Princess Alexandra Retirement Village • Summer edition 2018
Oktoberfest celebrations Residents created a festive atmosphere for Oktoberfest
Meet Maurice and Jillian
Picnic outing
Tiffanies Variety
Greetings from Jodie… Hello everyone and welcome to the summer edition of the Princess Alexandra Post. The year has just gone so fast, and soon Santa will coming down our chimneys and the festive season will be upon us. It has been a hive of activity here at the village. The staff have been busy caring and interacting with residents, and the activites team have organised so many great events such as quiz nights, variety shows, movie outings, art shows, and Mother’s and Father’s day celebrations. A recent highlight includes the new atrium lift project. Yes, that’s right, a second lift is under construction. We have also had an upgrade to our bowling green.
Our bowlers and the Hawke’s Bay community are so thrilled there is now the opportunity to play bowls on a lovely new surface. The work and preparation has been done just in time for our November bowling tournament. We welcome you come for a visit and see all our lovely new projects underway, it’s so exciting that the village is meeting such high standards. I look forward to seeing you soon. regards, Kind regard
Jodie Robb Village Manager
An afternoon in the rose gardens In October we helped with International Day of Older Person celebrations. Princess Alexandra, along with Grey Power, Age Concern and the Napier City Council, sponsored and helped with an afternoon tea at the Napier Rose Gardens. A lovely afternoon was had by all. Shona Pictured: Sales Advisor Shona Bayliss and Activities Coordinator Jeanne Patterson.
Jodie Robb Village Manager Ph: 06 835 9085 Call Jodie for general enquiries, or for information about resthome, hospital and dementia care.
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Shona Bayliss Sales Advisor Ph: 06 835 3018 Talk to Shona for information about independent apartments, townhouses or serviced apartments.
Oktoberfest celebrations Our independent residents have been busy over the last few months, but perhaps the Oktoberfest celebrations proved to be the most fun. Residents from across the village enjoyed a beer tasting, some sing-alongs of some of the old classics and lots of laughs. The day was a real hoot with great food to enjoy as well. Everyone loved trying all the different types of ales as part of the Oktoberfest food and drinks. Some of our residents pulled out all the stops to slip into festival-style clothing. Original or close approximations of lederhosen plus suspenders and Bavarian-style dresses were on show as were men’s hats with feathers and adornments. Everyone loved trying all the different types of ales as part of Oktoberfest food and drinks. Above: Residents enjoyed nibbles at both the bowls opening event. Inset: Hayley Berriman was on hand to help host Oktoberfest for independent residents.
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RYMAN E H T
H E A LT H C A R E S E A S O
If you notice the Christmas decorations going up a bit earlier in our villages this year, it’s to celebrate our partnership with the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s season of The Nutcracker. We know our residents will enjoy being immersed in the whimsical story of the Nutcracker as our villages are transformed – think sugar plum fairies, gingerbread houses and toy soldiers. There will be a range of activities on offer – from appreciating Tchaikovsky’s beautiful
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musical score, to having a go at making themed-decorations for display. The ballet will be touring throughout New Zealand, opening in Wellington on 31 October, and finishing in Auckland on 15 December.
Want to see a show near you? Contact your village reception for exclusive Ryman discounts on tickets!
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Ryman chefs take top prize At the recent New Zealand Hospitality Awards, our in-house Chefs; Steve Iraia and Paul Korunic, took the top two prizes. Steve has been the chef at Princess Alexandra village in Napier for 10 years. He was named the winner in the senior lifestyle section.
also pleased to go one better than last year. “We’ve got the two top positions in the country, which is a brilliant result.’’ Steve and Paul had 75 minutes to cook meals for eight people consisting of four hoki loin dishes and four dishes featuring beef cheeks.
Steve came second in last year’s competition.
Ryman Hotel Services Manager Andrew Gibson said he was proud of the chefs, as the dishes they prepared had to be practical and suitable for Ryman menus.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic, it was a bit like taking care of some unfinished business.” Both Steve and Paul’s classic recipes feature in Ryman Delicious menus. Paul, Chef at Anthony Wilding village in Christchurch for the last four years, was
Village chefs serve up more than 10,000 meals a day to our residents. Chefs prepare the food fresh on-site, with three main course choices, including a vegetarian option.
myRyman rollout crosses the finishing line Our myRyman electronic care system has been rolled out to all our villages in New Zealand. myRyman is a robust electronic care system located in each resident’s room. It allows nurses and care assistants to view the full care profile of each resident at the touch of a button. Information is recorded in real time, dramatically reducing paperwork. In 2015, Chief Operations Officer Barbara ReynenRose went looking for an electronic care
system but couldn’t find one she liked, so Ryman decided to build its own version.
“It makes us excited about what’s possible, and where we can take it next.” Chief Executive Gordon MacLeod said the project would keep Ryman Healthcare at the forefront of aged care. “What we have achieved is very, very rare. To take a concept that involved a complete change in how people work and make it into a system that is operable 24/7 in a care operation is incredible. “It makes us excited about what’s possible, and where we can take it next.’’
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Resident Profile
Meet Maurice and Jillian
He started manufacturing products including bulk shock cord. This shock cord can, for example, be used in electric blankets. He also made electric fence cord in the couple’s garage, whilst also working at a petrol station. By 1992, after a lot of hard work, we’d built up a business with 23 staff and 26 products. Our team won the Hawke’s Bay Business of the Year in 2001, and we were a finalist for Exporter of the Year. The business has now been sold but we still own commercial buildings. When Jillian became ill in 2016 we decided to move into Princess Alexandra. The village had been recommended by friends. We are now happily ensconced in serviced apartments.
We’re happy we’ve picked the right retirement village and have settled in. Hello, we are Maurice and Jillian Prout and have been part of the family here at Princess Alexandra since 2016. We were both born and grew up in Napier. We brought up a family, and now have two daughters living locally. The early days threw up career challenges. Maurice had worked in the car parts industry, but in the early 80s decided to venture out on his own.
We’ve never regretted the move. The staff are wonderful, whether they are activities girls, carers, nurses or the cleaning girls. They all work hard, and all including management are very approachable. The meals are top quality. We’re happy we’ve picked the right retirement village and have settled in. We recommend to others not to wait, health until issues get too unmanageable, and just come and enjoy the lifestyle.
Picnics, movies and cuppas We went to the movies, enjoyed picnics and cuppas, had a RSA lunch outing and took scenic country drives. We were lucky enough to have the Gisborne Girls’ High School choir come and perform. They gave an outstanding show, and enjoyed afternoon tea with residents. Pictured: Residents Jenny O’Sullivan and Derek Laws enjoyed a night at the movies.
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Tiffanies Variety Club
Spring creations
The Tiffanies Variety Club recently came to perform to us in the Duke Wing of the village resthome.
We have had a few months of enjoying the celebration of spring. Serviced Apartment residents recently enjoying sitting for lunch at Taniwha Daffodils farm in Waipukurau.
All the residents enjoyed their wonderful engaging performance. We sang with them, appreciated their colourful costumes and talent, and together we had a great time. Pictured: The Tiffanies ladies give a great show.
Separately some residents have made butterflies, paper flowers and reminisced. Pictured: Jenny O’Sullivan and Derek Laws enjoy a film.
Staff Profile
Introducing Rebecca Hello, my name is Rebecca Hill-Van Der Merwe, and I was born in Napier. My husband and I have two beautiful children, Helena-Jane and Linnaeus. I love family time, horse-riding, music, singing, reading, writing and travel.
I look forward to my future with Ryman Healthcare
From a young age, my late grandfather, Norman Wood, inspired me to pursue a career in the medical field and I decided to become a nurse. Eventually I
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would like to obtain a master’s degree in nursing. Over the past 12 years, I have thoroughly enjoyed working in aged care. I feel privileged to be a part of the resident’s lives and to provide the best quality care I can. I am blessed to now be the new coordinator of the Special Care Unit at Princess Alexandra. I look forward to my future with Ryman Healthcare and better getting to know all the amazing team, residents and their families.
New bowling green Recently we had a special opening afternoon for our new bowling green. The event included a game or two, followed by after-match drinkies.
They are talking about getting out the lawn bowls for the rest of summer and want to invite visitors along for social events based around the game.
Our residents are so excited by the new green they want to have daily roll up, and also twilight tournaments.
The initial impressions of playing on the manicured surface have been very encouraging. Pictured: Princess Alexandra is putting on plenty of summer options.
Upcoming events NOV
DEC
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Garden walk and High Tea
Christmas Happy Hour
145 Battery Road, Napier
www.princessalexandra.co.nz