In Our Homes

Songs

OF THE sea

Clarence Estate Residential Aged Care & Home Care

Rollicking tunes from the sea rang through the halls at Clarence Estate when the Albany Shantymen paid a recent visit, reported Wayne Harrington, editor of Southerly Magazine. Grizz, Barry, Alby and Roger generously agreed to an impromptu performance at Clarence, putting on a great show for the Friday Sundowner crowd.

The foursome are part of the popular 14-strong Albany Shantymen who shot to a level of international notoriety when UK performer Nathan Evans credited the Albany group for inspiring his recent YouTube hit, “The Wellerman”. At last count, the Evan’s version of the sea shanty had racked up an incredible 40 million views.

The Albany Shantymen used their Clarence Estate appearance as a warm-up for their appearance at Optus Stadium before and during the Round 21 clash between the Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions.

Clarence Estate staff and residents are very appreciative of the many volunteer performers who generously give their time to entertain our residents.

Love during lockdown

Sirius Cove Aged Care Home

Resident of Sirius Cove, Hugh and his wife Alma celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on August 17. It was flowers and air kisses all around for the gorgeous couple, who have enjoyed a lifetime of happiness and adventure together, even though Hugh now lives away from Alma in care. We took these pics of the very in-love couple on their anniversary, along with one taken of them together before lockdown began at Sirius Cove Aged Care Home in NSW.

Happy anniversary Hugh and Alma. Love always wins.

CUTENESS OVERLOAD

Tuohy Aged Care Home

If you’re in need of a dose of cuteness, allow us to assist. Here’s Gucci the pup, who visited our Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland with her owner Jenny, leaving resident Mick smiling from ear to ear. We hope she brightens up your day too!

NAIDOC Week

Windsor Park Aged Care Home

On July 17 NAIDOC Week was celebrated at our Windsor Park Aged Care Home in Carlisle in Perth, there was a delicious NAIDOC lunch prepared with homemade damper, plus emu, kangaroo and crocodile sausages, a special didgeridoo performance, and a visit from Dr Sue Gordon AM.

Hall & Prior proudly supports NAIDOC Week as a significant week in Australia when we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year’s theme was “Heal Country!”

HONOURING COUNTRY

Left, CEO Graeme Prior with Sister Kate’s Sue Gordon. Above, residents enjoyed special Aboriginal treats, art and music.

Ballet shoes and high kicks

Menaville Aged Care Home

Menaville Aged Care Home is very proud to have talented dancer and gymnast Vicky Wilkie calling it her home.

After a lifetime of living and working abroad, Vicky has packed her life to the fullest with magnificent achievements in dance and gymnastics since the tender age of four. Here’s Vicky’s story, in her own words.

Born Vicky Lynn Porasky, on April 15 1969 in Laredo Texas, I was the youngest of three girls. My family and I left Texas when I was three years old and moved to Ipswich in England. I had always loved dancing around the house, so at age four, my mum enrolled me into ballet and gymnastics classes. I just loved dancing class so much that I began attending more and more classes, even when it snowed I was still the one to show up to class! When I was eight, my gymnastics teacher entered me into my first gymnastics competition and I came first. This was when my family (and I) realised that I was really talented at this – which only worked to inspire me to follow my dreams even more wholeheartedly. As my enthusiasm and love of gymnastics and dance grew. I was obsessed with it, it was all I thought about. When I was twelve my family moved to Germany for two years and I made sure I continued my lessons because I knew I wanted to make dancing my career. At fourteen we moved back to England. I was desperate to be accepted into a famous ballet school and at 16, my dream came true, I was accepted into Bush Davis School of Dance on a full scholarship. After two and a half years I caught the travel bug and was eager to start my life working with my passion. I was looking through the newspaper and saw an advertisement for Carnival Cruise Liners in Florida USA. They were advertising for dancers and acrobats and I knew I could do both, so at the tender age of 19, I left my family home and travelled alone to Florida USA. I loved working as a dancer on the cruise liners. I performed at night and practiced during the day. I got to see so much of the world and made some lifelong friendships, but none as special as ‘Robert The Excelsior’, who had his own show on the cruise liner as an acrobat. Robert soon asked me to train with him, and not only did I become part of his show I also became part of his life - we were married in 1994. Robert and I performed a one-hand balancing routine that would absolutely wow the crowds. I remember hearing the audience gasp as we performed death-defying balancing acts together. We performed two shows a day, three days a week and I somehow managed to find time to make all my own costumes.

In 1999 I fell pregnant with my daughter Tara. I continued to perform right up until the day before I gave birth, much to the amazement of

everyone around me. Three weeks after Tara was born, I was back in my leotard and performing again. I just loved being on stage. After a while, Robert, Tara and I settled in Australia but continued to perform at various venues across Sydney. In 2007 Robert and I performed on the very first series of Australia’s Got Talent where we made it to the finals and came second. We were thrilled but a little bit let down until Danni Minogue pulled us aside and said that we should have won! This was such a special moment for me. The talent has stayed in the family. When my daughter Tara was three years old she started ballet and was five when she started gymnastics. I took her to her classes and became a dance mum, sewing costumes, doing hair and makeup, and attending endless competitions. Tara continued to excel and by the time she turned 17, she was the number one ranked gymnast in Australia. In 2014 she was selected for the Olympics to represent Australia in Rhythmic Gymnastics where she finished fourth. I am so proud of her.

I am now a happy resident of Menaville and I love to help out with the exercise and dance classes. I enjoy watching the residents having a great time moving to music, and our Happy Hour dance parties on Fridays (often to Ricky Martin) are looked forward to by all.”

What an amazing life!

DANCING QUEEN

Vicky Wilkie has enjoyed an amazing career dancing around the world.

Celebrating India

Hamersley Aged Care Home

ON FRIDAY AUGUST 13, the staff, residents and families at Hamersley Aged Care Home in Subiaco, WA marked Indian Independence Day in style. The actual date for Indian Independence Day is August 15 and it’s a celebration held every year to mark the cessation of British rule in 1947.

Proceedings began with the national anthem and then guests tucked into some delicious traditional foods (including cupcakes decorated in India’s flag colours) while listening to Indian music.

As you can see from these images, staff wore beautiful traditional outfits in eye-catching colours. Residents Patricia Paul and her brother John joined in the festivities and we all learned a few words, such as ‘good’, or ‘achchha’ in Hindi.

Hall & Prior celebrate many different cultures and national days throughout the year.

OLYMPICS fun

Fairfield Aged Care Home

Kensington Park Aged Care Home

Despite being in lockdown, our Fairfield Aged Care Home residents still had the chance to go for GOLD! To get into the spirit of the recent Tokyo Olympics, our very competitive residents enjoyed some special races, representing the countries they were born in. An Olympic Flame was even lit to mark the occasion. Races included the egg and spoon race, won by Malta, the wheelchair equestrian race with Fiji winning gold, Canada winning silver and bronze going to Assyria. Vietnam won the gold medal in the bean bag throw closely followed by silver and bronze by Australia. Our Kensington Park Aged Care Home residents in WA also got into the Olympic spirit recently when the home hosted its own games. Much fun was to be had as residents and staff competed against each other for the coveted gold medals.

CARD MAKING IN LOCKDOWN

Aubrey Downer Aged Care Home

RACE DAY FEVER

Grafton Aged Care Home

CARD-MAKING IS A GREAT ACTIVITY for aiding finger and hand dexterity and at Aubrey Downer in NSW, the residents have been especially busy. The designs the residents came up with were truly gorgeous. They are always made with a recipient in mind, so each card is unique. Folding the edges and designing the front are tasks that challenge our residents and keep their finger mobility active - not to mention their creative side.

WHEELY good fun

Agmaroy Aged Care Home

THE RESIDENTS OF AGMAROY Aged Care Home had a wheely good time recently when they Cycling Without Age came to visit. Residents were taken for a ride around the home and when the rain stopped, through the gardens to enjoy some late winter sunshine and feel thoroughly mobile. EACH YEAR, THE CLARENCE REGION in NSW celebrates its Grafton Cup carnival. To get into the racing mood, residents marked the Grafton races in style with an in-house race day where the race track was set up in the main lounge, ready for punters to compete and bet. Everybody had an awesome afternoon with drinks, nibbles and laugh as they played games and put down fake bets - it really brought out some of our residents’ competitive streaks, especially those who kept picking the lucky numbers.

PAMPER TIME

McDougall Park Aged Care Home

Our gorgeous residents at McDougall Park Aged Care Home in Como enjoyed a lovely selfcare pamper session recently, where nails were painted and hand massages were given. Who doesn’t love getting their nails done? Even the men joined in after a little convincing!

Art unveiled at Karingal Green

Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community

Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community resident, Max O’Grady, revealed his new artwork “Playtime in the Cemetery” to a group of friends and family he invited to the home for morning tea recently provided by our in-house chef.

Alongside CEO Graeme Prior and Executive Director Lara Moltoni, it was a lovely morning sharing a special occasion. We’re extremely proud to showcase the talent of our residents, to be enjoyed by the rest of the home, staff and visitors. The artwork will be hung at Karingal Green.

Luck be a lady

Agmaroy Aged Care Home

OUR WONDERFUL AGMAROY Aged Care Home residents in Wilson love nothing more than a competitive game of Bingo. Here they are recently, having a fabulous time and hoping Lady Luck is on their side as the winning numbers are called.

Development of Secure Memory Garden continues

Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home

The installation of a secure memory garden at Caroline Chisholm is well underway and will be finished and ready for residents to enjoy by spring. The smell of blooms delivers a strong and uplifting sensory experience, which is important for those with cognitive decline. The addition of fencing delivers a sense of security, safety and wellbeing so everybody can enjoy the great outdoors. Directed walkways with texture and levels take residents past specifically planted gardens and items of interest to inspire thoughts and memories.

The garden’s water feature adds an extra sensory experience too, with touch and sound being important factors for residents to explore. Next to the fountain, there’s a life-sized sheep mannequin, a regular fixture in the Caroline Chisholm for some years now.

Check in with the Director of Nursing for updates on the garden’s development.

The bear necessities

Bexley Aged Care Home

REGULAR GUESTS FROM Bridge Street Kindy sent a bear to residents at Bexley Aged Care Home in NSW as a token of friendship. It was a way of letting residents know how much they miss coming into the home to visit them. Each child from the kindy added their own signature on the bear which sent our residents into cuteness overload. After a photo session with all the residents, the bear has since taken up pride of place in the lounge for all residents to share during the day.

GRAFTON

thinks pink

Grafton Aged Care Home

OUR GRAFTON AGED CARE HOME loves being part of the Clarence Valley community, especially when it comes to helping those in need.

The staff at Grafton recently raised almost $200 to donate to The National Breast Cancer Foundation. In early July, residents enjoyed a deliciously pink morning tea with pink fairy cakes, pink fairy bread, pink lollies and pink donuts. Staff and residents also dressed up in pink wigs, tiaras, scarves, floral headbands and pink flamingo sunglasses!

To find out more please visit: nbcf.org.au