SOCIAL
JULY & AUGUST 2024
HELLO FRIENDS
Dear Residents, Families & Friends
Winter is welcoming you in his freezing embrace; fireplaces are facing the daily challenges, and the woollen wardrobe is in vogue once again.
On that note, I would like to kindly advise there has been an influx of unlabeled clothing found across all four care centres. Please check with reception should you or your family member be missing any items of clothing.
While we are waiting for more favourable weather, let's enjoy the greenery and the flourishing gardens around us, giving thanks to the much-awaited rain.
Ice cream cart ‘number three’ will be delivered in the next few days to our SwanCare Ningana residents, who are delighted by the news!
May started with a glorious Mother’s Day concert, which ended up with a touch of ‘fashion in the ballroom’. June witnessed a ‘purple ocean’ among the staff in recognition of Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and coming up in July will be our unique NAIDOC Week celebrations.
A big thank you to Bunnings Cannington and their team member April, who are donating a $100 voucher to all four care centres as well as some plants for our gardens.
Lastly a special thank you to all the volunteers who support our team and our residents on a daily basis; you are part of what makes our Social Engagement activities so lively and vibrant.
Warm regards,
Nilla Curia
Nilla Curia
GREAT MOMENTS 1
Mother's Day
In May we all celebrated Mother’s Day, with the major event held for all residential aged care centres on the 7th.
At 2:00pm in the Concourse Room Adam Penn, our Entertainer for the day, opened the doors to his ‘Ballroom Extravaganza’ with ballroom gowns and historical photo frames on display.
The residents entered this colourful wonderland with a twinkle in their eye, while choosing their favourite dress.
While the afternoon started with our usual concert, it ended with the Social Engagement Assistants parading a chosen ballroom gown and residents dancing on the floor with Adam. What a delightful change of events!
GREAT MOMENTS 2
Cycling Without Age
Cycling Without Age is a great initiative that has been supporting our SwanCare residential aged care centres for a while, and now, they have gone the extra mile with ‘Villo’ - the bicycle that can transport a wheelchair!
This new bicycle joined the others in June, bringing joy to the residents who use wheelchairs and enjoy experiencing new adventures.
A lot of residential aged care residents are not as mobile as they once were anymore and appreciate getting the fresh air and sun.
With Villo coming on board, it’s a godsend for everyone involved!
KINGIA FAMILY
In May, we had a special concert with our Curtin Uni student Beth whose dad is a professional pianist. Residents Sue P. and Audrey B. had front row seats and enjoyed requesting their favourite classical songs.
On the cultural side, we celebrated Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo where residents had fun hitting a piñata filled with lollies and chocolates. For WA Day, residents decorated our Swan emblem with colourful papers and fancy rhinestone stickers.
Kingia and Tandara also had their first two sessions of Men’s Club which was facilitated by volunteer and Bentley Park resident Brian M.
Lastly, Kingia and Tandara had a Disco Party complete with disco lights and a ‘Let’s Boogie’ backdrop. Residents and staff filled the dance floor, grooving to music from the 50s through to the 70s with moves like the twist, boogie woogie, bunny hop, swing, jitterbug and more. Cathy T., our Laundry Supervisor, was the special guest of the day in her disco costume. Visiting children also joined in on the fun! Many people felt shy at first but couldn’t resist having a boogie by the end!
NINGANA FAMILY
Food Experiences
Ningana had a Mexican cuisine experience where we talked about their famous dishes and showed Mexico’s diverse range of chilies. Residents had the opportunity to smell the chilies, with some brave enough to try them! We prepared guacamole for our residents, served with savory crackers and soft drinks, which was a more interactive and a sensorial experience. We also had another session, ‘Breads of the World’, where residents tried various breads and chose their favorite. Staff member Lorena also did a demonstration of bread preparation! Food Experience sessions have become one of Ningana’s favourite activities.
Pet Visits
In June, we had a lovely visit from John and his dog Jake, who came to see our residents and put a smile on their faces. Our dog lovers were incredibly happy to see Jake and give him a cuddle; it was a wonderful time for all.
Disco Party
It was party time at Ningana! Our residents were taken back to the 70’s where they danced to the disco classics. They showed off their best moves and sang along to their favourite songs. It was really enjoyable for residents and staff, making it a party to remember!
TANDARA FAMILY
For the month of May, Tandara residents welcomed in the winter month by enjoying no-bake cookies and a drink called ‘Warm Cranberry Apple Cider’.
Our thoughtful residents celebrated International Nurses Day by making flowers and giving them to our staff. Then they made greeting cards for National Volunteer Week. We did more crafts in our Bunnings Workshop, where residents learnt how to do an abstract painting using the masking tape technique. For WA Day, Tandara made their own swan collage and did an Armchair Travel session to Christmas Island.
Tandara enjoyed trying some Tai Chi with one of our new residents, Nao Nao, which was interesting because of her advanced level.
Our lovely dog volunteer Lacey celebrated her milestone birthday with Kingia and Tandara together, along with her mum Sheridan, our Kingia Receptionist. Lacey gave everyone a wonderful dog show, looking lovely with her pink butterfly clips.
Tandara and Kingia still had the ice cream trolley for May before introducing our hot chocolate cart for winter. The hot chocolates included marshmallow toppings with the choice of chocolate powder. With all these food activities, we still have our daily morning exercises and games to keep the balance!
WAMINDA FAMILY
Ruby’s 100th Birthday
This year marked a very special occasion for one of Waminda’s longtime residents. Ruby celebrated her 100th birthday with a surprise party thrown by staff. Ruby seemed overjoyed to be surrounded by her family, friends, and everyone at Waminda. When asked what her secret was to achieve this milestone Ruby said, “I never smoked or had any alcohol. It simply wasn’t a thing for me growing up.”
Winter Walks & Fun
Flu season hit Waminda hard, and while group Social Engagement sessions were put on hold during this time, residents were still able to enjoy some of their usual activities. Following the safety guidelines, Social Engagement staff visited residents individually for some fun, with many particularly enjoying relaxing walks in the rare moments of sunshine.
MESSAGE OF THE MONTH
Dietitian’s Corner
The Egg-cellent Source of Vitamin D
Good ‘ol winter is here again and did you know our vitamin D deficiency levels are worse in the winter months? Studies have shown vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in 36% of Australian adults. When our vitamin D levels are low, we can be more prone to respiratory infections, especially now that we’re in the flu season.
How can Eggs Help?
Not only are eggs packed with protein, but they are one of the few foods that are rich in vitamin D. Two eggs alone will deliver 82% of our daily vitamin D recommended intake. Thus, making eggs a nice food source compared to supplements.
Fun
Fact!
An Australian study has shared that weekly consumption of eggs is a good dietary approach to help boost our vitamin D status during the winter months. Not only that, 12 eggs per week was found effective to increase our protein intake as well.
Well, it is nice to know the secrets to our humble egg!
SwanCare
Kingia:
Glenn E.
Edward C.
Ningana:
Barbara M.
John M.
Doris W
Shirley S
Elaine A.
John S.
Shirley R.
Raymond T.
Glenyce G.
Ian B.
Philip S.
Ann S.
Waminda: Florence P.
Tandara:
IT'S A CELEBRATION!
Birthdays & Milestones
JUNE BIRTHDAYS
7th Florence W. 13th Marjorie H. 18th Valma P. 22nd Lesley B. 27th June S. 28th Anne B.
JULY BIRTHDAYS 3rd Patricia W. 6th Peter Y. 8th Margaret O. 26th Michele M.
JUNE BIRTHDAYS
JULY BIRTHDAYS
4th Thomas P. 7th June H. 9th Helen C. 14th Lay Linda W.
19th Doreen H. 22nd Kevin G. 23rd Allen S. 25th Janice B. 29th Clive K. 29th Lesley Y.
10th Joseph G. 10th Margaret E. 10th Margery B. 11th Georgette N. 11th Glenice J. 14th Robert H. 19th Alan H. 21st Gordon B. 21st Marianna D. 23rd Winsome D. 25th Margaret L. 28th Sally O. 31st William M. 31st Robin W.
JUNE BIRTHDAYS 9th John L. 12th Zenaida B. 21st Jan V.
JULY BIRTHDAYS 1st Pamela L. 2nd Judith B. 3rd Jennifer M. 9th Hylton M. 11th Giovanni V. 14th Philip S. 14th Margaret B. 23rd Carl C. 23rd Heather C. 28th William B. 28th Ibtessam S.
JUNE BIRTHDAYS
4th Shirley S. 4th Jean S. 11th Winifred M. 22nd John M. 24th Maxine T. 26th Doris H.
JULY BIRTHDAYS 10th Gloria T. 11th Eileen B. 25th Leonard H. 28th Gwendoline W. 29th Stefania D.
WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EACH OF OUR SWANCARE RESIDENTS A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Much love from the SwanCare Team.
PET OR NOT?
Axolotl Alpaca Hamster Gerbil
Tarantula Anaconda Goat Horse
Koi Carp Rabbit Budgerigar Canary
Parrot Monkey Goose Guinea Pig
Rat Ferret Pot Bellied Pig
ALWAYS SOMEONE TO TALK TO
Kingia, Ningana & Tandara
visiting hours: Monday – Sunday 9:00am – 7:00pm
Waminda visiting hours: Monday – Sunday 9:00am – 12:00pm 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Spritz Café hours: Monday – Friday 7:30am – 3:00pm
Jarrah Café hours: Monday – Tuesday CLOSED Wednesday – Sunday 8:00am – 3:00pm
General Manager Health & Aged Care Services
Julie Atkinson
Admissions Manager Leanne LeBrun
Clinical Operations Manager Duska Bodegrajac
Food Services Dietitian Alicia Peng
SwanCare Kingia & Tandara Managers
SwanCare Ningana Managers
SwanCare Waminda Managers
Jovy Tesani Iva Gayagoy
Sharleen Mann Arnel Braulio
Pauline Bremner Bindhya Baby Theres
Daffodil Day 22nd August 2024
There are plenty of volunteering opportunities for you to share your skills and time with our residents, so get in touch with us to express your interest. WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS!