HVC Community News February 2014

HUNTER VALLEY CARE

COMMUNITY NEWS February 2014

It’s Valentine’s Day! New

Resident and Staff Profiles

February Activities Calendars Inside

Editorial Hello and welcome to the February issue of Hunter Valley Care’s Community News!

We hope all our readers had a happy, restful Christmas break and a positive start to 2014.

This month’s Community News boasts a wealth of exciting features, including: • A rundown of our facilities’ February activities • A look back at Australia Day celebrations • Two fascinating resident profiles • Profiles of some of our excellent staff members

About us 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: 0448 102 488 or Claire Bradshaw: 0466 615 910.

• Articles of interest to the aged care community • And more!

Love is all around this month and our facilities are getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th. While Valentine’s Day has become something of a Hallmark holiday, its true meaning has nothing to do with spending up big on chocolates and cards; it’s a day about appreciating love in all its forms – romantic, familial, or friendly.

From the love between our cover-star couple to the friendships between our residents, it’s plain to see that the Hunter Valley Care community has the right idea when it comes to the true meaning of Valentine’s Day! As this is our first edition for 2014, we’ll also be catching up on events from January, with the main focus being on Australia Day and the funfilled activities our facilities hosted in honour of our national celebration. You’ll also find some Australian trivia questions on the back page – why not quiz your friends or family members and find out who’s the most fair dinkum Aussie?

Finally, we hope you enjoy getting to know a couple more of our wonderful residents – this month, it’s Amaroo’s Cveta Lampl and John Keyes under the spotlight. We’ve also introduced the regular feature of Staff Profiles, which will provide an important insight into the people who work so hard to care for our residents and keep Hunter Valley Care running smoothly day in, day out.

Management would like to thank all our readers for their interest in and positive feedback about Community News. We are extremely excited to continue producing the magazine in 2014, and we hope you are excited to continue reading!

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On the cover Waterview residents Jess and Jack Sobb will celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary this year!

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.

For feedback contact us: Head Office Street: 78 York Street, Teralba NSW 2284 Post: PO Box 3310 Glendale NSW 2285 Phone: 1300739518 Fax: (02) 4955 6411 Email: info@huntervalleycare.com.au

HVC Resident Profile

Cveta Lampl “I’m the same age as the Harbour Bridge, you know?” smiles diminutive Cveta Lampl of Amaroo.

The 81 year old might be small, but her life story is quite the opposite, resembling something like a Hollywood movie script.

Cveta was born in the Czech Republic in 1932.

By the time she was nine, she was already fluent in French, German and Hungarian. She then went on to study English and Serbian.

After school, Cveta dearly wished to study medicine. However after a year at University it was ‘recommended’ she could best serve her country by swapping to languages, so reluctantly she complied. Unfortunately this was the way of life under the country’s oppressive communist leadership at the time.

During summer vacations from university, Cveta was permitted to study language courses in Paris, Vienna, and eventually London.

These introductions to the West opened her eyes as to how life could be.

With her mother’s encouragement, Cveta hatched a plan. While on her third study trip to London, with her few dresses and photos packed, Cveta finally had the courage to “just…not go back”.

From London, with 200 pounds, Cveta made her way to Australia.

It was here her brother, previously

thought to have been lost in the war, had been living.

Upon her arrival she worked as a nursing aid, and met her “gorgeous, lovely husband” with whom she had two girls.

Finally Cveta decided it was time to return to her true vocation, and she studied to become a registered nurse. She went on to enjoy a highly respected career in nursing at Rachel Forster and Royal Prince Alfred hospitals.

After 25 years, she reluctantly and with some resistance by the sound of it - retired!

Not one to go quietly, she soon re-appeared on the scene as a volunteer at Prince of Wales Hospital. For a further challenge, she also started volunteering at a multicultural nursing home “because I speak the languages, and I feel sorry for people who haven’t got family and relatives”.

This amazingly selfless work went on for 15 years, and Cveta “loved every minute of it”.

A highlight of her volunteering work was the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where she acted as an interpreter.

Cveta proudly recalls this as the experience of a lifetime.

When she could no longer hide her walking stick (she’d been stashing a folding one in her handbag for years) and driving became difficult, the volunteering had to stop.

Cveta was devastated, but then

the accolades started rolling in: letters from politicians, hospitals, volunteer groups, representatives from multicultural communities and more, not to mention the nominations for volunteer of the year at local, state and federal levels. Despite these symbols of gratitude from society, Cveta feels she is the lucky one, with so much to be thankful for.

These days, when her time is not taken up with her two daughters and four beautiful grandchildren, Cveta finds she does a lot of talking with the other residents.

“I’ve got that nursing feeling in me, and I can’t let it go.” She also has a generous spirit, and a wealth of life experience she readily shares with residents and nurses.

So in a way, Cveta Lampl is still volunteering. And I think that’s the way she likes it.

Nominate a nurse today - Australian Nursing Awards Do you know nurse you’d like to thank?

Nominations are currently being taken for the HESTA Australian Nursing Awards. Nurses are the lynchpin of the national health system, yet often their important work goes unnoticed. If you know a nurse you think deserves recognition, contact HESTA on:

Hesta Australian Nursing Awards Post: PO Box 615 Carlton South VIC 3053 Email: awards@hesta.com.au Phone: 03 8660 1600 Nominations close 28 February 2014 3

HVC Staff Profile

Margaret Peachman firm, before having two children of her own (now 21 and 19).

While the children were still young, there was a stage where the safety of Margaret’s husband’s job was in doubt; at this point, Margaret began applying for a range of different jobs.

Some people know from a young age exactly where they want to work; others fall into the perfect job quite by chance.

Margaret Peachman, Assistant in Nursing at Fig Tree Point, comes under the latter category – and it seems she’s quite happy for the twist of fate that brought her to where she is today.

Margaret grew up in Cardiff as the second youngest of four children.

For fifteen years, she worked as a receptionist at an engineering

Having contacted Fig Tree Point to enquire about employment, she was called in for an interview – and had been asked ‘When can you start?’ before she even arrived home. Margaret fondly recalls bringing her kids to Fig Tree to visit ‘Mummy’s new work’: one of her little ones immediately grabbed the hand of the nearest staff member and took off on a tour!

Margaret’s work at Fig Tree started off in the kitchens. She then moved on to cleaning duties before eventually landing where she is today: on the nursing side of things. As an AIN and acting supervisor, Margaret’s duties range from medication management and wound dressing to supervision of staff – or ‘trying to keep them all in line’,

Hunter High Tea Once a month Hunter Valley Care residents like to pop on their top hats and gloves, and enjoy a spot of high tea. A great excuse for a chat over a cuppa, high tea is a popular event on the social calendar.

High tea is more than just tea and coffee though. Residents also enjoy a selection of miniature pasties, sandwiches, quiche, scones, cakes, tarts and slices.

Family members are always welcome to join residents at any of these social gatherings. After they see these photos we might encounter a few more dropping in around tea time!

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as she jokes.

Between the staff and the residents, there’s never a dull moment at Fig Tree. Margaret seems to have a wealth of happy memories and funny stories, including a particular bus trip to Walka Water Works on which a resident (who was known for constantly pointing at things and people) pointed at a nearby duck – which promptly decided her finger looked delicious, and took a little bite!

For someone who had initially only planned to stay on temporarily, Margaret has sure stuck around: she will be celebrating her 13th year at Fig Tree this year! Margaret says she simply fell in love with the place (it’s not hard to see why, with its stunning waterfront views) and the people, whom she cites as her favourite part of the job.

When she’s not at work, Margaret enjoys gardening, walks, and other relaxing activities. Fig Tree Point is lucky to have snapped her up all that time ago, and we certainly hope she’ll be sticking around for a while yet.

HVC Resident Profile

John Keyes They certainly don’t make families like they used to.

Mild-mannered John Keyes of Amaroo is one of 12 children, a number that would leave most modern-day mothers quaking in their cappuccinos. John’s large family however, is a source of great pride for him.

While only four of the original 12 children remain, John is still close to his surviving siblings and brothers in law. And there are nieces and nephews, and grand-nieces and grand-nephews – when I ask John how many, he just shakes his head with a quiet smile.

The second youngest in the family, John grew up in Tamworth.

After finishing school he moved to Newcastle for an apprenticeship as an electrician. He was to work just two jobs in his long career, another oddity in today’s fastpaced world. Both positions were as an electrician in the mining sector.

At 24, John married Lucy, the love of his life and mother to his twin girls. Both daughters now have grown children of their own, but the paternal pride and satisfaction in John’s voice is still obvious when he speaks of them.

Fortunately, with one in Sydney and the other in Newcastle, he sees them often.

When he mentions his five grandchildren, a lively twinkle lights up John’ eyes and behind his reserve I sense a significant appreciation of mischief.

Despite a dodgy knee or two, and mild Parkinson’s (that he’s “determined” to out-hobble for as long as possible) John’s positive attitude and enjoyment of people and life is contagious. You just have to like him!

John’s a people person, and stays very active and social. He plays bowls, and takes regular trips out to lunch with his daughters and brothers-in-law.

A staunch Knights supporter, he runs the footy tipping and punters club at Amaroo (with the help of his lovely assistant Trudy, the activities officer).

Like all good country boys, John is also fond of the ponies, and has attended three of the last five Melbourne Cups with his mate, Basil. At the spritely ages of 80 and 89 respectively, John and Basil travel in style. One year, they took a cruise to Melbourne to watch the race, and another

they even bought tickets to the members stand.

Unable to attend this last year, John had to be content with organising the Amaroo sweepstake, and placing bets for the residents. According to Amaroo’s staff though, that’s John all-over: always willing to get involved with events and help out staff and residents in whatever capacity he can.

When asked about his personal philosophy, John’s answer is surprisingly simple: “Always try and do the right thing by people, and it will come back to you.”

Perhaps that’s why John seems so satisfied!

Pegs cafe offers special deal for residents of Amaroo Pegs café at Whitebridge shops is a two minute drive down the road from Amaroo, and offers residents with family a buyone-get-one-free deal on all beverages.

Pegs offers a large selection of tea and coffee and there is always a good range of cakes and light meals. There is wheelchair access, disabled toilets and comfortable seating.

Mel, half of Pegs’ ownership duo, is fond of Amaroo as her own Nanna, Monica Legge resided there up until 2012. There are a few photos around the café of Mel’s Nanna. Some Amaroo staff and residents might recognize her!

Pegs café is perfect for a short outing with friends or family.

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ABOVE: There’s room to manoeuvre in Pegs.

INSET: Monica Legge with her twin grandsons, Eddison and George -the “E” and “G” of the café’s name. The “P” is for baby Pollyanna!

HVC Staff Profile

Phil Ayre that it had ‘no soul’ compared to aged care. ‘There’s never really a bad day in aged care; there’s always a positive side,’ he goes on to say.

Originally from Newcastle, Phil has moved around the state managing various facilities, but after working at Waterview, he could never quite forget it. At a subsequent job, he found himself missing the Teralba facility and its people, so he returned – and he’s been there ever since!

In this day and age it’s rare to find somebody who is truly passionate about what they do for a living.

In the case of Phil Ayre, Executive Care Manager at Waterview, his dedication to and enjoyment of his work is obvious – and it’s an inspiring thing.

Phil began working in the nursing industry at Stockton Hospital in 1977. Since then, he has worked in the fields of disability, mental health, and aged care – but it’s the latter that is his true passion.

Having also previously worked in the corporate world, Phil found

Phil has been with Waterview for three years, first as a Registered Nurse, then stepping up into the position of Executive Care Manager. This vital role involves overseeing all clinical care; while RNs are the principal decisionmakers in caregiving, the ECM reviews all decisions to ensure optimum care for residents. The role also involves liaising with residents’ families, working with doctors, and mentoring new staff.

The latter is particularly important to Phil, who believes that the proper training of today’s staff will help create the positive future of aged care for which Hunter Valley Care strives.

HVC At the Movies Every now and then it’s time to bring out the popcorn, dim the lighting and pop on a movie!

Residents of Waterview have enjoyed some great flicks over the last couple of months. A few stand-out favourites have been ‘Red Dog’, an Australian movie based on a true story; ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’, a story of friendship between an unhappy housewife and a nursing home resident; and ‘We Bought A Zoo’, the story of a single dad who tries to renovate and re-open a zoo. The surprise favourite of the season was ‘Mary Poppins’.

The movie ‘Red Dog’ was also popular over at Amaroo, and in keeping with Januarys Australian theme, ‘The Sapphires’ (with the lovely Jessica Mauboy) was also well received.

When asked about his favourite part of the job, Phil gives an immediate and simple answer: ‘Making the residents smile’.

Whether it be through the provision of high quality care, or simply by having a chat or a joke with a resident, the privilege of being able to make a difference in the lives of the elderly is something Phil cites as the most rewarding and significant aspect of aged care.

Outside of work, Phil is first and foremost a family man. His wife, Jenny, also an RN, provides massage therapy at Waterview; his three children and four grandchildren are a source of obvious joy and pride for him.

Phil is also an avid cyclist; he is currently training for a seven-day bike ride from Sydney to Surfer’s Paradise, which raises funds for youth charities, and which he has already completed once before – an impressive feat!

A true asset to Waterview, it’s clear to see that people are what makes Phil’s world go around – and at Hunter Valley Care, that’s what we’re all about.

AT • THE Movies

Residents at Fig Tree Point recently enjoyed ‘Dreamer’ - a movie starring young Dakota Fanning about the rescue and rehabilitation of a race horse with a broken leg.

For those who remember the original with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow - Carina at The Sanctuary recommends the new release of ‘The Great Gatsby’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. She also suggests residents may enjoy ‘The Help’ - a feelgood movie about African-American maids, which she found very humorous and entertaining.

HVC At the Movies 6

Australia Day 2014 On January 26th, our great country celebrated its annual national day, with each of our facilities hosting their own festivities.

Australia Day marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788; each year we celebrate the establishment of the colony that grew into the nation we are part of today.

Australia Day is an occasion to appreciate the things that truly make us ‘the Lucky Country’: the beauty of our land, our high quality of life, and, most importantly, the rich diversity of our society.

Our facilities played host to some wonderful Australia Day activities. At Amaroo, residents made their own lamingtons, and for lunch enjoyed hamburgers and a traditional Aussie favourite: the pavlova. An

Australian trivia quiz and a few games of ‘Throw the Thong’ rounded out a true blue day of fun!

At The Sanctuary, residents had a relaxing Australia Day, munching on sausage sangas and party pies in a lavishly decorated dining area. Both here and at Fig Tree Point the Aussie flag could be seen on everything from the walls to the napkins!

Australia Day at Waterview was celebrated with a sea of blue flags, hats and tiaras, while Alan Walsh entertained the crowd – it was great to hear residents singing along to old favourites like ‘The Road to Gundegai’ and ‘Waltzing Matilda’.

LEFT: Activities Officer Kerry Simpson and her innocent looking partner-in-crime, Betty Hillier.

ABOVE: Alan Walsh performs on a Waterview-style beach.

ABOVE: No one could forget it was Australia day at Fig Tree Point!

What love is - Valentine’s Day Love is in the air at our facilities as Valentine’s Day 2014 approaches! Whether it’s between husband and wife, family members, or friends, love is something to be cherished and celebrated, and Valentine’s Day gives us a great opportunity to do just that.

Our facilities have some lovely activities planned for Valentine’s Day this year. At Amaroo, there’ll be a luncheon and high tea complete with chocolate fountain and shortbread hearts; The Sanctuary, on the other hand, will most likely be enjoying a lunch outing. Residents of Waterview will celebrate this Valentine’s day around the ‘Old Oak Tree’ - with yellow ribbons, a concert, and... well, an Oak Tree!

ABOVE: Olive and Raymond Denney of Fig Tree Point will celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary this coming June.

The Sustainability Advantage For over a year Hunter Valley Care has been a Bronze member of the Sustainability Advantage Program as part of its ongoing effort to become more energy efficient and environmentally responsible. Qualification for the program includes educating staff on energy saving procedures, changing all lighting to use energy efficient globes and working towards a paperless office environment.

Hunter Valley Care has also committed to purchasing future equipment with high energy ratings, and incorporating significant environmental standards into all future building designs. Additionally, a worm farm will be introduced into the Fig Tree facility to help dispose of food wastes in an effort to reduce landfill.

Hunter Valley Care is continually working on ways to lessen its environmental impact, and aim to achieve a higher rating in the Sustainability Advantage Program in the future.

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Hunter Valley Care Contacts 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: ecm@waterviewagedcare.com.au

Back Page Trivia

Trivia Answers 1. Fiorente, 2. Archibald Prize, 3. Eleven, 4. Cate Blanchett, 5. Lleyton Hewitt, 6. 1974, 7. Brisbane, 8. Slim Dusty, 9. Lake Eyre, 10. Broome

1. Which horse won the Melbourne Cup in 2013?

2. What is the name of the annual art prize awarded for the best portrait painted by an Australian artist?

3. How many ships were in the First Fleet?

4. Which Australian actress was recently nominated for the 2014 Best Actress Academy Award?

5. Which Australian tennis player recently defeated Roger Federer in the Brisbane International?

6. In what year did Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin?

7. What is the third-largest Australian city in terms of population?

8. Which Australian musician was the first in commercial recording history to record one hundred albums?

9. What is the lowest point in Australia? (Hint: It’s a body of water) 10. Which Australian city is renowned for its pearling industry?

(Answers on the left)

Hunter Nature Flannel Flowers Actinotus sp.

In parts of the Hunter and Lake Macquarie coast, spring is heralded by subtle fields of flannel flowers. Their quiet beauty is iconic of the Australian bush, and they can be found clinging to sandstone ridges and in profusion in small glades of dry, coastal forest.

Completely unrelated to the daisy, there are around 20 different species of flannel flower. Aside from one species found in New Zealand, they are uniquely Australian.

The flowers can be a range of colours, including white, green, cream and a very soft pink. They have a lovely, velvety texture like a soft flannel.

Flannel flowers have a nostalgic appeal for many locals, partly due to their ephemeral, seasonal nature. In good years, particularly after bush fires, many roads and bush tracks seem to be joyfully lined with soft fields of the white stars. In contrast they can disappear for whole seasons, and only dedicated searching uncovers the odd, shy group.

A group of flannel flowers in Lake Munmorah National Park