RT
Ryman Times Australian Edition
Ryman Prize winner announced
Spring 2018
Raising funds for farmers
Wild west party for Weary Dunlop
Safer Together; a safety expo
A note from Gordy Gidday and welcome to your spring edition of the Ryman Times.
One of the best aspects of being part of a successful company is being able to share your success by helping when disaster strikes. We were pleased to be able to respond to requests from our residents at Weary Dunlop to help with drought relief in New South Wales. We’ve responded to several requests for disaster help over years and the Ryman family never fails to rally behind their workmates and their families. So, we were delighted to be able to help. We also do our bit each year for large charity organisations and over the past 19 years we have given away more than $3 million to our charity partners. Since we began operations in Victoria we have donated to the Australian Red Cross, Heart Foundation and Dementia Australia. This year it is the Stroke Foundation’s turn and each year the level of support we give is likely to increase as our villages grow in Victoria. Four years ago, we took our efforts to give back one step further when we set up the Ryman Prize. The idea for the prize came from one of our long term investors, and we award the prize each year with his support. There is nothing like it in the world. It is a $250,000 cash prize for the best invention, idea, research concept or initiative anywhere in the world that has enhanced quality of life for older people. It is our equivalent of a Nobel Prize for the health of older people. We assembled a jury to decide on a winner each year and our jury of wise people has a hard job to decide.
The first prize in 2015 went to Australian national treasure Gabi Hollows, who cofounded the Hollows Foundation. Since then interest in the prize has grown and we’ve had hundreds of entries over the years from all over the world. What has been really cool is the support we have had from the New Zealand Government. This year Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern presented it to our 2018 winner Takanori Shibata at what was a fantastic event at Bert Sutcliffe Retirement Village. Takanori was a humble winner who has dedicated his career to finding ways to use technology to help older people. He thoroughly deserved his prize. The aim of the prize is to encourage the best and brightest minds in the world to tackle the health problems faced by older people. I can’t think of a better way of giving back to the people we look after. And who knows, one day our prize might just inspire someone to make an extraordinary breakthrough. That’s our hope anyway! I hope you are enjoying the better weather, and I look forward to catching up with many of you soon.
In this issue 3
Nellie Melba's first residents
4
Japanese inventor wins the Ryman Prize
6
Raising funds for farmers no trivial pursuit
7
Construction specialist joins the board
8
A wild west party, four years in the making
10
Commonwealth games lawn bowler wows the faithful
11
Talk on the tell-tale signs of strokes
13
Safer Together; a safety expo
14
AFL Grand Final party at Weary Dunlop
16
The retirement village team work built
Regards,
Ryman Healthcare Ltd Level 10, Suite 10.03 420 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004 1800 288 299 www.rymanhealthcare.com.au
Gordon MacLeod Chief Executive
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Front cover: Resident Shirley Head enjoying the western theme at Weary Dunlops 4th birthday celebration.
Geoff and Heather Eager have an interesting view from their third-floor apartment while work on the village is being completed.
Nellie Melba's first residents Dame Nellie Melba retirement village is officially a home. More than 45 residents have moved into the blossoming Brandon Park development since the beginning of August, with more moving trucks arriving each week. The staged build of the village means most of the site is still under construction, with more residents arriving as each stage is completed. The couple with the distinction of being Nellie Melba’s first inhabitants are Geoff and Helen Eager, who moved in on August 7.
“Perhaps we're fussy but we knew what we wanted. This is the total package, which we were drawn to.”
The Eagers said it was “certainly interesting” to see workers in highvis clothing beavering away on scaffolding around the place, but they’re loving their new home. “So far, so good, and we’re very happy,” Geoff said. “We’d been thinking about it for a long time and, coming from the building industry, which I did, nothing else came close to this. I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else, quite truthfully,” Helen says. The Eagers had no doubts about where they wanted to be, so much so they didn’t even bother looking at other retirement living options. “We both had our mothers in retirement homes quite a few years ago now. And we wouldn’t have been satisfied with [where they were].” “That was nothing like what we wanted,” Geoff says.
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“Perhaps we’re fussy but we knew what we wanted. “This is the total package, which we were drawn to.” A key part of that package was the continuum of care available at Nellie Melba. Geoff and Heather love their modern two-bedroom apartment but wanted the peace of mind that comes with having aged care available nearby if needed. Since the Eagers moved in, there has been a steady stream of people joining them. The growing community of residents is already coming together for weekly Happy Hours, and new friendships are forming. By the end of the year the village will be home to more than 60 residents living in 40 independent apartments. The village centre and care centre are due to open in early 2019.
Japanese inventor wins the Ryman Prize Professor Takanori Shibata has been awarded the 2018 Ryman Prize in recognition of his more than 25 years of ground-breaking research into new technology to help older people. Professor Shibata, an artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics pioneer, was presented with the prize by the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand. The Ryman Prize is an annual $250,000 international award for the best work carried out anywhere in the world that has enhanced quality of life for older people. It is the richest prize of its kind in the world.
“I am extremely proud to have won the Ryman Prize.” Professor Shibata, Chief Senior Research Scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan, was awarded this year’s prize for his tenacity in pursuing new technology to help ease the burden of
older people suffering from dementia. In 1993 he set out to create a device that would be a practical help to older people with conditions such as dementia. His product, PARO, is a therapeutic robot that uses sensors, robotics and sophisticated Artificial Intelligence software to mimic a real seal. It has been proven as a drug-free therapeutic alternative to improve mood, reduce anxiety, decrease perception of pain, enhance sleep and decrease feelings of loneliness in patients. PARO has been in production since 2005 and is used in 30 countries. The Japanese inventor was delighted to win and said he would be using the money to invest in more research. “I am extremely proud to have won the Ryman Prize,” Takanori Shibata said. “It represents a lot of work over the past 25 years, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of many people and my family. “We’ve proved that Artificial Intelligence has huge potential for the future. We’ve pioneered a way of working but there is a lot more work to do.”
About the Ryman Prize The Ryman Prize is administered by the Ryman Foundation. The annual prize consists of a $250,000 grant, which is awarded by an international jury to the best invention, idea, research concept or initiative that has enhanced the quality of life for older people. It is the world’s richest prize of its type and was established to create the equivalent of a Nobel Prize for people working in the field of the health of older people. The prize was launched in 2015 and the inaugural prize was won by Gabi Hollows, the founding director of The Fred Hollows Foundation. Gabi Hollows set up the charity with her late husband Professor Fred Hollows, and
together they worked tirelessly to tackle the problem of preventable blindness in the developing world. The 2016 prize was won by Professor Henry Brodaty. Professor Brodaty is a pioneer in diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and dementia and his influence has been felt around the world. The 2017 Ryman Prize was won by Professor Peter St George-Hyslop, a geneticist and researcher based at Cambridge and the University of Toronto. Peter has spent 30 years researching neuro-degenerative diseases, focusing on discovering the key genes and proteins that cause cells to degenerate in diseases such as early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
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Professor Takanori Shibata was awarded the 2018 Ryman Prize.
From left: Karen Butterworth, Joan East, Lois Toogood and Shirley Head enjoying the night.
Raising funds for farmers no trivial pursuit Residents at Weary Dunlop retirement village have raised more than $2,300 to help Australian farmers battling one of the worst droughts in a generation. And with Ryman Healthcare pledging to match whatever they raised dollar-for-dollar, nearly $5,000 has been handed over to farmers needing support. Their efforts got off to an impressive start, with residents raising $1,165 at a trivia night at the village in August. That means more than $2,300 was raised for drought-affected farmers in just a couple of hours. Around 40 people joined the fun, with Ryman communications advisor Michael Cummings acting as the quiz master.
“It's testament to the kind of people who live here. They care deeply about their fellow Australians.”
Teams could buy a correct answer, pay to change a question they didn’t like, swap their answer with another team’s, phone a friend, or bribe Michael any other way they chose. “Everyone really got into the spirit of the occasion and it was a lot of fun,” Michael said. “The residents kept finding new and novel ways to hand over some cash, and I was just staggered by the depths of their generosity. “Behind the smiles and laughter was a real sense of empathy for what our country cousins are going through, and a determination to help them out however we can.” Village Manager Kym Faulkner said some residents approached her with the idea of starting a fundraising drive for farmers doing it tough. “I thought it was a brilliant idea, and the company quickly jumped on board with a pledge to match whatever the residents raised,” Kym said. “It’s testament to the kind of people who live here. They care deeply about their fellow Australians and don’t just
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sit idly by when they’re in their hour of need.” That they raised over a thousand dollars in just one night is “unbelievable”. The rest of the money was raised by residents, staff and visitors making contributions to a donation box at reception. Around $50 million dollars has been donated nationally to charities supporting farmers, with federal, state and local governments providing more than $3 billion in the way of direct relief, transport subsidies, loan and infrastructure schemes, and financial counselling.
Independent Director Anthony Leighs.
Construction specialist joins the board Christchurch-based Anthony Leighs has joined Ryman's board of directors. Anthony founded Leighs Construction in 1995 and has built the privately-owned company into one of New Zealand's leading commercial construction contractors. Ryman Healthcare Chairman Dr David Kerr said Anthony was a welcome addition to the board. “Anthony brings a deep knowledge of the construction industry to the board table. He's built his own successful construction company from the ground up, so he understands exactly what it takes to build complicated construction projects safely, on time and within budget. We look forward to his contribution over the coming years.” Anthony, 47, joined on October 1st. “I am very excited about joining Ryman Healthcare's board of directors,” Anthony said. “I have enormous admiration for the business, for the services the business provides to older people, the company's grounded and caring
“I am very excited about joining Ryman Healthcare's board of directors” values and the success that has been generated to date. “Building is an important part of Ryman's activities and I look forward to contributing to what I am sure will be further success over the coming years.” Ryman Healthcare has a busy construction division, with four new villages under construction and another 12 villages in its development pipeline. Gordon MacLeod said it was good to have Anthony on board as Ryman looked to double its build rate over the next few years. “We're already one of the largest residential and healthcare infrastructure builders in New Zealand, and our growth plans require a further lift in our building capacity while maintaining safety and quality. “We’ve got some really challenging
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goals to meet so we are delighted to welcome Anthony to the board. He brings a specific set of governance skills which will support our everexpanding development and construction operations.” Anthony Leighs' appointment brings the number of directors on Ryman's board from six to seven.
Ryman Board • • • • • • •
Dr David Kerr, independent director, chairman. Warren Bell, independent director, deputy chairman. Jo Appleyard, independent director. George Savvides, independent director. (Australia) Claire Higgins, independent director. (Australia) Geoff Cumming, director. Anthony Leighs, independent director.
A wild west party, four years in the making It was more mild than wild but the west came to Weary Dunlop retirement village as residents and staff celebrated its fourth birthday in August. Hay bales, cowboy hats and leather boots filled the village centre as residents enjoyed a mouth-watering barbecue lunch before being entertained by staff member Jenny and her boot scooting, line-dancing troop. “We had traditional western food and the chef just did an amazing job,” said Weary Dunlop lifestyle team member Deidre Forrester. “It was absolutely delicious.” Residents threw themselves into the day’s theme, going to great lengths to ensure they looked the part.
“The fourth birthday is so important to our residents because most of them moved in exactly four years ago.” “There were prizes for the best dressed, and the residents certainly made it difficult did pick the winners,” Assistant Manager and competition judge Rebecca Hall said. “They looked amazing.”
The village was officially opened by Weary Dunlop’s son, John, at a glitzy ceremony on August 22, 2014. The opening marked Ryman Healthcare’s arrival in Australia, after operating retirement villages in New Zealand for 30 years. Ryman’s second village in Australia, Nellie Melba in Brandon Park, welcomed its first residents in August. “The fourth birthday is so important for our residents because most of them moved in exactly four years ago,” Deidre said. “We had a display of photographs and videos of the construction of the village, which they thoroughly enjoyed – it just brought back so many memories for them. “I could see the pride on the residents’ faces: it’s their home and they’re proud to be here for four years.” Village manager Kym Faulkner praised a fantastic team effort from village staff to make the day a success. The fact so many residents attended the birthday bash reflected the pride they had in their village community, she said. “And to see so many of them dressing up and getting into the spirit of the day was just wonderful. “It’s a special place so it’s great to stop and celebrate important milestones like these.”
Residents Alan and Betty Clarke dressed to the nines. Ryman Times • 8
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Resident Maureen Morth enjoys the western theme.
Resident Bev Gardiner enjoys being active and meeting her friends frequently.
Doing the rounds with Bev and Lilly Bev Gardiner and her six-year-old Maltese bichon frise, Lilly, go for their daily walk around Weary Dunlop Retirement Village’s gardens and it’s as much a social exercise as a physical one. For Bev, Lilly isn’t just a much-loved companion, she’s a conduit to the people. “My neighbours … they’re just so lovely. Because I walk round every night with Lilly, I just wave to everyone. If they’re sitting outside I’ll stop and have a chat to them, so I get to know them.” But Bev’s more than just a friendly neighbour who likes to stop and chat. She’s built deep, personal friendships in the village, and established connections to the community that ensures she’s constantly busy. She helps run the village’s arts and craft group, is a member of the gardening group, attends fine dining nights each month, and attends most of the organised events in the village centre. “I do go out a lot, I’m a social butterfly!” It wasn’t always that way, though. Bev’s first year in her ground floor apartment was hard. Her husband, Noel, was unwell and she spent much
of her time caring for him. She hardly went out at all. When Noel died in January last year, Bev had to think about how she was going approach life without him. “After he passed I thought, ‘well, this is my life now so I have to shape up’. And I’ve always been one for mixing with people and going out… now I just love going out. Everyone always says, ‘you’re never home, you’re never home’.” But describing her simply as a “social butterfly” doesn’t quite tell the full story.
Her connection to the village and its people runs much deeper than coffee catch ups and chatting to passers-by while out walking Lilly. When a neighbour is unwell, Bev does their shopping for them. When the daughter of the woman down the hall has a health emergency, Bev is knocking on the door to make sure she’s alright. When someone needs a hand, Bev’s door is one they know they can knock on. “And I don’t mind doing that – I’ll help anyone if I can.”
Bev Gardiner and her dog called Lilly. Ryman Times • 10
Roger Mendes talks to Weary Dunlop residents.
Talk on the tell-tale signs of strokes When Roger Mendes talks about the effects of stroke, he’s not speaking in the abstract. The Stroke Foundation ambassador knows the life-altering impact a stroke can have because he’s experienced it himself. Roger shared his personal experiences, plus helpful information about what causes them and how to help prevent it, with more than 30 Weary Dunlop residents in September.
“We can only do this through the generosity of people like Ryman Healthcare and we look forward to being part of the Ryman family this year.”
Foundation will be holding at Weary Dunlop and Nellie Melba in the coming months. In July, Ryman Healthcare named the Stroke Foundation as its chosen charity partner for 2018/19, which will see fundraising efforts at Weary Dunlop and Nellie Melba donated to the organisation. Ryman will match what the villages raise dollar-for-dollar. Last year, Weary Dunlop residents and staff raised $12,500, meaning a cheque for a whopping $25,000 was handed
over to that year’s charity partner, Dementia Australia. Stroke Foundation chief executive Sharon McGowan said the organisation is “committed to working side-by-side with our supporters, so we can continue to deliver vital services and resources to all stroke survivors, their carers, friends and family”. “We can only do this through the generosity of people like Ryman Healthcare and we look forward to being part of the Ryman family this year.”
Speaking from a wheelchair with the support of his carer, Roger explained the anatomy of strokes, outlined some of the main causes, and identified tell-tale signs that someone might be having a stroke. His presentation was the first in a series of events and activities the Stroke Roger Mendes during his speech. Ryman Times • 11
Safe
Togethe RYMAN SAFETY EXPO
Team members got to try simulated driving under the inuence of alcohol or drugs.
er
er 2018
Safer Together Ryman Healthcare sent a powerful message to staff assembled at its first ever company-wide safety expo. Addressing a 350-strong crowd of Ryman construction and maintenance workers, gardeners, village managers, and key subcontractors, Gordon MacLeod said that safety is the number one priority. “It is the value that I and the Ryman Board rank higher than our profits, higher than the timeframes to complete a job and higher than the share price.” On the day Ryman’s major construction sites were shut down in order for key construction team leaders to gather together. Gordon said he wanted people to feel able to stop what they were doing if they didn’t feel safe doing it; to stop others doing unsafe things and to speak up if they weren’t being supported to work safely. “You should feel confident to do what you need to do to keep yourself safe and your people safe. “I love the theme for the day – Safer Together. It’s ‘Safer’ because we’re striving to do better, and ‘Together’ means it’s not just down to one person, it’s a team effort.” The key things to get people thinking of safety, he said, were good planning and empowering people to make good decisions.
Between speakers there were some fun activities too, including experiencing the hoists used to lift residents in the villages, trying on vision-distorting ‘beer goggles’ while attempting to walk in a straight line, and virtual reality headsets which made you feel like you were walking on a plank on a high-rise construction site.
“Everyone walking home okay is what we want to achieve.” Many were freaked out by the sensation of height even though they were only 2cm above the ground! Gordon also introduced a video featuring Ryman staff who talked about how safety affects them as a person as well as their families. Hearing their colleagues share these extremely emotional personal stories had a sobering effect on everyone present. “Everyone walking home okay is what we want to achieve,” said Gordon. “That’s what I’d like today to be about, us thinking about doing things differently and better.”
Clinical psychologist Nigel Latta urged Rymanians to make work a nice place for humans. Ryman Times • 13
AFL Grand Final party at Weary Dunlop Footy fever gripped Weary Dunlop as residents counted down to the recent AFL grand final, between the Collingwood Magpies and West Coast Eagles. There was food, footy trivia, and even a ball skills challenge in the lead up to the sporting showdown. There were no West Coast supporters to be found in the crowd, but residents John Kelly and Sue Simpson were proudly sporting the black and white of Collingwood, who were gunning for their first premiership since 2010.
An unscientific poll of the crowd revealed most neutral footy fans were hoping the Magpies would reign supreme. It wasn’t to be, though, with their Western Australian rivals winning the grand final in a cliff-hanger and collecting their first premiership flag for 12 years. It was wonderful to see everyone wearing the colours of their team, whether they were in the grand final or not.
Resident Joan Warby.
Residents John Kelly and Sue Simpson.
Resident Esme King holding up the flag!
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Residents John and Gwen Sedgewick.
Nellie Melba is taking shape quickly.
The retirement village that team work built They might have people living on site now, but workers building Nellie Melba retirement village are still charging on towards completion of the project. More than 45 residents have moved into the completed section of Building 2, with the other section due to be finished and welcoming new residents in November.
“Our most important resource is our people, so ensuring they are working in a safe environment trumps everything else.” The fit off and finishing of the basement, ground floor and first floor of Building 1, which will house the village centre, care centre and serviced apartments, has
begun. The building is scheduled for completion in early 2019. “Everything’s going along pretty well at the moment,” project manager Travis Cocks says. “There’s a lot of work still to be done but we’ve had no major hiccups.” The arrival of sunnier spring skies is also making life easier on site, Travis says. “We were actually pretty lucky in winter is terms of the amount of time lost to heavy rain, but it’s certainly nice to now have a bit warmer weather to work in.” While construction is progressing well, he says completing the work safely is always the top priority. “Our most important resource is our people, so ensuring they are working in a safe environment trumps everything else. “We will do the job right, and to the very highest quality standards, but our primary concern is always to make sure
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that everyone who arrives at work gets home again safe and sound when it’s time to knock off.” When complete, the village will be home to around 650 people and include aged care rooms, serviced apartments and independent one-, two- and threebedroomed apartments. Amenities will include an indoor swimming pool, movie theatre, café, hair and beauty salons and a bowling green. But as Travis and his team push on with construction of the village, they’ll no longer have colleagues in Ryman Healthcare’s Melbourne office keeping a close eye on their progress from across the road. The more than a dozen staff in that office relocated to new premises at 420 St Kilda Rd, just south of the CBD, in September.