January 2015
Editorial Happy New Year, and welcome to the first 2015 edition of Community News! We hope everyone in the Hunter Valley Care community has had a happy, peaceful Christmas break and a fantastic start to the year. We’re getting right back into the swing of things this issue with plenty of photos, news and recaps from the festive season. We’re also reflecting on the wonderful year that was 2014 with flashbacks to some of our favourite moments from each facility. First cabs off the rank for profiles this month are Ruth Jones, resident at Amaroo, and Susan Cook, respite resident of The Sanctuary. You’ll also meet staff members Carina Bentley, also of The Sanctuary, and Pauline Boswell of Waterview. All these ladies shared some lovely stories, and we’re sure to be hearing many more throughout 2015!
Hunter Valley Care COMMUNITY NEWS is a monthly newsletter published by the Hunter Valley Care Family to promote communication with our residents, their families, our staff and the wider community. For more information contact Kate Austen: kate@hvcare.com.au Claire Bradshaw: claire@hvcare.com.au
We’re looking forward to a great year ahead, full of activities, celebrations and events in our community – and we can’t wait to share it all with you in Community News. Happy reading!
The beautiful Marjorie Drysdale from Fig Tree Point tries her hand at puppetry during a Christmas party held for playgroup children in December.
Hunter Valley Care strives to set the future direction for life choices in the Hunter region. We actively seek feedback from residents in our care as well as their families; this is a fundamental element that drives ongoing improvement to the quality of the services we offer.
Have you clicked ‘Like’ on the Hunter Valley Care Facebook page yet? If not, head over and do so today to get HVC pics, news and updates in your feed! Visit www.facebook.com/HunterValleyCare and help us build up our online community.
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For feedback contact us: Head Office Street: 78 York Street, Teralba NSW 2284 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: (02) 4955 6400 Fax: (02) 4955 6411 Email: helen@elss.com.au
HVC Resident Profile
To kick things off in 2015, we’re introducing readers to one of our newer residents, Ruth Jones of Amaroo. This lovely lady has plenty of family connections with HVC, so she seemed a natural choice for our first profile this year! Ruth was born and grew up in Brisbane, where she eventually met and married beloved husband Eric. Shortly after marriage, the pair moved to Cairns for five years, where they had their first three children: Gary, Wayne and Deborah. While they enjoyed living up in sunny Cairns, there was a lack of work there for Eric, so the family moved back to his hometown of Newcastle, where Eric could seek employment at BHP. Once in Newcastle, Ruth and Eric had three more children, Louise, Michelle and Julie, bringing the family to a total of six kids! Now with 13 grandchildren and plenty of greatgrandchildren, Ruth is able to see her large family quite often as they all live locally. The family member she sees the most, however, is daughter Louise (pictured right), who is an AIN at Amaroo – meaning she’s always nice and close to Mum! And that’s not the end to Ruth’s family connection with Hunter Valley Care: her son Wayne is the site manager at HVC’s new development, Marmong Waters,
and Wayne’s partner Carina is a Personal Carer at none other than The Sanctuary (and the subject of a featured Staff Profile this month)! How’s that for a family affair? Five years ago, after having a heart operation, Ruth suffered a stroke. While it’s been a long process, she is still recovering very well, practising walking every day to build her strength back up. Having loved playing lawn bowls at Charlestown Bowling Club, she does miss the sport and the company of her fellow bowling ladies, but is hoping to one day get back to playing. What a great attitude to have – and with her progress so far, we have all our fingers crossed that her hard work will be rewarded with a round of her favourite game! Ruth enjoys life at Amaroo, emphasising how well-looked-
after she is and how she has gotten to know a lot of the lovely staff members. The nursing staff, as well as the Amaroo community in general,
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were a great help when Ruth lost her husband not long ago; at such a sad time, she says they have always been there to talk with her and help her to deal with her grief. Keeping herself active is also an important component of helping life to go on, and Ruth enjoys going on all Amaroo’s bus trips, attending activities and playing bingo. While she says she doesn’t seem to win a lot at housie, she is extra-popular with her greatgrandkids when she does, as she keeps her lolly prizes to hand out to them. What a good greatgrandma! With her quiet demeanour, beautiful smile and lovely attitude towards life, it is a pleasure to get to know Ruth. She’s a wonderful matriarch to her loving family and an asset to our community at Amaroo. CB
HVC Staff Profile
We thought we’d start off staff profiles in 2015 by getting to know one of our longer-serving staff members. Waterview’s Pauline Boswell has been with us for almost 15 years and is a great asset to HVC – we’ve even heard her called ‘the pillar of Waterview’, and for good reason! Born and bred in Charlestown, Pauline has witnessed the suburb’s rapid growth into Lake Macquarie’s biggest and busiest suburb. When she was growing up, there was only one house on her street – so it’s been quite the change! Having been employed in retail
(mainly in the jewellery sector) throughout her whole working life, Pauline decided in the early 2000s that it was time for a change in direction. Seeking something completely different to do, she took an Assistantin-Nursing course, which led her to begin work at Waterview (then called Lakeside Lodge) in 2001. She went on to take up an Activities Officer position for around five years, thereafter moving into administration, where she has remained for the past seven years. Pauline’s current role of Administration Officer involves dealing with all new admissions and placements, overseeing ACFI funding matters, and generally running the show from the front office. If ever you need a go-to person with the answer to all your questions, Pauline is likely to be it! Like many others, Pauline’s favourite part of her job is the people. She loves Waterview’s residents and enjoys making sure they are happy in a nice, secure living environment. You will often see her participating
in the facility’s various events – she isn’t afraid of dressing up, so if you happen to wander into the front office to find her in a crazy outfit, it means there’s a party going on at Waterview! (See our flashbacks on page 17 for a shot of Pauline getting into the Australia Day spirit last year!) Pauline currently lives in Wallsend with her husband. As well as spending time with their two children and five grandchildren, the pair enjoy going on cruises whenever they can, fishing at North Haven, and lawn bowling at Wallsend Bowling Club. We hear they are quite the dynamic duo when it comes to bowling, having picked up a few prizes for their efforts! We’re so pleased to have been able to introduce Pauline to readers this month. And if you’re ever around Waterview, pop your head into her office to say hi – you’ll be greeted with a warm welcome (and perhaps an interesting theme day costume) from this lovely lady! CB
16th Feb - The chickens are coming! (Save the date) Forget Valentine’s Day – this February Hunter Valley Care facilities will be home to 12 fluffy, chirping newborn chickens! From the 16th of Feb, residents will be able to watch the hatching process of a dozen baby chicks. Henny Penny Hatching, a professional hatching program vendor, will provide eggs set to hatch over multiple days. This means everyone has a good chance of actually seeing a chick emerge.
A glass incubator and brooding pen will be set up for ease of viewing. Residents may like to help with changing the chicks’ water and feed and making sure they’re warm enough under their brooding lamp – or they may be content to simply sit back and watch the little fluffballs chirping away! So jot the date in your diary, round up the grandkids, and get ready for a cuteness overload! We can’t wait for you to meet our little hatchlings. 4
HVC Resident Profile
Despite the fact that the beautiful Susan Cook has been a respite resident at The Sanctuary for only two months, her kindness and easy-going nature so perfectly complements the community that it seems she has been here for much longer. Susan’s journey so far is an interesting one. Born in Germany, she is the eldest of two daughters. Her mother, a native of Kassel (near Berlin), met her Canadian father in the tumultuous early 60s while he was stationed in Berlin with the Canadian Peacekeeping Corps. After spending a few years in Germany, they eventually moved to Canada to spend some time with Susan’s father’s family in Newfoundland. While most of Susan’s memories of this time are grounded in photos, they are overwhelmingly good. One thing she does remember clearly is the cold – Newfoundland effectively has nine months a year of winter weather! When Susan was almost ten, her parents decided to set out on their own. They initially considered South Africa, which Susan remembers as the most beautiful place she had ever seen – until she found out about the multitude of great white sharks that patrol the beaches! Eventually deciding that the political framework of the country was too unstable, Susan’s parents got the girls on a boat to Australia, and headed for Sydney. Susan loved her time in Sydney, and believes it was a great place to bring up a family. However,
another family move meant she was to finish her schooling in Taree – initially quite a shock for a teenager and self-confessed city chick! Nevertheless, Susan quickly made friends, and slowly but surely became a country girl. And she has never looked back! It is no surprise that Susan eventually settled in rural south-east Queensland, where she now has a picturesque one-and-a-half acre property in the quaintly named Pie Creek. She talks fondly of her little slice of paradise, where as a journalist she works from home in the peace and quiet, with her beloved dog Fly by her side. There’s no question that, while she likes Newcastle, she misses her home, and would be back there in a flash if it wasn’t for her current health issues. Susan is recovering from an operation and subsequent treatment for brain tumours. This is the second time she has faced this illness. Six years ago while holidaying in Germany, a persistent migraine led to the initial discovery of tumours. Happily, the operation and treatment were very successful, and Susan spent five years in the clear. Unfortunately, a few serious seizures in June last year heralded their reoccurrence. She was operated on in Brisbane, but then moved to Newcastle for treatment and recovery so she could be closer to her sister, who resides here, and mother and father, who now live in Victoria and southern NSW. While Susan’s battles are not over quite yet (she may be up
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for further treatments this year), she believes The Sanctuary is the best place for her at the moment. It is nice for her to be so close to her sister, who she says takes fantastic care of her, and her mother and stepfather, and father and stepmother, who travel up regularly and ensure she has plenty of visitors. She even has her loyal best mate relatively close by – Fly is being dog-sat by family friends on the Central Coast, and Susan visits as often as she can. While Susan would love to get back to work, she tries not to get too frustrated about it. At the moment she recognises the importance of rest and rehabilitation, and although she misses her home, she finds that she can connect to the quiet, peaceful and healing environment under the beautiful canopy of treetops at The Sanctuary. While she is resting, it also means that residents and staff at The Sanctuary get to enjoy the company and friendship of this lovely lady. We are certainly glad that she can be a part of The Sanctuary community while she recovers! KA
HVC Staff Profile
Carina loves her role as a Personal Carer. The unique setup of The Sanctuary, with its small number of residents, private apartments, and community living, allows for her to have genuine personal relationships with the residents and their families. In fact, some of them have been here longer than she has and have become like her own extended family. The energetic Carina Bentley has been a Personal Carer at The Sanctuary for three years now, and with her bubbly, caring personality and seemingly endless supply of energy, it’s a role she seems made for. Carina was raised in Hamilton South, and with three older brothers it’s not surprising she grew up playing various sports. Tennis became her main love, and her school years were spent travelling to tournaments, eventually competing at an A-grade level. After school Carina worked in a pathology lab for seven years, while still playing competitive tennis and squash. She then went on to teach aerobics, take on a nannying job, and work in a wholesale nursery – all intensely physical roles – while raising a family of four children! Energetic to say the least! A few years ago, on the recommendation of a close friend, she spent a few weeks at The Sanctuary filling in for a staff member on leave – and we are happy to say she has been with us ever since.
As in all of her previous career choices, her position is also one that requires loads of energy and can be quite physically demanding! Carina’s daily activities range from arranging and accompanying residents to medical appointments and social engagements, running errands, accompanying residents on shopping trips, preparing and cooking meals, going for walks and assisting residents with their housework and cleaning – anything that needs doing, really! Another important aspect of Carina’s role is to facilitate The Sanctuary’s aim of keeping residents involved in activities, connected to the community and family members, and mobile for as long as possible, all without taking away their independence. And while many residents are permanent, respite residents are coming and going all the time, so Carina assists with their integration in and out of the community and just generally makes them feel welcome. It’s rewarding work that comes with many challenges, but this keeps the job exciting. In her three years at The Sanctuary
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there have been lots of changes, and there are many more in the pipeline as the facility keeps expanding. In her spare time Carina loves shopping, garage sales, and travelling! Her favourite holiday destinations are in south-east Asia – in particular Vietnam, where she has been three times. And while her three daughters are all grown up, some with families of their own, her 14-year-old son still lives at home and sometimes travels with Carina and her partner. It is her son who is the driving force behind their next trip, and while Carina would be happy to go back to Vietnam a fourth time, it looks like they might be heading to either Japan or the USA! Perhaps the most astonishing thing about this vivacious and talented lady is that she is a grandmother to five girls – and there’s a grandson on the way. (She just looks too young!) When you add her partner’s three beautiful grandchildren to the mix, the two of them will very soon have nine grandchildren! However, if Carina’s workplace manner is anything to go by, we think she would be a fun grandmother to have. She’s funny, kindhearted, has boundless energy, enjoys a good laugh and dresses up at the drop of a hat – perfect grandmother material! Mind you, we are very thankful her grandchildren share her with us, as she also makes a wonderful Personal Carer and is an integral member of our community at The Sanctuary. KA
International Children’s Games The International Children’s Games is the largest multi-sport youth event in the world. Every year, around 1500 young athletes from all over the globe come together to participate in the Games – and at the end of last year, the prestigious event took place in our very own Lake Macquarie! From 6th–11th December, athletes aged 12–15 competed in sports ranging from swimming and gymnastics to golf, BMX and sailing. As well as celebrating young athletes and fostering friendly competition, the Games are all about promoting peace, goodwill and understanding between countries of the world. How lucky we are to have hosted such a great event in our beloved city!
Playgroup Christmas party at Fig Tree Point
‘Mary Christmas’ visited the children of FTP’s playgroup in December.
Staff member Gary Ingersoll brought in his puppet collection for entertainment.
Frances Sneddon getting friendly with a lorikeet!
Marjorie Drysdale tries her hand at puppetry!
Maryanne Hardwood watches the children having fun with the puppets.
Berys Marchant also enjoyed the playgroup Christmas Party.
Betty Tansy makes an entertaining puppeteer!
Joy Granger entertains with the season’s star puppet - Santa Claus!
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pets seem Linda Clayton’s and Gary’s pup own. their of y part pet pup a ng to be havi
Concerts, carols and lunch at the club: Amaroo news Unsurprisingly, Amaroo has been a whirlwind of activity over the last month or two, with barely time to draw breath between all the festive happenings! There were plenty of concerts to get everyone in a cheerful holiday mood, including facility favourites Peter Stefanson, Mel Summers, Bob Thomas, Adam Price and Sam Franze. A Christmas lights bus trip, complete with cheese, bickies and punch, was a highlight, and of course there were Christmas parties galore – both in-house and at Macquarie Life Church. See page 14 for Macquarie Life photos, and keep an eye out next month for pics from the other parties! To heighten the Christmas spirit, residents were lucky enough to have members of a local church come a-carolling one Saturday – and they didn’t even have to leave their rooms to enjoy it. The
group performed their carols while strolling the halls of Amaroo, filling the whole facility with Christmas cheer! In other news, back at the end of November, an outing to Stockton for a BBQ was planned. However, due to some unpredictable weather, the BBQ was replaced with a lovely lunch stop at Stockton RSL Club. See photos below for some of our extremely photogenic residents enjoying the day out! We have recently had a wonderful update on the status of Amaroo’s potential second fish tank: $500 has been generously donated by a family to put towards a second tank. Extra Services will soon be able to enjoy their own aquatic display in the Gardenia dining room.
As things wind down after the Christmas period, residents have been settling down to some quieter activities such as gardening. Amaroo’s men’s gardening group has been busily working on a veggie patch full of home-grown goodness – stay tuned next month for a feature on these green-thumbed gentlemen!
Resident Toula Stamell enjoys a cuddle with Bella, who’s getting bigger by the day.
Pat Holt peruses the menu at Stockton RSL.
Shirley Davies also enjoyed the day out to Stockton.
A resident who is always smiling - Bill Wade.
Another beautiful smile from Glennis Davis.
Gertrude Runkin, looking lovely!
Ellen Mcabe poses for a snap at the club.
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Show tunes and crafternoons: Waterview news December was a month full of fun and festive spirits at all our facilities, and Waterview was no exception! From bus trips and fashion shows to Christmas parties and concerts, our Teralba facility has been absolutely buzzing. Stay tuned next month for a full recap and gallery of festive photos! Speaking of concerts: pianist Peter Cummings is a popular and regular performer at Waterview. But on Monday, 8th December, he brought a very special guest along with him…the fabulous Wayne Rogers, finalist in 2011’s Australia’s Got Talent! Peter and Wayne have been performing together for around 20 years, starting at Lambton’s King’s Theatre (now Lizotte’s), where Peter composed music for plays and Wayne often took the leading role. Thanks to a special effort by Activities Officer Tracey, Wayne was booked in for a wonderfully entertaining concert at Waterview. Accompanied by Peter on
Wayne encouraged lots of audience participation during his performance, as shown here with Clare Cosentino!
piano, he treated residents to renditions of such classics as ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’, ‘My Way’, and even a Sound of Music medley! Interacting with residents throughout the performance and raising some laughs with cheeky one-liners, Wayne put on a show with a difference – and residents absolutely loved it. He was the talk of the town at Waterview for days afterwards! In other news, Waterview residents have recently enjoyed a fashion and shoe party, and have also been doing some sewing and knitting of their own. Tracey’s knitting group has been working on various projects, including knitting squares to pass onto Whitebridge High School, who will turn them into blankets for dog rescue facilities. Kerry’s sewing group has also been making plans to create an authentic 1960s-style dress from an old pattern – work will begin on this project next year. We can’t wait to see the results!
Melva Hannerstan is serenaded by Wayne.
Wayne’s outfit, hair and makeup were the envy of all the ladies in the room!
Many residentscaption enjoyed a singalong with Wayne, including Ruth Lumby.
Peter Cummings works his magic on the piano.
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Christmas spirit: Fig Tree Point news December was a complete whirlwind at Fig Tree Point – and we’re not just talking about the windy, stormy weather! A host of Christmas-themed concerts and activities scattered the month, including two amazing Christmas parties.
It was great to see so many family members joining their loved ones for the Christmas celebrations. Witnessing the dining rooms of Fig Tree Point resounding with so much joy, love and laughter really reinforced what Christmas is all about.
Residents and staff of the Nursing Home celebrated the Christmas season on the 9th of December, kicking off with a fantastic carols concert by the Blackalls Park Public School Band, followed by a surprise visit and concert by Elvis! To top it off, a lovely Christmas feast was enjoyed by all.
Heartfelt thanks must go to Deborah, Head Chef at Fig Tree Point, for pulling out all stops and making the Christmas menus super special. Special thanks must also be extended to all kitchen staff, office staff, activities officers, nurses, AINs, maintenance and cleaning staff, who worked extra hard to make both days such a huge success. Fig Tree Point wouldn’t be the amazing place it was without you all!
Christmas was celebrated on the 10th down in Extra Services, with the kitchen staff backing up for another extravagant feast, including oysters and smoked salmon for entrees and a beautiful main meal of turkey and stuffing, ham, roast pork with all the trimmings, a huge whole baked salmon, prawns, and an array of amazing salads. Apparently by this stage, everyone was just about full to the brim, but being responsible citizens the Fig Tree Point party-goers still managed to make a significant dent in the dessert selection! And with traditional steamed pud, custard, trifle, rum and raisin cheesecake, plain cheesecake, ice cream and cream all on offer, it’s no surprise that the lunchtime party went for over three hours, with many a resident retiring to their rooms to sleep off all that hard work!
Staff member Amanda brought her little baby to visit the Christmas party.
And of course, who could forget Santa! It is testament to Santa’s super organisational skills that in December, the busiest time of his year, he could make not one, but two trips on successive days to visit our little peninsula. Cheers, Santa Gus! (And if anyone is interested – Santa also runs first aid courses if you feel the need to brush up on your skills!) In other news, bus trips in December took residents to the Belmont 16 Footers, Speers Point, and of course on the ever-popular Christmas lights tour. While taking in the spectacular seasonal lights, residents enjoyed Christmas cake, champagne, and a Maccas ice cream. (The ice cream was purely
Blackalls Park Public School band played some wonderful carols.
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These amazing Christmas gou rds were painted last year by AO Greg Slev in.
medicinal – residents needed the extra energy to make it to the end of the tour, which kept them out until almost midnight! Ragers.) Residents who attended art therapy in December also had a special treat, as Helen Belcher showed slides from her recent trip to Africa. We hear Helen is to return to Africa in the future – so another fascinating slide show may be on the cards! In sports news, it seems hockey is the new Fig Tree Point competition sport! Apparently residents and staff have been getting some great workouts during recent games – although mainly from laughing! We are most intrigued, and hope to have some photos to show you next month. Likewise, at the time of going to print, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve were yet to happen, so keep an eye out in February’s Community News for photos of Christmas Day at Fig Tree Point and the big NYE Happy Hour celebration and concert by Des.
Staff members Sharon (L) and Brittany (R) with FTP’s very own Santa Gus.
Gwen, Sharon and Sheila at the Nursing Home Christmas Party.
Mary Perry gets a visit from a very Australian Santa Gus.
Neta Young looking beautiful dressed up for lunch. The hat tops off the look!
Lovely June Tayler celebrated Christmas at the Extra Services party.
Joan Webb completely nails the season’s fashion palette with this cheerful outfit!
Joy Granger and Santa Gus discuss what looks like some serious topics!
Among the many welcome visitors on the day were June and Bob Tayler’s family.
Mina O’Sullivan and Millie Moulton enjoy the concert on the balcony.
water at There must be something in the held in was er show baby ble dou FTP! A and Jess. Bri bers mem staff December for We wish them the best of luck!
There’s always one rowdy table! Maryanne Hardwood’s family celebrating!
HVC’s chaplain, Delma Geary and husband Bert also celebrated Christmas.
Ron Lilliss also had family members visiting to help celebrate Christmas.
Residents enjoyed an amazing concert by Pauline and Friends in December.
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Seasons to grow: The Sanctuary news Residents (both permanent and respite) and staff spent a wonderful couple of months towards the end of 2014 under the treetops at The Sanctuary. November’s Melbourne Cup was celebrated in sizzling style with a lovely lunch attended by many family members, a COTA presentation, fashion parades, fascinators and sweepstakes (congratulations to Susan Rosevear!). See photos below! Despite the tumultuous December weather, the lead-up to Christmas was… crafty! Residents worked hard making lovely handmade Christmas cards, decorations and placemats for the Christmas celebrations. The Sanctuary Christmas Party was held on the 17th of December, and various family members came to visit for lunch – which was, as usual, amazing. However, for some residents, one Christmas party wasn’t enough! A few ressies crashed the staff
Residents and guests enjoyed a longtable lunch on Melbourne Cup day.
Christmas party, and by the sounds of things, had a wonderful time grooving to the vinyls Tez was spinning on the turntable! With all the December rain, the seeds planted by residents have sprouted, and the veggie and herb garden is looking green and lush. And the plants aren’t the only thing growing at The Sanctuary: the house up the top has been beautifully furnished and is ready to welcome new tenants, so our little community will also be growing very soon. We look forward to meeting our new neighbours in 2015.
The gorgeous Carina Bentley in a fascinating fascinator!
There is no easy way around grief... it is the natural response to the loss of someone special. Likewise, major life events such as change of circumstance or illness can leave you distressed. Hunter Valley Care has Chaplains available for the support of residents and their families. Should you feel you need some help in these times, do not hesitate to contact a Chaplain.
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The thriving rosemary in The Sanctuary’s herb garden!
...The bikini was introduced to Australia? This picture, taken in the 50s, shows designer Paula Stafford, the lady credited with introducing Australia to the bikini, with a bikini model wearing one of her daring, navel-baring designs. Up until this point, bikinis went to the waist, covering the navel. In their day, bikinis like the one pictured here were considered exceptionally scant. These days, they would be considered exceptionally modest!
nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3913141
Is someone you know seeking AN ALTERNATIVE TO RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE? offers a boutique assisted living environment for the active and young-at-heart. Located in the quiet, leafy suburb of Tingira Heights, The Sanctuary provides quality group accommodation, where residents are free to maintain their active, independent lifestyle. However, they also enjoy the advantages of companionship and live-in support as needed. It’s the best of both worlds! All of The Sanctuary’s residents enjoy the comfort of a private suite in a beautifully appointed modern house. Residents can choose to prepare their own meals, do their own laundry, clean their own suites, and organise their own appointments and outings – or this can all be done for them. Our flexible staff enable residents to select options that will best suit them on a day-to-day basis. The concept of community living is integral to the design of the Sanctuary and there are many beautiful shared spaces for residents to enjoy. Residents are encouraged to utilise communal lounge and dining areas, quiet outdoor sitting and BBQ areas, and gentle walking paths through the beautiful native gardens.
For more information contact Kim Jones p 0423 768 243 • e kim@hvcare.com.au 13
Suites at The Sanctuary are now available!
Macquarie Life Christmas Party Back in November last year, Waterview and Amaroo joined several other community groups for a Christmas party at Macquarie Life Church. As well as some delicious nibbles and a visit from Santa Claus, residents enjoyed a lovely concert in the beautifully decked out function room. We think it’s safe to say the day was enjoyed by everyone, with AOs reporting that residents wouldn’t have minded extending the party for an extra hour or two!
Santa’s appearance was very popular with the residents.
Looks like a double celebration for Amaroo’s Mario Santarelli!
Bill Wade looking dapper dressed up for Christmas!
Cveta Lampl taking the chance to have a quiet word in Santa’s ear about the grandkids...
Sue Oakley always embraces the chance to have a good chin-wag.
Amaroo’s Trudy Payton has a chat with her mate from Bethel Aged Care Facility, the friendly Catherine Austin.
Mary Cooksey enjoying the carols and entertainment at the party.
Pat Holt and Yvonne Younger love any excuse for a social get-together.
Cveta looking gorgeous as usua
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Introducing
Marmong Waters Estate is the newest addition to the Hunter Valley Care portfolio, offering a selection of elegant, independent living units surrounding a state-of-the-art Community and Recreation Centre, all on the shores of the picturesque Lake Macquarie. Marmong’s beautifully designed independent living units provide the ultimate modern environment for those who want to downsize from family homes without compromising privacy, freedom of choice or lifestyle options. Your new home will be part of an exclusive community encompassing a range of amenities, while also offering the comfort of 24-hour support. Marmong Waters Estate provides several unique options that will help you truly feel at home, including the opportunity to bring along your four-legged friend – certain areas of the estate will be pet-friendly! Residents have full access to the Community and Recreation Centre,
including BBQs and beautiful outdoor areas, a fully equipped kitchen for functions, health and fitness facilities, an integrated business centre, and more. With its boutique, resort-style design, tranquil setting and close proximity to an abundance of Lake Macquarie attractions, we can’t wait to give future residents the chance to call Marmong Waters Estate home. Marmong Waters Estate luxury Independent Living Units are now selling off the plans. Building is currently in progress, and the first units are expected to be available by June 2015.
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from 2014
Some gorgeous afternoons in October were caption spent on the balcony planting seeds - Harry Bryan takes a break.
Faye El Kharraz gettin g into the Easter hat spirit: April.
Allan, Scott, Ray and Yvonne in October on a dolphin cruise on Nelson Bay.
Muriel Carlson meeting Flipper the Easter duck in April.
Winifred Scoles with her Easter bag in April.
Eleanor Emmerson on a bus trip to the Japanese Gardens at Gosford in May.
Allan and Muriel pose for a happy snap at the Japanese Gardens: May.
Muriel painting her mask for Mexican theme day in October.
Gwen Summers sharing a laugh with ‘Patch’ the clown: March.
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ing Staff member Sharon Brooks danc r. with Ray Denny: July happy hou
from 2014
Don and Yvonne Thompson celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in 2014! Nice work!
Doreen Hill holding one of the beautiful dolls from Waterview’s amazing collection.
Dorothy Condon was serenaded by The King during an Elvis concert in July.
And she’s not the only one: Clare Cosentino also met Elvis.
An out-of-season Santa visits Joan McMahon at Christmas in July.
June Purvis with Kerry Simpson in her ‘moo suit’, donned exclusively for a milkshake afternoon!
Pauline Boswell brightening up the front office on Australia Day!
Ruth Lumby looking lovely in her hat (and giant playing card) at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in March.
Rita Turner celebrated a wonderful milestone in August: her 100th birthday! Here Peter Woolnough helps her cut the cake.
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es the lovely dolls Stella Jones examin ll collection. from Waterview’s do
from 2014
Anzac Day commemorations were made even more special with the ceremonial release caption of white doves. Here Clair Wiggins assists Activities Officer Trudy Payten with a dove.
In April, residents enjoyed a wonderful bus trip to the Newcastle foreshore despite some chilly weather! Here Sue Oakley, Bill Wade, June Faulder, Cveta Lampl, Yvonne Younger, Pat Holt and Kath Dodd pose for a happy snap.
Unsurprisingly, Amaroo’s star attraction of 2014 was little Bella Rose, who has stolen the hearts of residents and staff members alike!
Getting cosy with Thelma Leggo;
Amaroo’s lolly shop was a great success this year! Pictured is Edna Turton supervising the stall in her fabulous hot pink apron.
Here we see Bella high-fiving Mario Santarelli;
Meeting staff members Emily Peel, Sam Robinson and Shannon Callaghan.
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Rock ‘n Roll theme day in May saw plenty of people on their feet for a dance, including Sue Oakley and Activities Assistant Teearni Jacques!
Cuddling up with June Faulder;
The boys are back in town! Watson Dingwall, John Keys, Mario Santarelli, Bill Wade and Fred Rendina enjoyed an outing to Port Stephens in August.
from 2014
Joan Ross halfway through an introductory painting class at The Sanctuary in February.
Marjorie Jack from The Sanctuary rediscovered an enjoyable pastime in February.
Enid Woolley with daughters Bev and Barb at Christmas in July.
Kathleen Hellyer and good friend Kim enjoy a Christmas in July feast.
Hunter Nature
Ardea modesta There are several species of egret in NSW, with the largest being the Eastern Great Egret (or Great Egret). They are easily distinguishable from other white egrets by the length of their neck, which is greater than the length of their body. The neck also has a cute, distinctive kink two-thirds of the way up!
© Kim Wormald www.lirralirra.com
Unlike their close relatives the herons, egrets are almost entirely white. The Great Egret has white feathers, a yellow bill and sooty grey legs. During breeding season the bill turns mostly black, and they grow pretty, hair-like feathers, romantically called ‘nuptial plumes’, that hang down their lower back. (The nuptial plumes are just visible in the above photo.) The Great Egret feeds mainly on fish, but also consumes crustaceans, frogs, insects and small reptiles. They usually hunt in the shallow water, standing still until they spot something tasty, then striking at their prey with a stabbing motion. Like other species of egret, Great Egrets breed in large colonies often made up of other shore birds such as cormorants and ibis, and place their stick nests in large trees overhanging the water. 19
(Extra Services)
Amaroo Aged Care Facility Street: 66 Dudley Road, Charlestown NSW 2290 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: (02) 4943 3675 Fax: (02) 4942 3075 Email: reception@amarooagedcare.com.au
The Sanctuary – Independence with Care Street: 31 Tinglewood Close, Tingira Heights NSW 2290 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: (02) 4947 1010 Fax: (02) 4914 8704 Email: thesanctuary@huntervalleycare.com.au
Fig Tree Point Aged Care Facility Street: 7 Harris Street, Toronto NSW 2283 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: (02) 4950 4133 Fax: (02) 4950 5078 Email: reception@figtreepoint.com.au
Waterview Aged Care Facility Street: 16 Cumberland Street, Teralba NSW 2284 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: (02) 4941 7000 Fax: (02) 4958 5276 Email: reception@waterviewagedcare.com.au
two favourite Trudy Payten and Bill Wade - our groovers take to the floor.
An Aussie Santa Gus entertain s Verlie Wells and daughter Gai during the Fig Tree Point Christmas part y in December.
Macquarie Life Church hosted another amazing Christmas party for several community groups in November. Shirley Bellamy and Gary Ingersoll try their hand at puppetry during the Fig Tree Point playgroup Christmas party.
SPOTLIGHT ON DECEMBER ACTIVITIES • • • •
5th All Day Bus Trip 23rd Australia Day Games & Damper 27th Cooking – Donuts 31st School Days/Golden Rule Days Reminisce & Quiz
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7th Creative Craft & Knitting 13th Never Too Old To Learn 20th Movie Afternoon and Popcorn 29th Flash Card Reminiscing
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7th & 16th Australian Craft 13th Chockie Pong 23rd Australia Day Theme Day 28th Armchair Travel