Flourish Issue 1

flourish leaving a Legacy support with the NDIS

FOR THE LOVE OF ART

Against all odds, Pam Farey has devoted her life to painting

plus

creative travel healing gardens pet therapy

W I N T E R 2016

Learn more about xxxxxxvxxxx disease australianunity.com.au/xxxx

W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 F LOU R I SH

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SECTION HEAD Storyname

IN THIS ISSUE

03 Community news News and events

05 Aboriginal services Community caring

06 Pam Farey Meet an inspiring artist at home

10 Legacy Motor neurone disease crusaders leave a Legacy

14 Gardening Healing spaces

16 National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Learn about the new national scheme

25 Pets Meet the pets who bring joy

30 Travel Pursue your passion on a creative-themed tour

32 Food

flourish WINTER 2016

Winter citrus

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f l o u r i s h @ a u s t ra l i a n u n i t y.co m . a u

a u s t ra l i a n u n i t y. co m . a u / f l o u r i s h W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 F LOU R I SH

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WELCOME

Stories to

INSPIRE YOU

W

elcome to the first issue of Flourish magazine, Australian Unity’s new quarterly magazine that’s been created just for you. We plan to share heart-warming, inspiring tales about the world around us; stories that show how we can work together to make new things possible.

Australian Unity is one of Australia’s oldest companies, with a proud 175-year history. We were delighted to recently welcome the Home Care Service of NSW and Aboriginal Home Care Service to our family, along with Ballarat-based Homecare Plus in Victoria. We are now one of the largest home and disability services providers in the country. Visit our website at australianunity.com.au/assisted-living to learn more about us.

In this issue of Flourish magazine, we have included an important article on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)and what it might mean for you (page 16). As the Federal Government begins its three-year rollout of the NDIS, starting in July 2016, we outline how we plan to support our clients make the transition.

Derek McMillan (left) chats with Norman Branson, a resident at Peninsula Grange retirement community.

The NDIS has the potential to improve the lives of thousands of Australians and we aim to be there for our clients, as trusted partners in this new initiative.

We also invite you to discover our Tea & Bickies series (page 4) and learn how Flourish magazine will be offered in alternative formats to make it available for people with visual impairment (page 5).

We are sure you will enjoy the inspiring story of one of our Home Care Plus clients in Victoria, artist Pam Farey (page 6). Despite facing many challenges throughout her life, including being diagnosed in her 20s with an illness resulting in lifelong disability, Pam has achieved incredible feats. Pam’s story truly captures the spirit of Flourish magazine, especially the importance of spending time doing the things you love.

We hope that you enjoy the winter issue of Flourish magazine.

Pam Farey with her pet sheep and alpacas, photographed

by Dean Golja.

Derek McMillan CEO, Independent & Assisted Living Australian Unity

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Community NEWS

30 What makes MINUTES A DAY

us happy?

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index has just celebrated its 15th birthday. Created by Australian Unity in partnership with the Australian Centre on Quality TABLET of Life at Deakin University, it is the nation’s most comprehensive measure of how satisfied we feel with our lives. The Index takes the pulse of the nation and provides a detailed social and emotional snapshot. What are our relationships like? Do we feel we have control of our financial future? Do we use THIS YEAR’S SOCIAL our time wisely? What are the MEDIA DATA REVEALS THAT things that make us feel happy? It gauges the nation’s satisfaction people who spend about with economic, business and 30 minutes each day social conditions, government, national security and the on social media have a environment. To download a level of wellbeing above free copy of Australian Unity’s latest Wellbeing Index, visit the normal range. australianunity.com.au/ about-us/wellbeing

COLOUR YOUR WORLD All the colouring books and magazines lining the shelves at newsagents can’t be wrong. More and more adults are benefiting from, and enjoying, colouring in.

Bestseller lists now include colouring book titles and sales of colour pencils are soaring. Experts tell us that colouring in is the ideal way to relax. It’s great for handeye coordination and creates a state of mindfulness too.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to colouring; create your own masterpiece, in your own time.

We hope you enjoy colouring the bookmark gift in the centre of your new magazine.

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HOW ABOUT A CUPPA? We would like our clients, residents and their families to get to know the fascinating characters within the Australian Unity community. Over coming months, veteran television anchor Steve Liebmann is going to take you beyond the brochures and into the lives of some of our inspiring clients, residents and staff members. Grab a cuppa and see the first episode of Tea & Bickies at teaandbickies.com.au

Laughing one hundred times is equivalent

to 15 minutes of exercise on a stationary bicycle.

Quick Cooking Green Tea Mug Cake With Raspberries For 1 mug – 5 minutes – 800 watts

Ingredients 1 slice butter (30g) 1 egg 4 tbsp caster sugar 1 /2 tsp vanilla sugar 1 tbsp (light)cream 5 tbsp plain flour 2 tbsp ground almonds 1 /2 tsp matcha green tea powder 1 /2 tsp baking powder 6 raspberries 1 /2 tsp icing sugar (for decoration)

Method

Fast fact Coriander is the world’s most widely consumed herb. Used in Middle Eastern, North African, Asian, Indian and southern American a cuisine, it is popular across cu the globe, but it can be th tric tricky to grow. Coriander turns quickly to seed during turn summer, sum so is ideal for winter winte planting. Sprinkle seeds into pots now.

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Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds.

In a mug: Beat in one by one the egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, cream, flour, ground almonds, matcha green tea powder, baking powder and melted butter.

Gently stir in the raspberries with a spoon.

Cook in the microwave for one minute and 50 seconds (time for 800-watt microwave).

Decorate with icing sugar.

This is an edited extract from Mug Cakes by Lene Knudsen, published

by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $19.99.

COMMUNIT Y NEWS

Care workers Ruth Thorne (left) and Penelope Mitchell (right) with client Lorinna Soloman.

EASIER READING Would you, or someone you know, find it easier to read Flourish magazine in a different format? We’re keen to offer Flourish magazine in the best format for you, so we’ve been working with Vision Australia to offer a number of choices as our magazine becomes a regular feature in your home.

Alternative formats of Flourish magazine are available in: - Compact disc audio - MP3 audio - Large print.

The large-print option can be accessed via the Australian Unity website, or a hard-copy version can be delivered to your home upon request.

Please talk with your local Home Services representative or visit australianunity.com. au/flourish

Aboriginal communities face the future together Face-to-face support is the backbone of the Aboriginal Home Care service in NSW, Australian Unity’s Kelly Chatfield says.

“Our Aboriginal Home Care staff work in the field in all urban, rural and remote areas. The personal contact, cultural respect and non-judgmental understanding they offer has been the key to the success of the service,” says Kelly. “We have identified that this individual style of support provides Aboriginal people with the confidence to allow people to assist and support them in their homes.”

Aboriginal Home Care has operated in NSW since 1984. It is the largest provider

of community care and disability services to Aboriginal people in Australia and provides an essential community service, allowing clients to live independently in their homes.

Previously part of the Home Care Service of NSW, Aboriginal Home Care is now part of Australian Unity. “We have 350 staff in eight branches and 23 outlets across NSW and they support more than 3,000 clients with day-to-day tasks such as showering, domestic duties, shopping and transport.

We are here to stay and grow, and that means adding more services throughout NSW, and eventually other parts of Australia,” Kelly says.

Aboriginal Home Care Branch Locations Wangary Region 295 High Street Penrith (02) 4734 9422 Thulgan-gar Region New England Level 1, 175 Rusden Street Armidale (02) 6773 0305 Wiradjuri Region Level 3, 76 Morgan Street Wagga Wagga (02) 6937 9640

Alleena Region 12a Dadley Street Alexandria (02) 8344 2800 Weja Region 35 Holloway Road Nowra 1800 837 999 Daramulen Region Central Coast Suite G1, Gateway Building 237 Mann Street Gosford (02) 4321 7215

Ngangana Region Level 1, 130 Brisbane Street Dubbo (02) 6841 1570 North Coast Region Suite 10, Level 1 Richmond Arcade Canterbury Street Casino (02) 6663 0621

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TOGETHER

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hether she is lying on the ground painting a bus shelter in country Victoria or climbing a scaffold to create a mural in inner-city Melbourne, Pam Farey is resolute. Pam became ill in her 20s and suffered nerve damage in her arms and legs, but it didn’t stop her becoming an artist. When she could no longer use her hands to paint, she taught herself to paint with a brush in her mouth.

“I’ve always loved art,” she says. “I love doing things and I like challenges. I get quite bored if I’m not working on a project.” Pam lives in the old goldmining town of Linton in central Victoria with her dog, Charlie, cat, Holly, her pet Dorper sheep Bruce and Dottie, and her three alpacas Dancer, Wil and Scottie.

Pam is proud of her independence and spends much of her time painting and participating in creative activities. She enjoys keeping busy, loves a challenge and radiates a natural cheerfulness. It’s clear within moments of meeting her that her sense of humour and unstoppable attitude have helped her achieve much on the artistic front.

FOR THE love OF ART Pam Farey’s determination and creative spirit have helped her achieve extraordinary success words Mary O’Brien photos Dean Golja

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Yet, over the years, Pam has had more than her share of difficulties. Following the diagnosis of chronic relapsing peripheral motor neuropathy, which caused the nerve damage in her arms and legs, she developed Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was at stage four when discovered. A bone marrow transplant from her identical twin sister saved her life. “I’m very lucky to be here,” she says. “Over the years I’ve seen a lot of hospitals; it certainly toughens you up.”

Pam and her sister Jenny were born in Geelong, Victoria. She remembers getting lots of attention because she was “one of the Farey twins”. Her dad was an enthusiastic amateur photographer and the two girls were excited to take part in the whole blackand-white photo process. “Jenny and I were brought up in a darkroom. We had a camera between us and from about six or seven we used to take, develop and print our own photos,” she says.

At school, Pam showed an early talent in the art room, but when she was 17, her family life was shattered after her father was killed in a car accident. g

Pam in her home studio in country Victoria and painting a recent work (left).

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TOGETHER

“That was the worst time. My life totally changed. I grew up overnight.” In her early 20s, she travelled and worked in restaurants, offices and cafes in Scotland, Wales, Austria, Greece and on the Sinai Peninsula.

When Pam’s health deteriorated, she returned home and turned to study. She completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in psychology, anthropology, sociology and visual arts. It was during her time at Deakin University that she began painting with a brush in her mouth.

A lot of people have so much untapped potential. I guess the difference with me is I push myself.”

PA M FA R E Y ARTIST

In the early days, after graduating, she worked as an employment consultant. But it didn’t take long before she chose to concentrate on her art. She has been part of many group and solo exhibitions in Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne over the years.

SUPPORT FOR THE LITTLE THINGS Alana Bellingham, carer Once a week, carer Alana Bellingham comes from Haddon, near Ballarat, to support Pam. “I’m another set of hands,” Alana says. “Every day is different with Pam because she does such interesting things.”

Though Pam is an independent person and a great achiever, she needs support on the home front.

“People think I’m better than I am,” Pam says. “I use a lot of trick movements to do things. Holding my arms up, my balance and limited hand, wrist and finger movement make many things difficult.”

Pam often needs assistance with “the little things” such as opening medications and containers, doing her hair, changing her jewellery, housework and gardening.

Alana, who has a severely disabled four-year-old son, believes she sees things from a different perspective and finds her job very satisfying.

She says she wants to help people now because she knows her son will need help from others in the future.

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In the 1990s, she moved to Linton, where she brought her period home to life, turning part of it into a studio and gallery. Vibrant paintings adorn the walls, featuring subjects as diverse as mermaids and artefacts from the east.

In more recent times, Pam has moved her creations to public places. Lying on the ground with the ants while painting a mural on a bus shelter wasn’t one of the highlights, she admits. Pam’s brightly coloured murals decorate two bus shelters in the nearby town of Scarsdale. She painted over unwanted tagging and graffiti, transforming them with an intriguing collection of owls and yellow-tailed black cockatoos.

She has just finished another bus shelter, inspired

by Gallipoli and the Australian Light Horse. Her next commission, from Australian Unity, is a multipanelled mural in Rathdowne Place Aged Care in Melbourne’s Carlton. Even though this involves painting from a scaffold, it’s not going to deter Pam. “A lot of people have so much untapped potential,” Pam says. “I guess the difference with me is I push myself. I’m very lucky to be here. I complain occasionally over tiredness or the frustration of not being able to do something, but really, I have to remind myself each day is a gift.” ^

We can support you take up a hobby australianunity.com.au/home-services

(Clockwise from top left) Pam with her beloved dog Charlie, recent work, the Shepherd’s Hut where she paints and whimsical sculptural art.

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TOGETHER

Ian (top and right) and Scott (centre left) faced mixed emotions during filming.

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TOGETHER

LEAVING A LEGACY

Ian Davis and Scott Sullivan, both affected by motor neurone disease, pedalled a million metres on a tandem bike and filmed their journey words Larissa Dubecki

T

he powerful new Australian film Legacy poses a stark question. What would you do if you were given 27 months to live? For Ian Davis and Scott Sullivan, the soul-searching that followed being struck down with motor neurone disease (MND) threw up one answer: fight.

“Ask yourself, what would I do? Would I use that time to promote a cause about a disease that’s robbed me of my life?” says Ian in the voiceover to the documentary that follows the men as they pedal on a modified tandem bike from Brisbane to Sydney.

It made me wonder what I’d do if I was faced with all those really big life questions, how would I react. They’re pretty inspirational guys.”

TO NY P R E S COT T FILMMAKER

It was an epic journey of one million metres for MND, a degenerative disease that rapidly shuts down the body’s nervous system, robbing its victims of movement, and eventually speech, while leaving them with normal brain function. Two Australians each day are diagnosed with MND and handed its average life expectancy of 27 months, along with the terrible news that there is no real treatment and certainly no cure.

That’s where Legacy comes into it. Ian, a Melbourne-based former haemotologist – he self-diagnosed MND after recognising the symptoms – and Scott, a father of two from Brisbane, floated the idea of documenting their fundraising ride with filmmaker Tony Prescott. “I was imagining a couple of guys with Handycams posting stuff on Facebook, that kind of thing,” Ian says. Prescott went far better, producing a feature-length, cinematic work released nationally in May this year, with the help of funding to the tune of $75,000 raised through community-based platform Pozible.

“Ian worked in a hospital with a guy I went to college with – it was a pretty loose connection,” Tony says. “He was 33 at the time, I was 32.

It made me wonder what I’d do if I was faced with all those really big life questions, how would I react. They’re pretty inspirational guys.”

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TOGETHER

Scott (rear) and Ian on the road during the production of Legacy.

For the 2013 ride, which raised money for Scott’s foundation, MND and Me, the men played to their strengths. Ian was in front with his arms, Scott in back with his legs. “For months every night I’d train in mum’s garage,” Ian says. “But once we set off, with Scott’s extra weight on the back and the low centre of gravity on the bike that we needed – let’s just say that it was pretty tough going. We had people walking faster than us going up hills.”

MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE IN AUSTRALIA With MND the nerve cells (neurones) controlling the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow degenerate and die.

There are no happy endings with MND. Six months after filming wrapped, Scott died after suffering severe head injuries in a fall.

Wheelchair-bound, Ian has fought MND for five years. He requires 24-hour care and fears the day he is no longer able to pull his 18-month-old son Archie onto his lap for a cuddle.

The average life expectancy of an MND sufferer, from its onset, is 2.5 years.

“I’m immune from the darker emotions mostly, although the dark days happen with things such as, for example, last week I was able to do up a zipper on my jacket and this week I can’t.” He remains a tireless campaigner for MND. He founded Cure for MND – fellow sufferer, AFL great Neale Daniher, is its chief patron – and is determined to make as many people as possible aware of a disease that is far from uncommon.

More than 2,000 people have MND in Australia (60% are male; 40% female).

More than half of those diagnosed with MND are aged under 65.

The total cost of MND in Australia in 2015 was $2.37 billion.

SCREENINGS Sign up for screenings of Legacy via legacyfilm.com.au

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It was only 15 minutes after the journey was complete however, when he felt the impulse to do it all again. Ian suggested to Scott they turn around and go back the way they came. The response?

Laughter. He might have been shot down, but the idea made sense: “We had some beautiful times out there, in the countryside with the sun shining. For moments, I was able to forget I was sick.”

F LOU R I SH W i n t e r 2 0 1 6

In fact, in many ways, Legacy’s legacy will be its grassroots approach to spreading awareness of MND, a method Ian hopes will “galvanise and empower” the public to sign up for screenings, via the Legacy website.

“I see it as an extension of crowd funding, saying to people that if you see merit in this, sign up for a screening. It’s incredibly hard to raise money in this day and age, and for me Legacy is more about getting it in front of people. I’d rather raise a single dollar from a million people than a million dollars from a single person,” he says.

“I also hope it shows newly diagnosed people that they’re not alone.

This disease tries to take everything from you, but it doesn’t take your spirit.” ^

Ian at home today. MND has robbed him of much, but it has not taken away his spirit .

Image by Dean Golja

We had some beautiful times out there, in the countryside with the sun shining. For moments, I was able to forget I was sick.�

I A N DAV I S FILMMAKER

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BALANCE

Healing gardens Create your own healing space, or gain strength in one designed by someone else words Jane Canaway

H

ugging trees may be out of fashion, but what if a tree was to hug you? It’s a concept garden designer Betsy-Sue Clarke employs when creating a therapeutic space. “We all need a hug,” she says. Betsy-Sue specialises in healing gardens and says an enclosed place to sit – preferably by water or with a view – is a key feature. “Having a tree canopy overhead is like having a hug.”

The idea of gardens as remedial spaces is not new: sixth-century Persian gardens aimed to help connect people with God, Japanese Zen gardens have long promoted healing meditation, while monastic infirmaries almost always include a cloistered garden.

Surgical patients with views of nature have been

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Image by Dean Golja

Steven Wells (left) with Alan Armitage at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre.

Steven originally thought patients at the Acquired Brain Injury Unit would benefit from gardening activities, but now patients from all the departments – as well as visitors – use the space. One patient even got married there.

Science backs up centuries of garden practice.

Professor Roger Ulrich, director of the Centre for Health Systems and Design at Texas A&M University, found that viewing greenery helped with stress recovery.

As well as aiding physical health, gardens aid spiritual recovery, Betsy-Sue says. She cites key elements:

• • Having a tree canopy overhead is like having a hug.”

B E TS Y - S U E C L A R K E GARDEN DESIGNER

found to have shorter post-operative stays, take less pain medication and experience fewer minor postoperative complications than those facing man-made structures such as buildings.

Similar results have been noted since nurse and horticultural therapist Steven Wells created a therapeutic garden at Austin Health’s Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew, Victoria.

• • •

Being able to see the seasons changing helps with moving forward.

The sound of water is important and watching water moving – never in a straight line – reminds us that our lives aren’t perfect and controlled either.

Seeing how plants battle and survive helps us to battle our own storms.

Some plants evoke memories from our childhood – good and bad. “I try to replicate elements of loving memories to help visitors feel safer,” Betsy-Sue says.

The ability to make a memory in a garden, whether it’s placing flowers in a vase or stacking rocks, allows you to say, “I’ve been here”, and gives you a moment of peace or of letting go. ^

For gardening inspiration visit abc.net.au/gardening

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INSIGHT

THE NDIS and YOU The National Disability Insurance Scheme is a new national initiative set to transform the way people with disability are supported words Narelle Harris

T

he National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), announced in 2012, begins its three-year Australia-wide rollout on July 1 this year. The scheme will revolutionise the way people with disability receive the services and supports they need to actively contribute to Australian life.

It will bring life-changing benefits not just to their lives, but also their families, carers and communities.

Trial rollouts have been underway in selected Australian locations for three years, providing practical examples of how the NDIS works.

But what does the NDIS really mean for people with disability, their carers and their families?

Quite simply, says Debra Baldwin from Australian Unity’s Home Care Service, it’s “the biggest change to the community sector since Medicare”.

Debra, regional manager of the metropolitan Hunter area in NSW, says the enormity of the change offered to participants of the NDIS cannot be underestimated.

“It will bring people with disability onto a level playing field with the rest of the community and change their lives for the better,” she says.

“Our clients are pleasantly surprised to learn that the disability services they receive now will be moved to a system that will give them greater choice and control over their own lives.”

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The NDIS is expanding opportunities to access services and supports such as therapy, technology, transport, mobility aids and learning opportunities

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INSIGHT

NDIS KEY FACTS “Our staff are excited about the scheme as they can see new opportunities for increasing the skills they need to assist their clients to thrive and live their best possible lives,” Debra says. “And families will be given certainty that the scheme will provide guaranteed lifetime support for their loved one.”

WHY IS THERE A NEW SCHEME? In simple terms, the Australian Government is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for governments to provide all support “reasonable and necessary” to living an “ordinary life”. The existing system was identified as underfunded, unfair and inefficient, and was redesigned, from scratch. The result is the NDIS. An ordinary life is, in part, about equitable access to services and amenities, such as having wheelchair access and accessible toilets in all buildings. Largely, it’s about the community’s idea of the milestones of each life stage: attending primary school and high school; having access to further education; holding a job; developing a career; seeing films and concerts; taking holidays. Not everyone with disability can do all of these things but with the right support, the NDIS aims to assist people in getting as close as they want to, or is possible.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? Debra says that under the previous system, restricted funding hours meant that “many of our clients were only supported for their most basic needs and had very limited access to the community or social support services. Now they have greater opportunity for access to services and we can support them to achieve their goals and improve their lifestyles,” she says.

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Most significantly, the NDIS focuses on the person.

If there’s a disparity between a person’s life and the milestones of an ordinary life, the NDIS aims to help that person bridge the gap. What constitutes an ordinary life might be something as simple as catching a bus to the shops, having someone to take you out for a meal or a coffee, studying, learning how

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WHAT? WH H AT ?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a governmentfunded scheme that will provide lifetime funding support for people with disability.

HOW? By providing fairer, more efficient access to disability services funding.

WHY? To better support people with disability.

WHO? Anyone under the age of 65 years (when they first access the scheme) who has a permanent disability that significantly affects their ability to take part in everyday activities.

Are you already an NDIS participant and coming up to your 65th birthday?

If you turn 65 after you have entered the scheme, you can choose to stay in the NDIS or receive support through the aged care system.

THE ROLL OUT QUEENSLAND

•

PHASE 1 from 1 July 2016

•

•

Townsville Mackay Toowoomba

Ipswich Bundaberg Rockhampton

Beenleigh Cairns Brisbane Maryborough Caboolture/ Strathpine Maroochydore

PHASE 2 from 1 July 2017

PHASE 3 from 1 July 2018

Robina

NEW SOUTH WALES

•

PHASE 1 from 1 July 2016

Central Coast Hunter New England Nepean Blue Mountains Northern Sydney South Western Sydney Southern NSW Western Sydney

•

PHASE 2 from 1 July 2017 Illawarra Shoalhaven Mid North Coast Murrumbidgee Northern NSW South Eastern Sydney Sydney Western NSW Far West

VICTORIA

•

PHASE 1 from 1 July 2016

North East Melbourne Central Highlands Loddon

ROLL OUT PHASES

•

PHASE 1 from 1 July 2016

•

PHASE 2 from 1 July 2017

•

PHASE 3 from 1 July 2018

•

•

Hume Moreland

Southern Melbourne Brimbank Melton Western Melbourne Goulburn Mallee Outer Gippsland

PHASE 2 from 1 July 2017 Outer East Melbourne Inner East Melbourne Ovens Murray Inner Gippsland Western District Bayside Peninsula

PHASE 3 from 1 July 2018

To see when the NDIS is rolled out near you, visit ndis.gov.au W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 F LOU R I SH

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INSIGHT

to use an iPad, or going to a football game. In services terms, it could include personal assistance with getting ready for the day or being able to have regular, home-cooked meals or assistance with transport to community activities. In short, the NDIS is about much more than day-to-day living.

HOW WILL THE NDIS DO THIS? The NDIS is run by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), a government body that determines who is eligible to become a participant in the scheme.

This includes anyone who has permanent disability that significantly affects their everyday activities and who is under the age of 65 years when they first access the scheme.

An NDIA representative will meet individuals to discuss their goals and create an individual plan, including supports related to the person’s disability.

Goals might focus on health, employment, social participation, education and independence. The plan is the basis for determining the person’s funding for the year ahead and will be reviewed regularly. The scheme provides a lifelong commitment to meeting the needs of the person.

The funding model is the other significant change to how people obtain services, says Kaye McCulloch from Australian Unity. “When the client gets their plan, they can decide how the money will be managed,” Kaye says. “The NDIA can manage those funds, or people can choose to manage it themselves or to do it in partnership with the NDIA.” Whoever manages the funds, the decision on who provides services remains with the participant.

WHAT HAPPENS IF A PARTICIPANT’S NEEDS CHANGE? The NDIA meets annually with participants to reassess the plan, so it stays responsive. If someone’s plan relates to education, for example, different support might be needed at the start of that transition, and again when transitioning from school to work.

“The plan isn’t carved in stone,” Kaye says. “It’s meant to be a living, breathing document that evolves with that person.”

HOW AUSTRALIAN UNITY CAN SUPPORT YOU TO NAVIGATE THE NDIS Australian Unity is supporting existing clients with disability services for a smooth transition to the NDIS

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MAKING YOUR TR ANSITION

We will be with you every step of the way on your NDIS journey

EASY

1

2

3

We’re hosting free local information sessions on the NDIS

We’ve designed a special workbook to support you to identify your goals

We will meet with you one-on-one to talk about your personal needs and goals

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5

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We can join you at your meeting with the NDIA

When your plan is approved by the NDIA we will meet with you to discuss your preferences

We will stay in touch with you regularly and can support you when your plan is reviewed by the NDIA each year

Contact us at any time to talk about NDIS. Chat with your local Home Services representative, or phone us on 1300 160 170 W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 F LOU R I SH

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INSIGHT

by providing free information sessions and offering one-on-one pre-planning meetings. The preplanning meetings with Australian Unity are to discuss clients’ current support arrangements and explore their goals for the future. This will assist clients to feel prepared for when the NDIA planner contacts them to develop their NDIS plan.

Australian Unity is training staff in every branch as NDIS coordinators. These coordinators will be able to provide expert advice and support to clients with disability, while visiting them in their homes as the scheme is rolled out.

“Through our understanding of their daily living activities and their current service plan, we will be able to provide clients with pre-planning support and help them articulate their needs and goals as they move to the NDIS,” Debra says.

“The whole point of the plan is to centre on the person with disability and those closest to them.

A good plan focuses on what a good life means to each individual, what’s working and what they would like to change, and it addresses the support they need to thrive.”

Services might include support with self-care, overnight care and community participation.

A plan could include living in supported accommodation, improving daily living skills and assistive technology such as wheelchairs, ramps and mobility aids.

TALK TO AUSTRALIAN UNITY Australian Unity’s proud history of supporting the wellbeing of Australians spans more than 175 years. As one of the nation’s largest providers of home services and disability services, we stand ready to provide a diverse range of supports and services to Australians with disability.

“This is such a significant national social policy transformation,” Kaye says. “Twenty per cent of Australians live with some sort of disability. That’s a lot of people whose lives are going to be impacted by this. Add to that their carers, their families, the wider community – it’s huge. It’s going to make such a positive difference.”

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POSITIVE CHANGES POTENTIAL SERVICES UNDER NDIS

to daily • Transport life activities Support to access • your community:

• • • •

• • • • • •

going to the library, going out socially, joining a club, getting a job Support for home modification Being able to study or learn a new skill New mobility aids such as wheelchairs Additional therapy: speech therapy, aquatherapy, physiotherapy to gain strength, sign language for communication skills New technology: talking scales, audio books, text-to-speech computer software, iPads, computers Personal care such as showers, dressing and being assisted to bed Medical check ups Meal services Basic medical equipment Basic housework

Image by Chris Elfes

Learn more about the NDIS ndis.gov.au

CASE STUDY Better than ordinary

Greg Ferguson with his mother Joyce. The NDIS has given him more choice and flexibility.

Greg Ferguson is excitedly planning his first holiday in more than a decade, thanks to the NDIS. He and some friends are going on a fishing trip to Iluka, near the mouth of the Clarence River in NSW. He’ll stay in a cabin and join friends on the riverbank.

PREVIOUS SERVICES

Personal care such as • showers, dressing and

• • • •

being assisted to bed Medical check ups Meal services Basic medical equipment Basic housework

Greg, 62, lives in North Lambton, near Newcastle, in the Hunter Valley in NSW. He’s an Australian Unity Home Care Service client and joined the NDIS trial in 2013. “I didn’t really have any idea what to expect,” says Greg, who is quadriplegic. “Only that the NDIS would offer more services – I was really only getting showers in the morning and assisted to bed at night.”

Under NDIS and with Australian Unity’s Home Care Service as his service provider, Greg now has support with meal preparation, social participation and equipment. Greg’s very happy with the improvements. “I live with my mother, Joyce, who is 94. Now she doesn’t have to worry about me as much, or do as much around the house and I can have a bit more flexibility in life. I can get out and mix with people,” he says.

Greg’s initial concerns about the NDIS were addressed early with his NDIA planner. He discussed his goals and they helped him develop a year-long plan. “If you need any additional equipment or anything like that, you just ring your coordinator at NDIA and they adjust the plan,” he says. Greg says his expectations were definitely met: “I have more options and independence now.” What is his advice to those who will transition to the scheme? “Talk to someone who’s on the scheme. Talk to your service provider. Get onto it.”

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Send and Switch To see how much you could save on your car and home insurance It’s now easy to find out if you can pay less for your car or home insurance.

Australian Unity Send and Switch makes it simple to get a great price.

Just follow these simple steps to see whether you can save.

1

2

INSURAN CE RENEWAL W NSURANCE RENEWAL

3

X

EMAIL

OR

OR

INSURANCE RENEWAL YOUR PREMIUM

OR

$975 9

0400 000 111

YOUR PREMIUM$975 OUR PREMIUM

$975

Grab your current policy or renewal

Photograph the pages

Either of these documents gives us the information we need to give you our best deal.

Use your smartphone to photograph the pages detailing your car or home insurance.

Email the pages to us Email your photograph of your current policy schedule or a PDF to: gisales@australianunity.com.au Add your name, phone number and the best time to call.

Australian Unity Send and Switch makes it easy to see how much you could save!

Email us your current policy today.

Normal Underwriting conditions apply. The Insurer for Australian Unity Car Insurance and Australian Unity Home Insurance is QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035 AFSL 239545, and is distributed by Australian Unity Personal Financial Services Ltd ABN 26 098 725 145 AFSL 234459. Always consider the PDS to determine if a product is right for you.

gisales@australianunity.com.au australianunity.com.au/generalinsurance 1800 171 889

DISCOVER

Everyone’s

best friend A pat and a chat brings smiles to the faces of children in hospital and aged-care residents words Mary O’Brien

O

nce a fortnight, volunteer Jasna Zoretic and her four-year-old Samoyed, Aurora, brighten the lives of residents at a Sydney aged care residence. Jasna is one of more than 1,000 volunteers from the Delta Society who, with their faithful dogs, visit aged care residences, hospitals, mental health facilities and prisons to have a chat, a pat and offer a paw to shake.

Delta Society Australia is a national non-profit organisation founded in 1997. It aims to promote positive interaction between people and pets and to be a national leader in animalassisted therapies.

Comedian Kitty Flanagan and her dog, Henry, are high-profile members of the Delta teams, which visit 20,000 people in 1,035 centres g

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DISCOVER

Image from Delta Dogs

Brooke Foy and her golden retreiver, Molly (left). Delta dogs come in all shapes and sizes.

Pet therapy benefits: reduces blood pressure + provides tactile stimulation + gives motivation to move + promotes social interaction + stimulates memory + has a calming effect + can improve morale in shared living facilities

WANT TO KNOW MORE? deltasociety.com.au Volunteer with the Delta Society, or find out about pet therapy available to you.

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Image by Dean Golja

Delta Society’s Jeri Egleston and Tarra visit a dog lover.

across the country weekly. Pet therapy is well documented as good for people’s physical and mental health, and there are 140 centres on the Delta Society’s waiting list.

Jasna had wanted to volunteer for some time but her first dog wasn’t suitable. Aurora was a different story. “This little fluff ball came into my life and she just wanted to please and be a part of everyone’s life,” she says. Jasna visits the residents at an aged care residence in Sydney’s Marrickville every fortnight.

Aurora calls into their rooms and sometimes lies on their beds. “She’s the attraction, and she loves the attention,” says Jasna, who believes she gets more back from the experience than she puts in.

Kitty Flannagan and her “furry boy” Henry.

Aurora has won over some lovely people, including a woman who was bitten by a dog as a child and had been scared of animals. Now the woman meets Aurora in the hall and holds her lead.

Pet therapy reduces blood pressure, provides tactile stimulation and gives motivation to move, according to the Australian Companion Animal Council. It also promotes social interaction, stimulates memory, has a calming effect and can improve morale in shared living facilities.

Aged care manager Louise Francis believes pet therapy is a positive initiative. “A lot of people here are bed and chair-bound, some are blind and a lot have dementia,” she says. “They respond to the dog if they can see or touch it, they like to be able to give it a little pat. Many have had animals themselves and they miss their own pets.”

Kitty Flanagan signed up as a Delta volunteer in 2013.

While Kitty is a laugh a minute, her dog Henry is also quite a character. Initially they visited children’s hospitals but Henry became too distracted by the toys. They switched to visiting an older age group, which was a success.

“My gorgeous furry boy, Henry, is a Delta therapy dog,” Kitty says. “Therapy dogs are not like other service dogs. They have just one simple job; to bring joy to everyone they visit.” The comedian says Henry helped her through a serious relationship break-up.

“I discovered what all dog owners know: that it’s almost impossible to sit around and feel sorry for yourself when you have a dog.” Now Kitty and Henry work as ambassadors for Delta, helping to raise

“I discovered what all dog owners know: that it’s almost impossible to sit around and feel sorry for yourself when you have a dog.

K I T T Y F L A N AG A N COMEDIAN

money and encouraging others to take part in pet therapy teams.

Brisbane-based Brooke Foy’s life has been changed by her volunteering. Ten years ago she signed up to Delta with her golden retriever, Molly.

Now she is a therapy dog assessor and runs her own dog-training business. “We have to make sure dogs have the right temperament,” Brooke says. “Pet therapy has to be something the dog enjoys as well.”

Delta’s national therapy dogs manager Liz Woodward says more people are enquiring about the benefits of pet therapy. Liz says the visits by volunteers and their dogs have a positive effect on people of all ages.

“A visit really helps to brighten the mood of staff and it lifts the mood of the whole place when a dog comes in,” Liz says. ^

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EXPLORE

Join a creative tour and learn to paint an awe-inspiring landscape.

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PURSUE

Interested in music, textiles or painting?

Travel with a group of compatible adventurers words Kirstie Bedford

your passion

I

magine joining an intimate group of classical music devotees on a guided tour into the lives of the great music composers of Europe, creating textiles with a group of like-minded souls in India, or learning to paint watercolours beside a river in Japan. Creative tours, run by passionate operators with fascinating stories, are the latest in travel adventures for those not so keen on climbing Everest, white-water rafting, or cycling across France.

Sydney-based Jennifer Richardson set up The Create Escape 12 years ago and is planning a tour in October this year that will reveal the “heart and soul” of the great composers of Europe. She will show classical music lovers where greats such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were born, where they lived and what influenced their work.

Some mobility is required, though travellers are escorted on a bus to each location. The tour will visit Prague, Vienna, Salzburg and Munich and look at the lives of other famous composers including Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert and Max Steiner. Jennifer’s own journey, from a career in graphic design and marketing to tour guide, began during a self-healing process after the death of her 17-yearold son, who had been chronically ill for many years with cystic fibrosis.

Singing had always been an interest and Jennifer began singing with refugees. After seeing the joy it could bring, Jennifer decided to give up her full-time job and set up The Create Escape to combine her passion for music with travel.

“At the time, no one else was doing anything like that. There weren’t really any specialist tours of this kind where you could travel with like-minded people, so it sold out within three months,” she says. g

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EXPLORE

When you travel with a group of people where your passion resonates and you’re in a beautiful mind-blowing environment, the common thread creates friendship unlike anything else.”

JENNIFER RICHARDSON THE CREATE ESCAPE

“We had a lovely lady who was going through chemotherapy at the time, and she just had such a fantastic experience, her face was glowing at the end.

“When you travel with a group of people where your passion resonates and you’re in a beautiful mind-blowing environment, the common thread creates friendship unlike anything else, and everyone helps each other out,” Jennifer says.

All hands in for a tactile textile experience (above) and singing in Siena (below).

TACTILE TRAVEL Fiona Wright and her husband Praveen Nayak, from Gresford in the Hunter Valley, NSW, combined their talents and launched Creative Arts Safari 12 years ago. She’s a teacher in textile and design and he had spent 30 years in the tourism sector, so the fit seemed natural. Their small-group tours focus on textiles and culture and include hands-on experiences in villages and studios in Northern India.

Fiona and Praveen also operate a textile workshop called The Stitching Project in a village in Rajasthan, where they create work for around 100 home-based women. The aim of the tours is to create a relaxed feeling that allows people to travel together without the headache of day-to-day logistics, transport, accommodation and meals, says Fiona.

“We want to show the popular sights for sure, but also find the real places where the locals live, so we look for homes, studios and out-of-the-way corners to visit. We spend a great deal of time and effort on our research and contacts, and we will tweak tours from one visit to the next with our latest discoveries.

“Textiles is a special interest of ours and affords lots of hands-on opportunities. But often, when partners or friends join the one with a textile interest, they tell us they enjoyed the experience more than they had expected.”

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Art inspired by tranquil surroundings on a Painting Holidays tour.

Travelling the region is by minibus and requires some mobility to walk from various sites, but Fiona says only a gentle walk is required. The next tour to Rajasthan is planned for October 2016.

A BRUSH WITH BEAUTY Melbourne-based Glen Saunders takes art tours across South-East Asia and Japan. Participants pack up their sketching equipment and stroll to quaint locations to capture their experiences on paper or canvas. There’s no trekking required.

“The idea is that it’s a holiday for art lovers and while we go somewhere to sightsee, we sit down and do sketches. We go to little wooden houses along the river, temples and mountains and really get to see the real Japan,” Glen says. His business, Painting Holidays, began eight years ago after a conversation with the head of a painting group he had joined.

For his upcoming Japan tour in November 2016, Glen has partnered with award-winning watercolour and acrylics artist Craig Penny, who will take a group to Kyoto and Osaka during the autumn season, when the colours are spectacular for sketching.

“We stay in quality accommodation that reflects the traditions and feel of the area, and have local guides show us around, while the accompanying artist from Australia can inspire and support guests’ efforts to sketch and draw what they see and find interesting.”

SONGS, STITCHES AND SKETCHES ON TOUR

In the footsteps of great masters 2016 Prague, Vienna, Salzburg and Munich October 1-9, 2016 The Create Escape thecreateescape.com.au Rajasthan: a tactile textile tour Rajasthan October 8-27, 2016 Creative Arts Safari creative-arts-safaris.com The sketch book tour of Japan Kyoto and Osaka November 1-10, 2016 Painting Holidays paintingholidays.com.au

Glen says specialised tours are catching on as a great way to pursue your passion while on holiday. “There are such diverse tours now, whether it’s yoga, health, writing. Basically anything you can think of as a pastime is now incorporated in a tour or a holiday.

It is driven by the variations in generations now travelling, and it’s showing no signs of slowing.” ^

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BALANCE

WINTER FLAVOUR

Citrus makes everything taste better words J a n e C a n away

I

t’s hard to imagine life without oranges and lemons. A staple of cuisines from Spain to China, citrus is probably our most versatile fruit family. Best of all, they come into season now, when many others have ended. There are about seven species of native limes, plus cultivars, but sadly they are still rare in shops – which is ironic because new research suggests all modern varieties can be traced back to Australasian species from 30 million years ago. However, you will find new-season lemons, limes, satsumas – a lunchbox favourite – and navel oranges, taking over from summer’s Valencias.

You might even find tangelos, citrons, yuzu, Buddha’s hand or bergamot; there are hundreds of types and they’re all cousins.

They’re also good for you, providing fibre, lots of vitamin C, B vitamins (including folate), antioxidants and trace minerals.

Few Greek dishes are complete without lemon, and it’s a healthy addition: squeeze it on salads, stir fries, risottos, roast potatoes, chicken, fish, water, tea – and an occasional gin and tonic. High levels of citric acid mean lemon is a good meat tenderiser and it can be used as a cleaning aid. It’s even supposed to fade sunspots. To preserve a glut, you can freeze juice in ice trays, make cordial and curd, or preserve lemons in salt.

cooking tip Add lemon juice before scrambling eggs to retain their golden colour.

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Limes can be substituted for a change; generally they are more acidic. The sweetest citrus are oranges, which work well in cakes, desserts and salads. Try oranges with raw fennel for a summery crunch in winter. Or create the colourful Sicilian orange salad, using a range of sliced citrus dressed with olives, red onion and olive oil.

Swap tinned fruit for fresh citrus to make a refreshingly different trifle; you can even make the jelly from scratch using fresh juice, and decorate with shavings of orange-flavoured chocolate.

Grapefruit adds flavour to a salad too – it is particularly tasty with avocado, rocket and prawns, or in a Vietnamese-style slaw with chicken or crab. ^

quick curd

Illustrations by Clementine/ The Illustration Room

Make an easy lemon curd by whisking: 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 175g caster sugar 80g butter 2 lemons (zest & juice) Stir continuously over low heat until thickened.

Store in an airtight jar in the fridge.

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— WITH —

STEVE LIEBMA N N As one of Australia’s most respected journalists and broadcasters, Steve Liebmann knows how to find a good story.

Join him as he shares tea and bickies with some of the great characters within the Australian Unity community.

Follow the series at teaandbickies.com.au