Life & Love Magazine Issue 35 by Hall & Prior

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

ISSUE 35 | WINTER 2022

YOUR FREE COPY

That’s a wrap Winter never looked so good, thanks to the handiwork of the CWA

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Life & Love Issue 35 | Winter 2022

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

From the Chief Executive Officer

Industry News

Three Cheers for Volunteers

Cover Story: Winter Warmers

Meet the DON: Linda Silman

In Our Homes

Winter feasts on the way

Meet the Staff - nurses in WA and NSW

White Oak celebrates 25 years

Take a break - enjoy our puzzle page

My Favourite Things: Amit Malhotra

EDITOR'S LETTER Winter is well and truly here and there’s something comforting - for this ex-Brit at least - about the eternal rhythm of the changing seasons. We thought our cover for this issue should, therefore, reflect something warm and cosy and couldn’t believe our luck when the wonderful ladies of the Country Women’s Association WA gave their gorgeous handmade knits to the residents of Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village. Handicrafts make a couple of appearances in this issue in fact - our residents and volunteers really are a talented bunch.

EDITOR Gabi Mills gmills@hallprior.com.au DESIGNER Jennifer Mattison jmattison@hallprior.com.au CONTRIBUTOR Jacki Downs jdowns@hallprior.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY Ammon Creative COVER IMAGE The handiwork of the CWA on full display at Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village in WA. Photo: Ammon Creative Printed by VANGUARD PRESS, WA HOGAN PRINT, 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. ©2022 Life & Love is published by Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group.

Visit hallprior.com.au

We’re looking forward to marking NAIDOC Week in July as we always do in our homes in WA and NSW. You’ll find plenty of evidence of all the fun activities and important events we celebrate in our homes - the photos really do capture the amazing joy and enthusiasm our staff and residents have to interact together. Happy reading - and I hope you keep warm.

Gabi

facebook.com/ HallandPriorAgedCare

2022.060

WARM AND COSY: Beautiful handicrafts courtesy of CWA are showcased by the residents of Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village.

A WORD FROM THE

Chief Executive Officer

s winter temperatures drop and the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt in some of our homes in WA and NSW, I would like to thank all of our staff for their ongoing exemplary hard work through this challenging time. A fourth vaccination has been offered to all our residents, and we’ve also rolled out the new influenza vaccination to all our residents and staff too, to help protect them from the double threat of COVID-19 and the new strain of influenza. It is strongly recommended that all visitors and staff be vaccinated for influenza in time for the winter season, and we take our role in reminding staff, families and other visitors about the importance of this vaccination very seriously. NAIDOC Week is approaching (3 to 10 July) and as usual, we will be marking this important event in our homes. This year’s theme is Get up! Stand up! Show up! - Indigenous people have a proud history of getting up, standing up and showing up and we, as an aged care provider, support the fight for systemic change and representation among this important cohort of our community.

In this issue of Life & Love, you’ll see that despite all the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, our aged care homes in WA and NSW continue to offer vibrant, inclusive activities and care for our residents. From respectfully marking ANZAC Day to Mother’s Day, as well as specialist activities which keep residents active, enjoying life and finding new ways to keep them occupied. We are ever-grateful too for the invaluable, selfless support we receive from our legion of volunteers - read about one of these precious individuals in this issue, as we recently celebrated National Volunteer Week. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and the wonderful stories of life and love within our homes. Yours truly,

GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer

INDUSTRY NEWS

Hall & Prior in the news

all & Prior CEO and member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council Graeme Prior was interviewed for a feature in Business News this week, sharing his thoughts on the future of aged care reform. “We now have a new government that campaigned explicitly on aged care and has a mandate for implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission,” he said. “It’s all there.” Written by Amber Crosthwaite, Partner at Lavan Legal, the hope is that the government continues to recognise and prioritise the importance of aged care system reform and that ‘the sector leadership can help keep the faith and push through this next phase.’

LEADERSHIP IN AGED CARE Hall & Prior’s CEO Graeme Prior in Business News.

The next six months to a year will be crucial in terms of how the industry as a whole responds and adapts to the findings of the Royal Commission - and Hall & Prior is at the vanguard of those developments. Industry leaders - including Graeme - will look on with interest as the new government begins its work of governing and restoring trust between the Australian people, politicians and the aged care sector.

New peak body launches LASA and ACSA have merged, to advocate for the aged care industry in a post-Royal Commission landscape.

he Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) has replaced current industry associations LASA and ACSA from 1 July 2022, according to reports.

Voted overwhelmingly by the organisations’ membership, the move follows the Royal Commission’s recommendations for greater collaboration and a unified leadership representing providers of aged care and retirement living services. “This vote is an historic result for LASA and ACSA and for the aged care sector more broadly,” LASA CEO Sean Rooney told Australian Ageing Agenda (AAA). “It marks the start of a new era for Australian aged care representation with the creation of a united, single industry association.”

on behalf of hundreds of members across Australia, said Mr Rooney. “It’s an exciting step which paves the way for stronger and more influential aged care sector representation as we undertake challenging sector reform with the aim of achieving the care that older Australians need and deserve,” he said. The vote to merge was held in late April and the new board held its inaugural meeting on 9 May. Chair of the steering committee to oversee the new unified aged care industry association Claerwen Little told AAA the decision to merge was “a very important moment” for the industry.

The commitment to form a new, single entity dates back to 2021 when ACSA - which represents not-for-profit and mission-based providers - and LASA agreed to unite.

“It presents us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on our combined strengths so that we can continue to work toward significant reform and create a worldclass system of care for older Australians and the people that support them,” said Ms Little.

In February, LASA, ACSA and other industry bodies established a steering committee to develop a new sector representation model that is inclusive of all providers.

“It is an exciting time, we have much work ahead of us to shape the new organisation, and I encourage the whole sector to get behind this change,” she added

Described as a landmark move for the industry, the decision to consolidate will give the new body greater clout as it advocates

Hall & Prior fully endorses the new association and looks forward to working with the new board and executive.

ARE YOU READY TO

be somebody?

The Hall & Prior Group are on a recruitment drive and with their new ‘Be Somebody’ campaign, those aged care professionals who are keen to use their special skills and have the contribution their daily work makes to the lives of residents recognised are urged to apply.

t’s no secret the task of recruiting aged care staff has been extremely challenging over the past few years. When COVID restrictions hit and potential employees were no longer able to travel freely around Australia or from overseas, the pool of skilled professionals reduced exponentially. Now, as borders are opening and freedom of movement between states and from international countries is improving, the time has come to bolster Hall & Prior’s dedicated aged care roster of staff with new recruits. To make the Hall & Prior Group’s offering stand out from the crowd, the HR and Marketing teams have created a new campaign to reflect the special, intangible contribution aged care staff make to the wellbeing of residents, every day of the year. Called the ‘Be Somebody’ campaign, it takes the idea of staff being a resident’s best friend, good listener, dance partner or bingo pal as an additional reason to look forward to going to work every day. When creating the campaign, the team drew on the fact that feedback from existing staff members highlighted the fact that what they loved most about their jobs wasn’t just the chance to make practical, skills-based differences to an individual’s life. It was more the fact that a resident’s eyes would light up when they were on shift, or that they looked forward to spending time with their ‘favourite’ staff member. To give the campaign some additional impact, Hall & Prior have partnered with 8

CareBridge, a technology-based workforce platform which provides smart solutions to the workforce challenges faced by the health and aged care sector. “We do this by using Sophisticated Software and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to replace the labour-intensive processes of recruitment and roster filling,” says Chairman of CareBridge, Ray Glickman. “Our platform connects workers with the most suitable jobs and attracts new entrants to work in the sector, and simplifies the process of finding, hiring, onboarding and rostering staff in order to save everyone time and money.” The innovative start-up will assist Hall & Prior’s existing recruitment strategies and identify suitable candidates more swiftly, as its AI processor learns the preferences and needs of both the workers and care providers to pinpoint the right worker for the right job at the right time. “CareBridge’s smart people solutions enable the health and aged care sector to access and deploy better staff more cost-effectively and sustainably,” said Mr Glickman. There are some additional recruitment enticements on offer too, says Cameron Marshall, Director of Human Resources, Hall & Prior Group. “There are generous signing-on incentives for Registered Nurses and carers, as well as a ‘finder’s fee’ for those who refer a successful candidate to the HR team.” If you would like to find out more about your chance to Be Somebody with Hall & Prior, get in touch with us at careers@hallprior.com.au.

BE SOMEBODY’S REASON TO

h g u la

APPLY TODAY

Are you ready to be somebody with Hall & Prior? Contact careers@hallprior.com.au to find out more about our current opportunities. 9

Three cheers FOR VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are the great unsung heroes of many of our Hall & Prior homes, giving their time and compassion freely and regularly in WA and NSW. Margaret Rainer is one such volunteer and this is her incredible story.

very year, people from all walks of life around the world take time to volunteer and make a huge difference to their communities. Here in Australia, we celebrated National Volunteer Week (NVW) in May, Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. Hall & Prior homes in New South Wales and Western Australia welcome many volunteers each year into their homes to spend

some quality time with our residents. The gift of time is one of the most precious gifts a person can share - and our volunteers do this selflessly, every day of the year. One such amazing volunteer is Margaret Rainer, a longstanding friend of the Menaville Aged Care Home located in Rockdale, Sydney. Margaret is one of those incredible souls who offers genuine, kind and positive time and attention to the residents of the home, and this is her story, in her own words.

Volunteering brings people together; it builds communities and creates a better society for everyone. When I was 16, I volunteered in an aged care facility Bexley Nursing Home (which is no longer there) on a Saturday morning for close to two years. My mother actually worked there so it was easy for me to come in and get to know the ropes. This involved me just visiting residents and spending time with them. I would mainly sit and chat to them, and I was limited by what I could do. I discovered that it was mostly about companionship and their desire to share stories with me. They were all cognitively-aware residents who were just frail, thanks to age, a very different situation to what Menaville has now, with lots of people challenged by dementia. At 12, I decided that I wanted to be a nurse. I just had this innate need to care. I did not go on to become a nurse as I could not handle the blood and clinical side of the job but my need was fulfilled by the caring side of nursing. Around about this time, I would go to visit the local hospital in Arncliffe to give cards, flowers and any little toys I could rustle up while visiting sick children, to give them something. Things were very different back then; you could just walk into a hospital and visit without being a relative. My mother was a very caring person and through her, I connected to this very

A REAL TREASURE Right, Margaret Rainer, has been a much-loved volunteer with the Hall & Prior Group for many years. Above, Margaret pictured with CEO Graeme Prior and members of the Hall & Prior Group, receiving an award.

important side of myself which is simply channeling compassion and love to people who are in need. As far as volunteering goes, I came back to Menaville Aged Care Home last year but because of the whole COVID-19 pandemic I have been quite sporadic with my availability. My aim is to volunteer here one day a week, and if I can spare another day, then I would aim for two days. When I’m here, I am very passionate about the lifestyle of the resident and I try to support the lifestyle officer, but I also help the nurses when I can. I am all about connecting to the residents and staff and work towards the common goal of the best love and care. They need that time with a person.

I do have a favourite volunteering story I’d like to share too. There’s a resident here at Menaville who has always been a favourite of mine. She has been here for a couple of years and I wasn’t sure she would remember me. I would always try to do something different, so would do things like put a flower on my hat or wear something outrageous. This lady lives with a level of confusion, so I was overwhelmed and overjoyed when this she remembered me and even kept a photo of us together in 11

her drawer. That was years ago now but it was very significant to me as a carer as I realised what a big difference one person can make to the lives of those in care. Especially those residents that don’t have a lot of family to visit them. So many residents express that to me, which I find quite sad, but that motivates me to lavish time and attention on them. The ongoing impact of COVID-19 has been harsh on them, especially around lockdowns and visitation restrictions. It’s been a hard time for staff, residents and family. So I feel that any time you spend with any resident in any aged care facility is valuable. There’s a level of reaching out to someone, sometimes using the power of touch, a listening ear or a warm embrace; these things are significant to residents. What they crave is simple genuine attention. My goal as a volunteer is simply to make a difference, to go that extra mile and to be meaningful. Whatever I do here with the resident is about being meaningful to them. I want to spread love and meet my desire to give back to everybody I meet. Throughout my career, I have had so many great moments with residents, and learned so much about myself along the way. I believe I have grown with their help and I want to give back to them. To find out more about volunteering at Hall & Prior aged care homes, call NSW State Office on (02) 9427 8978 or Head Office in WA on (08) 9321 1388. 12

Connection to

Country

As we look forward to marking NAIDOC Week 2022 in July, here are some profiles of our Indigenous residents who enrich our homes in WA and NSW so much. Windsor Park Aged Care Home, WA BEVAN Bevan was born in Warburton, a remote Aboriginal community in WA. He and his partner, Beryl, have one son who lives in Alice Springs and a wide, extended family who live between Warburton and Laverton. Prior to arriving at Windsor Park, Bevan was working as a respected elder teaching Indigenous children about their culture. Bevan and Beryl would travel between Laverton and Warburton doing this work, sleeping out with swags and using the land for their amenities. Bevan is hoping to continue on doing this important work. Bevan has been busy at Windsor Park painting many canvases which he then uses to teach staff about the land, native flowers and his culture. Bevan is a proud Aboriginal man with valuable knowledge

and teachings of his culture and Aboriginal history. NAIDOC Week is a way for all of us to acknowledge this. JOSIE Josie was born in Collie and grew up in Yanchep. She is part of the Stolen Generation and was fostered at a young age by her mother who was French and a Dad who was English. Josie excelled at athletics and completed her school studies in Perth. She then went on to work as a carer. Josie continues to have a caring nature and likes to regularly assist staff and other residents. One of the things Josie has done here is a help create and look after a small garden in our outdoor area. Unfortunately, Josie has been discriminated against

too many times during her life due to being Aboriginal and still experiences it today. At Windsor Park, our staff always advocate for our Indigenous residents and create an environment in which Josie and her culture can be and feel accepted. We hope NAIDOC Week for Josie can be a way in which she feels honoured and respected. RACHEL KELLY Rachel is one of our residents who is from the Jigalong Community and lived in Newman prior to coming to Windsor Park. She has all her family back home, including her grandsons and her daughter-in-law but has to be in Perth for life-saving treatment. Rachel’s sense of connection comes deeply from being at home and being with family. We are currently in the process of organising respite in Newman for Rachel so that she can be back home and feel connected to her land and people again. We hope that NAIDOC Week is a way for Rachel to feel that her and her needs are valued.

At Windsor Park, this NAIDOC Week, there are events planned for each day including: MONDAY - Barbecue crocodile and emu sausages with didgeridoo players coming in. TUESDAY - Pressed native flowers art and craft. WEDNESDAY - An outing to the Zoo with lunch. THURSDAY - A barbecue on the Swan River. FRIDAY - A yarning circle with fire pit hosted by two respected Aboriginal leaders. Staff will also wear Indigenous polo shirts to be worn for the duration of NAIDOC Week. “Celebrating NAIDOC Week and other relevant days for Aboriginal people is extremely important,” says Jayne Cummings, Executive Manager of Windsor Park Aged Care Home.

VALUED FRIENDS Opposite, Bevan, above and right Josie and, Rachel contribute greatly to the fabric of Windsor Park’s Indigenous community. Right, Uncle Rob Bryant of Grafton Aged Care Home.

Grafton Aged Care Home, NSW UNCLE ROB BRYANT Grafton Aged Care Home resident, Uncle Rob Bryant has this to say about NAIDOC Week. “It’s a time where First Nation People celebrate their culture and belonging to country. It also represents their fight for justice. “I remember the Debutant Balls in Redfern, Town Hall and Broadway Grace Brothers in Sydney. One time I chaperoned my younger sister and I was dressed up “just too deadly.” The debutants would be presented to the local elders.” To find out more about NAIDOC Week, visit naidoc.org.au

“Most of our residents belong to the Stolen Generation and lived under the restrictive practices of that era. They have experienced discrimination throughout their lives this is a way for them and our culture to be celebrated and enjoyed.” 13

MEET THE RESIDENTS

A life well lived Many of the residents who call Hall & Prior home in WA and NSW have lived long and fascinating lives. Gabi Mills meets a couple of gents who have done just that. Leon Davis, 70, Georges Estate Health & Aged Care Community, Penshurst, NSW

Our family home was built in Oatley Bay and we drove and raced boats in the Georges River - we were known as the Six Speed Champions. While I did my HSC-Year 12 at Sydney Technical High School (a selective school), I was very involved in basketball and rugby. l was School Captain in my last year - and played rugby for New South Wales in New Zealand in 1970. I qualified as a lawyer in 1980 and practiced in a few locations within Sydney, Woolloomooloo, Macquarie Street, Clarence Street and 14

Bligh Street at different firms. I practiced general law, specialising in litigation. I particularly enjoyed my close association with clients. I am a father but I’m not married. I have two boys Jonathon is 33 and is a sous chef, and Blake, who is 28 and a motor car mechanical. I have no grandchildren. I have a partner of 20 years. I was always interested in sport. In my 20s, I started to become interested in triathlons. My first triathlon was in Botany Bay and I completed it in one hour. I went on to compete in many triathlons

I was 18 and the state rugby team when I was 17. These days, I am using all my time and strength these days to focus on my mobility and getting in and out of bed on my own since I had an accident. The physio team work with me on a very regular basis. When I first came to Georges Estate on March 28 this year, I had limited mobility and now I am able to walk around at

I would . . . advise young people today to follow their dreams, follow their heart and work hard. which generally involves a four-hour swim, a 180km bike ride and a 42km run. When I was in my 50s, I competed in bike racing and running and I played state level basketball when

“

was born in Oatley in New South Wales in September 1952 to parents who had chosen the eastern suburbs to reside. I have one brother - Kim - who is 66 years old. My mum was previously from Oatley and my Dad was from the eastern suburbs. My grandfather owned a grocery store in Newtown and was Jewish. I attended Oatley Public School and was very involved in athletics and swimming.

Georges with a frame. I also really enjoy undertaking my physiotherapy activities and love it when my friends visit me at Georges. The food is great and the people are really lovely.

I have completed about 20 screenplays and they are all very different, sometimes about lawyers, athletics and holidays. I have written a screenplay called Spencer Durek and it was a semifinalist in a screen play awards competition in the USA.

LEGAL EAGLE Leon was successful professionally and also something of a daredevil.

I would tell my 18-year-old self to learn from life and learn from your mistakes, and would advise young people today to follow their dreams, follow their heart and work hard. I would tell them to live everyday like it’s your last because one small thing can change your life, to never be the same again.

Bobby Harsanvi, 74, Hamersley Aged Care Home, Subiaco, WA I was born on 29 April in 1948, and ended up in an orphanage. I ran away aged 12 and joined the Sole Brothers Circus as a clown, my first job of my circus career. I worked for another circus called Gasser Circus later on in my life, and performed around the world in many different countries. These included Hong Kong, Indonesia, America, Australia and many European countries including my home country, Hungary. I joined the circus because I was very passionate about it - I just loved it and the lifestyle. I performed many different tricks as a clown and also used equipment like the flying trapeze to perform acrobatics. I even used to ride the tricycle during shows. I’d also perform all sorts of acrobatics like jumping and tumbling.

ROLL UP, ROLL UP Bobby joined the circus at age 12 and now lives at Hamersley Aged Care Home in Subiaco, WA.

Our circus used to have many different animals performing alongside the humans, and my favourite circus animal was the elephant. I used to earn about $360 a week, and had a supportive circus manager who I was good friends with. I have family members in Australia and around the world, as well as some brothers who live in England. 15

COVER STORY

Winter warmers As temperatures cool, residents at Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village are kept warm and toasty thanks to some gorgeous handicrafts, made and donated by the talented local Country Women’s Association of WA.

s winter approaches, our residents will be kept extra warm and cosy thanks to some hand-crafted items, made with love and passion by the Country Women’s Association of WA. Without being asked, these amazing women picked up their knitting needles and thread and chose to make our residents feel loved and toasty, making them laugh and smile from ear to ear. The Country Women’s Association of WA provide support to a number of important causes in

Australia, from raising funds, advocating for others, to selflessly volunteering their time. This organisation holds close the values we at Hall & Prior strive to uphold and model. The residents, staff and community greatly appreciate and admire the wonderful work this organisation does. We can’t thank them enough or adequately express the impact their kindness has had on our residents.

A brief history of the CWA in Australia The troubled early years of the 20th Century inspired an explosion in the demand for women’s rights worldwide. Following Canada’s lead in enabling the empowerment of rural women, the Country Women’s Association (CWA) was initiated in Australia in 1922, with NSW and Queensland - followed by Western Australia (1924), Victoria (1928), South Australia (1929), Northern Territory (1933), and Tasmania (1936). The Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) was formed in 1933, and gives voice to over nine million rural and non-rural women in more than 80 countries. The First Annual Conference of the Country Women’s Association of Australia was held in Adelaide in 1946. These women were quick to realise strength lay in unity, and CWA quickly became a large, resourceful, influential women’s organisation. The members worked tirelessly to set up baby health care centres, fund bush nurses, build and staff maternity wards, hospitals, schools, rest homes, seaside holiday cottages - and much more. Women of all ages were involved, with the younger ladies forming a strong “Younger Sets” movement, which lasted for many years. In 1936, the CWA Cookery Book and Household Hints was first published - a collection of recipes and household hints contributed by members who had “made do” during the Depression. This remains a best seller today, having been updated from time to time. 17

MEET THE DON

Linda Silman Director of Nursing at Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home, Lane Cove, NSW

Linda Silman, Director of Nursing at Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home in Lane Cove, NSW, has worked in the nursing profession for over three decades, bringing a wealth of experience to the role. By Gabi Mills. L&L: Please tell me how long you’ve been working in aged care, and what drew you to the profession? LS: I have worked in the nursing area of aged care for over 30 years now. This is my life’s vocation and I’m proud that I have been able to dedicate this time to the elderly and frail within our population. L&L: When did you join Hall & Prior and in what capacity? LS: I am fairly new to Hall & Prior having joined in January this year as Director of Nursing for Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home. L&L: What do you particularly enjoy about your role - and what are the challenges you face? LS: I enjoy helping my team to provide great care and I enjoy the satisfaction that comes with seeing residents, family, friends and staff feel like they are connected as a community. The challenges I face are the challenges of all of our lives; trying to meet the needs and wants everyone we are responsible for - with calmness, compassion and good humour! L&L: On a day-to-day basis, what makes your role special and how do you plan on inspiring staff at your home? LS: I can bring years of experience, some in learnings from my own mistakes, to help staff understand how we can do things better to achieve great outcomes for the residents. This role is always about the resident’s quality of life and daily happiness. L&L: If somebody was contemplating a career in aged care, what advice would you give them? LS: I would advise them to try to understand what it’s like to have to leave your home to then go to live in a place where you don’t know anyone, where you perhaps feel unwell and

frightened with all the strangers around you. When you understand how that may feel, then you can begin to help make residents in aged care feel safe and that feeling for both the carer and the residents is a great place to be. L&L: What kind of leader are you - how do you think your colleagues would describe you? LS: My colleagues have told me I am humble, humorous, kind and trustworthy. These are all things I am proud to try and keep as my reputation always. L&L: What makes for a good day in aged care in your chosen career path - and how do you keep smiling in the face of everyday life and death situations encountered in aged care? LS: A good day in my work is knowing that the residents feel they are getting the best care we can provide and the staff that are providing it collectively with the resident’s friends and family. It is important that all partners in care are satisfied and that it is the best care possible delivered. We all need recognition that we’ve done a good job so we can all smile about what we’ve achieved. L&L: How do you relax when you have finished work for the day? LS: To relax, I like to garden! I love my garden and being outdoors in my space. I also unwind by watching English murder mysteries. L&L: Tell us something we don’t know about you (could be a hobby, passion, special ability). LS: I do upholstery of old chairs that I find on the side of the road. My aim is to give them away when I have fixed them. I make lots of things; in fact I just finished a carpentry course and upholstery certificate. I also play the violin and have two sons who are professional classical trombonists in Sydney and Tasmania, so music is a wonderful distraction. My daughter is a landscape architect and has worked on many iconic Sydney parks and precincts so she helps me plan my garden, it’s very beautiful. To find out more about Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home please visit hallprior.com.au. 19

Knots & G crosses

rafton Aged Care Home is lucky to have such a compassionate and selfless resident by the name of Christine Munns, who spends her time making the very things that keep us warm during those colder months crochet rugs!

Warming rugs, crocheted with love and care, is providing fellow residents at Grafton Aged Care Home with a woolly, physical version of TLC.

Gratitude and recognition beyond Grafton’s walls has been coming thick and fast for Christine, thanks to her wonderful talent. She recently received a first and second place for her beautiful crocheted rugs at the Grafton Show, with rosettes to proudly display. “I entered the rugs into the show because I was encouraged by our Lifestyle & Wellbeing Officer here at the home,” said Christine. “I feel

proud of my achievements and happy that the hours of hard work I put in has been acknowledged.” The story of Christine’s rug making had very mundane beginnings thanks so some advice from her physiotherapist, who suggested that crocheting would improve mobility in her sore hand. “One of our staff here at the home donated balls of wool for me to start and things just snow balled from there,” recalls Christine. “The moment when I realised my rugs were making people feel better was when I started giving them away to other residents. Then I started making them for pregnant nurses, babies and other staff members’ grandchildren.” Christine says that there is no actual ‘plan’ for each rug; they just develop from some favourite designs that she has previously completed, though the colour plan is always in her head. With each rug taking a different amount of time to complete - for instance, a knee rug that measures about 1 metre square would usually take about six week to complete - each new project requires Christine to put in many hours of hard work. If we put that into hours worked, if Christine crochets for three hours a day, averaging about 42 days to complete with an additional 126 hours required to rug up! Described by her fellow residents as ‘kind’ and

ALL TUCKED IN Grafton Aged Care Home residents in NSW are kept extra warm, thanks to the handicrafts of fellow resident, Christine Munns.

‘caring’, Christine has no plans to put down her crochet hooks any time soon. “My favourite rug was a green one that I made, I just loved the colours of it! I gave that one to Pegg, another resident here at the home. It makes me feel really good to give away these rugs - it gives me a purpose.”

Next on Christine’s list of things to make is to start crocheting dollies that Christine she’s seen online. And for those of us considering taking up this fascinating skill? Christine has some advice. “Just start and keep going.”

Christine learned how to crochet at a young age, and has never forgotten this traditional skill to turn yarn into garments and blankets. “My Great Aunt Ella taught me how to crochet when I was eight years old,” she remembers. “I had asthma as a child and was always sick or in hospital and crochet has always been a hobby since then.” 21

IN OUR HOMES

Jolly hockey sticks Clarence Estate Residential & Home Care CLARENCE ESTATE residents in Albany certainly like to keep active. Staff arrange a range of active games throughout the month to keep residents engaged and having fun, and one of the games that has proven very popular lately is chair hockey. As you can see, the residents use shortened pool noodles as ‘hockey sticks’ and a soft ball, competing in teams. It creates much laughter and brings out the competitive side in many residents. Inbetween hockey sessions, they tend to play pass ball, passing balls up and down the line within our teams and try to be the quickest team to gain points.

Off to the races Aubrey Downer Aged Care Home

ome lucky residents in our Alcheringa Hostel up in Gosford, NSW, had a ready, set, go good time recently, challenging each other to a race or two. Staff and residents had some fun setting up this amazing racing car track that is housed in Aubrey Downer Aged Care Home’s large living room. Everyone was invited along to come and have some good old-fashioned racing game competitions. A big thanks to resident Russell who very kindly arranged for his personal track to be brought in for everyone to enjoy.

International Nurses Day

2022

nternational Nurses Day is always a very important day in the Hall & Prior Group’s calendar. It’s the day we lift up each and every nurse who works in our aged care homes in WA and NSW. The resilience, focus and compassion our nurses have shown as we have navigated COVID-related challenges is nothing less than awe-inspiring. Our nurses, who work from dawn til dusk, looking after our residents with such love and dedication make such a difference to their lives in big and small ways.

We see you, we respect you and we thank you with all our hearts. Nurses represent the best of all of us - so we hope they all enjoyed their special day.

A very special Mother’s Day surprise Vaucluse Aged Care Home VAUCLUSE RESIDENT, Donald, was missing his mother dearly so as a surprise, we invited Donald’s mother over for morning tea in the Rose Garden for Mother’s Day. At the moment, Donald’s mother lives in a care home in Maroubra. Lifestyle Officer, Ellie, reached out to Janet’s home to work with the team

there to organise a bus trip over to Vaucluse to see Donald so they could spend some quality time over Mother’s Day together. The pair enjoyed catching up and spending some time with each other. Prior to the print of this story, sadly Donald passed away. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. 23

ANZAC DAY 2022 F

rom coast to coast, ANZAC Day was marked with respect and solemnity in all Hall & Prior homes. Despite the ongoing effects of COVID (meaning in some cases, ceremonies were much-reduced in scale), residents were still afforded the opportunity to pay their respects to those who gave their lives while wearing the Australian and New Zealand military uniforms. Holding services in our homes in WA and NSW gives our residents and staff the opportunity to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of those who gave so much, for so many. We care for more than 100 brave veterans in our 31 homes in WA and NSW,

with 15 living at Karingal Green in High Wycombe. This year we paid special tribute to 103-year-old Karingal Green resident and WWII veteran Mr Arthur Leggett. Arthur was a signaller in the 2/11th Battalion, and fought valiantly against the Italian army in Libya, and in the battles of Bardia and Tobruk. He was eventually captured by German paratroopers during the battle of Crete in 1941 – he was just 22 at the time. Arthur then spent four years in a prisoner of war camp firstly in Berlin and later was made to work in the coal mines of northern Poland. He was then forced on one of the Nazi’s notorious death marches during the

harsh winter of 1944 to 1945, crossing the border from the Czechoslovakian Alps to Bavaria. Somehow, he made it home to WA and went on to work as a purchasing and expediting officer until his retirement. During much of Arthur’s long life, he has been involved with the RSL and was president of the Ex-Prisoners of War Association for 26 years, going on to receive an OAM for his service to veterans and their families. Arthur - and other veterans like him - are an example to us all. He believes the sacrifice made by previous generations has provided advantages for the future generations of Australians. Lest we forget.

IN OUR HOMES

Dance like nobody’s watching Georges Estate Health & Aged Care Community

esidents of Georges Estate in Penshurst, NSW, put on their dancing shoes recently after a visit from Charles and Candy. The pair danced with everyone, regardless of their mobility. Wheelchairs and mobility aids were all welcome and we had a marvellous time dancing the afternoon away. Just have a look at all the happy faces - Charles and Candy were so popular we have invited them back every month.

DANCING SHOES Visiting dancers Charles and Candy are a popular addition to the routine at Georges Estate.

OUR FRIENDLY BIRDS Sirius Cove Aged Care Home LOCAL SIRIUS COVE bird whisperer Phillip spends his sunny afternoons out on the balcony feeding the local birds, an assortment of bush turkeys, cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets. Each evening, the balcony railing is packed with a variety of birds waiting for their afternoon feed. Phillip has

become super-friendly with the birds - you can even find them on his shoulders! Other residents have joined in the fun and will spend the afternoon outside with Phil, helping feed the birds. It’s a beautiful way to end the day at Sirius Cove, sitting outside with one another, enjoying nature. 25

IN OUR HOMES

Hamersley’s resident

artistic photographer Hamersley Aged Care Home

here’s a very talented photographer who calls Hamersley in WA’s Subiaco home, and a recent art gallery displaying Ian Malcolm’s work showcased his skills. Residents and staff were also involved in creating art work on a regular basis, which was also displayed for all to see. Afterwards, everybody enjoyed tucking into a lovely afternoon tea with cake, hot meat pies and sausage rolls.

One of Hamersley’s volunteers, Anne, has been visiting Ian for a number of years through the Community Visitors Scheme, and it is Anne that takes Ian out on his photography trips. He takes photos on bus outings and other excursions (such as Museum photos), but Anne also takes him out on the weekends to wherever he wants to go. It’s just another example of how valuable volunteering can be to the individuals who benefit from their selfless care and attention.

New generation of OT students set sights high

all & Prior’s WA three final year OT students, Sophie, Ruth and Shashi attended the Unicare Health Seating Seminar recently to improve their knowledge and ability to prescribe postural seating equipment. The OT students have been on placement for six weeks so far at Hamersley and Agmaroy with supervisors Jenn and Georgia, and finally finished their placement on June 10.

Once completed, they will then go on to graduate as occupational therapists. Ruth said that she is passionate about working with the older generation and as a result of this placement, is interested in pursuing her career in aged care. The future of OT is in very safe hands . . .

Celtic Festival celebrations The National Celtic Festival was celebrated recently, allowing residents who identify as Irish, Scottish, English or Welsh to have some fun. The celebration was held at the Palms Community Centre in Subiaco for Hamersley, St Lukes and Belmont Aged Care Homes. “There was a performance by the Jarrah Celts and they played folk music including the origin stories of many of the songs,” said Madelyne Glover, Manager of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. “The residents had a go at some Highland games and ate some food relating to each of these countries. The whole day was organised by the Occupational Therapist, Georgia Strimaitis and her Curtin OT final year students, Shashi and Sophie.” One of the residents, Nada, was keen to have a try at playing the instruments and strummed the guitar and played the flute. Many of the residents got up to join in and some even attempted tricky Irish Dancing. “The Celtic festival was an opportunity to celebrate many of the cultures that are represented at those homes and it was a great day enjoyed by all,” said Madelyne.

Celebrating a century Rockingham Aged Care Home Tuia Lodge Aged Care Home BIRTHDAYS ARE A BIG DEAL in all Hall & Prior homes, but when residents reach 100 years of age, that’s an especially important landmark to celebrate. Recently, two residents in Tuia Lodge and Rockingham Aged Care Homes reached this great age and both celebrated in style. Rockingham Aged Care Home’s Marjorie Mould marked her 100th birthday with a huge cake and a delicious Devonshire tea. Meanwhile at Tuia Lodge in WA’s beautiful south west, Mary Banes raised a glass on her 100th birthday. She enjoyed a lovely morning tea on the big day on April 1 with one of her sons, David, and her fellow residents. Ann, Tuia Lodge’s resident cook, baked a gorgeous birthday cake to share and Mary put on her favourite pink boa for the occasion. She was also blessed with a visit from the Queen in the morning (pictured behind Mary, top left). . . a suitably right royal affair with somebody with such a sense of style. Sadly Marjorie passed away on June 2 - and is pictured here in happier times with granddaughter Rennae and daughter Dianne. Our thoughts and condolences to her family.

The art of nature A group of 13 of Glenwood’s residents enjoyed an art class today with art facilitator, Jenna. Working with watercolours, the group enjoyed two hours of painting plants, flowers and other things they’ve spotted in nature. You can see for yourselves in these photos just how much 28

Glenwood Aged Care Home

focus and concentration has gone into these beautiful works of art. Not only is this class great for improving and maintaining dexterity and hand/eye coordination, it also has the added benefit of giving all those who took part a wonderful sense of achievement.

National Pet Day

IN OUR HOMES

a furry success

t Hall & Prior, we know the power of a cuddle with a puppy, kitten or bunny so we celebrated this fluffiest of national days with a special smooch with their favourite furry friend. Many of our homes welcome the pets of residents to spend time with their owners, and often staff members bring their beloved pups in for a bit of TLC. It’s clear to see that the benefits of pets goes way beyond the pleasure of scratching a head or two. It turns out that not only can pets steal our hearts, but they also contribute to overall cardiovascular health by lowering cortisol, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels.

You got a friend in me OVER THE PAST MONTH we have seen some new faces join us here at Bexley Aged Care Home in NSW. It is heart-warming to see new friendships developing and further connections being made. They spend such good quality time together, it’s no wonder that they feel so warm towards each other. One of Bexley’s recent activities saw everyone working together to make

Bexley Aged Care Home

some photo cards for the Bridge Street Kids - our intergenerational buddies. What a busy morning and afternoon we had creatively, so much so, some residents did not want to stop for lunch! We all enjoyed this whole experience; we chatted and showed each other our works of art that each resident made for the kids, There was so much genuine encouragement and adoration - this is the stuff of true friendship. 29

IN OUR HOMES

Marking Sorry Day 2022

ational Sorry Day, or the National Day of Healing, is an annual event that has been held in Australia on May 26 since 1998.

Grafton is home to many Indigenous residents who gave a big smile of approval to our newest posters proudly displayed in our home, depicting the Acknowledgement of Country. Pictured you can see Indigenous residents Albie and Warren proudly holding the poster. We have also created special water bottles and cutlery sheaths to represent what a special day National Sorry Day is for us here at Grafton. Meanwhile in WA, Windsor Park also took the time to pause and acknowledge Sorry Day in a respectful way. With chocolates provided by All Corners Design and specially made cupcakes, some beautiful art work was created by one of the residents of Windsor Park Bevan Lane - in honour of Sorry Day 2022. Always an important occasion for this particular Hall and Prior Aged Care Home, Sorry Day reminds the colonist-descended people of the nation to remember the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Pictured are Eileen Gordon, resident artist Bevan as well as Raylene Quinn, Colin Chadd, Brian Gentle and Josie Morrison. Bevan’s artwork is a stunning example of his memories of Country and is proudly displayed in Windsor Park for all to see.

AN IMPORTANT DAY National Sorry Day is held every year in Australia on May 26.

Did you know that all Hall & Prior homes have Registered Nurses on duty 24/7? This includes a wound care specialist, nurse practitioner and infection prevention control specialist. We also have Allied Health teams on staff with dietitians, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, plus extensive lifestyle programs for our residents. If you'd like to find out more about accommodation available at any of our homes please contact: info@hallprior.com.au

Winter feasts on the way The in-house catering and dietitian Hall & Prior teams have been very busy behind the scenes, creating delicious new menus for the change in season. And best of all, some of our homes in WA and NSW were invited to try the new dishes - and give their feedback too.

Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village, Bayswater, WA The residents of Mertome in Bayswater were the lucky group to be chosen for taste testing samples of the new winter menu, which will be rolled out in WA over the next few weeks. When they tucked in to the new dishes, the menu was at the planning stage with the kitchen team and the dietetics team. The Mertome residents were provided with a glimpse and taste of the newly-proposed additions to the menu, and it’s fair to say the group weren’t shy about providing feedback. “I am sure you would expect nothing less than full honesty being provided in the feedback however, it was nearly all positive news!,” said Mertome’s Executive Manager, Laura Currie. “The experience was fantastic; thank you to the Fresh Fields catering team for the chance to try this tasty preview.”

DINNER TIME Trying new menu items for the winter was a delicious task for residents.

Grafton Aged Care Home and Clover Lea Aged Care Home, NSW Over on the other side of the country, the residents at Grafton and Clover Lea enjoyed a visit from Fiona McHugh, Director of Nutrition & Hydration to give a preview of the new winter menu. Fiona was keen to find out how the new items would be received and take feedback on what food choices residents at the home would prefer to see listed on their weekly menus. “All the residents really enjoyed the new soup - roast cauliflower and fennel and were also introduced to some other new menu dishes so we can gather their feedback,” said Fiona. “There was lots of great discussion and we feel confident that all our residents are already loving the new menu, which began to be rolled out in May.

Winter at Karingal Green Hall & Prior’s High Wycombe world-class aged care community - Karingal Green - has had a busy few months, and now that winter is here, there’s more to do than ever.

PARK REVAMP A BIG HIT The newly upgraded Gladys Newton Park in High Wycombe opened in early June and it was an occasion to remember.⁣ Karingal Green residents joined locals in the celebrations which included mini golf, ice-creams, face painting, food trucks and a coffee van, as well as a number of stall holders promoting local services. The Karingal Green stall did a roaring trade too, offering some yummy cupcakes. ⁣⁣ The park officially opened at 3.45pm with speeches from Mayor Margaret Thomas and Member for Forrestfield Stephen Price, and once the formalities were over, it was time to cut the ribbon. ⁣⁣

PARK GETS A REFRESH The Gladys Newton Park in High Wycombe near Karingal Green opened after a revamp.

The afternoon was filled with music, a series of free play activities and fun for all ages which locals and visitors enjoyed. Make sure to take a look the next time you visit Karingal Green.

HOW TO FIGHT THE FLU THIS WINTER With the cooler weather now upon us, it’s important to keep an eye on your health more than ever. Read on for our handy tips and strategies so you can try and fight the flu this winter. Drink plenty of fluids One of the best ways to try and fight off the flu is by staying hydrated. Our bodies need to be replenished regularly, and when we’re riddled with the bad stuff, liquids can help keep our respiratory system hydrated, and turn the thick mucus into a thinner liquid you can cough up and spit out. Mix things up with a soothing tea, warming broth or a fruit juice. Get some rest A key way to help bring on a speedy recovery is taking time out and staying in bed. Not only does this help keep your germs contained (rather than spreading them around at work) but it also gives your body a much-needed break and reduces stress levels. Get cosy on the couch or in bed, put on your favourite TV show or grab your favourite book. Sanitise regularly Did you know there are between two to 10 million bacteria on your fingertips and elbows alone? If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s how quickly germs can spread through touch. We recommend stocking up on some hand sanitiser, wipes and hand wash and regularly sanitising. So after you return from the shops, after you’ve seen a group of friends, killing these germs is one way to help keep the flu at bay. Considering we come into contact with 300 surfaces every 30 minutes, exposing us to 840,000 germs, keep this front of mind the next time you’re out and about. Maintain a healthy diet to boost immunity You are what you eat is a real thing, especially in these cooler seasons. By increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, making soothing and comforting broths, and ensuring you are keeping up your fluid intake, treating your body like a temple is one of the easiest and

most beneficial ways to give your immunity system the fuel it needs to reap all the benefits from this healthy diet. By incorporating leafy greens such as spinach and kale, or adding ginger and lemon to hot drinks, you can help boost your immune system. Avoid contact with people who are sick Staying away from friends and loved ones when flu is circulating will protect them and you. Stay home when you’re contagious - it’s one of the best ways to reduce the spread so as soon as symptoms begin, say no to socialising in person. Once you’re feeling 100%, we would love to see you back in our home. From rugging up to creating heart-warming concoctions, these simple but effective strategies can be introduced into your routine during these cooler months. Keep in mind, when visiting a loved one at Karingal Green, we do require proof of your most recent flu shot before you can enter. To find out more about Karingal Green, call (08) 6372 0400 or email enquiry@karingalgreen.com.au

A word in your ear Audio books are more popular than ever, providing an aural window into the world of literature for all to enjoy.

here’s something unique about having a narrator read the story to you in the comfort of your own surroundings and getting lost in the book, becoming immersed in a storyline you’ll remember for years to come. Gwen McLean, 90, is an ardent audio book lover. She developed glaucoma in her late forties that affected the peripheral vision in both her eyes. Four years ago, she had haemorrhages in the optic nerves of both eyes, leading to complete loss of sight. During her long life, Gwen had always been a voracious reader. “I would read a lot as a youngster because I was an only child. I lived on a large property and I’d hide away with a book - it became my best friend.”

She’d also write poetry. My mum was that passionate about the written word she should have been an author,” explains daughter Alison. Her mother’s love of books spurred Alison to become a librarian. When Gwen lost her sight completely, she started enjoying audio books from VisAbility’s Audio Library. Gwen now lives in an aged care home. The VisAbility Library is the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest talking book library. It contains more than 70,000 titles in digital or Braille format. The titles are available free to Australians with low or no vision or who have a print disability. “I’m a bookworm. I know the new ones due for release and the type that will appeal to mum,” Alison explains.

Gwen and her husband used to run a cattle and sheep farm, and she passed on her love of reading to her daughter Alison.

“I’ll choose a book for myself to read. At the same time, I’ll order the DAISY cartridge containing the audio book and four others from the VisAbility Library. It’s sent through the post.”

“As a child, my mother would make up stories for myself and my brother at bedtime that would incorporate our farm animals.

Gwen has a tactile marker placed on the play button of her talking book player to make it easier to use.

Alison will read the same title at home, while Gwen will listen back to the audio book. They’ll then discuss the plot and characters when Alison visits her mum. “We choose one book a week to share together - we like different genres of books, fiction, memoirs, biographies, so we like variety,” Alison explains. After listening to the books, Alison sends the cartridges back by post and requests more. “We have a very close bond. You could say our love of reading has come full circle. My mother read to me as a child, now I read alongside her. I am fortunate we have that shared interest.”

LISTENING TO BOOKS The VisAbility Library of audio books has allowed Gwen McLean (above) to continue her love affair with books.

There’s also an option to download books from the VisAbility Library. Membership to the Library is free of charge to Australians who have a print disability, so people living with blindness or vision impairment, or who have a physical limitation that makes it difficult to hold a book. Want to find out more? Visit www.visability. com.au/oak

VisAbility has been sending out audio books by post since 1985. Each DAISY cartridge contains five books. Every month, 4,500 books are sent by post. 37

A Q +

with Sazh Thapa, Assistant in Nursing at Fairfield Aged Care Home, NSW

Sazh Thapa is a carer, through-and-through, and loves nothing more than building close and enduring relationships with those she looks after at Fairfield Aged Care Home in NSW. L&L: What made you want to become a nurse? ST: I love caring for people. This has always been how I am. When you feel like this for people, wanting to make them feel better, then there is no better job to do than be an aged care worker. L&L: How long have you worked in aged care and when did you join Hall & Prior? ST: Hall & Prior was my first job as an Assistant in Nursing. I have been here at Fairfield Aged Care Home for over two years. I very much love coming into work as I have wonderful relationships with both the staff and the residents, which makes each day’s job tasks more fun - rather than just work! L&L: What does an average day look like? ST: An average day for me is about always being happy. Fairfield is a very big home so we are assigned to groups of residents, and what is important to me is to engage with each of the residents that I am lucky enough to be assigned to.

L&L: Tell us about one part of your job that makes you feel really rewarded and connected to those you care for. ST: When I have done my work and I can see how happy my residents are, I feel extremely rewarded. They show their happiness of having me personally be their carer. L&L: What is the best piece of advice you ever got about caring for others and from who? ST: The best advice was from my work colleagues. They said to always take the time to understand and respect your residents, no matter what else you need to achieve and how short you are on time. L&L: What is the best thing about working at your aged care home? ST: I feel my home is like a family. We have many Nepalese staff here at Fairfield and it is really wonderful to work within this group. We are a great team here at Fairfield.

MEET THE STAFF

“

Always take the time to understand and respect your residents, no matter what else you need to achieve and how short you are on time.

VERY CARING Sazh Thapa loves her working life at Fairfield Aged Care Home.

“

L&L: What have you learned about yourself and those you care for while you’ve worked for Hall & Prior? ST: I have learnt to be patient with others and that caring for others is very selfless and rewarding. L&L: How would others describe you? ST: I have asked my fellow staff and they said that I am a great team player, I am very caring towards staff and residents and a really nice person - and I am happy with that description! L&L: What qualities are required to make a great worker in your opinion? ST: Patience is very important, as well as a caring nature. I always say you should show respect to everyone you come in contact with, regardless of what role they play in our home and work environment.

FAST FACTS If I wasn't working in aged care, I would - be a singer. What is your favourite movie? Titanic. What’s your favourite song? Love Me Like You Do. When I’m not at work you’ll often find me - at home doing my drawings and writing stories or poems.

A Q +

with Nancy Cullen, Registered Nurse at Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community, WA

Nancy Cullen, a Registered Nurse working in Extra Services at Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community in High Wycombe, has worked in aged care since arriving in Australia from the Philippines, and it’s this long-term commitment to caring which makes her such a valuable addition to the team. Photography by Caroline Gammage.

L&L: What made you want to become a nurse? NC: I enjoy helping people particularly when they are unwell and in need of care. L&L: How long have you worked in aged care and when did you join Hall & Prior? NC: I came to Australia as a fully qualified nurse and began my dedication to aged care when I joined Carlisle Nursing Home (now Windsor Park Aged Care Home, also a Hall & Prior aged care home) in 1995. I’ve remained in aged care since then. L&L: What does an average day look like for you? NC: A typical day is a very busy one, interacting with staff and residents while carrying out my daily routine and attending to anything unforeseen or out of the ordinary that may occur. L&L: Tell us about one part of your job that makes you feel really rewarded and connected to those you care for. NC: Making residents feel comfortable and relieving their pain and discomfort while keeping a smile on their face.

MEET THE STAFF

EMPATHY AND COMPASSION Left, Nancy and above with Karingal Green resident Shirley (Sue) Davis.

L&L: What is the best piece of advice you ever got about caring for others and from who? NC: To show empathy and compassion, to be a good listener and treat those in my care as they are Christian values. L&L: What is the best thing about working at your aged care home? NC: I enjoy the conversation and joviality in my interactions with the residents. L&L: What have you learned about yourself and those you care for while you’ve worked for Hall & Prior? NC: I feel my character and understanding has further developed while I’ve worked in the company of aged people and I have an appreciation of the old and infirm, their life experiences and daily battles with their health. L&L: How would others describe you, do you think? NC: I would like to think they think of me as no-nonsense, dedicated and hardworking.

FAST FACTS If I wasn't working in aged care, I would - be a karaoke singer. What is your favourite movie? Gone with the Wind. What’s your favourite song? Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. When I’m not at work you’ll often find me - at a Coffee Club with my husband. L&L: What qualities are required to make a great worker in your opinion? NC: A sunny disposition and genuine desire to help others, an excellent command of nursing skills and the ability to stay calm in a crisis.

White Oak marks

years of in-home care Leading home care services provider White Oak, recently commemorated 25 years of ‘bringing our family to yours’ in May this year.

t was a significant milestone for the family-run business, who are renowned for providing high quality services for people needing assistance in their own homes, across the Perth metropolitan area. Since their inception in 1997, White Oak steadily gained a reputation for caring for their clients just like an extended member of the family. And for many of their trusted clients, that is exactly what White Oak’s staff have become. A caring and compassionate element to the collection of alreadyimportant people in their lives. White Oak’s General Manager, Treasa Lonergan, has a personal connection to the company. White Oak was formed 25 years ago when Treasa’s mum Mary – a former nurse, saw the need for high quality care services that enabled people to live well and independently in their own homes and local communities. 42

Mary recognised that many people were still in fact able to remain living in their own homes if only they were given the right level of care and support needed. Mary also understood that people often felt confused and overwhelmed by all of the options available, and she could offer a service that made it simple and easy to understand. General Manager, Treasa Lonergan, said it is humbling to reflect on just how far White Oak has come over the past 25 years. “I feel fortunate to lead such a wonderful team of caring and compassionate individuals that are ready to lend a helping hand. In the last 25 years I have witnessed incredible growth and change,” Treasa said. “I am so proud to say that amongst the numerous challenges we’ve faced over the past 25 years including the COVID-19 pandemic, we have remained steadfast in delivering the best of care, whilst continuing to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of our clients. “We work with our clients in a way that suits their individual needs. We don’t follow a ‘one size fits all’ approach - we listen and assess our clients based on each person’s individual

situation. Then we use our experience to create a service that offers the best value for money,” Treasa added.

company aims to provide clear information what packages may be available and how they can be tailored to get the maximum benefit for each person’s individual needs.

AN ESSENTIAL HOME SERVICE White Oak has been offering compassionate at-home care since 1997.

In 2016, White Oak became part of the Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group. This complementary offering of services enabled Hall & Prior the ability to offer people a greater continuum of service, with unified access to residential aged care should individual needs changed.

In addition to governmentfunded home care packages, White Oak also offers private home care services. Beyond their aged care service offerings, White Oak is also an approved provider for the Veteran’s Home Care Program as well as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“I’m aware that White Oak’s reputation for exceptional care was built on the quality of our staff, so we have always made sure that our staff are selected carefully to ensure they are able to deliver the best possible care to our clients”, Treasa said.

“The support from Hall & Prior’s Chief Executive Office, Graham Prior, really allowed White Oak to flourish in our expansion across the Perth metropolitan area. The last 6 years saw a further opening of hubs in Butler, Scarborough, Claremont and Midland which complements our philosophy of our team working and living in the local communities in which we operate” Treasa said.

“By continuing to offer a helping hand like part of the family, White Oak’s team have a compassionate heart and they make an incredible difference to people’s lives and their loved ones. Helping people to remain living well in their own homes is nothing short of rewarding. We will always remain committed to improving the quality of lives of our clients in any way we can,” Treasa said.

White Oak offers a complimentary advice line to help clients navigate the often complex world of Aged Care. As part of their ethos, the

Today, White Oak provides home care services to over 1,300 people each month and continues to welcome new clients every day.

White Oak’s services are wide-ranging and designed to work for their clients. Some of the services offered include house cleaning, gardening, minor home maintenance, grocery shopping, meal preparation, showering, personal care, transport to appointments, assistance using technology, clinical care and occupational therapy. By making life easier for those who need assistance in their own homes, White Oak’s clients find that their quality of life need not diminish as they grow older and wish to remain independent.

White Oak looks forward to another 25 years of success, to be achieved through their ongoing commitment to compassionate and dedicated care. 43

PUZZLES CROSSWORD DOWn

No. 015

Banoffee is a combination of which two flavours?

Shore is a 2020 album by which US indie folk group?

True or false: the scientific name for a dugong is dugong dugon?

Bluetooth is named after a king of Denmark and Norway from which century: 10th, 11th or 12th?

From which continent did elm trees originate?

WORDSTEP 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.

HIKer

_ _ _ _

BArNS

SOLUTIONS

9-Letter word

QUICK QUIZ

7 9

Puzzles and pagination © Pagemasters | pagemasters.com

June, 2022

CroSSword

DOWn

1 Skinny person 2 Air; mood 3 Suffix of seven Central Asian countries 4 — Kong

SUdoKU

1 Clean 5 Car 6 Middle Eastern country 7 Sharp tooth

6 1 4 5 9 8 6 1 4 1 2 5 9 6 3 5 2 4 3 5 6

dine, eleven, endive, enliven, enLIVeneD, envied, even, evened, lend, levin, lien, linden, line, lined, linen, liven, livened, need, needle, nine, vein, veined, vend, vendee, vine

ACROSS

No. 015

1 9 4 2 8 4

3 4 5 1 2 6 7 8 9

4x4

1 9 8 4 5 7 2 6 3

6 7 2 3 8 9 1 5 4

18 words: Very good

2 1 3 7 4 5 8 9 6

25 words: excellent

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.

9 6 4 8 1 2 5 3 7

today’s Aim: 12 words: Good

No. 015

8 5 7 9 6 3 4 1 2

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 each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural words ending in “s”.

SUDOKU

4 2 6 5 9 8 3 7 1

9-LETTER WORD

7 8 9 2 3 1 6 4 5

22 24

Gloves (5) Commit severe violence (9) Keyboard key (9) Tells tales (7) Makes certain (7) Soft creamy candy (5) Baghdad citizen (5) Cleans (9) Building designer (9) Treadmill user, e.g. (9) Succeeders (9) Hair soap (7) Fizzy candy (7) Eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (5) Coarse files (5) Meat cake (5)

5 3 1 6 7 4 9 2 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 16 18 19 21

wordSteP HIKeR, BIKeR, BIKeS, BAKeS, BAReS, BARnS

Lawless crowd (3) Large winged insects (11) Shortens (9) Empty; use up (5) Heavenly bodies (5) Thief (9) Creatures (7) Playground items (7) Gnawers (7) Boils (7) Display (9) Inexpensive (5) Makes level (5) At puberty (9) Carrier (11) Dairy alternative (3)

4x4 ACROSS: 1. Wash, 5. Auto, 6. Iran, 7. Fang. DOWN: 1. Waif, 2. Aura, 3. Stan, 4. Hong.

ACROSS

1 3 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 19 20 23 25 26 27 28

No. 015

1. Banana and toffee 2. Fleet Foxes 3. True 4. 10th 5. Asia

QUIoCK QUIZ ANSwerS

TEABREAK

WORDFIND

CODEWORD

No. 015

Can you find all of the words listed below? The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

Deep puRple DylAn elo FouR tops GAye henDRix KinKs

CROSS MATH

= 1

× ÷

= 2

H U ?

= 56

= 19

–

× = 96

–

× ×

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

= 180

Each number corresponds to a letter. Can you crack the code? 1

EIGHT AROUND 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.

pinK FloyD stones supRemes the DooRs tRoGGs who ZomBies

No. 015

5x5

No. 015

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

N B

S D

D S

L A E

KIM KARDASHIAN 1. Keeping Up with the Kardashians ended in 2021 after how many seasons? A. 10 B. 15 C. 20 D. 25 2. In which year did the show premiere? A. 2000 B. 2003 C. 2007 D. 2010 3. Before making her name as a media personality, what job did Kim do? A. Make-up artist for Lindsay Lohan B. Personal stylist to Paris Hilton C. Pilates instructor for Beyoncé D. Personal assistant to Britney Spears 4. Who is Kim’s godfather? A. O.J. Simpson B. Bill Cosby C. Robert Shapiro D. Robert De Niro

5. What are the names of Kim’s children with Kanye West? A. East, Angel, Tennessee and Prayer B. North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm C. West, Jeezus, Memphis and Hymn D. South, Saint, Detroit and Poem

1C, 2C, 3B, 4A, 5B

AC/DC BeACh Boys BeAtles Bee Gees Bono Bowie CCR

K P E DMG J WX S C A N 14

T Z I R V L H F OQ Y B U 1

CODEWORD WORDFIND secret message: Bieber 4 × 5 × 9 = 180 × + – 3 × 2 ÷ 6 = 1 × × – 8 × 7 ÷ 1 = 56 = = = 96 19 2

CROSS MATH

EIGHT AROUND huDDlinG E

D G E D

A N A L B U S E O D K A

C A V

5x5

E D S

M Y FAVOURITE THINGS

Amit Malhotra

Amit Malhotra, Hall & Prior’s NSW Operations Manager, was born in India and arrived in Australia in 1997.

AUSTRALIA, BUT A LONGING FOR HOME I became an Australian Citizen in 1999, but one day, my dream is to retire back home in India. I would head to the areas around Delhi - where I spent my youth.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE Back in India I worked with the Sheraton Hotel Group as Executive Chef in about eight or nine hotels so I moved around a lot. I worked in Delhi, Mumbai, Agra - the list goes on!

INDIAN FOOD I like to cook tandoori food and Indian curries. Having a chef background, I cook a lot to hone my skills and keep in touch with my creative career. Cooking is my happy place - and takes me to all the fun times in my childhood.

MY FAMILY My two sons names are Pranav and Tanishk. Pranav is an Insurance Consultant and Tanishk is studying medicine. My wife is called Kanika and I like to spend as much time with my family when I can. We are all grown up now, so when we spend time together - we like to party! Sharing a nice bottle of wine and good food is our favourite way to spend time together.

PHOTOGRAPHY I am very interested in photography and try to practice when I can. This is a casual hobby, and it fulfills part of my artistic side.

TRAVELLING THE WORLD I like overseas travel and have travelled to most of Europe, America and Asia. I missed travelling during COVID-19, but now I am looking forward to heading out to explore eastern Europe. I find this part of Europe more real and much more enjoyable when spending time with the locals.

SHORT BREAKS I like to take short breaks from the busy city life. We love to head to the Hunter Valley or Melbourne or Queensland, and more recently especially the Gold Coast as my son is studying there. We head to the beaches and go on hikes together - there are so many beautiful experiences up in south east Queensland.

HEALTHY BODY, HEALTHY MIND I like to be fit and healthy, so I stick to a very strict exercise regime. I head to the gym regularly and enjoy outdoor activities such as walking and bike riding. Maybe I’ll get into golf when I’m old enough!

OUR WA HOMES

LEIGHTON WEST PERTH

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

MERTOME BAYSWATER

ST LUKES & HAMERSLEY SUBIACO MOSMAN PARK & FRESHWATER BAY MOSMAN PARK

PERTH

TUOHY MIDLAND KARINGAL GREEN HIGH WYCOMBE

BELMONT RIVERVALE WINDSOR PARK CARLISLE KENSINGTON PARK KENSINGTON CONCORDE SOUTH PERTH

McDOUGALL PARK COMO

AGMAROY WILSON

ROCKINGHAM ROCKINGHAM

HOCART LODGE HARVEY TUIA LODGE DONNYBROOK

CLARENCE ESTATE ALBANY

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact the WA Hall & Prior Aged Care Home of your choice AGMAROY BELMONT CLARENCE ESTATE CONCORDE FRESHWATER BAY HAMERSLEY HOCART LODGE KARINGAL GREEN KENSINGTON PARK LEIGHTON MCDOUGALL PARK MERTOME MOSMAN PARK ROCKINGHAM ST LUKES TUIA LODGE TUOHY WINDSOR PARK HEAD OFFICE

info@hallprior.com.au

115 Leach Highway, Wilson 5 Kemp Place, Rivervale 55 Hardie Road, Albany 25 Anstey Street, South Perth 67 Palmerston Street, Mosman Park 441 Rokeby Road, Subiaco 3 Knowles Street, Harvey 53 Hawkevale Road, High Wycombe 62 Gwenyfred Road, Kensington 40 Florence Street, West Perth 18 Ley Street, Como 30 Winifred Road, Bayswater 57 Palmerston Street, Mosman Park 14 Langley Street, Rockingham 429 Rokeby Road, Subiaco 30 Allnutt Street, Donnybrook 22 Morrison Road, Midland 110 Star Street, Carlisle 16-18 Mayfair Street, West Perth

08 9458 1524 08 9277 2735 08 9841 5999 08 9367 7559 08 9384 5280 08 9381 6542 08 9729 0499 08 6372 0400 08 9367 4870 08 9328 9355 08 9313 1700 08 6462 7200 08 9384 1769 08 9527 1757 08 9381 8061 08 9732 3500 08 9274 1756 08 9472 9488 08 9321 1388 hallprior.com.au

OUR NSW HOMES

GRAFTON SOUTH GRAFTON

NEW SOUTH WALES CAROLINE CHISHOLM LANE COVE MONTANA MOSMAN GLENWOOD GREENWICH

SIRIUS COVE MOSMAN

VAUCLUSE VAUCLUSE FAIRFIELD FAIRFIELD

CLOVER LEA BURWOOD HEIGHTS

AUBREY DOWNER POINT CLARE

SYDNEY GEORGES ESTATE PENSHURST

SHANGRI-LA HURSTVILLE

MENAVILLE ROCKDALE BEXLEY BEXLEY

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact the NSW Hall & Prior Aged Care Home of your choice AUBREY DOWNER BEXLEY CAROLINE CHISHOLM CLOVER LEA FAIRFIELD GEORGES ESTATE GLENWOOD GRAFTON MENAVILLE MONTANA SHANGRI-LA SIRIUS COVE VAUCLUSE NSW STATE OFFICE

infoNSW@hallprior.com.au

23 Sunnyside Avenue, Point Clare 82-84 Connemarra Street, Bexley 274 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove 14 Claremont Road, Burwood Heights 125 The Crescent, Fairfield 1 Centre Street, Penshurst 34 Greenwich Road, Greenwich 12 Bent Street, South Grafton 121 Frederick Street, Rockdale 36-38 Harbour Street, Mosman 107 Carrington Avenue, Hurstville 17 Clanalpine Street, Mosman 13 Young Street, Vaucluse 274 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove

02 4324 2068 02 9587 7610 02 9428 2466 02 9747 1911 02 9728 1144 02 9069 7300 02 9436 1707 02 6642 3255 02 9567 3641 02 8969 2600 02 9580 4333 02 9960 7555 02 9337 3235 02 9427 8978 hallprior.com.au

Compassionate people dedicated to care

Georges Estate is a remarkable care community that supports residents to live a vibrant and connected life. • Enjoy our Wellness Centre’s hydrotherapy pool and other facilities; • Relax knowing you have 24-hour care and support; and • Splash out on life’s luxuries with our package of extra services. For an exclusive tour in person or a virtual tour online, book through our website: www.georgesestate.com.au/bookatour/

1 Centre Street, Penshurst, NSW 2222

Call 1300 063 433

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Life & Love Magazine Issue 35

Articles inside