have had surgery and those with foot wounds arising from diabetes, the healing process can be long and painful.

Immobility can also lead to pressure injuries.

However, Jenny and Lynette Rodriguez (Nurse Practitioner Wound Management), frequently carry out a holistic review of the resident,

“It’s fair to say we have a very strong intraprofessional approach at Hall & Prior, working with dieticians, occupational therapists, GPs and other health professionals to provide evidence-based care. We also work very closely with resource, quality, learning and development and infection control teams in WA and NSW,” says Jenny.

“If wounds such as pressure injuries or skin tears do occur, it’s likely that once these wounds have healed the resident will always remain at high risk for re-injury, but we have excellent procedures in place to identify potential risks.”

On occasion when a resident begins living in a Hall & Prior home, the management of their existing wounds may be ‘less than optimal’, according to Jenny.

“Once we stabilise their wounds, we can genuinely uplift their quality of life,” she says.

“Graeme’s vision to have zero tolerance for pressure injuries means we are consistently striving to carry out a high level of clinical oversight, putting Hall & Prior at the top of the tree when it comes to skin and wound care. It also means we are aligning with the findings of the recent Royal Commission with respect to the provision of best practice in wound management.”

Hall & Prior homes focus on the maintenance of healthy skin and the prevention of preventable injuries.

Leaving a wound to deteriorate can have extremely serious consequences, including death when pressure injuries and diabetic foot ulcers go untreated or are not treated correctly.

In light of the current COVID-19 situation, Jenny and her team are performing more consultations with residents via telehealth.

“We have escalated our internal referral portal and offer real-time telehealth as an option,” she says. “It’s been very effective and has kept people in homes rather than going to hospital for external review or conversely has expedited reviews of the resident’s wound.”

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Once we stabilise their wounds, we can genuinely uplift their quality of life.

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their wound and their environment, with input from staff members.

There have been some extraordinary outcomes thanks to effective wound care through telehealth, says Jenny.

“We all share the sense of achievement when there’s a wonderful outcome, like a limb being saved. Telehealth has multiple benefits, and if a staff member is keen to develop a special interest in wound care, we are putting in place training programs to support them.”

Research is still emerging on skin-related COVID-19 side effects, such as COVID toe and instances of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels resulting in organ and tissue damage).

From the homes’ staff point of view, where wearing of masks has had to be implemented as occurred in NSW, Jenny has worked hard to ensure that staff are aware of the importance of skin protection to avoid the potential for developing pressure injuries on the face.

Although there are cost implications in employing specialists in wound care, the implications of using products inappropriately so wound healing is delayed can ultimately increase the cost of care.

“By investing in specialists now, organisations can offset potential future costs of wound care, reducing them in the long run by implementing evidence-based practices.”

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A sad loss Nicole Belcher, a popular member of the McDougall Park home team, lost her battle with cancer recently. One of her colleagues, Sharmaine Seddon, has written a tribute to Nicole, which we’re sharing below.

“We were all saddened by Nikki’s cancer diagnosis but again, Nicole fought hard, continuing to work part-time until the pain and treatment took its toll. We kept her position open for her, hoping against hope that she would overcome this challenge.

“We all had the pleasure of her company in December 2019 at our last admin day for the year and she was, as usual, in fine spirits and looked well, bearing in mind she was carrying what must have been an unthinkable burden.

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“We are all better people for having known Nikki and myself and some of the other admin officers who knew Nikki well, attended her life celebration on November 12 after passing away on November 5.

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Rest in peace Nicole. May your beautiful personality and heart make everyone up in heaven smile.

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icole Belcher – or Nikki as she liked to be called - was a much-loved member of our team. She had worked with Hall & Prior since 2016.

She helped out the previous admin at McDougall Park in her own time because she was determined to learn how to be a good admin officer.

As a result, she was thrown in the deep end when Casey went on maternity leave and never returned. Nikki rose to the challenge, took on board feedback and she was soon a dependable member of our team.

Julie Atkinson Senior Administration Officer

It was a bright affair - her favourite colour was yellow and everyone obliged by wearing something yellow - and yet so bittersweet, a young life taken too soon.

“Nikki’s mum Toni also worked at McDougall Park for a number of years but as Nikki’s carer, had to take time off during COVID to care for her.

Nicole leaves behind a teenage daughter and a 10-year old son, a loving and caring extended family and the many Hall & Prior friends she made during her time with us.”

GRAFTON’S

purple patch y

By Jacki Downs

ou can’t hold a good festival down at Grafton Aged Care Home.

Even though the Jacaranda Festival was cancelled in 2020, we kept the purple spirit alive with some fun events for our residents throughout November.

The Grafton Jacaranda Festival is the Northern Rivers’ premier annual event which usually attracts over 35,000 travellers from interstate, nationally and internationally.

It also injects over $2 million into the local economy. The attraction of the gorgeous lilac jacaranda tree blooms is a cultural delight on its own, but visitors also come to enjoy all the art exhibitions, live music, markets, dragon boat races, parades and much more.

The festival organisers ran a ‘Go Purple’ campaign supported by the Grafton Chamber of Commerce and Clarence Valley Council to keep the spirit of this popular regional drawcard alive in

2020. All registered businesses were encouraged to decorate their premises and for staff to dress in purple for the duration of the jacaranda season.

Naturally our staff and residents rose to the challenge and painted Grafton Aged Care Home purple. The team ordered a specially-made gigantic balloon wreath from floor to ceiling in the reception to wrap around the space with gorgeous hues of purple and white. The main lounge room had hundreds of handmade purple decorations (thanks to the residents’ impressive handiwork) hanging from the ceiling and our staff wore purple shirts. You could call it our very own purple patch . . .

As you’ll see from the photographs of this fun time on the Jacaranda Festival Facebook page, our residents and families love seeing the home in the media.

Hall & Prior are sponsors of the Grafton Jacaranda Festival and look forward to partnering with them once again in 2021.

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Infection control expert joins Group As Hall & Prior’s new Clinical Nurse Specialist Infection Prevention and Control, Michelle Stirling is ensuring the Group remains vigilant and prepared for any eventuality.

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hen Michelle Stirling returned from Christmas leave, little did she know that the world was on the verge of changing forever. Fortunately for Western Australia, the emergence of COVID-19 as a global public health threat was already being planned for and anticipated in January. Michelle and her colleagues at PHEOC (Public Health Emergency Operations Centre) had activated a response plan at the beginning of the year before the WA Government declared a state of emergency in March.

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“The whole world was starting to hear rumours about COVID-19 in January and we, like many other public health organisations had received intelligence early on,” said Michelle. “We already had plans in place for a possible respiratory infectious virus pandemic, and were well prepared in terms of epidemic response after dealing with a measles outbreak in 2019.”

WA was therefore wellplaced to respond quickly to the growing pandemic and, according to Michelle, many different agencies combined together and worked well as a team, to ensure when the state of emergency was declared, their various contributions were efficiently aligned.

“My role was to provide infection control advice to those diverse organisations and I was particularly focused on working with hotel quarantine providers and managing the infection control of ships which were in WA waters and had outbreaks.”

This sometimes involved Michelle being particularly hands-on, and testing her own infection control protocols in extremely dangerous situations.

“Since I’ve joined, I’ve revisited all the Group’s existing COVID-19 plans and am very impressed. I believe we’re as prepared as we can be and will continue to assess PPE stock levels and training requirements.”

With a Masters in Public Health, Michelle is also aware that once the threat COVID-19 poses begins to recede once a vaccination program has begun, it’s important to monitor other infection control protocols for other pathogens.

DID YOU KNOW . . .

Michelle owns seven alpacas on her Roleystone block, including Autumn, pictured above, who was born during the height of COVID-19.

The last six crew members infected with the virus were cleared almost a month later.

“I was with the boarding party who went aboard the sheep ship, Al Kuwait in May,” says Michelle.

“I was concerned for my own safety,” admits Michelle.

“Boarding the ship in full PPE was tricky, navigating narrow gangplanks, and it was extremely hot but I had confidence in our own protocols,” she said.

The sheep were initially due to be exported on May 26 but those plans were disrupted when crew members tested positive to COVID-19 after the ship arrived in Fremantle on May 22.

Michelle joined Hall & Prior in spring after recognising that the aged care sector required specialist attention and experience – a combination that she was able to bring to the table.

In the meantime, she is determined to use her front line experience to ensure all Hall & Prior residents, family and employees are kept safe through stringent infection control procedures.

“I believe that as long as we don’t become complacent and remain vigilant, our COVID-19 plan will be effective.”

Thanks to the variety of situations Michelle was required to assess, from event planning to prison outbreak plans, she is confident that she can ‘think outside of the box’ when it comes to aged care contingency plans.

“We will never return to a totally normal way of living,” she says. “Even after vaccinations have been run-out, COVID-19 will always be part of our life, just like influenza is. The scale of COVID’s infection rate is obviously a once in every 100 year event, but we will be better prepared if something similar ever occurs again.”

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IN OUR HOMES

LEST WE FORGET

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emembrance Day is a special day at Hall & Prior and to commemorate it this year, many of our homes held special morning teas. A new Remembrance Garden was also unveiled at Karingal Green in High Wycombe to honour fallen soldiers and the 120 veterans we care for in WA and NSW.

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FULL

PNride of

ovember was Pride month and to celebrate, our Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland held a 2020 Pride Parade to raise awareness and celebrate inclusivity and diversity in aged care. Tuohy is an LGBTIQ-friendly home and is the only aged care home in WA with a certified Rainbow Tick.

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NAIDOC WEEK 2020 OUR FAIRFIELD AGED CARE HOME in NSW and Windsor Park Aged Care Home in WA both honoured NAIDOC Week from November 8 to 15 with commemorative morning teas at their homes.

Staff from Windsor Park donned NAIDOC t-shirts for the week and included damper in their traditional morning tea. Fairfield staff and residents made Aboriginal art to celebrate the importance of NAIDOC Week.

Ready, set, go!

The annual Aged Care Games took place recently and although the games were a little different this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, competition was still high at our Mosman Park Aged Care Home. Residents joined rival teams to compete against each other for a fun afternoon of sporting frivolity.

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Trick or Treat Our Shangri-La, Karingal Green, Belmont and Tuohy Aged Care Homes in NSW and WA had a “spooky” weekend for Halloween on October 31, dressing up for Halloween and trick or treating around their homes. Even staff got into the “spooky” spirit.

CELEBRATING

GRANDPARENT’S

Giddy Up! Staff and residents at our Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland enjoyed putting on their best togs and dressing up for Melbourne Cup Day on November 2. They all watched the race that stops the nation and vied for the coveted best dressed prize!

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RESIDENTS, FAMILY AND STAFF of our Clover Lea Aged Care Home in NSW celebrated Grandparent’s Day in October. This special event was held to honour the value grandparents add to everyone’s life and to say thank you for the important roles they play in our families.

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IN OUR HOMES

Royal Show

comes to McDougall

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s the Perth Royal Show was cancelled this year, McDougall Park Aged Care Home decided to hold its own “show�, with all the fun of the fair in its very own garden.

There were visiting animals, face painting, clowns and plenty of sideshow fun. As you can see from these pictures, our residents had a wonderful time.

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All aboard for

outings again Scenic drives are back in NSW! After missing out on these popular outings, our residents at Sirius Cove have eagerly anticipated the return of our biweekly bus trips after a long break period imposed by COVID-19 restrictions. With two morning trips scheduled every second Friday, we are currently able to seat three passengers per trip to ensure that we are safely complying with the 1.5 metre physical distancing measures.

Our first trip in early November saw our driver Bishnu expertly navigate the bus through the tricky winding roads of Mosman to take us on a relaxing scenic drive along Balmoral Beach and back over the hill, down to Bradley’s Head, Middle Head and Taronga Zoo Wharf.

What had started out as a rainy and overcast day quickly cleared with the sun peeping through the clouds just in time for our trip.

70

YEARS

OF LOVE

CONGRATULATIONS to our gorgeous Karingal Green residents Shirley and Dennis Daniels who celebrated their 70 th wedding anniversary recently (on Remembrance Day). We have many couples who live with us at our homes in NSW and WA and we always take any opportunity to celebrate love at Hall & Prior.

ROCKINGHAM gets in the

GARDEN

Generous Bunnings Rockingham staff donated a gardening activity pack (including plants, pots, mats, potting mix and rope) to the residents at our Rockingham Aged Care Home recently so they could DIY in the garden this spring. The residents were delighted and spent a lovely afternoon in the sunshine creating hanging rope baskets for their new plants.

Festival of Lights celebrated

ON NOVEMBER 14 our homes celebrated Diwali, the annual ‘Festival of Lights’, marking five days of new beginnings, light and love. In WA our Concorde, Tuohy and Mosman Park Aged Care Homes celebrated by dressing up, dancing and spreading good will together.

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OT WEEK

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t was Occupational Therapy Week from October 26 to November 1 and to celebrate, our resident occupational therapists (OT) highlighted the many ways they help our residents to engage in meaningful activities at our homes.

This year’s theme was ‘Resilience: Supporting our communities to rebuild, recover and re-engage’, chosen to show how OTs can help communities rebuild and recover in 2020.

Throughout the week our OTs wore special t-shirts and held a variety of events to celebrate their profession with our residents.

Thank you to all our OTs!

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A Magnificent Masquerade

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n October our Kensington Park Aged Care Home held a marvellous masquerade ball.

The home and its residents dressed up to enjoy the ball, creating mystery and intrigue by wearing masks and enjoying being ‘in character’ for the afternoon.

Residents loved dancing all afternoon to their favourite music and had a wonderful chance to dress-up for the event.

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IN THE A SWIMMING GROUP has been developed by Leighton Aged Care Home’s Occupational Therapist, Kelsey Gibson, and Physiotherapist, Corbin Mondy to allow residents who love to swim to get back in the water.

Many of our residents used to be avid swimmers and were eager to engage in more exercise-based activities at the

swim

home. As part of the ‘Swim Club’, they walk across the road to Beatty Park where they use the inside heated pool and go through a variety of different swimming strokes focusing on breaststroke and survival backstroke. This is a great initiative from Hall & Prior’s Allied Health team who are planning on holding this group activity fortnightly.

CARDS OF KINDNESS Residents at Agmaroy Aged Care Home in Wilson received some cards from nearby Orana Catholic Primary School full of messages of hope and love recently. They are sending messages back and are hoping the children can come and visit soon!

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A Q +

with Sally Gutman, Director of Nursing at Belmont Aged Care Home.

Sally Gutman is retiring in December, so to celebrate her long career in nursing and 13 and a half years with Hall & Prior, we asked her a few questions about her role.

L&L: What made you want to become a nurse?

SG: I got a nurse’s dress-up dress for my second birthday and from then on, I wanted to be a nurse. There weren’t any nurses in my family so I think it was an instinctive wish.

L&L: What does the World Health Organisation's International Year of the Nurse and Midwife mean to you?

SG: Nurses and midwives exist across all cultures and peoples of the world.

Nurses and midwives assist and support many people in many ways undertaking roles which often are not noticed or recognised. It is wonderful that the hard work, dedication and selflessness they give every day is recognised in this way.

L&L: How long have you worked in aged care and what drew you to it?

SG: I have worked in aged care for at least 30 years. Before moving into residential aged care, I worked as a nurse continence advisor, a palliative care nurse, as well as a home care nurse with Silver Chain in several roles for 15 years. I also managed the Restorative Care Unit at a Regional Hospital.

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I was drawn to aged care as it is an area that I can give holistic care. When I worked in hospitals - ICU or Accident and Emergency – it was short-term care and we often dealt with the patients dealing more with their diagnoses, such as a chest infection or heart attack, and not as a whole person with a family. Now my role is really challenging every day as we look after the most disabled and vulnerable people in our communities on a long-term basis. It is never boring and no day is the same as before.

L&L: What does an average day look like for you?

SG: It starts at 7am (if I don’t get a phone call earlier) with handover and greeting the

MEET THE STAFF

staff, then going around and greeting the residents who are up and about, and making sure they are comfortable and reassured. If I can, I assist with the meals. From then on there is rostering and reports, replacing staff who are sick, helping the CNM with whatever is happening. My door is usually open, so residents come and chat for a while or need redirection. I talk with families and visitors as they come in, assist with ordering supplies, or help with deliveries. I talk with potential families and residents, liaise with social workers, do tours, pay accounts and deal with whatever else needs to happen. I oversee regulatory compliance, the budget and care on all levels. I interview new staff and performance manage staff when necessary. My day usually finishes at the home around 5pm but I am also on call when not at work.

L&L: Tell us one part of your job that makes you feel really rewarded and connected to those you care for?

SG: It makes me feel rewarded when a resident’s face lights up when they see me, especially when they have advanced dementia and are confused, and they recognise me as a kind friend.

L&L: What’s the best piece of advice you ever received about caring for others and from who?

SG: Show kindness and thoughtfulness.

It was in a book I read when I was around 10 years old. It said when carrying a heavy load in life, you can choose to take the smooth handle or the rough handle. My granddaughter has that book now.

L&L: What’s the best thing about working at your particular home?

SG: It is staffed by people who genuinely care for our residents and each other. It has very stable staffing, who know the residents well and do the little things for them that make each of them feel respected and unique. We don’t use temporary staff who don’t know our home, residents or the staff.

L&L: What do you wish people understood more about aged care?

SG: I wish the general population understood that the people who live in residential aged care require specialised care and not everyone can do it. The staff who work in homes like Belmont are specialists and work very hard in difficult circumstances to provide the best possible life for them and their families.

L&L: What do you think aged care will look like in the future?

SG: Hopefully it will be better funded so employees have more time to spend interacting with the residents and won’t have to hurry and focus on getting tasks done. There will be more technology for them to use so they can have more experiences within their capabilities.

FAST FACTS If I wasn't a nurse I would be . . . maybe working in a garden centre.

My favourite song - Daisy a Day by Jud Strunk.

My favourite movie - A Walk in the Clouds starring Keanu Reeves.

When I’m not at work, you’ll often find me . . . in my garden, cooking, sewing quilts or visiting family and friends.

2020

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE NURSE AND THE MIDWIFE

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A Q +

with Damon Lally, Registered Nurse at Grafton Aged Care Home.

Damon Lally has followed in his family’s footsteps and dedicated most of his life to caring for us. We find out more about his career to date.

The dedication, sacrifices and caring nature of nurses is often overlooked in today’s world and the current COVID-19 crisis has shown just how dedicated and essential nurses are. To have the World Health Organisation show support for our chosen profession is meaningful and appreciated.

L&L: What made you want to become a nurse?

L&L: How long have you worked at Hall & Prior?

DL: I come from a long line of healthcare workers, my grandfather was a medic at Gallipoli, several of my aunts were nurses and two were even Matrons.

DL: I joined Hall & Prior on 15 May 2020.

I’ve been here at Grafton for six months so far with a wonderful team of people.

When I enlisted in the Australian Army, I too felt a natural calling to join the Royal Australian Army Medical Corp; I guess caring is in my blood.

Now I am proud to say one of my sons has also become a nurse and continuing the family tradition.

DL: Most of my life. I cared for and helped my grandmother and other relatives and then progressed to be a medic, radiographer, assistant in nursing, registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist and clinical nurse consultant, so I have been involved in aged care in some degree for a while.

L&L: What does the World Health Organisation's International Year of the Nurse and Midwife mean to you?

DL: It is recognition of the vital role we play in the world and in our various communities. Nurses are present at the start of life, during life and at the end of life. We see it all.

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L&L: How long have you worked in aged care and what drew you to it?

L&L: What does an average day look like for you?

DL: Busy! I currently work a rotating roster, so each shift has its challenges. However prioritising skills and being able to work with a good team means our residents are cared for and we go home happy that we have made a difference in some wonderful people’s lives.

L&L: Tell us one part of your job that makes you feel really rewarded and connected to those you care for?

FAST FACTS If I wasn't a nurse I would be . . . a rockstar. Ask my residents!

I often walk the corridors singing a song. Mind you, I struggle to play a musical instrument (except the comb) and I am tone deaf.

My favourite movie - Love Actually When I’m not at work, you’ll often find me . . . enjoying the company of the most amazing person on the planet, my wonderful, beautiful wife.

Five words that describe you . . .

Reserved, humble, funny, empathetic and handsome (best looking male Registered Nurse at work, although I should add that I am the only male Registered Nurse here!).

2020

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE NURSE AND THE MIDWIFE

DL: When a resident smiles at you, then you have been truly rewarded. A smile is what warms your heart. Making someone’s life even a little better is fantastic.

DL: I think they will become centres of excellence, where our elderly can come to receive quality care that enriches the later part of their life.

L&L: What’s the best piece of advice you ever received about caring for others and from who?

L&L: What’s the best thing about working at your aged care home?

DL: That’s a hard question, so many excellent nurses have influenced me. I guess for me, it was a nurse unit manager in Cowra District Hospital. She taught me that a lack of knowledge was not shameful and that by admitting ‘I don’t know, but teach me and I will know’ allowed me to not only become a better nurse but also a better person. She also instilled in me that I had an obligation to pass on acquired knowledge to others.

L&L: What do you think aged care will look like in the future?

DL: I love the feeling of making a difference and meeting the challenges, but I also like working with dedicated people who are likeminded in that they want to provide the best care they can.

L&L: What do you wish people understood more about aged care?

DL: That it is challenging and requires a great deal of skill to provide the required care and meet the challenges.

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g n i t s a e F around the world

Hall & Prior staff come from all over the world and as Christmas approaches, some of our international team share their favourite foodie treats from home at this special time year.

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n Aussie Christmas means many things to many people – whether it’s cricket on the beach on Christmas Eve, a kilo of prawns or turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day. For some of Hall & Prior’s international staff however, a taste of home is very different indeed.

In Sierra Leone, they keep things simple, says Evelyn, an Enrolled Nurse at Windsor Park.

“We have steamed rice and steamed vegetables for every meal, but serve chicken for Christmas and important visitors.”

In Kenya, Christmas is also a cause for celebration according to Patrick Nganga, a Personal Carer at Tuohy.

“I love to eat nyama choma (roasted beef or goat meat which is cooked on an open grill with salt sprinkled on top),” says Patrick.

“I also love chapati (flat breads) and mukimo, which is mashed soft corn or maize, peas, potatoes and green pumpkin leaves. This mix is brought to a boil and then mashed together with margarine or butter and then fried with some onions and tomatoes.”

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Neethu George, a Registered Nurse at Tuohy is from India and says her family celebrates Christmas according to local traditions. “The first thing that comes to mind is Christmas breakfast,” says Neethu.

“After 25 days fasting, we are all waiting for this great feast. Our Christmas breakfast is paalappam, a kind of pancake made of fermented rice flour and coconut, served with duck stew and quail fry.

“We eat it with homemade sweet wine, plum cake and beef cutlet as a starter. It’s the biggest breakfast in the whole year.”

Gloria, an Occupational Therapy Assistant from Southern India, loves spicy seafood with ‘lots of chilli’ and spicy chicken to celebrate the festive season.

Meanwhile Pankaj, a Personal Carer, will tuck into chapatis and curry (or sarson ka saag and makki di roti).

“Christmas is a very big thing for us Filipinos, especially for Catholics or Christians,” says Merla Julve and Reileen Bizares, both Personal Carers at Tuohy from the Phillipines.

Dawn, who is in the admin team at Windsor Park and from Myanmar will be serving chicken curry, tomato rice and fresh salad to celebrate the big day.

“The food tradition in the Prior’s Aussie household has my wife Fiona making fruit mince pies and the Christmas cake, just like her mother did,” says CEO Graeme Prior.

“We have a nut-crusted glazed ham and roast pork along with duck fat-roasted potatoes, roasted pumpkin and some token greens. The kids are usually full of chocolate and eat nothing and the cleanup is exhausting but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“We start to put up Christmas trees and decorate the houses with lights and a uniquely Filipino Christmas ornament called a “parol” or lantern,” says Merla.

“We attend mass called “Simbang Gabi”, either late at night or early in the morning on nine consecutive days and then we get together the whole family, and we attend Mass at midnight,” says Reileen.

“We often wake up at midnight on Christmas Eve to welcome Christmas Day with “Noche Buena”, a feast of traditional Filipino dishes like lechon (whole roast pig), queso de bola (cheese), ham, fruits and a lot more.”

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P E E K TIVE AGE AC YOU AS Jordan Lee, Hall & Prior’s Physical Therapies Manager in NSW, has some great tips for us all to keep fit as we grow older.

D

o you want to know the secret to ageing gracefully and living a long healthy life? Me too. However, there are scientific findings that tell us how to increase our chances of this happening.

As we age, our bodies change. Hormones fluctuate, metabolism slows down, bone density reduces and strength decreases. So it’s crucial that we modify our lifestyle and exercise patterns to combat these natural changes to give ourselves the best chance at ageing gracefully.

I’ve outlined below some of the relevant changes that happen across the lifespan, what exercise type is recommended and why.

YOUR YOUTH TO 20s This is the time to learn and develop. Learn new skills and participate in many different activities to develop good movement proficiency.

During childhood and adolescence, much more bone is deposited than withdrawn, so the skeleton grows in both size and density.

Up to 90% of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and by age 20 in boys, which makes your youth the best time to “invest” in one’s bone health.

During this time nutrition should also be optimised and load bearing activities such as running and jumping should be a staple movement.

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YOUR 30s TO 40s Life gets busier during this decade for most and hopefully from the previous decades of varied movement you have developed a habit of movement and know the benefits it can deliver.

However these are also the decades when the development of chronic disease can be encouraged or hampered. Cardiovascular exercise is great for building work capacity and our heart health. This type of training can be beneficial in maintaining cholesterol for example.

After the age of 30, you begin to lose as much as 3-5% of your muscle mass and a similar amount of bone density. This is a combination of hormonal changes and the ageing process, so we can keep this to the minimum by including resistance training into our routine multiple times per week.

The old saying that “prevention is better than cure” holds true during this period of life. If we focus on maintaining our “youth” it will serve us better in later years. If we neglect our health now and try to turn back time, it is much harder and less effective.

YOUR 50s AND 60s These decades often signal a change as young families mature and become independent, leaving parents with new opportunities.

Our focus here should be on the brain and body.

This is a great time to learn a new skill such as golf or tennis as it will help maintain our fitness, social life and increase cognitive challenges.

We should continue to maintain our strength and cardiovascular fitness but our bodies will recover more slowly so we need to take note and work with, not against it.

Strength becomes more important as we age due to the fact that we lose it faster, so we need to focus on it more.

A research study evaluated the benefits of strength on quality of life. They tested 8,000 healthy men with an average age of 54. Each volunteer was tested for his maximal handgrip strength along with conventional risk factors.

YOUR 70s AND 80s+ This age group is the time to reflect and enjoy, admire what you have achieved and enjoy time with children, grandchildren or even great-grandchildren.

Remember to maintain your movement, strength and social life. This becomes critical as a 2009 research study concluded that a “higher level of social engagement in old age is associated with better cognitive function”.

Falls are also an increased concern as we age. They are more frequent and more often related to serious injury and death. Previous research reported that about a quarter of people aged 65 to 74 and a third or more of those aged 75 and older report a fall in the previous year. It was also reported that by age 85, approximately two-thirds of all reported injury-related deaths are due to falls. This may have improved in recent years but highlights the potential serious consequences and how common it can be.

Falls have many contributing factors but maintaining strength and cardiovascular fitness which also help to challenge our balance and reaction times can play a big role in reducing falls and associated injury.

The scientists tracked the men for an average of 25 years. During that time, 37% of the men died; the survivors were 71 to 93 years of age.

Grip strength in midlife did not predict longevity, but it did correlate with disability. The men who were strongest in middle age had the lowest risk of disabilities and dependency in old age, even after chronic illnesses were taken into account.

Strength or resistance training also helps to maintain bone density so this has the added benefit of reducing the risk of osteoporosis when the bones become very brittle.

It’s crucial that we understand it’s never too late to make changes and improve our physical ability.

Remember to continue to challenge your body and mind, as the saying goes if we don’t use it we lose it. Explore new skills, new movements, and new physical and mental challenges.

I will leave you with a quote from Albert Einstein: “Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.”

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Jingle Bell STAFF AND RESIDENTS from our Leighton and St Lukes Aged Care Homes got into the Christmas spirit on the Perth foreshore recently performing a Christmas dance for a special video.

Staff and residents had been practicing their dance moves for weeks before filming began and Manager of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Madelyne Glover said everyone loved the experience.

“We can’t wait to share this video with everyone; staff and

roc k

residents got right into the planning of it, learning the dance for weeks and making sure they had Hawaiian shirts and santa hats at the ready for filming,” Madelyne said.

“We love working on exciting projects like this with our residents, it really engages them and gets them excited for the festive season ahead. It also lets them socialise with residents from other homes.”

The ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ video will be unveiled in mid-December and shared on Hall & Prior’s Facebook page.

Happy snaps make Christmas memories CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and our wish for our friends and relatives in New South Wales has come true.

We can finally welcome visitors back into our homes in time for Christmas.

To make things extra special during the festive season, we are inviting visitors to enjoy a Christmas moment with their loved one by posing for a picture together in our very specially created ‘photo frame’.

Our NSW homes have been set up with Christmas photo scenarios which will capture some of the festive spirit for visitors to keep as a memento.

This initiative is in place to bring some fun and laughter into the moment and capture a beautiful memory to treasure. Our staff will then print out the image for you on our colour printer – or if you prefer, we can email it directly through to you.

As we have many families who would like to see their loved ones, please remember to make an appointment directly with staff and check in on your arrival at the home so we can meet the COVIDsafe guidelines and visitor regulations and policies.

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Compassionate people, dedicated to care hallprior.com.au

info@hallprior.com.au

RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT

Geoff Meyer’s Double Guinness Record, Vaucluse Aged Care Home, NSW

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e are so blessed at Vaucluse to be able to care for such amazing people. Regularly we care for the most outstanding people in our society and Geoffrey Meyer is definitely one of them.

Resident Geoff has not one, but two records recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Geoff holds the record for the ‘Most Leg Raises in 12 Hours’ with a staggering 32,019 leg raises which he completed to achieve his world record.

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Completed at the Sports Connection Health Centre in Johannesburg, Geoff achieved his record in June 1989 at the age of 61.

It’s so great to have a champion among us!

CNM SCHOOL opens its doors A long-held vision to offer specialist training for Clinical Nurse Managers has come to fruition at Karingal Green’s state-of-the-art Learning and Development Centre.

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n early December, the first Clinical Nurse Manager School (or the CNM School for short) opened its doors in a Hall & Prior Group first, offering a year-long journey to enhance leadership skills of key nursing staff in WA.

The first cohort of 18 Clinical Nurse Managers, a Deputy Director of Nursing and some other members of the leadership team, spent three days at the Karingal Green Learning and Development Centre, beginning the first phase of a Diploma of Leadership and Management.

The CNM School was the brain child of CEO Graeme Prior and General Manager Health and Care Services Jennifer Grieve who have wanted to support the Group’s Registered Nurses developing their careers and becoming CNMs through some structured training and support.

This year, after many years of wanting to deliver this program, the vision came to fruition thanks to the Australian

Government announcing traineeships, as part of their COVID-19 response pack. When the opportunity became available, our Human Resources team signed staff up for traineeships, and we plan to bring a similar program to NSW in 2021/22.

“Our CNMs will end up with a nationally recognised Diploma in Leadership and Management,” said Jennifer.

“Topics covered include leading and managing others, managing yourself, managing operations, and workplace practice.

Michelle Allsop, our Clinical Educator, will facilitate the course with our training partners from AMAWA (a registered training provider).”

Graeme opened the first day and acknowledged the efforts of nurses as leaders within our care program.

The students will attend training days monthly until December 2021 and we wish them well.

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IN THE PIPELINE

GEORGES ESTATE PROJECT UPDATE

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all & Prior’s vision for Georges Estate is now taking shape in the southern Sydney suburb of Penshurst.

The 111-bed facility will have a strong focus on health and wellness and provide an innovative and care-focused approach to aged care.

Catering to all levels of care needs, Georges Estate Health & Aged Care will provide specialist services (including a secure dementia care wing offering an initial 18 beds) as well as a gymnasium, cinema and a heated swimming pool.

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Over the past few months windows, doors and kitchens have been installed on site along with carpets in bedrooms and dining rooms at the home.

Outside courtyards and terraces are being landscaped, pools and footpaths are being installed and roofing and tiling is also being finished off throughout the home.

Georges Estate is due for completion in 2021.

For more information please visit georgesestate.com.au

Woodside Community Open Day A COMMUNITY OPEN DAY to share plans and answer questions about Hall & Prior’s proposed Woodside Health & Aged Care development was held on November 14.

Residents from around the area and people who had worked at or been born at the former Woodside Maternity Hospital attended on the day to take tours of the facility and share any questions and concerns they had for the future of the site.

Hall & Prior’s Manager Corporate Development

Dan Prior said the turn out for the day was encouraging.

“We’re really excited about this project and working with the Town of East Fremantle to bring this magnificent site back to its former glory,” he said.

“It’s a really positive step forward to see so many people interested in the project and what it means for the community.”

Hall & Prior are also working closely with community engagement specialists Creating Communities on the project.

Plans for development are being lodged by the end of Q1 2021.

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White Oak heads to Claremont for new hub

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mindful of working with each and every person to find a solution which meets their individual requirements.

Choosing the prime location is a natural next move for the home care organisation, and comes just a few months after the opening of a Butler hub for northern suburbs consumers.

“We can provide a lot of care or a little bit of care,” said Treasa. “We work with people to make sure we provide the right level of support with tailored packages designed to suit them, their families and their budgets.”

hite Oak Home Care services has headed to the Western Suburbs as it continues its recent expansion with a new hub opening in Claremont.

Providing a much-needed resource for older West Australians who require help remaining in their own homes, White Oak also provides respite care and assists others like new mums and veterans.

General Manager Treasa Lonergan said home care was not a one-size-fits-all service, and White Oak was ever

White Oak has been providing quality and affordable home care for more than 20 years.

Services are available for both private and government-supported clients, and are offered via a range of flexible packages which can be calibrated to individual preferences.

“There are so many options with White Oak – we provide a range of support from everyday, domestic assistance to helping people who may need clinical or allied health services,” said Treasa.

“We are very aware that it is often the family members of care recipients who also need a bit of help from time to time, so our respite services give these sons and daughters, husbands and wives a bit of a hand when they need it most” White Oak offers a complementary advice line to help clients navigate the often complex world of aged care. It aims to provide clear information about what packages may be available, and how best those packages can be used to the maximum benefit for each individual.

The addition of a Claremont hub will offer the community new options should they be considering home care options, from a trusted provider of high quality care.

“That’s our point of difference and the reason why White Oak is still growing rapidly after more than two decades in the business,” said Treasa. “We love to offer innovative, simpleto-understand home care options for our clients, and at our new hub in Claremont, we’ll be continuing this tradition for a whole new community.”

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There's no place like

HOME White Oak Home Care Services has been providing quality and affordable home care services to the people of Perth for more than 20 years.

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family-run business, White Oak is passionate about home care that allows you and your loved ones to keep living well in your own home and being an active and valued member of the community.

White Oak is family-run and part of the Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group. There are offices in Joondalup, Scarborough and Butler.

For more information on White Oak and how they can help you please contact (08) 9301 0299 or email info@whiteoak.com.au.

Visit whiteoak.com.au

Services cater for all types of care – for both private and government-supported clients, and come in a range of flexible packages that can be tailored to suit your needs.

White Oak offers traditional home care packages as well as respite services and services for private clients.

They are an approved provider for the Veterans’ Home Care program which gives eligible veterans and their families access to services involving personal care, respite, domestic assistance, and some home and garden maintenance.

General support around the home and clients being driven to appointments can be used as a one-off service or incorporated into existing care packages.

White Oak is also the only home care service provider in WA to have an ongoing partnership with Returned Services League WA. Whatever you need, White Oak is committed to making your life easier and more enjoyable.

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ANZAC House

OPENS ITS DOORS Hall & Prior is proud to be a supporting partner of ANZAC House Veteran Central on St George’s Terrace in Perth. A ‘one stop shop’ for veterans, ANZAC House provides service men and women with much needed support.

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$30 million addition to St George’s Terrace, ANZAC House will provide critical advocacy, welfare and vital services to veterans and their families.

The building was opened on November 12 by the Hon Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia and RSLWA President Peter Aspinall AM with guests including Hall & Prior’s CEO Graeme Prior in attendance.

In addition to being the new home of RSLWA, the seven floor building will also accommodate a range of government support services including Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), private Veteran Service Providers (VSPs) and Ex-Service Organisations (ESOs).

It is also home to a new ANZAC Club where members and guests can gather in a friendly social setting, the Karrakatta Club, a café and florist, function spaces and dedicated levels for the use of RSLWA Sub-Branches.

RSLWA President Mr Peter Aspinall said ANZAC House was much more than just a building.

“It will be home to Veteran Central – an innovative and uniquely Western Australian concept identified to improve our capacity to offer proactive, comprehensive and complete veteran support services here in WA,” he said.

Mr Aspinall said the State Government, through Lotterywest, and the Federal Government had provided significant funding towards the project, increasing the organisation’s capability to deliver a worldclass facility.

“ANZAC House Veteran Central is like nothing else we’ve seen before.

It will deliver the most comprehensive range of on-site, free services and amenities under the one roof, strengthening our ability to service the diverse needs of our veteran community.”

Hall & Prior’s home and community care provider, White Oak Home Care services will have a presence at the building and will be

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FAST FACTS available to give veterans and their families support when they require some extra care.

Veterans are a cause very close to Hall & Prior CEO Graeme Prior’s heart; the organisation cares for 120 veterans at its homes in WA and NSW. “I believe we can all learn from our veterans,” said Graeme. “In the modern age they still have much to teach us about sacrifice, selflessness and resilience.

“This fantastic new building gives veterans a place to call their own and provides them with access to all the help they need. Hall & Prior is very proud to be involved with the project.”

ANZAC House is located at 28 St George’s Terrace, Perth.

• ANZAC House Veteran Central is designed to improve the critical delivery of advocacy, welfare and vital services to veterans and their families.

• The purpose-built facility will centralise numerous veteran services under the one roof improving health, social and financial outcomes for Western Australian veterans – as such, it’s the only one of its kind in Australia.

• Other features in the seven-floor facility include a commemorative reflection courtyard, a dedicated medical floor providing a range of services from GP appointments to day surgery services, a private dining and reading room and a dedicated function space with spectacular river views for weddings and other special occasions.

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M Y FAVOURITE THINGS

Joy Bigelow Joy Bigelow has worked at Vaucluse Aged Care Home in Sydney since 1994. She began her career there as an evening duty Registered Nurse working for the home’s original owners, Rose and Ralph Levy. After the home was sold to Hall & Prior, she became the Director of Nursing and has been there ever since.

MY GRANDCHILDREN There are seven, and they keep me busy in my spare time with babysitting duties. They are such wonderful children.

MY FAMILY This is my beautiful family - I have four kids and a husband, they are the light of my life.

SWIMMING I used to swim at Kutti Beach which is right out the front of our home in Vaucluse. I also have fond memories of swimming in the baths at Watson’s Bay.

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FLOWERS I just love flowers.

They make me happy and the smell reminds me of good times.

These are two roses that we took out of the Vaucluse Rose Garden - they are just perfect to look at.

ROSE AND RALPH LEVY Rose and Ralph were the original owners of Vaucluse I love this photo of us together especially as Ralph has now passed away.

CHRISTMAS

CELEBRATIONS I love any excuse to celebrate with my family - and my 70th birthday was no exception.

This is my favourite time of year - I’m a total giver of presents, and just love the feeling of giving presents to loved ones and friends. I don’t like receiving - much prefer giving.

SUNSET CARS I love cars. There’s something rather wonderful about a beautiful car.

I love sunset. It represents the close of another day and each one is different (and I don’t get up early enough to take photos of sunrise).

53

PUZZLES CROSSWORD

4x4

No. 007

7

DOWN

Cover gift Circle of light The Grinch was thought to be this Head to head, –a–

1 2 3 4

Sharpen (a knife) Praise wildly When Santa got down from his sled Santa lives here, the North –

QUICK QUIZ 1

If a reptile or insect is parthenogenic, what is unusual about its method of reproduction?

2

On which Australian island was the drama series RAN (Remote Area Nurse) filmed?

3

True or false: the film Juno was based on a novel?

4

How many active volcanoes exist in Australian territories?

5

Which US director’s children are named Rocket, Racer, Rebel, Rogue and Rhiannon?

6 3

Complete the list by changing one letter at a time to create a new word at each step.

There may be more than one possible answer.

LIMBo

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _

_ _ _ _

rASPS

6 7 3

7 4

5

WORDSTEP

_ _ _ _

9 1 2 3 7 9 9 2 6 1 7 1 9 5

2

SOLUTIONS 9-Letter word elite, else, isle, islet, leet, lest, lime, limo, list, lite, litotes, lose, lost, melt, mettle, mile, milo, milt, MISTLETOE, moil, mole, molest, motel, motile, mottle, mottles, settle, silo, silt, sleet, slim, slime, slit, sloe, slot, smelt, smile, soil, sole, soli, steel, stele, stile, stilt, stole, tile, tilt, tilts, title, toil, toile, toilet

ACROSS 1 5 6

8

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

DEC, 2020

CroSSword

52 words: excellent

M

8

SUdoKU

39 words: Very good

e

3 1 6

1 9 6 5 7 3 8 2 4

t

e

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

8 2 3 1 4 6 7 9 5

today’s Aim: 26 words: Good

L

t

No. 007

4 7 5 9 8 2 3 1 6

S

o

I

SUDOKU

2 8 4 7 6 9 1 5 3

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and teach letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

No. 007

7 3 1 8 2 5 6 4 9

9-LETTER WORD

6 5 9 3 1 4 2 7 8

20 22 24 25

5 6 8 2 9 7 4 3 1

7 8 13 14 17 19

3 1 7 4 5 8 9 6 2

3 4 5 6

Donated (11) Country with capital Jakarta (9) Suburb of Melbourne (7) Meaning (10) Adolescent (4) Island in the North Atlantic (7) Leaves out (5) Annoy (3) Fruit scooping tool (5,6) Skill of writing by hand (10) Purpose (9) Name of desert in Central Australia (7) Pilot (7) Shine (5) Conceal (4) High tennis shot (3)

9 4 2 6 3 1 5 8 7

21 23 25 26 27 28

DOWN

1 2

4x4 ACROSS: 1. Wrap, 5. Halo, 6. Evil, 7. Tete.

DOWN: 1. Whet, 2. Rave, 3. Alit, 4. Pole.

11 12 15 16 18 20

Tweeted (7) Capital of Libya (7) Push gently (5) – the Great, Prussian king (1712-1786) (9) Mobile phone sound (8) Kidnap payment (6) Wild ox (5) Exercise machine (9) Change (9) English soccer team, – Villa (5) Aspirations (6) Emblem (8) Key expert (9) Test (5) Equilibrium (7) Associate (7)

wordSteP LIMBO, LIMBS, LAMBS, LAMPS, RAMPS, RASPS

ACROSS

1 5 9 10

No. 007

1. Its eggs develop without fertilisation (that is, without a male) 2. Masig Island (Torres Strait, Queensland) 3. False 4. Two (on Heard Island and McDonald Islands) 5. Robert Rodriguez

QUIoCK QUIZ ANSwerS

WORDFIND

CODEWORD

Can you find all of the words listed below?

The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

FRUITCAKE

NOEL

CANDLE

GIFT

REINDEER

CAROL

GINGERBREAD

SANTA

CHIMNEY

HOLLY

TINSEL

COAL

KRAMPUS

TREE

EGGNOG

LIGHTS

WREATH

Each number corresponds to a letter. Can you crack the code?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

H

T

CROSS MATH

WORDWHEEL

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW...

Insert each number from 1 to 9 in the shaded squares to solve all the horizontal and vertical equations. Multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.

Can you work out what the missing letter is that spells an 8-letter word? It could read either clockwise or anti-clockwise.

NICOLE KIDMAN

÷

×

×

+

+

÷

×

−

= 21

+

+

+

+

= 9

N

?

I

R ?

= 21

= 11

?

D

= 15

= 16

R

5x5 Insert the missing letters to make 10 words – five reading across the grid and five reading down.

A

G O

T

G A

S R

L A E

N

S

1. Kidman’s big breakthrough came in the 1989 Australian film Dead Calm. Who plays her husband?

A. Hugo Weaving B. Billy Zane C. Tom Cruise D. Sam Neill 2. She starred in 1995’s Batman Forever. Who played the lead character?

A. Michael Keaton B. Val Kilmer C. George Clooney D. Christian Bale 3. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in which film?

A. Moulin Rouge B. The Hours C. Rabbit Hole D. Lion 4. She won her first Golden Globe Best Actress award for which film?

A. The Hours B. Moulin Rouge C. To Die For D. Cold Mountain

26

5. In which Australian city did she grow up?

A. Sydney B. Melbourne C. Hobart D. Perth

ANSWERS: 1D, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5A

BELLS

AWU B R I J DN S O T H 14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

C Q F L Y VM Z P X E K G 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

CODEWORD WORDFIND Secret message: And to all a good night 3 ÷ 1 × 5 = 15 × + + 6 ÷ 2 × 7 = 21 − + + 9 + 8 + 4 = 21 = = = 9 11 16

CROSS MATH

WORDWHEEL Missing letter: E 8-letter word: REINDEER E N T

R

S

O

N G E L O R G I I A R A

A C T

5x5

I

S

E R

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