Life & Love Magazine Edition 8 by Hall & Prior

HALL & PRIOR H E A LT H & A G E D C A R E G R O U P

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8

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Love, mercy and care

ANZAC DAY IN OUR HOMES Remembering our veterans p7

IRENE WHIPPY

on the commitment to outstanding care p14

Introducing

GRAFTON

Aged Care Home p6

ABOUT HALL & PRIOR Started in 1992 by Michael Hall and Graeme Prior, Hall & Prior is a leading aged care provider with a passion for providing quality care to older people from all walks of life. Over the past 20 years, Hall & Prior has grown from one nursing home to an organisation that cares for almost 1,500 people in Western Australia and New South Wales.

Our people are our greatest asset. Each one of our 25 aged care homes is led by an experienced director of nursing who works alongside a team of registered nurses, personal carers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dieticians and chefs to ensure that we meet the individual needs of every resident.

As a private, family-owned company, Hall & Prior is committed to bringing long-term benefits to our residents and their families. Our dedicated care teams provide round-the-clock care 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that every resident feels well cared for and at home.

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IN THIS ISSUE From the Chief Executive Officer Welcome Grafton Aged Care Home

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Commemorating Anzac Day in our homes

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Irene Whippy’s committment to outstanding care

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Celebrating International Women’s Day 2017

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Connecting Gerontology expertise to aged care Men’s Shed Chorale bring high-energy fun

24 Easter fun for Fairfield Aged Care Home 25 Getting into the spirit of the Irish 26 Glenwood’s very own Valentine 28 Big donation to local 22veterinary hospital 30 News in brief 31 Harmony Day activities at Agmaroy

The Last Post is played as part of Shangri-La’s Anzac Day commemoration service in Sydney. Staff, residents, families and community members joined us to mark this annual day of remembrance.

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FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER One of the most exciting times in this organisation is when we have a new home join us on our mission to provide exceptional quality care.

of International Women’s Day. With 81% of our staff members being female, they make up the majority of our care staff, nurses and management roles.

In April we welcomed the staff and residents of Grafton Aged Care Home, located in the scenic South Grafton in north eastern New South Wales. Over the past two years we have worked hard to increase the amount of services we are able to provide in the state, as well as taking them to rural areas like Grafton.

It was a pleasure to mark this annual day with a sundowner event in Perth, featuring a presentation from local awardwinning young adult writer Julia Lawrinson. Julia’s close personal connection to a loved one with early-onset Alzheimer ’s disease means she was able to provide a perspective many of us in the

It takes a lot of effort and planning to acquire a new home, and I would like to thank everyone involved in making the home’s transition to the Hall & Prior family a smooth one. I would also like to welcome the Grafton team, led by Director of Nursing Julie Spicer, as well as the home’s residents and their families. You can read more about Grafton on page 6.

We have been busy with a host of events on around our homes in the past few months. One of the most significant is the Anzac Day commemorations that take place during April. Each year, we have the honour of facilitating services in our homes so that our residents can pay their respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. You can see photos of the events we held on page 7.

In March, we celebrated the incredible women who contribute so much to Hall & Prior, as part

“To the families, staff and members of the community who have joined us for these very special occasions, thank you for helping us to improve the lives of those we care for.” aged care industry can relate to.

The full event story can be found on page 14.

With this edition we are delighted to feature the outstanding work of Irene Whippy. Irene is currently the Acting Director of Nursing at Clover Lea Aged Care Home, located in the western Sydney suburb of Burwood Heights. We spoke to Irene about her journey to the aged care industry, as well as the compassion and commitment she shows to her team and to the residents she cares for. You can read more about Irene on page 11.

As well as these, within these pages are many more stories about the goings on in our homes that I am proud to share with you. To the families, staff and members of the community who have joined us for these very special occasions, thank you for helping us to improve the lives of those we care for.

GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer

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Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior with newly elected Labor Member for Gosford and former gold medal Paralympian Liesl Tesch at Aubrey Downer Aged Care Home’s Anzac service.

Below: The Anzac service at Sirius Cove Aged Care Home included special guest Member for Warringah and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

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Hall & Prior Director Michael Hall, Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior, General Manager Health & Care NSW Kris Healey and Grafton Aged Care Home Director of Nursing Julie Spicer.

WELCOME GRAFTON AGED CARE HOME On April 5, Hall & Prior’s Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior was pleased to announce the acquisition of Grafton Aged Care Home.

The 83-bed home is in South Grafton, on a hill overlooking the beautiful Clarence River in north eastern New South Wales.

Grafton is Hall & Prior’s 11th home in the state.

“Our NSW portfolio has grown significantly in the past two years, after we acquired four homes last year,” Mr Prior said. “Grafton will also be our third home in a rural community, which is a testament to our commitment to caring for those in outside of our city centres.”

Mr Prior welcomed Grafton’s

“On behalf of my fellow Director Michael Hall, I wish to welcome everyone at Grafton to the Hall & Prior family.”

Director of Nursing Julie Spicer, Deputy Director of Nursing Lara Bancroft, Clinical Nurse Manager Katrina Austen and Administration Officer Tegan Wells. They are joined by 90 dedicated aged care employees that joined our organisation with the acquisition.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our tremendous integration team led by Kris Healy, Jennifer O’Connell, Kyrsten Grady, Eloise Perkins and many others for their efforts in this venture,” Mr Prior

said. “I would also like to thank Vital Health Care, our real estate partner in this acquisition.”

“The opportunity for growth is one of the fundamental reasons we were attracted to Grafton. There will be a further investment of $2.5 million over the next financial year to increase resident amenity and develop a community care offering.”

“On behalf of my fellow Director Michael Hall, I wish to welcome everyone at Grafton to the Hall & Prior family.

A wreath laid at the bottom of the flagpole at Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland, in Perth’s east.

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COMMEMORATING ANZAC DAY 2017 Each year across all Hall & Prior homes, our residents, staff, family and members of the community come together to commemorate Anzac Day. It is a time to stop and reflect on the acts of courage and sacrifice made by thousands of men and women in wars and

conflicts around the world.

2017 is part of the centenary commemorations for the events in World War I that occurred for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, known as the ANZACs. For Australians on the Western Front, 1979 was the year

they experienced their heaviest losses from the battles. This includes the Battle of Bullecourt in rural France, where more than 3000 soldiers from the Australian Imperial Force were killed or taken prisoner by German forces.

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To mark the occasion, our homes were decorated with red poppies, a symbol of the Anzacs, as well as memorabilia, photos, medals and posters.

All the walls and halls at Clover Lea Aged Care Home, in the western Sydney suburb of Burwood Heights, were lined with old war day photos in remembrance of those who served. Father Paul Leung amongst other special guests devoted their time to Clover Lea during their service, and Lance Corporal David Wood played The Last Post and the Reveille.

Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead led the commemorations at Glenwood Aged Care Home, in the northern Sydney suburb of Greenwich. It was lovely to see residents and family members past and present taking part and contributing to the service by reading poems and The Ode. At Fairfield Aged Care Home, located west of Sydney, residents and staff gathered in the home’s grounds to honour our nation’s fallen heroes. Fairfield RSL President Paul Brian presented a moving commemorative address.

In the Sydney suburb of Mosman, Sirius Cove Aged Care Home held its service outside by the flag pole with special guest Member for Warringah and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. He greeted all residents and staff one by one and gave a beautiful and inspiring speech.

He then took the time to speak to residents and staff after the service.

Anzac Day at Menaville Aged Care Home, in the northern Sydney suburb of Rockdale, was remembered with an intimate service held in their dining room. ANZAC and wartime memorabilia was displayed throughout the home, much of it on loan from residents and staff. Their service was very

moving with volunteer, and exArmy nurse Barbara O’Keefe acting as MC. They had readings from students from Danebank Anglican School, prayers by Reverend Martin Goodwin, and the commemorative address and The Ode delivered by a representative from Bexley RSL sub branch.

Cadets from 233 ACU St George formed a Catafalque Party which added extra significance to the occasion. The national anthem was beautifully led by Caitlin Nadge from Danebank.

Staff, residents and relatives gathered together at Shangri-La Aged Care Home under an old Australian gum tree in an hour long service in which everyone looked back on a century of courage, mateship and sacrifices.

Their service started with an opening prayer led by Father Steve Fletcher from St. Declan’s Parish. Followed by a welcome speech from Bernice.

To memorialize the event the commemorative Address was read by Mr. Gordon Blaire from Hurstville RSL. Caroline Chisholm held their ANZAC service in their beautifully landscaped gardens, with special guest, Lane Cove Mayor Deborah Hutchens read to staff and residents.

Aubrey Downer had a beautiful service around their flag pole outside under blue skies in the warm sunny weather.

Newly elected Labor Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, who is a former gold medal Paralympian, come and join in on the service amongst other special guests.

Resident Aubrey Roberts who has been living at Aubrey Downer for 20 years, laid the wreath with help from staff.

Mosman Park Aged Care Home, in Perth’s western suburbs, joined its close neighbour Freshwater

Bay Aged Care Home to hold a combined service. Residents and staff from both homes were joined by Town of Mosman Park Mayor Ron Norris, members of the Mosman Park RSL Ken and Dorothy Walker and members of the local council joined in the service.

In South Perth, Concorde Aged Care Home held their service in the shady grounds of their home, and were joined by South Perth RSL President Alan Stringer, as well as local bugler Barry Telfer, whose rendition of The Last Post was incredibly moving.

At Windsor Park Aged Care Home, in the suburb of Carlisle in Perth’s east, there were a range of Anzac-themed therapy activities held, including making Anzac biscuits, poppies and wreaths to decorate the home.

Windsor Park’s service was held in their sunlit grounds, in the courtyard in front of the home’s memorial garden. The solemn commemoration was led by Victoria Park RSL’s Kevin Duckworth, and many residents got involved by reading poems, prayers and tributes to the brave men and women who have fought in wars around the world.

The service held at our home in Albany in South Western WA, Clarence Estate, is always especially poignant as the town’s port was the place many of the Anzacs departed from during World War I. Residents and staff were joined

by Albany MLA Peter Watson, Mayor Dennis Wellington, Albany RSL representative Geoff McNeill and members of the local community group Friends of Clarence Estate.

We wish to thank all the families and local community members who attended all our services.

It is a privilege to be able to provide these events for those we care for.

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• Glenwood Aged Care Home

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HALL & PRIOR’S VETERANS Hall & Prior care for more than 150 veterans across Western Australia and New South Wales.

We aim to capture the stories of the veterans in our care and preserve their histories in a way that recognises the bravery they showed.

David O’Dell is a resident at McDougall Park Aged Care Home in Como, in Perth’s south.

He was one of seven siblings and grew up in the small village of Wellingborough, in the United Kingdom.

He has fond memories of his carefree childhood and said not much bothered him and his sibling back then.

He left school at the age of 14

and worked in a boot and shoe factory with his father, Walter O’Dell, who worked there for 40 years.

In 1946 at the age of 18, he was enlisted in the British Army, the same year his father was called to join.

David said he remembers being shocked because his father was so much older than himself and his male siblings, and he wasn’t

sure why he had been enlisted.

During his service, he travelled all over the world in his role as a crane and dozer operator, and said his friendly and relaxed personality made it easier to get used to new places.

“I’m a person that’s been all over the place and can fit in wherever I am,” he said. “Nothing ever seemed to bother me – I’ve always been like that.”

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“During my time in the army, any machine that moved, I moved it,” he said.

incident, David’s face still lights up with laughter, seeing the whole situation as a big joke.

“Any kind of heavy machinery, I’d sort it out and get it going for whoever needed to use it.”

“It was in the way and I thought ‘bugger it, I’m going to move it’,” he said.

His work took him to Tripoli in Lebanon, where he serviced boats, as well as to South Korea, where Allied forces were working to protect citizens from violence delivered by North Korea.

“I was a devil at that time. People would always say ‘what’s Dave up to now?’ And I’d always get the blame.”

His dedication to his work saw him promoted twice to the rank of Sargent, but he still found time to cause a bit of harmless trouble.

On one occasion, American troops had parked their truck in an inconvenient spot so David and his mates took it upon themselves to hotwire the vehicle and move it one street back.

When he thinks back to this

After completing his service, David made the move over to Australia in 1975.

He said his favourite thing about living in Australia is the amount of sun we get.

“I remember when I was a child, I was talking to an old man and he told me ‘sunshine, my boy, get as much as you can when you can, because that’s the thing that gives you life’,” he said.

He said he didn’t settle in Perth right away, but travelled around

first. When he and his wife Astrid began building a house, he said they were never concerned about how little possessions they had.

“Material things didn’t bother us, we didn’t put any value in those sorts of things,” he said.

Eventually, David convinced all his siblings to make the move out to Perth too.

He has strong ties to his relatives and believes children, both his own and his grandchildren, bring something special to a family.

“Without children there is no life,” he said. “Children are the ones that bring a family together and they make life more important.”

In his later life, David’s favourite hobbies didn’t stray too far from his activities during his army days, and he’d work on any kind

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of machinery he found.

“I liked tinkering with old radios,” he said.

“If anything wasn’t going I’d get hold of it and get it working again.”

When asked for his thoughts on Anzac Day, David said it was like the act of visiting family in a cemetery.

“It’s about paying your respects to people you served with or people you lost,” he said.

“A lot of families lost people through the wars, and Anzac Day help you to remember its importance.

Without the people who served, there wouldn’t have been such big changes in the world.”

“They got together because they were defending themselves. We should remember that.”

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IRENE WHIPPY’S COMMITMENT TO OUTSTANDING CARE Irene Whippy, Acting Director of Nursing at Clover Lea Aged Care Home in Burwood Heights admits ‘nursing was not always on her radar’.

It was Irene’s two sisters, who best understood Irene’s compassionate and caring nature that encouraged her to pursue nursing. Irene went on to study at the Royal North Shore

Hospital. During her studies, her Director of Nursing at the time allowed her to work as an Assistant in Nursing, giving Irene first-hand experience about what it takes to deliver care for people.

After Irene received her registration she left the industry for a while to open a restaurant and cafe with her husband.

However, she later realised that

her true passion was caring for others.

In the early 80s, Irene began her career in nursing working in various hospitals within the Sydney region. It wasn’t long though before Irene’s creative nature and enthusiasm for learning saw her enrol in a Bachelor of Arts at the University of New South Wales majoring in

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The staff of Clover Lea Aged Care Home make sure they always contribute to the home’s fun, happy atmosphere.

English, Literature, Language, Linguistics and Political Science.

It is actions like this that sums up Irene’s motivation to constantly strive to improve both herself and the world around her.

It was another 10 years later that her passion for residential aged care and helping Australia’s elderly developed.

It was the diversity of the roles of registered nurses in residential aged care homes that helped her ‘know’ that this was her calling.

“There is so much to learn and one is not attached to just one area like in the public system,” she said.

“As the diagnoses in aged care are so varied (ranging from cardiac, respiratory, orthopaedic, mental health, dementia – the list seems endless) one must be continually updated in many areas.”

Hall & Prior acquired Glenwood Aged Care Home along with

three other Sydney based residential aged care homes from former owners The Danks Group in October 2007.

At the time, Irene was Deputy Director of Nursing, but was promoted to Director of Nursing after the acquisition.

Currently Irene has been seconded to Clover Lea Aged Care home in Burwood Heights in Sydney’s west as Acting Director of Nursing.

Clover Lea is a recent acquisition to the Hall & Prior Group, having been purchased in March 2016.

“I really enjoy my work,” she said. “I’ve gained valuable experience working in the other homes, getting to know all the staff and the different resident and relative culture mix.

“I find it very rewarding to forge new relationships with hospital and public health staff as well as social workers and ACAT teams.

Clover Lea is a “lovely home with

staff who have been (and are) open to change and to learning new systems.”

Having grown up on a historic Island in Fiji, Irene’s “idyllic childhood” included a large extended family.

“It was probably the largest family in the country,” she said.

She remembers her childhood as being filled with many wonderful stories and notes the differences between the care of the elderly here in Australia.

“In Fiji, there are no aged care homes. The elderly are cared for in their family home,” she said.

“It was great for everyone as it taught young people to care for and respect others”.

Reflecting on the aged care industry in Australia, Irene said one thing she would like to see changed is routine.

“We educate staff about the home being the residents’ home and us being visitors, and about

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all the choices they have, yet we plan a routine that we encourage our residents to follow, of shower times, meal times, getting up, going to bed and cleaning,” she said.

“I am still thinking about how we go about changing this.”

When asked about her management style and what makes staff respond to her well Irene said communication was key.

“I like people, and I listen to and communicate with staff in the way that I would like to be spoken to,” she said.

She said she often reminds staff and herself that “a day is 24 hours of our life, eight hours for sleeping, eight hours for socialising and eight hours for work, so we should choose to make the hours of work as happy as possible.

“Part of our role as managers is to encourage staff to upskill and

“My door here is always open and staff, residents and relatives are welcome at any time” to notice that if someone is not their usual self we should try to help – I try to do this.

“My door here is always open and staff, residents and relatives are always welcome to express their views and stop for a chat.”

In 2014 Irene received an Outstanding Leadership award at the Hall & Prior NSW Long Service & Directors Awards end of year annual event.

This award recognised her success in a leadership role where she consistently performs above and beyond her job description.

Compromise and a willingness to discuss issues is how Irene

chooses to approach working with residents in aged care.

“I listen to what they have to say and to try to implement what they would like, which may not always be possible, but sometimes compromise must be made to get a good outcome,” she said.

“Looking at their photographs and history reminds us all that they have had interesting lives”.

One of Irene’s fond memories that she will never forget is of Glenwood resident Nolene who had not said a word to anyone for years and had lost a lot of weight from poor eating habits.

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• Irene always strives to ensure both her staff and the residents in her home feel well looked after.

Irene, the staff at Glenwood and Nolene’s husband Greg were determined to change her eating habits and increase her weight.

On one visit Nolene’s husband had stopped in for a quick chat to Irene, mid-sentence Nolene yelled out “Greg”.

This took quite a while as she was often resistive, but everyone persevered and very slowly things began to change.

He was shocked and said that she had not spoken his name in over a year, a fact that left Greg and Irene quite teary-eyed.

Nolene’s husband visited often and was able to take her out into the garden and for walks.

Greg said that he had thought that things would slowly get worse but instead things have only improved since Nolene was admitted to Glenwood Aged Care Home.

Each day she began to eat more and then her behaviour began to settle.

No one including her husband expected her to ever speak, so nurses were excited the first time she answered their usual greeting with a simple ‘hello’. “I think that those of us who had not heard it did not believe it,” Irene said.

“The exciting moment for me was her very first spoken greeting to me – saying ‘Oh there you are’ followed by both arms stretched out for a hug.”

After a long period of time being cared for at home by her husband, Greg is relieved to now say that he is comfortable enough to be able to live his life to the fullest.

He now spends time visiting family and friends and even going away on holidays, something he was not able to do for a long time.

Greg is very much a large part of the Glenwood community, being on the home’s committee

as well as accompanying the management team on outings.

“My sister told me, you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory,” Irene said.

“This is very true, we are always trying to think ahead and often don’t appreciate or take notice of what is happening now.

“The ahead will come soon enough, tread slowly and softly.”

General Manager Health & Care Services WA Jennifer Grieve, Director Michael Hall, Julia Lawrinson and Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior with a piece of Annie Lawrinson’s artwork.

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Hall & Prior staff members Terri Woolhouse, Toni McHale, Jenny Davidson, Kristi Holloway and Sally Gutman at the International Women’s Day event.

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Clarence Estate Home Care Manager Cheryl Clark and Manager Executive Services Fiona Prior.

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Each year on March 8, we celebrate the incredible women who make up Hall & Prior, as part of International Women’s Day.

“I am constantly inspired by the strength, compassion and intelligence the women in this organisation show every day,”

This year’s theme is #BeBoldForChange, and it encourages people to take action to accelerate gender parity, through helping women and girls achieve their ambitions and create inclusive, flexible cultures.

Led by Mr Prior and General Manager Health & Care Services WA Jennifer Grieve, our Perth office was pleased to hold a special event to celebrate the day.

Across Hall & Prior’s 24 homes and two home care businesses in Western Australia and New South Wales, a huge 81 percent of staff are female. They make up the majority of the care staff, nurses and management roles.

The sundowner featured a presentation from award-winning Perth author Julia Lawrinson.

Julia has written more than a dozen books for children and young adults. She spoke to us about her journey writing her latest novel, Before You Forget, which was launched in February.

“I am constantly inspired by the strength, compassion and intelligence the women in this organisation show every day,” Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior said.

It tells the story of Amelia, a teenage girl trying to cope with her father’s diagnosis of earlyonset Alzheimer’s disease as he slowly loses his memory and forgets everything he knows.

“The work they do every day has helped us continue to deliver exceptional care to people in our communities who need it most. I am proud to celebrate our culture of inclusiveness.”

The topic is close to the hearts of all of us who work in care, and draws from Julia’s personal experiences, as well as those of her daughter, Annie. Annie turned to her passion for art to

help her deal with her father’s condition, creating incredible portraits.

Alongside her successful writing career, Julia has worked in the public service sector while also achieving her PHD in writing in 2004 and competing a law degree with distinction.

She was also the first female Usher of the Black Rod. These elements make her the perfect example of a bold woman, and it was a privilege to hear her speak.

Following the theme of helping women achieve their dreams, we were pleased to feature the work of Perth artist Carla Marotta.

Carla hand-made beautiful pairs of earrings for each guest, which were then placed on cards featuring inspiring quotes from women all over the world.

Thank you to all those who joined our celebrations.

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Shangri-La Director of Nursing Bernice Anokye with Caroline Chisholm Director of Nursing Anne Curnow.

CONNECTING GERONTOLOGY EXPERTISE TO THE RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE ENVIRONMENT Working in residential aged care and witnessing the issues that are developing with the elderly and frail can be challenging. For Bernice Anokye, it has inspired her to work towards a deeper understanding of Gerontology and develop ways to serve her residents in more effective, kind and intelligent ways.

Bernice, Director of Nursing at Shangri-La Aged Care Home in Hurstville, in Sydney’s south, was raised by her grandmother in a middle class community in Ghana.

Bernice was one of three sisters in a large extended family all whose first language is Akan, the common language spoken amongst Ghanaians.

“Life in Ghana was good and always interesting as we lived in a community like family,” she said. “The interaction with other families made life full of fun”.

Unlike other African countries, there was not a lot of poverty, crime or violence in Ghana and was a safe place to grow up.

Bernice’s mother and father moved from the country into the city as there were more career opportunities.

Her mother worked as a clothes trader and father as a country planner within the Government.

Bernice chose to stay in the country with her grandmother and rest of her family, as she loved the country life and close community that she lived with.

It was later that Bernice joined her parents and moved to the city during high school which in Ghana were mostly boarding schools and lived in a compound house with individual rooms which people rented.

She liked that too because it was still a community where everyone knew each other and were like

one big family. Living in Ghana it was not hard to get an education, there were lots of opportunities for women in education and the workplace.

When Bernice finished high school it was just a normal transition to continue on to the next stage of education which is where she went on and studied a Diploma in Hotel Catering and Institutional Management and a one-year Certificate in Education which gave her the opportunity to work as a domestic bursar and teacher in high school.

It was during this time that Bernice’s passion for the elderly was nurtured through time spent with her grandmother, and her innate desire to help people in times of need developed.

In 2008 at the age of 27, Bernice migrated to Australia from West Africa to turn her dreams into reality and find a meaningful career where her skills and desire

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saw Bernice pursue further post graduate education in Gerontology at the Western Sydney University.

This education will further develop Bernice’s understanding of her residents through the scientific study of the entire aging process, old age and the specific problems of the elderly.

She will also investigate societal changes resulting from an aging population including the study and treatment of physical, mental and emotional changes all of which encompasses sociology, psychology and biology.

Bernice and her team at Shangri-La Aged Care Home during the Christmas celebrations in 2016.

to assist and care for the elderly would be valued.

Aged Care Home in Greenwich, Sydney.

Her decision to leave Ghana was for a better life and to improve her education.

“It was the small things like making a resident smile, or making them a bit more comfortable that had such a profound and positive effect on me,” she said.

Although she had a lot of opportunities in Ghana for work, she felt that there were even more prospects in Australia.

Bernice’s passionate nature saw her secure a role as an Assistant in Nursing on her arrival, a role which she found incredibly rewarding.

“It was, and still is, this effect that inspired me to learn more about nursing and the care of our aged and frail. I really get so much back when I see positive changes in our residents health and wellbeing.”

Although Bernice now calls Australia home, she often travels back to Ghana to visit her family.

“I miss the comradery back in Ghana,” she said.

Bernice then moved on to Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home in Lane Cove where she was promoted to the role of Clinical Nurse Manager.

“Here in Australia when I go home I stay there, no one knows me, not even my neighbours.”

Later, after a substantial amount of hard work and determination, she was offered the Director of Nursing role at Shangri-La Aged Care Home in Hurstville.

Always yearning to do more, Bernice went on to study a Bachelor in Nursing in 2009 at the University of Western Sydney (now Western Sydney University), completing this degree in 2012.

From here she transitioned into the aged care sector and joined Hall & Prior as a new graduate registered nurse at Glenwood

While still relatively new to her role, Bernice is more enthusiastic than ever to continue to broaden her skills and knowledge and gain experience in contemporary management in the aged care and community sector.

It is this drive that in 2015,

Working in residential aged care and witnessing the issues that are developing with the elderly and frail has inspired Bernice to work towards a deeper understanding of Gerontology, and develop ways to serve her residents in more effective, kind and intelligent ways.

“It is so different here,” she said.

“In Ghana they have no aged care system, so we had to care for the elderly ourselves in the family home for the remainder of their life, that’s just how things were.”

Based on Australian population statistics, the number of elderly is expected to continue growing as will demand for greater knowledge in the field of aged care, which is what attracted Bernice to this direction of study.

“On completion of this course, I am aiming to ensure delivery of the best care to our elderly in our home’s locale,” she said.

“I believe the mix of Gerontology and residential aged care work hand in hand to deliver innovation at the imperative care delivery level that you find in the residential aged care environment. Whatever I can do to produce top quality aged care, I will do.”

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The Christmas services at our New South Wales’ homes took on a new level of merriment with the Men’s Shed Chorale.

MEN’S SHED CHORALE BRING THE ENERGY TO NSW HOMES Providing entertainment to large numbers of residents during the festive season that appeals to all resident tastes and backgrounds can be a challenging task.

During the 2016 festive season, a beautiful connection developed between local Sydney choir The Men’s Shed Chorale and our homes, staff and residents.

This has been an incredibly exciting time for Hall & Prior, as well as for the staff and residents at our four newly acquired NSW homes as they got to experience their first Hall & Prior Christmas service.

There was lots of fun and laughter at all of the homes with many people lending a hand to provide a variety of entertainment. Patricia Wiggins,

a guest at Alloa Aged Care Home said “every single detail of love, caring and professional interaction with residents, staff and visitors was exceptional In a world where many need encouragement this was a jewel – we were overwhelmed.”

Fairfield resident Frances Taylor couldn’t stay in her seat because she was dancing so much to the choir’s lively performance.

The Men’s Shed Chorale performed at all ten Hall & Prior homes in the Sydney metro area, even traveling as far north as Gosford to entertain residents and family.

Everyone got into the Christmas spirit with residents, family members and staff dancing and singing along to all the carols and ‘golden oldie’ favourites

that suited our homes, resident era and tastes perfectly.

This impressive group of men, with the average age of ’80 years young’ provided era appropriate entertainment filled with a wonderful energy that created a general mood of fun, love and laughter.

The Men’s Shed Chorale are retiree’s from the prestigious Sydney Men’s Choir.

Their name was chosen to represent the ideals of the Men’s Shed Organisation, which relate to friendship, companionship and working together.

The group also draw on the Men’s Shed’s main principles of sharing their passion for various manual trades while utilising their talents for numerous community services.

Choir

Life Life & & Love Love 23 23

Manager Winston Eldridge, said “The identifying thing about us is the amazement on the faces of our audiences when they hear us for the first time.”

“The fun and social part of our chorale is in our absolute love of singing, leading to performances and occasional short regional tours.

“Wives and partners attend all of these and there is a wonderful feeling of happiness when we meet.”

The Men’s Shed Chorale have been an amazing addition to our events and really fit well with the Hall & Prior culture.

Because of their age and attitude towards aged care principles as well as the selection of songs they sing, they deeply resonate with residents and their families.

The gentlemen also have very engaging, charming and humorous personalities making them extremely likeable and

“Every single detail of love, caring and professional interaction with residents, staff and visitors was exceptional. In a world where many need encouragement, this performance was a jewel – we were overwhelmed.”

- Patricia Wiggins creating a fun environment.

and

happy

That sort of energy is contagious amongst all who are in their presence. Our residents and staff absolutely love them.

Being in the aged care industry it is great to see a group of 80 year olds having the time of their lives and contributing to the community in such a positive way.

These are the types of people we welcome into Hall & Prior and we are honoured to be associated with them.

Continuing

to

focus

on

restorative environments that are connected and engaged with our local communities has seen annual implementation of major events around ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day and the Christmas season at all Hall & Prior homes.

Creating special memories for our residents and family members is at the heart of these initiatives.

It is always rewarding to witness the special connections The Men’s Shed Chorale create with our community.

24 Life & Love

FOCUS ON HARMONY DAY CELEBRATIONS AT AGMAROY Each year on March 21, people across Australia celebrate our nation’s cultural diversity with Harmony Day events.

This year’s theme was ‘Everyone Belongs’ and aimed to encourage people to participate in their community, create a sense of belonging and respect others’ cultural and religious differences.

To coincide with Harmony Day celebrations, staff and residents at Agmaroy Aged Care Home, located in Wilson, in Perth’s south, held a big multicultural day event. Many people arrived in the national costumes of their culture, with staff in outfits from India, Burma, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and African nations present.

Residents joined in with games and activities and were entertained with a rendition of a Maori song. The highlight of the day was a huge shared meal, with traditional dishes brought in by our staff.

Hall & Prior are lucky enough to have staff members from 50 different countries around the world. This huge range of diversity is wonderful to see in the friendly, welcoming environments of our homes.

Life & Love 25

Francis Taylor with Fairfield Director of Nursing Sarah Riach during the home’s Easter Show.

EASTER FUN IN OUR HOMES Celebrating festive events throughout the year makes a huge difference in the lives of our residents, with fun activities and events that bring joy and laughter to our homes.

cuddle the baby rabbits, goats and chickens.

There were the sound of music and laughter all around and the aromas of fairy floss, popcorn and donuts wafted through the air.

For Easter this year, our staff worked hard to create memorable experiences for our residents to enjoy, with visits from the Easter bunny, crafts and Easter egg hunts.

They all enjoyed hot dogs for lunch before the residents and staff competed in a hilarious donut eating competition, which had everyone laughing and cheering on the contestants.

The spiritual meaning of the Easter period was also in focus during this time, with prayer services and opportunities for our residents to share stories and discuss what Easter means to them.

There were also balloons, face painting and carnival games for residents and their families to enjoy, a huge Easter raffle as well as a guessing competition. The day ended late in the afternoon with a visit from the Easter Bunny who delighted the residents and handed out Easter eggs to all.

At Fairfield Aged Care Home, west of Sydney, the staff and Director of Nursing Sarah Riach pulled out all the stops to put on a fantastic Easter show for residents and their families. The day of fun and excitement included a visit from a baby animal farm, where the residents were able to hold and

Marie Fenton

Thank you to everyone who joined in Easter activities across all our homes, to help bring excitement and fun to those we care for.

Anthony Pal

GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE IRISH FOR ST PATRICK’S DAY It was a sea of green at our homes this St Patrick’s Day held on Friday, March 17 with festive decorations hung all around to get everyone into the Irish spirit.

Staff and residents wore their best green clothes, ‘Irish for a day’ sashes and even four-leaf

clover temporary tattoos to get into the spirit of the occasion.

Whenever there is a holiday like this, our occupational therapy staff pull out all the stops to make it extra special for our residents.

Decorations, themed meals and extra activities like games, craft

sessions and performances.

At Concorde Aged Care Home in South Perth, the day of celebrations kicked off with a fast-paced Irish dancing routine from local group Perth Treble Makers.

Staff and residents joined in on

the fun too, with many of them hitting the dance floor.

At Windsor Park Aged Care Home, located in Carlisle, in Perth’s east, the preparations for St Patrick’s Day have been happening all week, with residents making lots of decorations for the home.

As well as a lovely Irish lunch of beef and Guinness pie, staff put on a fashion show for residents and visitors, with prizes for the greenest outfit and the most creative. Green pancakes, lots of Irish music and bad Irish jokes capped off the day.

Residents at Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home in Lane Cove, Sydney, enjoyed a lunch time celebration in a St Patrick’s inspired dining room where the tables were decked out in green.

The residents had a wonderful day in their shamrock green hats, participating in fun activities such as a themed trivia as well

as crafts with the help of Loreto Kirribilli girls, where the residents were able to demonstrate their creativity by stamping different colours of paint using a cork while Irish music was playing in the background, creating a lovely festive ambience.

The staff at Fairfield Aged Care Home brought a little piece of Ireland to their St Patrick’s Day where residents and their families were treated to an Irish morning tea of cakes, sweets and Guinness. After a few drinks we had a singalong followed by a hearty lunch, good old Irish stew.

Residents from Vaucluse Aged Care Home, in Sydney’s east, gathered together at Vaucluse sporting green hats and hair bands to celebrate the day.

They enjoyed some Irish music, popular song Oh Danny Boy was known by most of the residents as they all sang along, which impressed staff and Fairfield’s wonderful entertainer, Helen.

Residents and staff at Menaville, in the southern Sydney suburb of Rockdale, kicked up their heels, clapped and danced the morning away to some old favourite Irish songs performed by local entertainer Carina.

In the afternoon the residents watched a beautiful movie on Ireland, showcasing the country’s beautiful landscapes, then finishing off the afternoon with an offer of a Bailey Irish Cream and chocolates.

While many of our homes celebrated the day with food and drinks Sirius Cove Aged Care Home in Mosman, north of Sydney, focused on the history of St Patrick’s Day and delved into their residents background and many could find a little bit of Irish in their past.

Some recalled families who had come from Ireland, and others shared stories of visiting Ireland, where they found the Irish people very friendly.

28 Life & Love

GLENWOOD’S VERY OWN VALENTINE All our residents have such diverse and interesting histories, and we love being able to share their stories. We spoke to a very special woman at Glenwood Aged Care Home, Eva Valentine Lowe, often referred to simply as Val. Her story begins on Valentine’s Day in 1925, when she was born in a convict built-house that was being used as a nursing home at the time.

Val’s father James John Davies was in the British Navy and a Master Mariner before immigrating to Australia. Val loved that her father was a sentimental Welshman at heart, and named her Valentine in honour of Saint Valentine – the patron saint of love. The name Eva was passed down from her mother, who was a fine seamstress, and handmade all her clothes from hand me downs.

She would then embroider all the clothes so they were the best-

dressed kids in the street.

Times were tough during the depression, and Val said she remembers that as kids, they were not allowed to use the playground to skip and jump because it would wear out their shoes.

Val had fond memories of growing up in the Sydney suburb Gladesville, in particular with her friend ‘old Lucy’. Lucy lived across the road in a ‘humpy’, a small shelter made of bark and branches that was a common type of living space used by Aboriginal people in Australia during the early 1900s.

Val’s mother would use to cook a berry cake for each of them, with their names written on top of each one. Val recalls the ditty her mother made up about them all “blue eyed beauty kissed little Lucy, green eyed greedy guts and brown eyed pickle pies”.

Val’s father became an electrician after his service in the Navy, which Val said was handy as it meant he was able to do electrical work in their Gladesville home so that they could continue living there.

Lucy loved Val and would spend a lot of time with her, spoiling her with treats like golden syrup.

Four years later in 1930, they eventually moved to the Sydney suburb of Annandale, where they lived with Val’s grandmother in her boarding house “among lots of interesting people”.

Val’s mother tried to discourage this, because all of Lucy’s rations were given by the Government so she didn’t have a lot to share.

On birthdays they would go and pick blackberries which

It was during this time that the Government tried to move Lucy into proper accommodation but she kept returning to her ‘humpy’. Living away from Gladesville was hard for Val

as she missed her friend, who had become such a special part of their family. Three years later in 1933, they returned to Gladesville to see her but found out that she had passed away. Val is very cognizant with Aboriginal culture and said when Lucy died she had her special hunting tools, sling and nulla nulla (a heavy hunting stick) with her. “Because she was the last one of her tribe Lucy went back to her ancestor people as a princess,” she said.

Many years later, after she left school, Val went to Business College and then worked in accounting, payroll and running a manager’s office during World War II. “Life during the depression and war was very hard,” she said. “I didn’t have enough money to buy stockings for work so I had my father paint a line down my legs with eyebrow pencil to create the effect of stockings.”

Val found comfort during this

time doing things that she loved: reading, embroidery and sewing.

She even made her own wedding dress out of parachute silk, which she wore on her wedding day when she married Frederick Lowe in 1943.

Val’s uncle Sir Humphrey Davies was the owner of all the breweries in New Zealand, and provided the beer at their wedding.

Frederick was in the Air Force as a speciality maintenance man and worked on special projects for the Australian and American Air Force.

“He was extremely lucky and was recalled, and therefore he did not end up in the fall of Singapore,” she said. Val and her husband moved to the suburb of Ryde, where Frederick built their house from handmade bricks.

As a family they didn’t have much money, and had to save carefully as bricks were scarce and expensive after the war. Val

eventually moved to Canberra and then back to Sydney, to live in the suburb of Turramurra with her family.

She started struggling with agerelated issues and became a resident of Glenwood Aged Care Home in February 2015, where she still currently resides.

Val said she really enjoys her birthdays at Glenwood as they are always such a big occasion, with Valentine’s Day activities with staff, other residents and of course, family.

Val is 92 years young and reminisces on a happy and fulfilling life with her family, husband of 45 years and her two daughters Christine, born 1944 and Jacqueline, born 1950. She also has six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who all visit her at Glenwood often.

Happy birthday to Glenwood’s own Valentine.

30 Life & Love

Malibu Vetinary Hospital staff member Kirsty Powell, Rockingham Aged Care Home personal carer Karen Mitchell and Director of Nursing Terri Woolhouse with Lucy the cat.

TOWEL DONATION HELPS SAFETY BAY VETERINARY HOSPITAL Animals at Malibu Veterinary Hospital will be more comfortable thanks to a large donation of towels from Fresh Fields Hospitality Services and Rockingham Aged Care Home on April 20.

Malibu staff put the call-out for old towels and blankets on their Facebook page this month.

Fresh Fields, a division of Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group, supplies a specialised linen and catering service for the organisation’s 13 Perth aged care homes.

Rockingham Aged Care Home has a strong tie to the veterinary hospital, as they provide free check-ups and care for the home’s beloved rescue cat Lucy.

“We’re so grateful to everyone at Malibu Vets for sponsoring Lucy, because she brings so much joy to both our residents and our staff,” Rockingham Director of Nursing Terri Woolhouse said.

“This is a way for us to give back.”

Fresh Fields Operations Manager Kevin Fitzgerald said he was pleased the towels would be going to a group that could use them.

“Although the towels aren’t able to be used in our homes any more, they can still provide comfort to the animals that Malibu Veterinary Hospital are treating,” he said.

“In an average year, we wash more than 500,000 towels, as well as more than a million face cloths.

This much washing means items get worn, but instead of throwing them away, we like to donate them if we can.”

In 2016, Fresh Fields donated more than 2000 old towels and blankets to several Perth animal rescue organisations.

Fresh Fields Hospitality Services have been providing catering and laundry services in the Perth metropolitan area from its current location in Carlisle since 2002.

Fresh Fields is an integral part of Hall & Prior’s operations and is a key contributor to maintaining our residents’ health and lifestyle.

Life & Love 31

KEEPING SAFE THIS FLU SEASON Have you had your influenza vaccination for 2017 yet?

Each year ahead of the colder months, our staff take part in an organisation-wide vaccination program, where they receive a free flu shot.

In an aged care home, an influenza outbreak can have serious consequences, as our residents who have existing health conditions may be particularly vulnerable to falling ill.

For the past five years, we have increased the rates of staff vaccination in order to make our homes safer for those we care for. Through a program that addresses the benefits of vaccinations, as well as free clinic set-ups in our homes, we are working to keep our staff, residents and their families safer each flu season.

Keeping the flu bug out of our homes also means less disruption to normal routines, because less staff take time off due to illness.

The start of the colder weather is also a good time to remember proper flu prevention strategies to help stop the spread of germs.

This includes: • Regularly cleaning your hands, as well as using an alcohol-based hand rub when needed • Covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as this can spread germs • Stay at home when you are sick – this will help you recover faster and not spread your germs to co-workers and friends.

VALENTINES AT TUOHY In all of our homes, we love celebrating all manner of minor holidays to bring something special to the lives of our residents.

Valentine’s Day is no exception, so in the days leading up to February 14, our homes were abuzz with activities, from special themed craft sessions, to therapy activities and special themed meals on the big day.

At Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland, in Perth’s east, residents were surprised when staff from local flower supplier WAFEX arrived with red roses for all.

The organisation, who sell fresh and dried flowers to importers and wholesalers, said it was part of their ‘random acts of kindness’ initiative.

The exercise lets their employees

WAFEX staff members Belinda Fortt and Kaitlyn Comiskey with the roses they gave out to Tuohy Aged Care Home residdents.

experience the joy that flowers can bring others, as well as making other people happy with the surprise of flowers. They encourage others in the community to perform random acts of kindness as well, with the intention of spreading more joy in the world.

Tuohy’s Residential Care Manager Jayne Cummings said she was overwhelmed with the gesture and it made all of the residents, male and female alike, feel special to receive a rose.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.”

Lest we forget

HEAD OFFICE 16-18 Mayfair Street West Perth WA 6005 PO Box 1593 West Perth WA 6872 T 08 9321 1388 F 08 9321 1490 E info@hallprior.com.au NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OFFICE 274 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove NSW 2066 PO Box 84 Lane Cove NSW 1595 T 02 9427 8978 F 02 9427 3218 E infonsw@hallprior.com.au

hallprior.com.au