SOUT HE RN S TA R SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT) MAGAZINE, SUMMER EDITION 2015
Feature Article
Southern Cross Care in the community
5 12
Fun at our inaugural Community Day Looking forward to 2015
Community [kəˈmjuːnɪti] a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
SOUT HE RN S TA R
Community
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT) MAGAZINE
[kəˈmjuːnɪti] a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
SUMMER 2015 Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Publication 151 Greenhill Road Parkside South Australia 5063 PO Box 155 Glen Osmond South Australia 5064 South Australia 1800 180 781 Northern Territory 1800 894 375 Phone 08 8291 8000 Fax 08 8291 8001 Email the Editor magazine@southernxc.com.au Web southerncrosscare.com.au Cover Image Clowning around on Community Day.
Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc ARBN 129 895 905, South Australia, liability limited.
Message from the
EDITOR Happy New Year and welcome to our summer edition of Southern Star! Southern Cross Care is all about communities; the immediate community we live in and the wider communities we are a part of, so this edition’s theme is COMMUNITY. Did you make a new year’s resolution? Each year many people resolve to get involved with their local community or to perhaps enhance the lives of others. If you are one of these people, perhaps you might like to consider volunteering with us! On page 15 you can read how one of our Community Volunteer Scheme (CVS) volunteers loves being part of Southern Cross Care. Connecting and engaging with our wider community is an integral part of our organisation and, in addition to our CVS, our feature article on page 8 highlights some of the other ways in which we do this. Our inaugural Community Day, which celebrated our ‘connected communities’, was a great success and you can see just some of the day’s many activities on page 5. We’ve also included some highlights from 2014, and what you can look forward to in 2015, including the events our Community Foundation Manager has planned in the coming months.
CONTENTS 4 LIVING WELL Drinks to beat the heat
COMMUNITY DAY
6 LOOKING BACK A snapshot of 2014
8 FEATURE ARTICLE Southern Cross Care in the community
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
For more information please visit:
www.dpti.sa.gov.au/communityprograms/programs/cycle_instead
YOUR LIFE, YOUR CARE, YOUR RIGHTS We strongly believe in the fundamental right for people who use aged care services, and carers of these people, to not only participate in making decisions, but to maintain control, have a choice and a voice. ARAS is an independent, rights based organisation that aims to promote and protect the rights and wellbeing of older people, through the provision of information, education, support and representation. For further information call ARAS on (08) 8232 5377 or Country Toll Free 1800 700 600.
ARAS is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Commonwealth Home Support Program and the Department of Social Services and Office for the Ageing, SA Health
10 LIFE IN FOCUS Photos and celebrations
12 LOOKING
FORWARD What’s to come in 2015
14 INTERVIEW Grant Kardachi
15 COMMUNITY VISITORS SCHEME
2
While the Santos Tour Down Under has inspired many to pump up the tyres, oil the chain and get back on the bike to get active again, others are a little nervous of getting back out on the road. The Cycle Instead Journey Planner is a great resource for planning a cycling trip as it uses a variety of options that take into consideration fitness and confidence levels, road conditions and speed of travel. It has now been optimised for PC, tablet PC and smartphones.
5 INAUGURAL
Enjoy the read. The Editor
ON YOUR BIKE
WAYS TO SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’ With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, florists are stocking up on their red roses and chocolate shops are looking to do a roaring trade. However around the world there are other ways to say ‘I love you’. In China, the maple leaf represents love as many believe the maple sweetness represents the feelings of love, while in Serbia padlocks are used to symbolise lovers are bound together forever. And while the tomato is traditionally known as the love apple, the apple itself has been a symbol of love since ancient Greece, where it represented ecstasy and fertility. SUMMER 2015 3
OUR INAUGURAL COMMUNITY DAY
LIVING WELL
Fun for all the Family!
Best drinks to beat the heat this summer Craig Edwards, Dietitian APD Diet soft drinks, low-carb beers, iced tea,
Fruit juice
half the amount of caffeine of a typical cup
fruit juices, smoothies, flavoured water –
Fruit juice can give you valuable nutrients,
of instant coffee (one cup of tea contains
the choices seem endless! Each year, more
but most types naturally contain a similar
around 10-50mg of caffeine and a cup of
drinks come onto the market and a greater
amount of sugar and kilojoules to soft
instant coffee contains between 60-100mg
amount of our total energy (or kilojoule)
drinks. Watch out for big serve sizes from
per 250ml cup). When served without milk
juice bars. Limit juice to 125-250ml a day
or sugar, tea and coffee contain virtually no
or try diluting juice with water or ice.
kilojoules. But watch iced teas as some are
intake now comes from drinks. Adults need around 1.5-2 litres of fluid per day and while all fluids can count towards your daily fluid intake, water is the best drink. It contains no kilojoules and is the
Sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks and cordials These drinks are low in nutrition but can contain plenty of extra kilojoules which you may not need. Diet varieties may be lower
best fluid for hydrating the body. But what
in energy and sugar, but remember diet soft
about other choices?
drinks can be quite acidic and too much of these drinks may contribute to tooth decay,
Milk Milk has important nutrients like protein and
especially with kids.
quite high in added sugar. Alcohol In moderation, alcohol can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Current recommendations suggest women and men may safely include a maximum of two standard alcoholic drinks per day. Both men and women should also try to include two alcohol-free days per week. ‘Low carb’
calcium and is about 90% water. If you are
Tea and coffee
beers and wines have recently become
buying flavoured milk, compare brands and
These can be important sources of fluid to
popular, but although these are lower in
select those that are lower in saturated fat
help you to meet your daily fluid needs. Both
carbohydrates than regular varieties, the
and added sugar. Watch the serve sizes of
black and green teas have antioxidants,
alcohol and kilojoule content is often very
smoothies, which may be ‘super-sized’, and
which can help promote good health.
similar to other types of beer and wine.
can contain a lot of kilojoules.
A standard cup of tea contains less than
QUIZ:
How well do you know our Southern Cross Care Community?
1. When did we hold our first Community Day?
7. How many volunteers do we have?
2. What is the definition of ‘community’?
8. In which Christmas parade did our Community Bus
3. Which famous chef visited West Beach Residential? 4. When is our Community Foundation Quiz night in 2015? 5. How many years of care were celebrated last year at our Lourdes Valley community?
On Saturday 15 November 2014, over 500 people joined in the fun at our inaugural Community Day, held at Ridge Park, Myrtle Bank (at the rear of the Lourdes Valley and Waterford centres). As well as celebrating different programs, activities and achievements, there was plenty of entertainment for all the family; kids loved the baby guinea pigs and feeding the goats in the petting farm as well as taking rides on Clancy the Train and trying out the ‘Life. Be in it’ games. All enjoyed the different demonstrations on the main stage, the range of refreshments and browsing the many stalls (with all funds raised going to our Southern Cross Care Foundation). A big thank you to all who volunteered to help, and of course the visitors (including one well-known seasonal visitor, and one from another galaxy), who made the day so successful.
SAVE THE DATE Make sure you put Saturday 24 October 2015 in your diary and come along to our next fun-packed Community Day!
participate in? 9. How many people used our residential care and respite services last year? 10. Where did the RAA hold one of its CarFit sessions last year?
6. What services do we provide? Some of the answers can be found in this newsletter and all the answers are on page 14. 4
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
SUMMER 2015 5
LOOKING BACK D
MARCH
ES ERV IC E ER OV
- PRO VID E
RE AND RESPIT
R FO
The Community Foundation bought a second bus to support our communities in the southern region.
EN ID ES
L CA TIA
State election
S
APRIL
R
2014 – THE SUCCESSES AND THE CELEBRATIONS
OCTOBER
MANAGED OVER
900
300 0 PEOPLE
UNITS OF RETIREMENT ACCOMMODATION
Riverpoint’s community centre won the ACS SA & NT award for excellence in Retirement Living Design. The design for the community centre creates not only a comfortable and functional building, but provides a beautiful and dynamic space for the residents to meet, socialise, learn together and connect as a community
JUNE
2014
Mayor Ann Ferguson and representatives from Mount Barker Primary School, Sarah Constructions, Walterbrooke, our customers, neighbours and other project team members joined us to turn the first sod for the construction of our new 80-bed centre at Mount Barker. As well as providing respite services and residential care, this new community will help ease the demand for aged care services in the Adelaide Hills region and will employ around 100 people.
J U LY Bellevue Court, our new 80-bed residential care centre in Gawler, welcomed its first residents and was officially opened by His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AO, Governor of South Australia, in December.
SUPPORTED ALMOST
700 PEOPLE JUNE Many of our centres opened their doors and welcomed the community as part of the inaugural National Open Day.
6
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
NEARLY
2600
(INCLUDING VOLUNTEERS)
IN THEIR OWN HOME THROUGH OUR HOME SUPPORT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES
J U LY
AUGUST SEPTEMBER We launched our Twitter and facebook pages.
Stage five of Pearl Resort’s Terrace Villas was completed and welcomed its first resident.
Aiming to give people more control over how and where their funding is used, the Federal Government’s Living Longer Living Better legislation reforms came into play.
SUMMER 2015 7
WELCOMING THE COMMUNITY Our centres frequently welcome individuals and organisations to help celebrate events, entertain or run workshops. Pearl residents loved celebrating NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) with traditional dancers, while residents at Oaklands Park look forward to the
regular workshops run by the local Bunnings Warehouse. On Father’s Day, the local Historic Car Club paid a visit to Sandpiper Lodge and delighted residents by driving cars similar to ones they had previously owned.
CONNECTING THE GENERATIONS Over the past few months, we have been connecting generations through our very successful Intergenerational Project. This project saw our community at Sandpiper Lodge share its stories and experiences with a class of Year 5 students at Goolwa Primary School. Headed up by Annette Rohde, the project continued until the end of the second school term. Bellevue Court residents are also sharing their experiences at Gawler Goodstart Early Learning Centre where they act as visiting grandparents. Meanwhile residents at West Beach are teaching the local school children the art of traditional letter writing by being ‘pen friends’ with them.
GIVING TO THE COMMUNITY
OUT AND ABOUT From Murray Bridge and the Hart Mill precinct in Port Adelaide, to Virginia Nursery and shopping trips to Ikea, our two Community Foundation buses are constantly connecting our people to the wider community. One bus even enjoyed being a part of the Victor Harbor Christmas pageant!
The generosity of our communities to help those less fortunate than themselves is amazing. Activities range from donating gift boxes to St Vincent de Paul to help disadvantaged children at Christmas, holding tea parties for the Cancer Foundation’s biggest morning tea and baking cakes for the
RSPCA, to shaving heads for the Leukaemia Foundation’s Greatest Shave, growing moustaches for Movember, taking the ‘Ice Bucket’ challenge and donating knitted blankets to the charity Wrap with Love. Staff even spoke like pirates for a childhood cancer charity!
Many of our centres also support the community by hosting events on behalf of other organisations; late last year, the RAA were overwhelmed by the number of cars which attended its CarFit session held at Riverpoint, and audiences regularly enjoy a variety of concerts at Lourdes Valley Chapel.
A PART OF THE AGED CARE COMMUNITY We were delighted to be one of ten aged care providers invited to be a part of the South Australia Innovation Hub. This is a major Federal Government initiative designed to bring about significant reduction in red tape and ease the regulatory burden on aged care providers, as well as lead to improved services for older people across the country. 8
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
SUMMER 2015 9
LIFE IN FOCUS GRADUATION TIME Hotel services staff at McCracken Views and Sandpiper Lodge achieved their Certificate III in Aged Care.
Our centres commemorated Sunday Remembrance w in many ays, splays, lovingly with touching di ppies and made knitted po . rv moving se ices
Remembrance
HO HO HO... As always, Christmas was celebrated with lots of great parties, visits from Santa and Frosty the Snowman, as well as trips to see the Christmas lights.
BUCKLANDS MAGGIE BEER
10th BIRTHDAY
After extensive renovations in 2004, Bucklands Lodge welcomed 81-year-old Beulah Carter and many other residents to their new home. Ten years later the now 91-year-old Beulah cut the celebratory anniversary cake for us!
100 YEARS
Day
Maggie Beer, through the Maggie Beer Foundation, has a particular focus on food in residential aged care. CEO Andrew Larpent invited Maggie, Chef Simon Bryant and members of the Foundation to try the regular meals and to meet residents in West Beach Residential.
GAWLER HISTORY Gawler History Group brought back memories for residents in Bellevue Court when it donated a memory stick with over 600 historic photos of Gawler and its people. Lifestyle assistant Julie Lloyd said the pictures had been a winner, attracting attention within just a few minutes of being shown on the lounge TV. “People were watching and talking about the pictures as they came up on screen. One resident saw pictures of a shop she owned in the past. Another commented on it being the street they lived on, and some commented about family who had worked for some of the businesses pictured.”
OF CARE
In October we held a special celebration of 100 years of care at Lourdes Valley. In 1914, the foundation stone for the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home was blessed by Archbishop John O’Reily, and the home was then run by this charitable organisation for 70 years. 10
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
SUMMER 2015 11
LOOKING FORWARD 2015 – NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK AND WHAT IS TO COME Riverpoint’s stages 5 and 6 developing well, with expected handover of stage 5 to be mid-February and stage 6 early August.
We successfully applied for a $3 million government grant to extend our residential centre in Pearl. Upgrades will include an extension to the centre and cyclone bunker, and the creation of a new memory support garden.
Stage 6 of Pearl Retirement Resort’s development has begun and there is interest with several villas already sold.
SOLD
Change Day Thursday 26 March
2015 Anzac Centenary Saturday 25 April
Approximately 10% of the Mt Barker project has already been completed. It is scheduled to finish at the end of this year.
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
for your diary
Friday13 February Wine & Cheese Auction at The Waterford
Thursday 19 March Wine & Cheese Auction at The Waterford
Monday 30 March Breakfast with Craig James, Chief Economist, Commsec
Friday 1 May
Community Foundation Quiz Night
Sunday 20 September Team Southern Cross Care in City-Bay Fun Run
National Open Day Friday 19 June
Monday 12 October
Active Ageing Week
Saturday 24 October
20-26 September 12
DATES
Corporate Golf Day
Southern Cross Care Community Day
SUMMER 2015 13
An interview with
Grant Kardachi Board member and Chairman of the Workforce Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Services Committee, Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc. Grant is currently the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and was formerly a community pharmacist owner. He remains accredited to conduct medication management reviews both in aged care facilities and the community. Grant has presented many papers on pharmaceutical care and medication management at conferences around Australia. He has been a member of several advisory groups involved in the implementation of medication management. In addition to his role as a Board Member of Southern Cross Care, Grant is also chairman of the Workforce Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Services Committee. Why did you become involved with SCC? As a service provider for several SCC facilities, during my career as a community pharmacist, I developed a strong interest in aged care which led to my appointment as a Board director.
Reaching out to the community COMMUNITY VISITORS SCHEME life are welcome as we pair up similar interests and backgrounds.
What aspects do you enjoy most in your roles and being on the Board?
have played a mentoring role in various aspects of my career.
I enjoy interacting with people with varying skill sets who share a common vision in maintaining and improving the quality of care for all SCC residents.
What has been your favourite holiday and why?
In addition to a lot of personal satisfaction and personal development, volunteering is a great opportunity to meet new people and gain new skills. Studies have also revealed volunteering is associated with greater health and happiness!
My favourite holiday was being in New York from Christmas to New Year - one of the highlights was having Christmas breakfast in Adelaide with my wife and then meeting all my family in New York for Christmas dinner that same day.
We do have other volunteering activities, ranging from assisting with lifestyle activities, fundraising, events, and tending gardens, to providing pastoral support, helping in our cafes and driving people to appointments.
As well as dispensing medications, what do you consider are other role(s) of a pharmacy in the community? The role of a community pharmacy is becoming more health focused services now include the supply of dosage administration aids to help people manage their medicines, Home Medication Reviews, a greater role in managing minor ailments, vaccinations and health screenings. Pharmacies are moving towards being health destinations. Who has influenced you in your life and why? The influences in my life and pharmacy career have been the colleagues who
What was your first job? My first job was working as a salesman in the suit department of John Martin’s while studying pharmacy. If you could have a super power, what would it be? If I could have a superpower, I would like to see all health professionals genuinely working collaboratively for better health outcomes for patients and disregarding the politics that often hinders this vision.
Former legal secretary Corinne, who has been visiting 103 year old Avis* became a part of our Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) because she wanted to get into the community and to meet new people, as well as help others. As an immigrant from UK, Corinne feels this volunteering activity of providing social support for an older person fills the generation gap she was missing. “I have lots of family back in the UK, so going to this lovely lady’s house is like visiting your grandma’s home; I have no-one like this here. “Plus it’s fascinating learning about Avis’s life.”
QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Saturday 15 November 2014 2. A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common 3. Maggie Beer & Chef Simon Bryant 4. Friday 1 May 2015 5.100 6. Retirement living, residential care, respite, home support, health and wellbeing. 7. Nearly 500 8. Victor Harbor 9. Over 3000 10. Riverpoint 14
SOUTHERN CROSS CARE (SA & NT)
Avis who is blind, looks forward to Corinne’s visits and enjoys telling her about growing up during the Great Depression and life in the Flinders Ranges. As well as sharing experiences, Corinne also spends time reading with Avis. Our CVS is an essential way in which we assist older people who may be
experiencing loneliness or social isolation for many reasons, varying from social or cultural reasons, to living with a disability. To help address this issue, we successfully applied for a government grant to operate our Community Visitors Scheme (CVS), so volunteers on this scheme could provide valuable social support for people who use our home care packages.
If you are interested in volunteering through our CVS scheme, or would like to find out about other volunteer opportunities with Southern Cross Care, please call 1800 180 781 or email enquiry@southernxc.com Come and join our team of nearly 500 volunteers!
*As Avis has just recently moved into a Volunteering as a community visitor is a residential home, Corinne is looking very rewarding experience. By visiting an forward to visiting a new person shortly. older person, volunteers not only have a chance to make a positive difference to someone’s life, but it often enhances their own. what you think!
Let us know
If you have a spare hour each fortnight and are interested in providing valuable social support for older people through our CVS, we would love to hear from you. As the people who use our home care packages come from a variety of different social and cultural backgrounds, community volunteers from all walks of
We would love to know your thoughts, what you do and don’t like about this magazine or perhaps you have a story to share? Please get in touch either via phone on 1800 180 781 (SA) or 1800 894 375 (NT) or email magazine@southernxc.com.au
SUMMER 2015 15
A DAY ON THE GREEN Our annual Community Foundation Golf Day attracted over 30 teams who enjoyed a round of golf at Tea Tree Gully Golf Course and an entertaining insight into the cricket world by Wayne Phillips over morning tea. A big thank you to all who contributed to the day’s success and congratulations go to the winning team Wellness and Lifestyles Australia.
CRAFT AT MYRTLE COTTAGE People who use our services at our Myrtle Cottage respite centre are enjoying a wider range of activities following the successful application for a $5000 grant from the Office for the Ageing under its Grants for Seniors program. Our new craft shed is now complete and provides a safe environment for people to continue their passions and remain connected to their community.
Thank you
We were overwhelmed with the response to our Christmas appeal and would like to thank all who have so generously supported us. In the next few months, we’re very much looking forward to being able to purchase a third wheelchair accessible bus to give more people the opportunity of enjoying excursions.