SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2024
HELLO FRIENDS
Dear Residents, Families & Friends
Spring is at the door, but the rain seemed relentless, stubbornly keeping us in winter mode; nothing that a warm smile and a good Social Engagement event can’t fix!
We have been very busy with the Aged Care Games, held on the 8th of August at the Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre.
All the residents involved positively showed their competitive side and gave every game their best shot. They also enjoyed a healthy, but alternative lunch with a ‘Subway’ and had a chance to mingle with seniors from other aged care providers present on the day.
SwanCare might not have brought home the Winner's Cup this year, but it was a very enjoyable experience for all.
By the time you’re reading this, we would have celebrated Father’s Day with a delightful concert for all residents to enjoy. We’ll make sure to include more on that in the next edition of SEN.
I would also like to welcome our new Occupational Therapist Alex P., who joined the SwanCare family a few weeks ago. Alex will be working closely with the Social Engagement team, especially on clinical matters, to assist in maintaining and implementing SwanCare’s high standards of care.
Lastly, a big thank you to Karen Parker, the Auxiliary Committee and all others involved in kindly donating the items we previously required.
Warm regards,
Nilla Curia
Nilla Curia
GREAT MOMENTS 1
‘Allsorts’ & Joy’s Farewell
On the 16th of July we had the village Allsorts Choir delight us with a concert. All 25 of them came to the Kingia Concourse Room to perform for our residents during a bustling Tuesday afternoon. Their reward: a special afternoon tea, provided by the Social Engagement team.
The chocolate coated biscuits and the various flavoured cakes offered were much appreciated, so much so that Allsorts will be performing for us at the end of November once more.
Having the retirement village residents involved with our residential aged care residents is always a bonus and very welcomed by all parties involved. As I always say: ‘We are all SwanCare’. A big thank you to the Allsorts Choir once again.
Changing subject, we said farewell to Joy Kiwi, our former OT, during her Baby Shower which was held on the 14th of August.
Joy, who is due to give birth to a girl on the 5th of September, has finished her time at SwanCare in order to become a first time Mum.
Best wishes for your new adventure, Joy! I am sure we will see her visiting us with her new bundle of joy in future.
GREAT MOMENTS 2
Live Lighter Aged Care Games 2024
On the 8th of August, at Belmont Oasis, our two teams ‘SwanCare Knights & Warriors’ and ‘SwanCare Tiger King’ were ready for the challenge; with seated hockey, pass ball, bean bag toss and skittles all on the menu.
The stakes were high and the competitiveness present at the Games was clearly visible. Despite any nerves, our two teams stood tall and proud in their beautiful costumes. There were even two mascots, cheering them on all the way!
The residents made us proud in all the games they participated in, while having a great deal of fun and exhibiting plenty of laughter.
We didn’t reach the podium, but we did not need to as within our hearts we already felt like winners. The effort and bravery on display was outstanding! Well done to all involved!
KINGIA FAMILY
Sing us a Song
Our SwanCare Kingia residents were treated to a concert by a talented music group, The FourTunes. While the concert was thoroughly enjoyed by all, there was one person who especially loved it – FourTunes founder and former singer Peter G., proudly watching on and singing from the audience.
SwanCare Olympics
Kingia and Tandara residents had separate Olympics activities but both put on a Paris-worthy performance! They had a complete set up including a torch relay, three games to play and an award ceremony with podiums, where the winners proudly posed with their medals on. They were thrilled to see that javelin throw was done using the giant Olympic rings. They also cheered on our Australian Olympic team with their green and yellow ribbon dance.
Other special activities included a line dancing performance, NAIDOC Week, World Chocolate Day, Allsorts Choir performance, the Aged Care Games, Indian Independence Day, Men’s Club, Ferragosto Festival and Daffodil Day.
NINGANA FAMILY
Olympic Games
SwanCare Ningana had their own Olympic Games event early August, with the ground floor and the first-floor teams competing in the grand finale! Our residents competed in three games: bean bag aiming, ring tossing and javelin throwing. The winning team was the first-floor team and the three residents with the highest scores won the gold medal. The resident with the highest score from the ground-floor team also received a gold medal. It was a friendly competition, the residents had lots of fun, and the staff also dressed in their country's colours. It was a special afternoon filled with joy and laughter.
Armchair Travel to Burma (Myanmar)
Burma was an exciting and beautiful destination that we visited in July. We have five Burmese residents living at Ningana, and all of them enjoyed travelling back home again. We talked about their culture, traditions, touristic places and food. Everyone was mesmerised and delighted by their rich culture and beautiful landscapes. We also served some traditional snacks and tea. Our residents clearly enjoyed the lovely Armchair Travel trip to Burma.
Birthday Parties
We had some special birthday afternoon teas. This is a wonderful opportunity for our residents to meet new people, see their friends and have a fun time; sharing lovely memories about their own celebrations while enjoying a piece of delicious cake. Happy Birthday to all!
TANDARA FAMILY
Life is like Chocolate
Swancare Kingia and Tandara had a separate celebration for World Chocolate Day. Residents all enjoyed the sweet surprise of enjoying a delectable afternoon with a dessert station in honour of the special day. No surprise the chocolate fountain was put to good use, with residents making s’mores and dessert kebabs. They had fun dipping marshmallows, strawberries, bread sticks, crackers and even eating chocolate on chocolates! With every dip, there was more excitement on their faces.
Indian Independence Day
Residents from Kingia and Tandara joined in together and had one big ball celebrating Indian Independence Day in the Jacques Centre. The festive party included a fashion show, two dance performances from staff, an Armchair Travel presentation with personal photos, and finished by having tasty samosas and laddoo, a traditional spherical sweet dish.
Other special activities for July and August included Rhu’s sing along session, NAIDOC Week, Allsorts Choir performance, the Aged Care Games, Men’s Club, Women’s Affair, Ferragosto Armchair Travel and Daffodil Day.
WAMINDA FAMILY
Food Experience
Things got a little messy during the latest Food Experience session here at SwanCare Waminda! Residents had a good time creating their own taco wraps. Many laughs were heard as some wraps were overfilled causing their filling to fall onto the plates. Several people went back for seconds with some even having thirds. Safe to say tacos were a hit!
MESSAGE OF THE MONTH
Eating Well with a Small Appetite
By Student Dietitians, Parco & Mohana.
As our lifestyle changes, so does our appetite, which is why we would like to share some tips for those of us with smaller appetites to ensure we are eating well.
1. Prioritise Protein in the Meal
Choose foods that are high in protein and try eating them first. Examples of protein-rich foods include meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, legumes (like lentils and beans), and nuts.
2. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
Are you struggling to finish three large meals? If so, aim to consume four to six smaller meals throughout the day. You can also ask for extra snacks. Snack time is an excellent opportunity to add more calories and nutrients to your diet.
3.
Move Your Body
Just 20 to 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise each day will increase your appetite. For residents looking to move their body, we recommend taking part in some of the more physical activities on the Social Engagement Calendar. Join in the fun!
4. Eat with Others
Did you know being social encourages you to eat more food? So, share a meal with family, friends or neighbours! We also encourage residents to come down to our lovely dining rooms to enjoy your meals and make some new friends.
SwanCare would like to welcome the following people:
Kingia:
Edith S.
Ningana:
Margaret L.
Beverley G.
Theodorus W.
Kia C.
Diane K.
Helen M.
Alan P.
Tandara:
Barbara F.
Marianna Z.
Roy N.
Peter K.
Richard M.
Geoffrey H.
Maria C.
Richie H.
John S.
John D.
Waminda:
IT'S A CELEBRATION!
Birthdays & Milestones
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
4th Joan R. 8th Alan A. 10th Rita T. 17th John A. 17th Evelyn C. 26th Hazel C.
BIRTHDAYS 1st Evelyn L. 5th Betty F. 11th Betty H. 14th Vanda S. 16th Susan P. 17th Fred V. 21st Francis B. 22nd John M. 23rd Janet T. 25th Andrew S. 26th Jennifer S. 26th Jeanette M. 29th Joy C.
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 3rd Wilmer P. 9th Kia C. 11th Valerie M. 12th Isabelle A. 17th Petrina C. 23rd Wendy Z. 24th Josephine M. 24th Pamela W. 25th Evelyn R. 31st Winston D. SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS 1st Willy N. 1st Shizuko I. 3rd Margaret W. 5th Margaret B. 14th Deborah R. 17th Doris B.
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 10th Olive C. 23rd Jennifer S. 25th Chin L. SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS 1st Pat T. 21st Jaspal T. S.
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 2nd Lynne S. 7th Eileen M. 8th Betty B. 10th Marian M. 13th Valerie B. 17th John S. 22nd Lynette C. 26th Betty G.
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
Thursday, 12th September
Jovy Tesani Iva Gayagoy
Sharleen Mann Arnel Braulio
Pauline Bremner Bindhya Baby Theres
Saturday 19th October
Thursday 31st October
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!