WINTER 2022
tidings MIND OVER MATTER
RICHARD CLEAVER LODGE TURNS 50
CUTTING EDGE
65 YEARS OF BLISS
Richard shares his passion for life
Sandra speaks about her passion for sawing INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Celebrations & renovation announcement
John & Veronica chat about six decades of marriage
CEO’S COLUMN | GENERAL NEWS | RESIDENT STORIES
26 Plantation Drive Bentley WA 6102 Phone: (08) 6250 0000 Fax: (08) 9470 2017 www.swancare.com.au twitter.com/swancare
Wedded bliss with the Bates
Glenice & Charlie visit aged care centres
facebook.com/swancare instagram.com/swancareaus linkedin.com/company/swancare Tidings Magazine is a seasonal publication produced and printed on behalf of the residents at SwanCare. Deadlines for editorial and advertising are: Spring 7th August, Summer 7th November, Autumn 7th February, and Winter 7th May. To book advertising or for information regarding rates please contact SwanCare on 6250 0032. Please supply editorial contributions as a Word document electronically to tidings@swancare.com.au. Hard copies of articles can be handed to reception in the Administration offices at Bentley Park and Australind Rise. Any supporting photographs may be supplied electronically or as hard-copy prints. Disclaimer: In good faith SwanCare accepts articles, a small selection of advertisements, and other content for Tidings. However, the opinions and claims expressed in articles and advertising materials presented in Tidings are those of the authors and the advertisers respectively, and do not necessarily reflect the views of SwanCare, unless stated. No responsibility is accepted by SwanCare for the accuracy of information contained in the articles or advertisements. Cover image: SwanCare Bentley Park resident Richard Edgecombe.
2 | Winter Tidings Edition
Residents enjoying WA sunshine
4 5 6 8 9
CEO'S COLUMN
News from SwanCare’s CEO, Graham Francis
ECO UPDATE
Environmental Sustainability Plan Progress
SWANCARE NEWS
News from Around SwanCare
RESIDENT STORY
Celebrating Richard Cleaver Lodge
VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS Smiles Galore
Richard’s positive outlook on life
Lawn bowlers enjoying good weather
10 16 19 20 21
Foodbank 2021 Bentley Park resident donations
Resident bird watcher Gordon Baker
RESIDENT STORIES
65 Years of Bliss Australian Ibis Visits SwanCare Mind Over Matter
VILLAGE NEWS
Clubs & Groups Updates
RESIDENT STORY
The Land of the Sunny Skies
GARDEN INTEREST GROUP Winter Activities for a Spring Colour Show
PENNY’S BOOK REVIEW How to be Second Best
22 24 25 26 27
Sandra enjoys sawing as a hobby
PASSIONS & PASTIMES
Cutting Edge
BRAIN TEASER Pairs Puzzle
MEET THE STAFF Antonino Abad
LEGENDARY RECIPES Chinese Spare Ribs
OUT & ABOUT
Photos from Across the Village
swancare.com.au | 3
CEO'S Column
W
elcome to our Tidings Winter edition!
While we have several key projects happening behind the scenes, COVID-19 is never far from our thoughts. It’s unfortunate as COVID-19 does impact us here at SwanCare particularly across our staff. While we continue to adapt to the challenges that COVID-19 brings, the compassion, and work ethic of our staff and management has been nothing short of amazing. We cannot express enough thanks to the incredible work that is being done to navigate SwanCare through this pandemic, ensuring the safety of our residents and staff. Within our retirement community, it is great to see our village residents being responsible and thoughtful of others in their awareness of COVID-19. As a community we need to remain vigilant and take a cautious approach to our individual safety during these times of increased risk. Remember to continue to maintain good hand hygiene, keep 1.5 metres physical distance where possible, do not hesitate to wear a mask, and stay home if you are feeling unwell. With the end of the financial year upon us, budgets are underway and are due to be released in July. The year ahead may continue to present some challenges as we face rising costs, increased wages and adapting to a completely new Government funding stream for Aged Care providers. Despite these challenges, SwanCare is still well placed to continue to deliver exciting initiatives next fiancial year. All initiatives are aimed at providing enhanced amenities and continued betterment of resident’s lifestyle across our entire campus. Some of the projects include: •
Planning for SwanCare Waminda refurbishment and a new apartment complex
•
Enhancements to the common areas in Mavis Cleaver Court and Richard Cleaver Lodge
4 | Winter Tidings Edition
•
Modifications to the second floor of the administration building
•
Revised operating hours and new menu at Jarrah Café
•
Process improvements and support infrastructure for the ICT department
In addition, the team have also been working on a new strategic plan; entitled “Our Vision. Our Future”. This plan is an evolution of the existing direction with an enhanced emphasis on our residents, our staff, and our sustainability. We recognise that we are in a position of strength. However, the environment we operate in is ever changing, creating both challenges and opportunities. In reviewing our strategy, we ensure we can build on our long history and great legacy as well as continue to deliver on our purpose, now and forever. Over the ensuing months communications will be provided outlining our plans to continue to deliver market leading products and services to our residents, our staff, and the entire SwanCare community. And finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the current fate of my beloved West Coast Eagles and provide accolades to the team down the road. It is wonderful to see Fremantle Dockers fans up and about, and if my team can’t be there to take the chocolates, then I will be happy to throw my support behind our Freo friends. All the best and stay well!
Graham Francis SwanCare CEO
Environmental Update Electric & Shared Vehicle Survey
Containers for Change
You may have recently completed a survey regarding electric and shared vehicles. Thank you to Bill Waterer for his assistance with this survey. The results have shown there is very little interest in a shared vehicle scheme at Bentley Park. However, the interest in electric vehicles is increasing. As a result of the survey, the Resident Transport Committee are investigating options for a presentation from experts in electric vehicles. An option for a fast charger for residents’ and visitors’ electric vehicles may be included in a future budget if approved by the board.
As of 30 April 2022, $1,441.80 has been raised through the Containers for Change Program. Place your items loose in the blue bins around the Bentley Park village. Remove containers from bags and boxes before placing in the bins. Please be reminded that refunds in the Container for Change program are for eligible containers only, see below for further information. Refunds may be reduced where incorrect containers are placed in the bins.
E-waste Collection An e-waste collection is being arranged for June 2022. Further details about the dates, location of collection points, and what can be disposed of in the e-waste collection will be provided in the coming weeks. All e-waste collected will be sent to a recycler, so that all valuable resources and components can be recovered. If you wish to participate, please ensure you have removed any data from your devices. SwanCare Staff are unfortunately unable to assist with the transfer of your items to the e-waste bins.
Organics Rollout
Beverage containers with the 10c mark. Including: • Soft drink and alcoholics cans and bottles • Small juice and flavoured milk containers less than 1 litre • Single use water bottles
As part of our commitment to reduce waste going to landfill, we are looking to expand our trial of organic waste collections within the common bin areas of the Bentley Park village. Organics waste is household food scraps including fruits, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags, dairy foods, meat with small bones, bakery products, etc. Tissues and paper towels may also be placed in organics waste. All waste placed in organics bins must be contained within a compostable bin liner. These are usually green in colour and are available from supermarkets. If you are interested in trailing organics waste collections in your area, please contact Administration Reception to register your interest.
Beverage containers without the 10c. Including: • Unflavoured milk cartons or bottles • Wine bottles • Larger juice containers over 1 litre • Larger flavoured milk containers over 1 litre
swancare.com.au | 5
SwanCare News Bentley Park Library
International Nurses Day
If you’re a SwanCare resident who is finding yourself home more often than not, you might like to pass the time with a great book! Our Library is operating in a COVID-19 safe way and is open Monday/Wednesday 9am-3pm and Thursday/Friday 9am-12noon. Penny and her volunteers welcome you to explore the many shelves of books in small and large font. For more information visit the Library at the rear of the Administration building or call Penny on 6250 0022.
On the 12th of May, we are celebrated International Nurses Day at SwanCare! Every day, our nurses work tirelessly behind the scenes to make a difference. We’d like to take a moment to recognise all that they do. Throughout our conversations and monthly Feathers nominations, we regularly hear about the hard work and dedication our nursing team provides. To all our compassionate and caring nurses, we cannot thank you enough for the work you do every day.
Chocolate Fundraising The Bentley Park Show Committee is once again selling chocolates, with most just $1 each. They were on sale in several locations in May and can still be brought from Administration Reception. Make sure you come and grab yourself some chocolate to support the upcoming Bentley Park Show! SwanCare Tandara staff keeping spirits up
We’re Hiring Raising funds for Bentley Park Show
Bentley Park Cafes Jarrah Cafe and Spritz Cafe are now offering residents accounts. If you would like to set up an account, please see administration. Once this has been set up, you can order at the cafe and have them to put it on your account. You will then receive an invoice after the end of each month, this will be added to your fees account – the same as we do now for other SwanCare services. To arrange this, please contact the Accounts Department at Administration via accounts@swancare.com.au or 6250 0000. 6 | Winter Tidings Edition
SwanCare Bentley Park is currently hiring for several roles including: • Registered Nurse Team Leader • Registered Nurses • Enrolled Nurses • Administration Officer – Community Living • HR and Payroll Assistant • Café Barista / Food Service Assistants (FSA)/Dishwashers • Housekeeping Assistant • Community Assistant If anyone you know is looking for a job, please send them to our website for further details at www.swancare.com.au/apply-now-or-expressyour-interest.
SwanCare News Resident Volunteers Needed
New Residents Morning Tea
If you can spare an hour in the morning at 9am or an hour in the afternoon at 2pm, we would greatly appreciate your help. We are seeking village resident volunteers at our Residential Aged Care Centre’s to assist with:
In May our Retirement Living community had their new residents morning tea to welcome those who had recently moved into SwanCare. We had speeches from the Bentley Park Residents Committee, GM of Community Living and the Marketing team.
• Welcoming visitors • Supervision of Rapid Antigen Testing • Assisting visitors with the new sign-in/out system If you have had previous administration, office, or nursing experience, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Karen Parker on 6250 0010 or karen.parker@swancare.com.au for further information.
The residents were treated to a selection of sweets, savouries, and a fabulous hot beverage. It was great to see the new residents meeting each other and mingling!
Jarrah Cafe Jarrah Cafe will have new opening hours effective Monday 30th of May. The new opening hours will be Wednesday to Friday 7am-7pm with cooked lunch and dinner menu available, as well as Saturday and Sunday 8am3pm with cooked brunch menu available. The change in opening hours will be coincide with the launch of a new winter menu.
Cafe Opening Times Monday & Tuesday Closed Wednesday to Friday 7:00am to 7:00pm Saturday & Sunday 8:00am to 3:00pm Kitchen Opening Times: Wednesday to Friday 11:00am to 2:00pm & 4:30pm to 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 11:00am to 2:00pm Public Holiday hours subject to change. A 15% Public Holiday surcharge will apply.
SwanCare welcomes new residents to Bentley Park
Friday Night Flicks The Friday Night Flicks team has decided to cease operating. Thank you for your support for Friday Night Flicks over the last four years, and for your patience with the difficulties of the last few months. The Friday Night Flicks created an atmosphere that brought people together to watch a movie, but moreover it created a place to connect with others and get out of the house. We would like to say a big thank you to the team, especially Dianne and Bruce May who led the group for the duration. Their dedication to the group saw them packaging goodie bags, obtaining a license to show the movies, collecting money on arrival, and much more. A job well done team! swancare.com.au | 7
SwanCare RCL Anniversary Story Celebrating Richard Cleaver Lodge We love a good celebration at SwanCare, and recently a morning tea was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Richard Cleaver Lodge at Bentley Park. Built in 1972, the popular apartment complex has housed many residents over the years. In fact, it was the first retirement apartment complex of its kind built in Perth, so it holds many dear memories. SwanCare CEO Graham Francis said the building played a special part in SwanCare’s history. “It’s a testament to buildings built back then, she has strong bones,” Graham said. “Richard Cleaver Lodge is a really important to SwanCare. It’s named after our founder who was an incredible man. “Richard had a lot of foresight and vision; he was ahead of his time with this retirement building. It’s a credit to him and a credit to SwanCare. “We’ve continued building apartments and this year we have plans to renovate the lounge areas on each floor of this building for our residents to enjoy.” To commemorate the anniversary, Tidings also asked some residents to share what they love about life here at Richard Cleaver Lodge: “It’s so peaceful and everyone’s so nice. I live in a bedsit, and I love the layout of it. Each floor also has a lounge with a lovely balcony for when visitors come over.” - Lorelei Rose
Celebrating 50 years of Richard Cleaver Lodge
“I love the support of my neighbours and the staff, but I also love the independence it has given me and my daughter. I also like that SwanCare is very transparent and keeps us up to date with all the happenings in the area through notices.” - Lorraine Blair “The idea moving of into SwanCare was around actually having a life, instead of just living. Previously John and I lived in Busselton, but we felt confined to the home due to John’s illness. SwanCare is perfect as it’s both secure and comfortable. The new Leisure Precinct facilities have increased liveability on campus, allowing me to slip off to the pool for some exercise while John is sleeping or watching TV. I’m also working on encouraging more community life with monthly meet ups for the residents, so we can all share each other’s company. It’s so nice to get to know your neighbours and look out for each other, if we know someone is unwell or if we haven’t seen someone in a while we can check-in.” - Shane Annert Residents at the morning tea indulged in great cake and enjoyed great conversations. Some even making new friends along the way!
Celebratory cake
8 | Winter Tidings Edition
Well done to Shane for organising the morning tea and we wish them well with their monthly community events!
Valuable Volunteer Smiles Galore If you see lots of smiling in our care centres, there may very well be an animal in action! Meet retirement living resident, Glenice, and her wonder dog, Charlie, who bring joy to the residents in SwanCare’s residential aged care centres. Glenice has lived in retirement living at SwanCare for the past two years and said it brings her (and Charlie) so much joy to see the aged care residents faces light up when Charlie walks in the room. “She’s such a special dog and I felt like I should share her with people,” Glenice said. “She is very intuitive with people’s emotions, and she can sense when they need some comfort.” Charlie has such a lovely nature and is always ready for a picture and a cuddle. “I’ve owned lots of dogs, but she has such a placid nature,
the residents really adore her. She laps up all the attention - she’s like a film star, she has the best time,” said Glenice. For those in the aged care centres who have had pets previously, it brings back many wonderful memories and Glenice often hears about the pets of their past. “Charlie is also a great conversation starter,” said Glenice. “It’s nice for the residents and they’re always so grateful for the pats.” Once Glenice and Charlie have finished their rounds, it’s only a 10-minute walk back home in the village. “We get a big thank you at the end, but I think we’re the ones who should be thanking them,” said Glenice. “Visiting the centres brings Charlie and I so much joy, I feel blessed to have a dog as special as she is and I love sharing her with the residents.” Glenice hasn’t been able to visit the care centres lately as a knee replacement and pneumonia have kept her home bound, but she can’t wait to return to visits every Thursday as soon as possible. “The residents adore Charlie at the home, so we’re very much looking forward to being able to go back,” Glenice said. When she’s not with Charlie, Glenice has four children and eight grandchildren who keep her busy and said she loves living at SwanCare because of the beautiful people and staff. “I’ve been so happy here, it really is a wonderful place to live,” she said. “I lost my husband a few years ago and I was very lonely, so to be able to have a new lease on life here is a gift.” Glenice had some parting words on volunteering their time at the residential aged care centres. “I feel like we’re making a small difference to people’s lives… I’d go every day if I could.”
Glenice & Charlie going for a morning stroll around SwanCare
Thank you so much for chatting with us, Glenice! And thank you for all the smiles you bring to our aged care centres. swancare.com.au | 9
Resident Story 65 Years of Bliss
Reminiscing about 6 decades of marriage
SwanCare Residents, John and Veronica Bates, celebrated 65 years of marriage in May. They marked the special occasion by having a home cooked lunch together at John’s SwanCare unit with their daughter Cathie. John made a beautiful lunch from scratch with all the trimmings including crumbed lamb cutlets, potatoes, peas, beans, and gravy. Reminiscing on their time together, John said they first met in a peculiar way. “I knew my father-in-law, Laurie, for around three years before I even knew he had a daughter - Veronica - the girl I married 65 years ago!” says John. In fact, John met his father-in-law in the army. John had been called up for the very first Australian National Service and after three months of training, was assigned to the Army Reserves for five years. “I was a signal sergeant in an artillery unit after my training,” John says. “Laurie was my instructor and we got on remarkably well.” Every Sunday was visitor’s day, and the buses would arrive from Melbourne to Puckapunyal and Seymour. “National servicemen weren’t allowed to drink at the time even though they were 18 years of age and over, and legally able to,” remembers John. “They also weren’t able to vote, but they were able to do national service!” 10 | Winter Tidings Edition
“One particular time, Laurie scrounged a keg of beer from somewhere and planted it out of the way,” John said. “His wife and daughter were coming to visit, and Laurie says to me, “do you think you could look after my daughter for the day? She’s not bad fun.” One of the other signal sergeants who was a good friend of John’s had just got engaged and his fiancé came to visit, so the four decided to spend the day all together. “We all squeezed into his ute and that’s where it all started!” John says. When John met Veronica, he was 20 and she was 16 going on 17. “We courted for about 18 months and eventually got married, but it was a bit of a catastrophe really - Veronica was Roman Catholic and I was Presbyterian.” At the time marrying between religions was frowned upon and sometimes forbid. “One night, her parish Priest rolled up at the front door and called Veronica and Laurie outside,” said John. “He told them he wasn’t going to let her marry me and in his words: ‘Here’s three boys, take your pick and I’ll get them married now!’ But Veronica stood her ground.” Veronica wanted to marry John in her own church of her own religion. Eventually, after a couple of false hopes, they found a priest that would marry them. They exchanged vows in the vestry
Resident Story - a little office on the side of the church – as they were unable to marry at the alter due to differing religions.
kept that promise. We’ve also never disagreed in front of the children. We’ve disagreed many times, but never in front of the kids.”
Malcolm, their son, was born 10 months later, obviously conceived on their honeymoon which had tongues wagging. “We had three kids in four years,” John says, “and in 1962, looking for new opportunities, the five of us boarded a plane in Melbourne bound for Perth.”
John has such beautiful things to say about their life together. “I thank her for all her love and support for over 65 years,” said John. We have 3 kids (Malcolm, Cathie, and Vicki), 7 grandkids and 6 great-grandkids. We all keep in touch and there are no arguments. I consider us to be very lucky!”
Accommodation was tough back then. You couldn’t rent a house in Perth if you had kids - people didn’t want kids in their houses. But property was cheap, and they ended up buying a house in Cloverdale where they lived for more than 30 years.
What a beautiful story – Thanks for sharing, John! We wish you and Veronica many more happy years together.
For the next 25 years, John worked doing various jobs at Transperth and Veronica worked as a telephonist/receptionist at Snap Instant Print. “In 1989, at 56 years of age, my doctor, wife and kids decided I was going to have to retire for health reasons,” said John. “Veronica and I continued to volunteer at various places though, including at the SES for 18 years together.” John and Veronica moved into their separate SwanCare units in 2016. And in 2020, Veronica went into SwanCare Tandara for respite and then moved into SwanCare Ningana for fulltime care. “She had a bad spell in hospital and needed respite,” said John. “She got used to being looked after so well and decided to stay on.” SwanCare’s campus suits the couple well as John gets the buggy to take him to visit when he can. “I visit her two to three times a week depending on the weather and how my health is,” John says. What’s the secret to long lasting marriage? John believes communication is key. “Veronica and I made a promise that we would never go to bed without settling an argument and we’ve
John & Veronica on their wedding day, 1957
swancare.com.au | 11
Resident Story Australian Ibis visits SwanCare | By Gordon Baker Residents interested in birds may like to know that a group of Australian Ibis are currently visiting us each night. They arrive in a group of about 20 birds and spend their night roosting in a large pine tree on the fence line between SwanCare and the Corrective Services Academy, just north of Mavis Cleaver Court. Currently they arrive at dusk over a period from about 5.30pm and settle in the tree to roost for the night, with much raucous and blaring calls. They then leave again very early the next morning. I have noticed that at evening the ibis fly in from a north-east direction which suggests that they could be spending their day in the upper reaches of the Swan River and nearby lakes north of Guildford, but that is really an unknown. These large birds are mainly white with a downcurved black bill, black neck legs and wing tips - they are quite easy to recognise. They were first recorded in the southwest of WA in 1950, due to expanding their range by migration southwards from northern Australia. This species is now common on the Swan Coastal Plain and extends inland during the winter rainfall period. Ibis are wading birds and prefer fresh to brackish wetland areas and are prolific eaters of insects, earthworms, and grasshoppers. As well as freshwater mussels, fish, and small invertebrates. They nest in reed beds and wetland trees often in dense colonies and appear to be expanding their range around the southern coast of WA. Ibis are commonly known as ‘bin chickens’ because unfortunately they can become scavengers of waste disposal, which says more about our rubbish disposal methods than about these birds. Adjacent to the SwanCare property, when they are on the ground, they are often working over 12 | Winter Tidings Edition
Gordon enjoys watching the Australian Ibis at SwanCare
the lawn area probably eating earthworms and insects. The Australian Ibis has a wide distribution in this country, being also found in all eastern states from Tasmania north to Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Australian Ibis is a subspecies and closely related to the Sacred Ibis of Africa which was venerated in Egypt during the times of the Pharoes. Also related, is the Black-headed Ibis found in Asia. The ibis is therefore one of the most widespread bird species found in the world. I have used the following books for references, and they are also useful for those interested in birds: • S.Nevill: Birds of the Greater South West WA • G.Pizzey & F. Knight: Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Thank you so much for your contribution to the Tidings, Gordon! It was so interesting to learn about the Australian Ibis, especially while they reside in our trees.
Peace of mind with
Care Advice Value
We are here to help you with our friendly service, professional advice and low prices. We are open 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm. You can find us just around the corner on Chapman Road. Our Services include: Free Home Deliveries* | Webster-Pak® | Pharmacist consultations | NDSS Sub Agency | Blood Pressure testing | Medical Certificates *Please phone the pharmacy to arrange a special and prompt delivery time for you. SCRIPT BOX LOCATIONS 1 Administration Building 2 Akora Apts 3 Drummond Way Apts 4 Grocery Store 5 Mavis Cleaver Court 6 Medical Centre Foyer 7 Plantation Apts 8 Richard Cleaver Court
Joanne Abetz B Pharm MPS 16A Chapman Road, St James, WA 6102 T: (08) 9361 6101 F: (08) 9472 1764 E: info@sjnp.com.au W: stjamesnewstartpharmacy.com.au OPEN 7 days, 8am - 8pm
10% 25% 50%
SENIORS’ DISCOUNT
OFF BLACKMORES
UP TO
OFF NON-PBS SUBSIDISED
Resident Story Mind over Matter When Richard Edgecombe was just 15 years old, he had an accident that would change the course of his life forever. He was riding his bike with his friends around the platform of the Merredin train station, showing off, when he fell off the edge of the platform, landed on the tracks and broke his back rendering him a paraplegic.
Richard’s father asked the local jeweller in town if Richard could work for him, the jeweller accepted, and that’s how he got his first job. “About two years in, the jeweller decided he wanted to sell his business,” said Richard. “Mum and Dad bought the shop and Edgecombe Jewellers was born!”
Richard woke up in the hospital instinctively knowing his legs didn’t work, in fact he was paralysed from below the navel. “When you’re 15, that’s a dangerous age for a boy… you think you’re invincible,” Richard said. “We weren’t meant to have our bikes on the platform, but we didn’t take any notice of that.”
Richard enjoyed learning the jewellery trade and loved being part of Merredin, a community that he had grown up in. “I had the shop for 50 years, so I think I’d be classed as a local,” Richard laughs.
Richard spent the next year in hospital in Shenton Park, being rehabilitated by a talented doctor who insisted he go back to school. Although he didn’t want to, Richard attended Hale School making friends along the way. When Richard finished at school, he picked up a job at a jeweller’s shop back in Merredin where his family was based. “Being a jeweller wasn’t my plan of course, the accident changed all that,” said Richard. “My grandfather was a farmer in Pinjarra, and I used to go and visit him on school holidays and think, this is the life for me! But after the accident I knew shop work would suit me.”
“There was only one jeweller in town, and I was it. It was a great job. You get to know people and be part of their special occasions. I had very loyal clientele and very loyal, long-term staff.” Richard worked mostly on repairs of jewellery during his time owning the store. “We didn’t make jewellery there, but we did help people find what they were looking for,” said Richard. More recently Richard retired and sold his beloved store. “I only recently sold the shop to a very nice man. I did expand at one point. Thought I’d be a tycoon, so I opened shops in Narrogin, Busselton, and Northam. But in the end, I decided to keep it simple so went back to just one shop. I believe if you do it really well, people will support you.” Although he’s faced adversity in his life, Richard said that he still feels very lucky and finds joy in every day. “I don’t have any regrets, I’ve had a lucky life,” he said. “People asked how I got through it, but after the accident I just had to tell myself ‘You’re still alive, you have to carry on’. You must find that mental strength. Every day is valuable to me.”
Richard on his hand controlled motorcycle
14 | Winter Tidings Edition
Richard always has a positive outlook on any situation life takes him through. “I didn’t let anything stop me,” said Richard. “Along with
Resident Story
Richard in his communal courtyard at SwanCare
the shop, I ended up doing some farming with my brother who has a wheat and sheep farm in Burracoppin, and I had 4,000 acres of my own. That was in the era when you worked with share farmers. I paid the bills and they supplied the labour. I worked with some really good men and I loved farming.”
Family has always been very important to Richard who feels very lucky to have them in his life. “I’ve been surrounded by family, and I’ve felt very lucky for that too. I never found a girl silly enough to marry me, but I have a wonderful brother, and a fabulous sister-inlaw, plus my nieces and nephew.
Richard also has a love of motorcycles. “I’ve ridden up to Darwin and back on hand-controlled bikes,” said Richard. “It’s great fun to be on a bike and explore new places.”
When we spoke to Richard, never giving up was part of his reminder to us all. “I think the thing to remember is that no matter what happens to you, life is precious, and you have to make the most of it. Even in the worst of situations, you have to remind yourself, it’ll get better and it always does.” After moving into SwanCare mere months ago, Richard is looking forward to exploring all that SwanCare has to offer. “I do as much as I can with every day, and I’m looking forward to exploring all the amenities at SwanCare, there’s so much to do here,” said Richard. Richard’s plan for the future is all about enjoying retired life. “I’m still enjoying myself every day and I plan on continuing to do that. Mum lived until she was 104 and Dad lived until he was 93, and I fully intend to beat the old man.”
Richard in his Hale School Uniform
Thanks for chatting with us, Richard! Your positivity is uplifting to us all and we hope you enjoy your new home here at SwanCare. swancare.com.au | 15
Village News Fish N Chips with Friends
Foodbank Drive
The past four months have been busy, celebrating Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day. On behalf of Fish n Chips with Friends donations have been made to the Red Cross Flood Appeal and The Bentley Park Show.
Please, can you help us again? We have embarked on our 3rd year collecting for Foodbank with the last two years clearly demonstrating the generosity through your donations. It is wonderful to be part of such a generous and caring community! There are still so many families doing it tough. It takes a long time to catch up after bushfires, floods, cyclones, and unemployment. Your donations are so gratefully received.
Entertainers for the following months include Friday 3rd June with Adam Penn, Friday 1st July with Bling, and Friday 5th August with 2 Tenors. All residents and especially new residents are most welcome to join us at our monthly luncheons, held on the first Friday of each month. We are a happy bunch, and you will be sure to meet new friends. Raffle tickets are on sale and there are prizes to be won. Due to limited seating, bookings can be made by contacting Lesley on 6250 0590. If call is not answered, please leave a message and your call will be returned. - Lesley Foster
Swan Care Auxiliary We have got off to a great start to 2022, especially with COVID-19 still causing a few challenges. It’s been great being able to access people to speak from the village staff and getting to know them and some insight into their roles on staff here at the village. Our first Luncheon was held at the RAAFA village. Food was great and an enjoyable day was had by all. A very big thank you to our drivers Jim and Ken! Without our volunteers it would make it impossible to have outings. Dates to keep in mind include 24th May Fashion Parade with no bake cake stall. Also, 14th July is another bus trip Luncheon to Chidlows Tavern. Flyers to follow will give you more details. Remember to stay covid safe. - Sandra Holmes 16 | Winter Tidings Edition
This year Auxiliary have come on board and organised a guest speaker from Foodbank on Tuesday 28th June. This year we will stack the food in the Auditorium where residents can see the full size of the donation when we present it. It’s amazing to see it all together! Donations can be left at Admin Reception, the Leisure Centre, or we can collect if you can’t manage to deliver it. Any non-perishable food will be accepted, but please check the expiry date. Long life milk, packaged food, breakfast cereal, pasta, rice, tea, coffee, and tins (fish, beans, soup, vegetables, fruit etc.) will all be gratefully received. Please no cleaning products, toiletries, or clothing etc. For any further enquiries please contact Pam Hind on 0431 102 103 or 9470 4139 or pamelajh310@gmail.com, or Lesley Foster on 6250 0590. - Pamela Hind
Foodbank 2021 Bentley Park Resident donations
Village News Bentley Park Residents’ Council The March Residents’ meeting had an interesting presentation from the SwanCare Finance team. It was great to meet the people working behind the scenes to keep track of SwanCare finances, from the smallest bill to multi-million-dollar development projects. The talk from Garry Black and his team helped Village residents to understand the size of the business, and where Bentley Park village fits into the business structure. Hopefully, some residents were also able to go to the Budget presentation meeting in May. These meetings are important for communication between residents and staff to set priorities for the maintenance and development of the village. Early in May, we had a pleasant welcome event for new residents (unfortunately delayed by
COVID-19, some people had been in the village for a while). While we enjoyed a delicious morning tea, various members of the Admin staff were introduced by Natalie. I was able to introduce some members of the Residents’ Council, explain the role of the Council, and describe some of our activities. Our regular Residents’ meetings are scheduled for July, September and November. There will be talks from Maintenance, Marketing, and Graham will do his usual end of year summary in November. It is hoped that we will be able to schedule some additional information sessions on various topics which may be of interest to residents. - Ellen Clair
Previous Bentley Park Residents’ Council
swancare.com.au | 17
Village News Swan Village Bowls Club Our change over to day bowls on 4th of April went well and, while the pleasant Autumn weather holds, we’re enjoying some very nice afternoons for bowling. We are welcoming some new members and the return of some members who have not been coming due to COVID-19 restrictions; thankfully these restrictions have largely been lifted, which makes bowling a far more pleasant experience. A side effect of this is that we have been able to welcome interstate travellers, Tony and Pauline, visiting from Victoria. Life is slowly returning to normal. We also welcome back our ‘seasonal’ members in Vernon and Rita Borrett; two members who have been splitting their year, half in Perth and half in the U.K. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions prevented their return to Oz during the pandemic. Pleasantly, we can now return to our regular mid-game afternoon teas and more convivial Wednesday afternoon ‘Happy Hours’, both held in accordance with the latest relaxation of restrictions. In the new year we have also held two ‘Gala Days’; the Murray Ranyard Shield, on 19th March, won by the team: J. Leavy, F. DeGraaf, D. Kostera and T. Wieman. Following that we had the Hazel Lancaster Shield on 23rd April, won by the team: A. Wieman, A. Morris and T. Wieman.
Swan Village Bowls Club
18 | Winter Tidings Edition
Our next ‘Gala Day’ will be the Keith Withers Shield – Triples, to be held on 28th May. Team nominations to go up soon; of course, we hope to be able to host some of the members of SwanCare Administration for a fun afternoon of convivial bowling; date to be advised. Looking ahead, we certainly hope that we will be able to hold the Patrons Shield, tentatively set to be Wednesday, 14th September (depending on the CEO’s availability); to be confirmed in later Bulletins and Tidings editions. All residents, newcomers and existing alike, are always welcome to come along to ‘have a go’ or just to spectate on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday afternoons, commencing at 1:00pm. Hopefully we can entice some to become members; I know many of our experienced bowlers will be only too happy to lend a hand in helping to show novice bowlers ‘the ropes’. Anyone who’d like to have a go is more than welcome to come along on three occasions without any obligation to join the club; members get to come on our subsidised lunch outings and join in our Wednesday afternoon ‘Happy Hours’ (and you can be a non-playing member too, if you wish); membership is $15.00 for the year and 50c per game. Give it some thought. Until next time, Happy Bowling! - Chris Simms
Resident Story The Land of the Sunny Skies
SwanCare residents catching the afternoon autumn sun
With the WA Day public holiday coming up on the 6th of June, we thought we’d chat about all things Western Australia. WA is notoriously known for its relaxed atmosphere, beautiful sandy beaches, local sport, and award-winning wines... but we all know WA for more than that! Here are what some of our residents had to say about their favourite things about WA. SwanCare retirement living resident, Mary Manning, said one of her favourite things was the beautiful sunsets. “I have lived in WA all my life, why wouldn’t you love it!” said Mary. “I appreciate all the sunsets we get to see, seldomly I also catch sunrises which are beautiful too. Living in the village makes for a safe atmosphere to go out and enjoy the sunsets with those you love. Life is great!” SwanCare retirement living resident, Adrian Barnes, loves how versatile the destinations are in WA from the outback to the forest, as well as the oceans and rivers. “We love travelling in WA as it’s not far from home and easy travelling,” said Adrian. “Whatever you want to see is somewhere in our own state - it’s as versatile as you can get. We’re not beach goers, we prefer in-land rivers, but that’s the beauty of choice here. We loved the boat trip we went on from Broome and up the Kimberly coast. It was magic. The Bungle Bungles and Marble Bar
are wonderful places to visit in the outback and the Goldfields have great camping spots. For those who like bush and wildflowers a must visit is Ravensthorpe for their week-long festival in September, as well as Hopetoun for Fitzgerald River National Park.” SwanCare retirement living resident, Chris Simms, said he had lived in other places in Australia, but prefers Perth weather by far. “I’ve made the comment over the last few weeks, what a lovely climate we have in Perth,” said Chris. “Apart from the occasional storm or hot burst, our weather in Perth is perfect and suits me to the core. I especially love the crisp autumn mornings, where I’ll go for a walk or get on my bike and enjoy the day!” SwanCare retirement living resident, Moya Mahony, loves the doing family activities by the river. “There’s lots of fun activities around the river,” said Moya. “We love having picnics on the foreshore and going for walks. We also take the grandkids for bike rides which is a great way to get them out of the house. We often hold birthdays at the foreshore which has such a great outlook over the city.” Ah, we really are lucky folk. Here’s to many more years enjoying this beautiful patch of paradise. Happy WA Day to you all! swancare.com.au | 19
Garden Interest Group Winter Activities for a Spring Colour Show | By Noelene Barnes The cooler weather is coming, hopefully with some showers to water our gardens ready for a spring show of colour.
It is also time to lift dahlia tubers once they have died down, store them in sawdust to prevent drying out.
After stunning us with a beautiful display, trim your camellias and azaleas to remove dead flowers and keep them tidy. As they finish flowering give a light feed to promote new growth.
Orchids are starting to bloom with varieties flowering from May through to December.
It is not too late to plant some more bulbs including Gladioli corms. Ensure that you fertilise and check for slugs and snails. Look for a pet, lizard, and frog safe product, which also has an iron base as that will add that element to your soil.
Broccoli, broad beans, cabbage, leek, onion, silver beet, beetroot, capsicum, lettuce, and spinach seedlings can be planted in the vegetable garden. July is also time to break up clumps of chives and shallots and replant plump offsets.
Seedlings to consider for a colourful spring display include pansy or long flowering dianthus, viola, and alyssum to give a cushion of tiny flowers the bees love to visit. Leave pruning roses until July. Cut strong new growth back by half, take out any dead growth then open-up the centre to aid air flow, pruning to an outward facing bud. Make sure you clean up any fallen leaves which can harbour thrip and fungus spores. Spray with lime sulphur or a good quality combination rose spray to control scale, black spot, and mildew. White oil will also control scale and some other insects.
Zygopetalum - scented orchid
20 | Winter Tidings Edition
Azalea
Penny’s Book Review How to be Second Best | By Jessica Dettmann Jessica Dettmann is a writer and a performer based in Sydney, Australia. After a long career as an editor for Random House Australia and Harper-Collins, she made the transition to writing after the birth of her two children rendered her housebound. Published in 2019, ‘How to be Second Best’ is her first novel. It is a hilarious and heartwarming novel about the complicated, messy, delightful struggles of modern-day life. Going from one child to two children is hard enough, without trying to be a best ex-wife and part time mother
to her ex-husband’s new child, who only lives three doors away! It’s a well written, humorous, and honest account of modern family life. It is worth noting that Jessica Dettmann has just finished writing her second book, a hugely entertaining account of family life and relationships, called ‘This Has Been Absolutely Lovely’ published in 2021. This is available on request through the interlibrary loan service. Yours in books,
Penny Felder
Penny Felder SwanCare Bentley Park Librarian
swancare.com.au | 21
Passions & Pastimes Cutting Edge Village resident, Sandra Stokell, has a quirky hobby you might not expect! She’s a sawing enthusiast and has the awards to show for the years of dedication she’s put towards her trade. Sandra grew up in Tasmania and was working in an abalone cannery in Dover when a female colleague asked her a question which changed her life. “She asked me if I’d ever sawed and if I’d like to give it a try,” Sandra said. “I’d never done it, but I thought why not and started with training on the Jack and Jill saw. From that moment on, I was hooked!” Sandra’s first competition was Jack and Jill (male and female) at the Royal Hobart Show, where they placed third. “It was one of those things, as soon as I started, I seemed to have a real affinity with it and I just really enjoyed myself while I was doing it,” she said. “Not far from where I worked, a friend had a dummy log set up in his shed, so I’d go and visit in my lunch break and cut off a couple of wheels, just to practice and do single-handed sawing as well, so I could learn good techniques.”
Carolyn & Sandra practising Jill & Jill sawing
22 | Winter Tidings Edition
She soon learnt that sawing was very popular in Tasmania. “There was a whole range of people doing it,” said Sandra. “It was really good fun and a great way to meet people. I never looked back from the first saw; I was passionate about it from that moment on.” Sawing has taken Sandra all over the world, she was asked by Jason Wynyard, the New Zealand Captain of the world relay team, to be the Australian member in the team for the singlehanded sawing leg and went to Florida as part of the team for the ESPN Great Outdoors Games. “It’s great to see how they do it in other parts of the world,” Sandra said. “In New Zealand, it’s a real family affair, kids and adults get involved and in Florida, it was such an eye opener, it’s a real lifestyle over there. They have a number of different events in the USA and Canada, including the hot saws.” Sandra’s team won a silver medal in Florida, and she said she was incredibly proud of the achievement. “Winning silver at Florida was really fantastic, we had a great time, and it was a real honour to be part of the games,” she said.
Passions & Pastimes
Sandra competing at the Royal Adelaide Show Woodcutting Carnival
“I’ve also competed in Melbourne, Adelaide, Queensland, and the Easter Show in Sydney. I was a member of the Australian Women’s Team for several years competing against teams from New Zealand, USA and Canada.” Sandra moved to Perth in 2003, where sawing didn’t really exist for women. “I rang the Perth Royal Show and asked if I could compete,” said Sandra. “They said that I had to compete against men, which I did, and I beat some of them too.” There is certainly a trick to sawing and it doesn’t come as easy for some. “Being good at sawing is really about having good equipment and techniques,” said Sandra. “I learnt the tricks of the trade in Tassie and picked it up easily. I was very lucky to partner with an older man, Darryl Brown, in both Jack and Jill and Double Handed. He was probably 30 years older than me and had a bi-lateral hip replacement, but he taught me everything he knew, and we won a lot of competitions together including several championships and a number of handicap events off the back mark.”
it at an exhibition at the Moondyne Festival in Toodyay,” said Sandra. “There have been so many special moments along the way. It was a great achievement winning the Jill and Jill Tasmanian state title for seven consecutive years – my sawing partner Carolyn and I were the oldest pair by far. I really enjoyed the Florida trip too. I’ve met lots of brilliant people.” Sandra has been living at SwanCare for the past year and has a daughter living just 10 minutes down the road. “Everyone at the village is lovely, very friendly and everything’s close by, it’s a great location and the staff are so helpful,” she said. “Because I have family close by, I’m often with them, but there’s plenty to see and do here if you want to take part in the activities of village life.” After wrist surgery recently Sandra doesn’t think she’ll compete again at a competitive level, but still loves the idea of being involved with the sawing fraternity in Perth. “I don’t think I could go to a competition and not want to take part in it,” she laughed. “It’s a way of life for sure, and it’s definitely a sport that you do for the love of it. There’s not much in the way of prize money, and some of the entries can be expensive, but if you love it, it really is worth having a go.” What an amazing experience to share with us all. Thanks for chatting with us, Sandra!
Sandra still loves the sport and always encourages anyone who is able to give it a go. “It’s great for your fitness and you’ll get a lot out of it if you enjoy it like I did,” said Sandra. There were many favourite moments along her journey, including some here in WA, and even some overseas. “I think one of my favourite wins was racing a chainsaw and beating
Sandra at home at SwanCare
swancare.com.au | 23
Brain Teaser Pairs Puzzle | By Susan Lewis Read the clue and find two words from the grid below to fit the clue.
Clue: 1.
They’re not real:
2.
An act of war happened here:
3.
A plant:
4.
A Chinese type meal:
5.
Keep out of this and stay out of trouble:
6.
Dad’s army:
7.
He knows no fear:
8.
An unpleasant infestation:
9.
Knotty:
10. Cowboys sleep here: 11.
Determined:
12. A road intersection: 13. A film star: 14. A type of bend: 15. Comprehend: 16. A window treatment: 17.
1 in 4:
18. 2 weeks: 19. Manage this during hard times: 20. Enlightened: Use two of these words: Virginia Tape Read Clove Under
3. Virginia Creeper 7. Dare Devil 11. Hell Bent 15. Under Stand 19. Shoe String
4. Stir Fry 8. Tape Worm 12. Cross Road 16. Plate Glass 20. Well Read 24 | Winter Tidings Edition
Hair Leap Home Read Glass
Worm Tears Dare Wood Pin
Devil Cross Stand Stir Bunk
2. Pearl Harbour 6. Home Guard 10. Bunk House 14. Hair Pin 18. Fort Night
Line Hitch Creeper Plate East
Crocodile Night Pearl Year String
Guard Hell Fort Shoe Well
1. Crocodile Tears 5. Firing Line 9. Clove Hitch 13. East Wood 17. Leap Year
Harbour Fry Bent House Firing
Meet the Staff Change of Pace SwanCare’s new Manager Operations, Facilities, Assets and Capital Works Antonino (Anthony) Abad has big plans for his team and is looking forward to meeting more residents along his journey. After 26 years working in the oil and gas industry Anthony decided it was time for a change. “I’d been working hard and traveling the world since I was 22,” he said. “Oil and gas allowed me to explore the world. Unfortunately, it also meant I had no time for anything but work as I was constantly on call. I decided I wanted to give back to the local community with the skills I’d learnt along the way.” Anthony is originally from the Philippines, but has lived all over the world including France, America, the Middle East, and even Russia. He moved to Australia with his wife in 1994 and eventually had two daughters. Anthony and his family settled in Perth as they loved the relaxed lifestyle. When he left oil and gas, he worked for a notfor-profit organisation which he thoroughly enjoyed. “They were struggling with asset and facilities management,” said Anthony. “It gave me real joy to be able to help them with their processes and make their operations more efficient.” When the role at SwanCare came up, Anthony swooped on the opportunity to help another not-for-profit. “I haven’t worked in aged care before,” said Anthony. “I’m excited to work with the team here and help fine tune our processes and procedures. I hope to bring new processes into the maintenance team to be more efficient. If we’re working efficiently, we’re able to complete more requests and see more smiling faces in the village, which is my ultimate goal.” As for what he thinks of SwanCare so far, Anthony has a positive outlook. “I love the atmosphere here, it’s very friendly, very respectful,” said Anthony.
Meet Antonino Abad
“I feel I can add value and help make a difference. I’ve met quite a few residents already, but we were all wearing masks for COVID-19 precautions, so I’m re-meeting a lot of them now. It’s nice to see people’s faces!” Although Anthony misses his parents in the Philippines, he’s here to stay. “I love talking to our residents, they have fascinating stories to tell,” Anthony said. “I unfortunately don’t get to see much of my own parents, so they remind me of my family. I hope that if I’m being kind here, someone is being kind to my parents back in the Philippines.” When he’s not working Anthony is a keen gardener, who also loves fishing, spending time with his family including his two dogs, and watching sports. “I didn’t realise until I left oil and gas how much time I didn’t have,” Anthony said. “I cherish that time now and feel like I’m in the right place.” Welcome to SwanCare Anthony! swancare.com.au | 25
Legendary Recipes Chinese Spare Ribs | Serves 6 Thank you to SwanCare resident Carolyn Welstead for the recipe and the yarn behind it. When we spoke to Carolyn about her favourite recipe to cook, there was no hesitation on her answer. With years of cooking splatters on it, the recipe she gave us is clearly one that has spanned the test of time. “This has been a favourite of mine since the late sixties.” said Carolyn. “Back in those days, the Australian Woman’s Weekly used to occasionally include supplements. This recipe, along with a few others, was cut from the Wine Cookbook.” As a new bride, Carolyn was always trying out new recipes on unsuspecting dinner guests, but this one stuck. “The recipe was easy to cook and always a great success,” said Carolyn. “Originally it was served with just boiled rice and greens of some kind, as the Asian vegetables we have available today were not around then. Now, I can get much more adventurous with stir-fry sides, fried rice versions, and many more.” Carolyn has also experimented with the type of ribs used throughout the years. “I tried bony racks to pork belly strips,” said Carolyn. “I must admit that the latter is my personal favourite.” This recipe has made many taste buds sing over the years at dinner parties and nightly family dinners alike. “Other members of my family also use this recipe,” said Carolyn. “My sister recently claimed that it originated in her kitchen, but I have the original cutting, lovingly bespattered, as my proof of ownership.” Yum! With winter coming up, you’ll have to try this one for yourself.
26 | Winter Tidings Edition
Ingredients: • 4lbs pork spareribs (approx. 2kg) • ½ cup soy sauce • 1 cup orange marmalade • 1 clove garlic • Pepper • Juice of ½ lemon • ¾ cup dry white wine • ½ teaspoon ground ginger Method: 1. Place spareribs, meaty side down, in wellgreased shallow baking dish and roast in hot oven for 30 minutes. 2. Turn spareribs over, lower temperature to moderate and continue cooking 30 minutes. 3. Pour off any fat from pan. 4. Combine soy sauce, wine, marmalade, crushed garlic, lemon juice, pepper and ginger – blend thoroughly. 5. Pour sauce over spareribs and cook 30 minutes longer. Baste frequently with sauce. 6. Serve with side dish, such as rice and Asian greens.
Out & About
Bentley Park Show Fundraising Resident buying chocolate
Biggest Morning Tea - Residents enjoying the food
Rummycub Group Residents playing & chatting together
Fish N Chips with Friends Crowd enjoying the entertainment
Biggest Morning Tea - Table of residents
Millstream Mob - Enjoying the last of the great weather
Biggest Morning Tea Catch up between best friends
Handicraft & Pottery Stall - Residents buying handmade products
Fish N Chips with Friends Volunteers wearing their new aprons
swancare.com.au | 27
swancare.com.au
We welcome contributions to the Tidings. Please post or email to: 26 Plantation Drive, Bentley WA 6102 P: (08) 6250 0000 | F: (08) 9470 2017 E: tidings@swancare.com.au
Pacesetter Laser Recycled is 30% recycled and made from elemental chlorine free bleached pulp sourced from sustainably managed sources. It is manufactured by an ISO certified mill.