Issue 138 - Summer 2009 by WorldWeb Group

Celebrating years

Issue No. 138

ECHo! The qua r ter ly maga z i ne of EC H I n c

Summer 2009/10

Supporting each other in Living Well

EC H enriches the lives of older people th r o ug h i n d ep en d en t l i v i ng u n i ts , c o m mu n i ty s er v i c e s a nd r e s id en t ia l ca r e

S u m mer 20 09 / 10 – Is sue No.138 Supporting each other in Living Well

Lifestyle Model of Care implemented in our care centres

Remembering fallen friends and family

Community Services

Some enchanted evening

One summer stroll at Semaphore

Tip turns 100!

Australia celebrates 100 years of the aged pension 12 Celebrating Pamela Atkinson’s 30 years of service 13 Friendly faces in distant places

Getting along with your neighbours

Roses of gratitude for residential care volunteers

Our residential care staff are taking on a new look

Accreditation awarded for residential care centres 17 Social Pages

New faces at Charles Young

New residents at Charles Young

A resident’s “Random Ramblings”

Celebrating Every Generation with Calamity Jane

What will Kevin Rudd look like when he is 87?

ECHo! is the quarterly publication of ECH Inc Please share this publication with your family and friends.

Concerns expressed from ILU sites

Keeping cool this summer

Opinions quoted in this publication are not necessarily those of the editorial team or the ECH Board of Directors.

Arts and creativity benefit older people

Computer access and training for seniors

Prepare yourself for the digital age of television

New staff profiles

Resident contribution: Be careful!

Annual Meetings of Independent Living Unit Residents

Share a little part of yourselves

Dates to remember

2010 holiday unit bookings

ECHo! ECH Inc 174 Greenhill Road Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 08 8407 5151 Facsimile: 08 8407 5130 Email: admin@ech.asn.au Website: www.ech.asn.au

ECHo! is printed with vegetable-based inks using world’s best practice ISO14001 Environment Management Systems

COVE R STORY

Supporting each other in Living Well Enhancing independence and decreasing isolation through tailored social support

Social networks, personal friendships and achievements are important to our health and wellbeing. ECH’s Living Well Program was developed three years ago to assist independent living unit residents, especially at times of isolation or loneliness, to remain involved in their community. It promotes active healthy ageing and independence. Reasons for accessing the program vary from one person to the next and may include a desire to expand friendship circles, to get out more, to learn about local groups or to contribute to their community. This may be through: • Attending social, educational, or physical exercise programs • Seeking out new interests • Support for continuing current hobbies or reclaiming past interests • Information about local services • Accessing volunteer support • Exploring opportunities to volunteer • Participating in culturally speciﬁc networks As you will see from the personal stories shared in this article, the Living Well Program offers an opportunity to explore individual preferences and aspirations with personal support from Fiona Dunt, the Living Well Project Ofﬁcer.

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

Use your passion to help others Betty Noonan (participant) A recent participant of the Living Well Program, Betty is using her passion for children to volunteer at a local kindergarten. Betty, an ECH independent living unit resident, has always loved children and, not having any of her own, she absolutely adores her great niece Alice who is two years old. Through the initial Living Well process, Fiona Dunt took notice of Betty’s passion and together they sought out opportunities for her to use this enthusiasm which would bring joy not only to Betty but also to the local community. Betty was encouraged to pursue her interest and was assisted in applying for a police clearance so that she could work with children. Betty has embraced the possibilities that she, with help from the Living Well Program, has been empowered to take on. A meeting with the director of a local kindergarten provided Betty with the opportunity to try something new by allowing her to volunteer to support young children entering their ﬁrst years of formal education in a relaxed and supportive environment. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this new venture!

Focus on what you can do Tess McGair (participant) Tess McGair has accomplished many things during her working life as an exhibition dancer and opera singer and she continues to pursue a wide range of interests in retirement.

COVER PHOTO: Esther Hussey and Barbara Morris sharing afternoon tea L-R: Betty Noonan, Tess McGair, Esther Hussey and Barbara Morris

“The hardest thing about getting old is not being able to do the things you could always do easily,” Tess says. Through Living Well, Tess has explored many new pathways to enhance her independence and maintain her social wellbeing, including participating in a local group for women and organising a gettogether with neighbours for her birthday. “Shopping is a lot easier now because Fiona went with me to look for a scooter,” Tess says. Together, with advice from an occupational therapist, they negotiated the best price for a suitable scooter so that Tess could access the local shops more easily. “It’s about what you can do.” Tess says that you have to focus on the positives and that you always feel better when you get a boost. What does she get a boost from? “Not telling me I’m old so often!” “The majority of very mature aged people don’t like to be constantly reminded that they are not getting any younger,” Tess says. “We are well aware of this and don’t need to be reminded.” “What I liked about ECH’s Living Well Program was being treated as an equal.”

Making new friends never ends Esther Hussey (participant) and Barbara Morris (volunteer) ECH residents Mrs Hussey and Mrs Morris met through the Living Well Program and their participation has blossomed into a beautiful friendship.

Mrs Hussey has lived in Bowden Towers for many years and has witnessed the changing landscape of the site’s social environment. Her mention of the lack of social activities at the site compared to previous years facilitated the establishment of a new social committee. Around the same time, Mrs Morris decided she would like to take up volunteering which was something she used to do in her twenties. In January 2009, Fiona introduced Mrs Morris to Mrs Hussey and the two ladies quickly became friends. They enjoy each other’s company, meeting up weekly, and have done a variety of things together such as fish and chips at the beach and afternoon teas. “We always finish up with a cup of coffee,” Mrs Hussey says. To their surprise and delight, they also discovered that they have both lived in the Seacliff area at different times. This has provided many chances for reminiscing, with Mrs Hussey able to describe to Mrs Morris how things looked in “the old days”. Together they enjoyed a drive to the area to see where Mrs Hussey used to live. Mrs Hussey says that the Living Well Program is “for anyone that wants a little support or extra friendship”. She particularly notes the advantage of focusing on individuals and explains “with a group you don’t get that individual friendship”. Mrs Morris has enjoyed volunteering and says, “Definitely do it…It’s fun and it’s learning and also, a little selfishly, you feel good!” “It’s nice to know you can give back what people have given to you,” Mrs Morris says.

ECH Inc | ECHo! Summer 2009/10

Mrs Betty White in class

It’s never too late to learn new things Betty White OAM We have amongst our ECH community much knowledge and years of experience across a broad range of disciplines. We also have many residents and clients with (ﬁnally!) a bit of spare time to pursue hobbies and learn new things. It is this simultaneous existence of great potential to teach and great capacity to learn which is behind the growth of the University of the Third Age (U3A) – an international movement whereby members share the expertise from their life experiences with others. There are 19 U3A sites across South Australia, and Betty White, a resident in ECH’s Rotary Village in Modbury, along with others was instrumental in the growth of the organisation in Tea Tree Gully. U3A TTG has more than 700 members and operates out of nine vacated classrooms in the old junior primary

school at Modbury. Classes are offered in over 80 different subjects including history, science, art and craft, music, literature, computing, language, social games, health and physical activities. Betty currently leads an exercise class as well as organises a music appreciation class and says that U3A has kept her and husband Tom “stimulated both physically and mentally”. Betty also leads a class named ‘Words Alive’ which looks at the quirkiness and beauty of the English language. U3A was founded in France in 1972 and introduced to Australia in the mid-80s to offer lowcost leisure education for over 50s who are no longer working full-time. There are no academic pre-requisites and no standards to be attained – only the enjoyment of learning. Anyone wanting further information can phone U3A TTG on 8265 3079 or email u3attg@tgp.com.au or visit www.communitywebs.org/u3ateatreegully.

What would you like to achieve? The opportunities are limitless and very much based around what you would like to achieve to enhance your lifestyle. The Living Well Program offers individual support over a period of up to 12 weeks. During this time your interests will be explored and options which you may not have thought about, or ideas that you are passionate about but perhaps never had the time to pursue, will be discussed. If you would like to learn more about the opportunities provided to ECH independent living unit residents or are interested in participating in Living Well, please phone Fiona Dunt, Living Well Project Ofﬁcer, on 8407 5151 or email fdunt@ech.asn.au to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet.

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

Fay McDonald, resident at Charles Young Residential Care Centre, once again enjoys a swim at Henley Beach, with assistance from the Henley Beach Lifesaving Club.

Lifestyle Model of Care implemented in our care centres What we are hearing from older people in residential care is: “I want to be respected for me, allowed and helped to make my own decisions, have fun, have friends who value me for me, have my privacy maintained and have people work with me so I can do the things for myself that I can still manage”. To achieve this, ECH has begun implementing a Lifestyle Model of Care across all seven residential care facilities. The Model also allows flexibility in the time residents choose to rise, shower and enjoy activities. As with any communal living environment there will always need to be some compromise as not all residents can get up and be showered at the same time and not all can be attended to first. “We will keep trying to improve the way we provide care with the residents as we assist them to make decisions about how they will lead their life,” says Judi Coombe, ECH’s General Manager of Residential Care. Providing care in a way that reflects the resident’s choice of lifestyle is not just about recreational activities. It is about the ability to choose the pattern of their daily life without feeling they must conform to the routines of the care centre. For some, sitting watching the comings and goings of staff and

visitors is meeting their ideal day. Not all residents want their day filled with activities. However, for those times that they do want some fun, there are opportunities for social interaction, entertainment and maintaining life experiences. The process of implementation of the Model is ongoing as we establish the extent to which we can support the resident to live the life they choose given the regulatory and financial constraints we have. It does not mean that we will provide for every expectation that a resident has but we will attempt to facilitate experiences which may involve working with families to help them realise the resident’s wants or putting them in contact with a person or agency that can help. For example, we recently organised for Fay McDonald (pictured above) to go for a relaxing swim at the beach, as she had done most days of her life. To ensure that residents and staff are aware of the extent of the Lifestyle Model of Care we will define our level of service in accordance with the requirements of the Aged Care Act. Any request beyond that level can be negotiated with the resident and assistance can be given to facilitate the additional service or experience they wish to undertake. Any costs associated with activities which are outside the scope of our service will be the responsibility of the resident and/or their representative.

Christmas closure ECH Corporate Ofﬁce at Parkside will be closed from Friday 25 December 2009 and will reopen on Monday 4 January 2010. Maintenance Services will continue to be on call throughout the Christmas period and for emergency services only on the public holidays. If you have any maintenance requirements during this time, please phone 8355 6333.

Remembering

fallen friends and family Many of you will have been affected by the tragedy of war, whether it is through personal experience or the experiences of family and friends in conflicts both past and present. On the 11th of November Remembrance Day was observed, a time when Australia commemorates all those who have suffered or perished while defending the country in war or war-like conﬂicts. Some of you may even have observed one minute’s silence at the 11th hour in respect of what the day commemorates. Remembrance Day was originally called Armistice Day. Armistice Day commemorated the signing of the armistice at the end of World War I which occurred on 11th of November 1918. This day was observed by the Allies in remembrance of those who had died. After World War II, Armistice Day was re-named Remembrance Day so that it could serve to honour all war dead.

The Flanders Poppy This flower has come to be acknowledged as a symbol of remembrance. In northern France and Belgium these flowers were among the first to grow after the action on the battlefields had ceased.

The Last Post The Last Post is part of a military tradition where bugle calls are used to signal the phases of the day. The Australian Army website states: “Last Post was incorporated into funeral and memorial services as a ﬁnal farewell and symbolises that the duty of the dead is over and that they can rest in peace.”

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

Mr Ernest Quigley remembers... In the midst of World War II, Ernest Quigley turned 18 and joined the British Royal Navy. He made an attempt to join earlier with his older brother but was sent home when the authorities quickly realised that his mother couldn’t possibly have had both her sons in the time frame which they were proposing! When Mr Quigley ﬁrst joined the Navy in June of 1942 he was involved in rescuing injured survivors from merchant ships that had been torpedoed. Mr Quigley was saddened by the terrible injuries sustained by the survivors and by the end of that year he volunteered as a DEMS gunner to help protect the merchant ships. DEMS stands for Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships but, as Mr Quigley recalls, they often joked about its meaning telling people it meant such things as “Don’t Ever Marry a Sailor”.

Mr Quigley had to go undercover to protect the merchant ships and he was issued a card which identiﬁed him as a deckhand. If he was captured he was to throw his dog tags overboard so he couldn’t be identiﬁed as a member of the armed forces.

on the Island, Mr Quigley met a descendant of Fletcher Christian, master’s mate on the Bounty during the mutiny in 1789, and had the rare experience of being shown the site where the mutineers sunk the ship.

During his time on the merchant ships Mr Quigley saw many places, including America, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. During a stopover in Wellington, he met Mrs Gifford who invited him over for a visit. Mr Quigley still has the letter she gave him in which she wrote: “I just think you are all ‘dear boys’ and I am proud of you. Just doing your duty to your Country, and making no fuss about it”. As Mr Quigley’s mail was censored, Mrs Gifford offered to write to his mother, although she was not able to mention speciﬁcs, to inform her that she had met her son and that he would be home for his parents’ anniversary.

During Operation Overload, in preparation for D-Day, Mr Quigley stood guard on a tug boat which was towing pieces of artiﬁcial harbour across the English Channel to the landing beaches in France. He was also involved in blowing out the bottoms of a line-up of ships which were sunk a mile offshore to make the shore water calmer. Mr Quigley also recalls the story of how his mate Ron Latham stood on the beach, under ﬁre, directing troops along pathways which had been cleared of landmines.

In 1943, as the merchant ship Mr Quigley was aboard sailed across the Paciﬁc, they received a call to stopover in Pitcairn Island to pick up a lady who required medical assistance. During their stay

Mr Quigley is saddened that wars are still occurring, saying that the destruction wars cause is not comprehended. For Mr Quigley, Remembrance Day is a time when he commemorates those who died during World War II. “That’s what I think of,” he says. “The friends that never came back.”

ECH Inc | ECHo! Summer 2009/10

Community Services Supporting you in enhancing your independence ECH provides community services to support older people, either in their own homes or in our community centres, to maintain their wellbeing so they can continue living at home. Working in partnership with clients and their carers, ECH assists with: • In-Home Services for helping with those tasks that have become too difficult to manage, such as personal care or aspects of household management; • Therapy Services to manage health issues or conditions before they become prohibitive to independence; and • Day Programs which provide socialisation and respite for people who can benefit from stimulation and fun in a group setting. Day Programs are currently located at Walkerville (8342 8367), Willaston (8522 3255), Henley Beach (Sundowner Plus 8356 3169) and Victor Harbor (8551 0600). Therapy Services offer exercise classes (Tai Chi for example), health education sessions and groups to assist with the management of chronic conditions. Therapy Services have locations in Morphett Vale (8322 5700), Greenacres (8369 3393), Henley Beach (8356 3169) and Victor Harbor (8552 8380). For more information about In-Home Services, please contact our Community Programs offices in Kidman Park (8353 0844), Westbourne Park (8271 2166), Campbelltown (8337 2334) or Victor Harbor (8552 8380).

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

Sundowner Plus Evening Respite Program Fun to be had, friends to be found in a warm and caring environment The Sundowner Plus Evening Respite Program is a group program for people with memory loss who are living in the western suburbs. This program caters for various individual needs and interests. The program provides: • Assistance with transport to attend, where necessary • Nutritionally balanced meals • Meaningful activities • Social interaction • Reconnection with the wider community Those who participate in the program are provided with the opportunity to socialise with others in a caring environment while being able to enjoy activities of their choice. The program also provides carers with the opportunity to have some respite from caring, offering them revitalisation and community support. If you would like more information, please contact the Sundowner Plus ofﬁce on 8356 3169.

Where does ECH run Tai Chi classes?

Therapeutic Tai Chi offers benefits to health What is Tai Chi? Tai Chi has been practiced as a martial art in China for hundreds of years and consists of gentle exercise movements. Chi means ‘life energy’, and it is believed that ‘chi’ needs to flow through the body to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing. Tai Chi consists of fluid, gentle, graceful, circular movements. Breathing is slow and deep, which aids visual and mental concentration. This relaxes the body, allowing the ‘chi’ to flow throughout. The reported health benefits from Tai Chi include: • Increased movement and flexibility • Maintaining good posture whilst gently exercising the joints and muscles • Improved balance with standing and walking (falls prevention) • Enhanced concentration and relaxation skills

Tai Chi classes are currently running at Southern Therapy Service, Western Therapy Service and Greenacres Therapy Service. Tai Chi Chair is also conducted at Southern Therapy Service. This is a modified form of traditional Tai Chi which can be performed whilst sitting. This enables clients who are not able to bear weight to participate. It also enables clients to alternate between sitting and standing as required. ECH’s Tai Chi classes have so far proved to be incredibly popular and beneficial as a vast majority of clients who have attended at least eight Tai Chi sessions have improved their function and mobility. Most participants have also reported increased confidence with their balance and walking at home and in the community. “It’s very simple,” says Lois, a regular participant of Tai Chi Chair. “It’s easy to learn and it’s not terribly vigorous.”

What do I need to do to join a class? In most cases you will need to see your GP to get a medical clearance to join a Tai Chi class. There are currently some places available at Western Therapy Services. For more information, please call 8356 3169. Greenacres Therapy Service and Southern Therapy Service will be commencing new classes for beginners in January 2010. For more information please call 8369 3393 (Greenacres) or 8322 5700 (Southern). ECH Inc | ECHo! Summer 2009/10

Some enchanted evening Celebrating Mr and Mrs Derham’s 65th wedding anniversary Just like the fairytale encounter described in the South Pacific song “Some Enchanted Evening”, Mr and Mrs Derham met on the dance floor in England during World War II. “He trod on my feet,” Mrs Derham recalls with a laugh. It wasn’t long after that night that they were married in a registry office. The date was 26th of August 1944. “We got married in London… and that was it,” Mrs Derham says. “We’ve been married ever since.” Mrs Derham says that she can’t think that the war was all horrible as she found love because of it! They came to Australia in 1963 with their two sons, unsure of the prospects that might be available. Mr and Mrs Derham remember the day they arrived in Adelaide because it was April Fool’s Day. Over 45 years later, they still live in Adelaide, now at Clutterbuck Lodge in Henley Beach, and have seven grandchildren and also many great-grandchildren with their family split between Australia and the UK.

Did you know...

In 1976, Mr and Mrs Derham went on a long overseas adventure where they “did things you couldn’t do these days”. Their travel itinerary included going from Bangkok to Kathmandu, visiting the Ganges Delta and the Taj Mahal, through to Pakistan and over the Khyber Pass to Afghanistan and on to Iran. In India, they even met Mother Teresa! After the trip, the Derhams travelled by boat to visit their family in London. They have also been back to England two other times on the old SS Canberra. Their worldly travels also extended to much of Europe, where they stopped by Italy to visit the Vatican, Florence and Rome. “I’ve still got the bag I bought her in Rome,” Mr Derham recalls warmly. “She said it was too good to use!” The Derham’s didn’t have a separate celebration for their anniversary. As Mr Derham’s birthday is on the 13th of August and Mrs Derham’s birthday is on the 6th of September, they celebrated the three occasions together.

Khyber Pass

SS Canberra

The Khyber Pass is of historical and geographical signiﬁcance. About 53 kilometres in length, the Pass is a narrow route which links the cities of Peshawar in Pakistan and Kabul in Afghanistan. Historically, the Pass was a trade and invasion route, serving as a passageway for many military advances from Alexander the Great’s armies to the British in the 19th Century Afghan Wars.

Over almost 40 years of ocean traversing history, the SS Canberra was originally commissioned in the late 1950s – early 1960s as an ocean liner ferrying migrants to Australia but also served as a cruise ship for holiday makers (from the 1970s) and a transport ship for troops and prisoners of war (1982 – Falkland Isla Islands). The SS Canberra was just over 551 feet bridge to stern, 102 feet in breadth and its bridge was 104 feet above the waterline. The ship completed its ﬁnal commercial voyage on the 30th of September 1997. 3

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One summer stroll at Semaphore Celebrating 70 years of marriage g

During a 1930s summer, Louis Weikert ventured down to Semaphore with some friends to enjoy the carnival atmosphere and spend some time in the sun. While they strolled along the jetty they met up with a group of girls, of which Doris was a part. Five years later, in 1939, Doris and Louis were married in the Methodist Church at Exeter and on the 25th of March 2009 they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Louis recalls that when they were married Doris had to look after him, her widowed father and her two brothers. “What a task!” Louis says in his letter to ECH Publications, “but cheerfully done.” Louis and Doris have lived in Alberton, Woodville, Mile End and Seaton and then moved to Victor Harbor upon their retirement in 1978. The

Weikerts have been residents of ECH’s Hill Court since 1985. They are also long time members of the Encounter Bay Bowling Club, Louis since 1975 and Doris since 1978. The Weikerts were even featured in the local newspaper, the Victor Harbor Times, where Louis was quoted as saying: “There is no secret to our longevity, we both just get along with each other.” March was and always is a very busy time of the year for the Weikerts because as well as celebrating their anniversary they also celebrate Louis’ birthday on the 17th and Doris’ birthday on the 30th. They refer to it as “mad March” or “Weikert month”! Doris and Louis celebrated their milestone anniversary with their friends and family at the Hotel Victor.

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Tip turns 100!

Australia celebrates 100 years of the aged pension

Born in Tasmania on the 3rd of July in 1909 as the youngest of 10 children, Amy “Tip” Hawkes spent her childhood in the small town of Mathinna where her father worked in the Golden Gate mine.

You might be interested to know that in July of 2009 the centenary of the aged pension in Australia was celebrated in Canberra.

When she was two years old, Tip used to play the pianola. Her feet couldn’t reach the ﬂoor but she would play the song “Tipperary” over and over. Ever since those days she has been known as “Tip”.

The ﬁrst pension payments were made in 1909, when those who were eligible received up to 10 shillings per week.

Only having moved into Carinya Residential Care Centre a few weeks before her 100th birthday and not one to make a fuss, Tip had a low-key celebration of afternoon tea with family and residents in the dining room. Tip has one daughter, Sonya, grandchildren three grandchildre and four greatgrandchildren. Happy 100th Birthday Tip!

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To be eligible for the aged pension, men and women had to be at least 65 years old and required a certiﬁcate from a magistrate claiming good character. Migrants, including people from New Zealand, and Indigenous Australians were not eligible for the pension. Back in 1909 only 65,000 people le received the aged pension compared to the two million Australians who are eligible to receive it in current times.

Celebrating Pamela Atkinson’s 30 years of service It was a wet and wild morning when Walkerville Residential Care Centre set out to celebrate Pamela Atkinson’s 30 years of service at ECH, but nothing could have dampened everyone’s spirits! Pamela started in Eileen Tinning Ward at Walkerville Residential Care Centre on 5 April 1979 as a cleaner and also assisting with meals. “One of the great things about working for ECH is the opportunity to balance work with leisure,” Pamela says. Pamela’s long term plans were to stay until she turned 40 (1991). She never envisaged then that 30 years later she would still be working two days in the Walkerville laundry. “I love the company, friendly people and I really do enjoy my job,” Pamela says. “You don’t stay somewhere for 30 years if you don’t like the organisation and what it does.” Pamela spent 10 years in domestic housekeeping, ﬁve years as a cleaner in all of the wards and has worked the last 15 years in the laundry at Walkerville Residential Care Centre. Pamela revealed that instead of a ‘gold’ watch (she’s not ready to retire just yet) she is going to buy herself a ‘silver’ one with the gift vouchers she received.

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This can be arranged as the Royal Society for the Blind kindly translate our publications. For a copy contact: Coordinator Publications ECH Inc Reply Paid 83158 ADELAIDE SA 5063 Telephone: 8407 5160 Email: publications@ech.asn.au

Coordinator Publications ECH Inc Reply Paid 83158 ADELAIDE SA 5063 Telephone: 8407 5160 Email: publications@ech.asn.au

Friendly faces in distant places When Peter and Claire Stevens moved into an ECH unit at James Martin Village in Willaston, there wasn’t much happening in the way of group social activities. Claire wanted to get to know her neighbours so she decided to try her hand at organising regular happy hours for all of the residents on site. Fives years on, residents at the Willaston site now enjoy regular social get-togethers including footy nights, ﬁsh and chip nights, meals to celebrate events such as Easter, Christmas and Australia Day, and also a pizza night on Christmas Eve. “We’re gradually thinking of new things,” Claire says. Residents Peter and Judy Nettelbeck are regular participants of and contributors to the events and see the positives in being socially connected with their neighbours. “When you’re living in a small community, I just think it’s great to have a little interaction,” Peter Nettelbeck says. “It keeps that community spirit going,” Peter Stevens says. “The people who cannot drive would be very isolated if they didn’t have these activities.” Peter Nettelbeck says that in a small group such as the Willaston site it wouldn’t be nice not knowing your neighbours. “We don’t live in each other’s pockets, but we’re here for each other as needed,” Peter Nettelbeck says.

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The James Martin Village Social Club was also formed, with Peter Stevens as President and Claire as Secretary. The committee meets informally when required. Both couples feel very fortunate as they have the use of a small recreation hall on site which has been decked out with tables, chairs, billiards tables, crockery, pie warmer and microwave. Residents who attend the get-togethers make a small monetary contribution which allows the committee to organise regular events, purchase items for the hall and offer some outings at no cost. Around 20 people attend each event with some residents bringing along the occasional guest. Not everyone on site attends and residents are more than welcome to attend as many or as little of the activities as they wish. “It’s a personal choice,” Judy says. “If they don’t want to attend, that’s ok.” Each resident always receives an invitation to every event and they have adopted a “no apologies required” approach to keep an informal, welcoming feel.

Left: L-R Peter and Judy Nettelbeck, Peter and Claire Stevens; Above: Peter Nettelbeck and Peter Stevens

For residents at other sites who may wish to get to know their neighbours but are not sure how to go about it the Stevens and the Nettelbecks have some useful advice. “Organise an informal get-together and things will grow from there,” Peter Stevens says. At James Martin Village, things began quietly but now Claire is happy to report that everyone who attends is “always fairly animated” and that the events are “small, but noisy!” Peter Nettelbeck also advises to do whatever comes naturally. The group has tried to organise bus trips for the residents but found that these outings were often difﬁcult for older residents so they have adapted their social schedule to suit the demographics of their site. Claire says that people have to be interested. Organisers should also keep in mind that many residents have obligations and events outside of the site and may be too busy to attend. If your site organises similar events, we want to hear from you! Please send in your photos and stories for our ‘social pages’ to Publications Coordinator, ECH Inc, Reply Paid 83158, PARKSIDE SA 5063 or email publications@ech.asn.au.

Beneﬁts of knowing your neighbours • Fostering community spirit • Avoiding isolation • Making new friends • Looking after your neighbours • Being looked after by your neighbours

Things to keep in mind • Organise site/age-range appropriate events • Keep events informal • Expect a slow or quiet start • Form an informal social committee • Make everyone feel welcome, regardless of attendance record • Other residents may have busy ‘off-site’ lives

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Getting along with your neighbours A judge from Canada said “unlike ﬁne wines, disputes do not improve with age”. Disagreements or disputes with others are a normal part of life and while they can be stressful (and let’s face it, who likes conﬂict?) resolving them in an appropriate way between the parties involved can bring about positive change. In reference to the judge’s quote, the key to resolving any issue is to discuss it as soon as it bothers you rather than wait until it escalates. ECH has an expectation that disagreements will be resolved between the residents involved. We appreciate this is not easy or comfortable for residents. Contact Independent Living Services on 8407 5111 for a copy of the brochure ‘Dispute Resolution Guidelines - for disputes between ILU residents’ if required. Some helpful tips for dealing with disagreements are:

Communicate the issue • Discuss the issue with the person concerned calmly - arguments may lead to anger and resentments • Focus on the issue and not the person

Meet to resolve the issue • Treat others how you would like to be treated • Use statements such as “I would like to discuss…” or “are you aware that…” • Talk about the issue or problem and focus on how to ﬁx it • Take responsibility for how you are feeling e.g. “I feel stressed when….happens” • Discuss options that suit everyone and thank the other person for meeting with you

Mediation • If the above steps cannot reach a satisfactory conclusion, you may wish to contact Community Mediation Services on 8350 0376

• Take responsibility for your own behaviour or actions - thinking things will be better “if only the other person changed” is not the answer

• Contact ILS for additional information on Community Mediation Services

• Be positive and do not blame or accuse

If you decide not to do anything about the issue, ask yourself: • What will it mean for my health if I ignore it? • What are the beneﬁts for me if the issue is resolved?

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Roses of gratitude for residential care volunteers Volunteers at Smithﬁeld Residential Care Centre and Charles Young Residential Care Centre received a delightful surprise when they were presented with rose bushes during volunteer week earlier in 2009 as a lasting sign of gratitude for all their hard work and dedication. “It is with great pleasure we present you with this living memory of a ‘Gift of Gratitude Rose Bush’ for you to plant in a special place or a favourite pot,” said the note given with the rose bush. “We hope that this rose bush gives back to you the pleasure that you give to us as a volunteer…” The idea was introduced to replace the idea of holding a morning tea as the timing of these was not always suitable for all volunteers to attend. The volunteers were delighted to receive such a gift, which was well deserved and hard earned. We couldn’t do without our volunteers!

Our residential care staff are taking on a new look Over the next twelve months you will notice a change in the style and colour of our residential care staff uniforms as the fabric we have used for the past ﬁve to six years is no longer available. The new colours selected are:

Registered nurses (RNs) – dark blue Enrolled nurses (ENs) – light blue Carers – apple green Lifestyle assistants – grape Some staff will retain their current uniforms: Catering – black/white Housekeeping – blue polo shirts

Accreditation awarded for residential care centres A round of visits by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency has been completed at all ECH residential care sites over the past 18 months. All sites, including Charles Young Residential Care Centre which was placed under sanctions in December 2008, have been awarded compliance with all 44 standards. Charles Young was awarded accreditation for one year and all other sites achieved three year accreditation status which is the maximum level of accreditation. This is an excellent outcome given the changing needs of our residents. The sanctions imposed on Charles Young by the Department of Health and Ageing in December 2008 have been removed. There has been a period of signiﬁcant progress to ensure the facility meets not only the Aged Care Accreditation Standards but also ECH standards.

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Social Pages Glad Brown

Mr Gray with family

h idents win wit SmithďŹ eld res Show rk at Gawler o iw d n a h ir e th

Lil Northey

Isobel Ellis Some of our fantastic volunteers receiving their well deserved Rose of Gratitude

Mr and Mrs Clarke

Volunteer Week 2009

erâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Drin

th Walkerville Fa

L-R: Jennifer Creeper, Ursula Moate, Ida Bassanese and Gail Kurt

Liz Murphy

Charles Y oung Gar

age Sale

Sylvia Hitchmough with Stardust and Snowdon

Volunteer Fay Peddey

Want to be a part of our social pages? Send your photos to: ECH Publications, Reply Paid 83158, Parkside SA 5063 or email publications@ech.asn.au

ECH Staff Family Da

right Wing Walkerville PJ Day in W

mbers and ECH staff me to Bay family at City

Jenny Dunlop

Joy Haynes and Dot Kocsis

L-R Daisy Clarke, Karina Kinnear and Rita Wallace

Sue Jackson with daughters Emily and Kristy, Emma Sanderson with son Thomas, Jo Norton with son William

New faces at Charles Young If you have visited Charles Young Residential Care Centre recently you may have noticed some new, smiling faces. Rosanne Collins took over as Director of Care in March 2009, bringing to ECH her 14 years of experience in similar roles at Southern Cross Care and SA Baptist Homes. She has a total of 30 years experience in aged care, ﬁrst as a carer and then as a registered nurse. When asked why she chose to work for ECH, Rosanne responded that it was because the organisation was reputable, not-for-proﬁt and had good corporate support systems. “The people I work with, the professional challenges and the ability to make a difference,” is Rosanne’s response to what she enjoys about her work. “I just love my job,” Rosanne says. Rosanne also loves cooking and caters for friends and family. She also loves the beach and spending time with her family, husband John, sons Bradley (26) and Jarrod (24), and daughters Laura (18), Sarah (15) and Jessica (13). Rosanne is also grandmother to Owen, aged 1, who belongs to her eldest son Bradley.

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Shortly after Rosanne started, Astrid Little was appointed as Care Manager at Charles Young. Astrid is a registered nurse with a strong clinical background, having 20 years experience in acute care. Astrid decided to work for ECH because she had heard good things about the organisation through friends who were already employees.

They are the reason that registered nurse Mary Haarsma accepted a job at ECH. She had been working at Charles Young very regularly through a nursing agency, also having worked at other sites such as Marten, Holly and Carinya Residential Care Centres, when Rosanne and Astrid offered her a position at their site. “I just couldn’t say no to them. It was the reason I took the job,” Mary says.

“It’s a job that encompasses a wide range of different things,” Astrid says when speaking about why she enjoys her role. “It’s never boring!”

Mary has been a registered nurse since 1979 and has nursed in various parts of Australia, including Queensland and New South Wales. She has also been a coordinator at Gribbles for a period of seven years.

Astrid enjoys reading, lately picking up novels by Bryce Courtenay and Stephen King, and also camping but jokes that she doesn’t have any hobbies anymore as she doesn’t have any time! Astrid is married to Graeme and has a son called Eddie who is 10 years old. Both Rosanne and Astrid are very friendly and welcoming, sharing an easygoing sense of humour. “We like having ofﬁces next to each other so we can laugh hysterically together,” Astrid says.

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“Every day is different,” Mary says. “The people I work with are great and really helpful.” Mary also points out that the residents and working in aged care are important parts of why she enjoys her work. Mary also says that she doesn’t have much time for hobbies but plays tennis and enjoys cooking, reading, walking and camping. She has two children, Joseph who is 14 and Stephanie who is 17.

New residents at Charles Young In October, residents and staff at Charles Young Residential Care Centre were delighted with the arrival of an unusual new resident. The resident in question sported webbed feet, feathers and a bill and, disregarding traditional accommodation, set up residence outside, overlooking the water feature in Acacia Court. Staff held off on completing a lifestyle assessment when they discovered that their newest addition was expecting its own new arrivals. The due date was set for the 13th of November. A competition followed to assist in the naming of the ducklings, with winners promised a “sweet surprise” of chocolate or lollies. Staff and residents kept a close eye on the developments and the anxious wait continued for 26 days. The highly anticipated arrival of the ducklings ﬁnally occurred with the ﬁrst eggs hatching on the 11th of November. The winning names for the ducklings will be published in the next edition of ECHo! ECH Inc | ECHo! Summer 2009/10

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Photo courtesy of ‘The Times, Victor Harbor’

A resident’s “Random Ramblings” At ECH we delight in hearing about the achievements of our creative and talented residents and clients. On the 11th of October 2009, Victor Harbor resident Denis McGill launched his book “Random Ramblings” to a crowd of around 60 people at the old police building in Goolwa. International singer/songwriter Sandi McMenamin provided some entertainment for the event, while local author Rosemary Ayles acted as Master of Ceremonies. SA Writers’ Centre Office Manager and writer/poet Jude Aquilina officially launched the book. “The weather was kind to us and the day was a great success,” Denis reports. “Random Ramblings” is a collection of poetry, anecdotes and short stories which Denis has written over the years. It begins with “Have You?” which he wrote in 1948 when he was 13 and attending the Adelaide Technical High School. Denis reveals that many years passed before he delved into the world of poetry again. In 1960 he married June Ann Ransome and they had two sons, Dean and Gary. “I dedicate the work to my dear wife Ann, who passed away tragically in 2002, after a short, painful but valiant fight against cancer,” Denis says in his notes to ECH Publications. “It was she who talked me into travelling to the United Kingdom, home of her birth, enabling me to broaden my outlook on life and foster my interest in writing.” Denis was born in Royston Park in South Australia but spent the first six years of his life in Renmark, on the Murray River. He started his working life at the Long Range Weapons Establishment in Salisbury as a cadet draftsman then transferred to the Administrative Division until his resignation in 1973. After this time he had various jobs but is now retired and living at Victor Harbor.

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ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

Celebrating Every Generation with Calamity Jane The month of October 2009 brought with it a celebration of all generations with a focus on the achievements and contributions of seniors in the community. The ‘Every Generation – it’s on for young and old’ festival is an annual, South Australian event organised by the Council on the Ageing (so look out for it next year) during which events and activities are held to bring together people of all ages. ECH celebrated Every Generation by arranging for residents and their friends and families to attend a musical production of Calamity Jane at the Arts Theatre in Angas Street, Adelaide. The three show times offered to residents were fully booked with more than 300 ECH residents attending over the three nights. Those who attended enjoyed the production which included songs such as ‘Secret Love’, ‘Windy City’ and ‘Black Hills of Dakota’. For those of you who enjoy the local theatre scene, the musical was presented by the Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company of SA Inc and directed by Robert Reid, musically directed by Ben Stefanoff and choreographed by Carmel Vistoli.

ECH staff members Helen Harmer, Tania Kelly, Graeme Dolman, Ian Browning and Paul Thorne

What will Kevin Rudd look like when he is 87? A national promotional campaign, supported by ECH and many other service providers, which shows Kevin Rudd ageing to 87, was launched at the Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) conference in Perth recently. The campaign aims to raise awareness of and celebrate the Australian aged care industry and aged care professionals. It stresses that we are all ageing (including our PM!) so it is in everyone’s interests to get behind the industry and the many wonderful people who assist with the independence of our older people. They are the “Can Do” people that more than 1 million older Australians can’t do without.

The visual of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd ageing within seconds to become 87, encourages viewers to show their support for aged care professionals at www.kevin87.com. To show your support, spread the word! Ask all your friends to visit the kevin87 site and click to send a pledge of support of the aged care industry to Kevin Rudd. Together, we can ensure aged care gets the recognition and support it deserves. ou! We can’t do it without you!

SLOW

Concerns expressed from ILU sites Did you know that residents regularly contact ECH expressing concerns about the following issues? 1. The driving speed of residents and visitors on site The safety and wellbeing of residents is paramount and concern has been expressed about the potential for accidents especially when a resident’s mobility is affected. As stated in the ECH Conditions of Residency that all residents sign, the driving speed of any vehicle within any village is not to exceed walking pace.

2. Visitors parking in resident car parks Residents tell us that visitors park on site, in or near their car park restricting their ability to come and go as they please. Imagine coming home at night to ﬁnd a car in your car park and not knowing who to contact to request it be moved! ECH is aware that lack of visitor car parks is an issue however we ask that you remind your visitors to park in the allocated visitor car park space or make alternative arrangements.

Thank you for your cooperation with these important issues. Collectively, we can make a difference to ensure residents experience an enjoyable and hassle free time living in their unit.

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Keeping cool this summer During summer, the hot weather can put a terrible strain on our bodies and it is important that we keep cool and be alert to signs of heat related illness within ourselves or those around us. Heat stroke or dehydration can occur if our bodies overheat and these conditions can be fatal if not prevented or treated properly. Stress on the body caused by hot weather can also result in the exacerbation of preexisting health conditions.

Heat related illness is preventable. SA Ambulance Service provides the following suggestions for prevention:

The symptoms of heat related illness can include:

• Stay in the shade or in a well ventilated indoor area

• Headaches and dizziness

• Wear light, comfortable clothing

• Muscle cramps

• Don’t exercise in the heat of the day

• Fatigue • Nausea and vomiting • Confusion • Respiratory weakness

• Drink plenty of water regularly – don’t wait until you’re thirsty • Use air conditioning and fans

• If you do need to be outdoors, wear a hat, sunscreen, stay in the shade and take regular breaks • Avoid dehydrating drinks such as alcohol, coffee and tea

If you would like further health advice, you can call healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222. If you need emergency assistance, call 000.

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L-R: “Constellation” - A group piece by artists Joan Ellis, Carley Holder, Roma Slater, Jenny Dunlop, Moya Nussio, Lidia Minicozzi, Fran Brown and John Riggs; “The Golden Pear” by Roma Slater; “Linda in Blue” by Lidia Minicozzi

Arts and creativity benefit older people Artwork created by ECH clients that participated in the Walkerville Day Program Arts Inclusion project in the last couple of years was recently showcased at an international conference that looked at the beneﬁts of arts and creativity for older people. The 4th International Creative Expression Communication and Dementia Conference, held in the Adelaide Convention Centre on the 22nd and 23rd October, was the ﬁrst of its kind in Australasia. It brought together performing artists, seniors, health practitioners, international experts, researchers, managers and policy makers who discussed service models of excellence and highlighted the positive impact of arts in aged and community services. The conference strongly endorsed studies linking health, wellbeing and quality of life with arts and creativity. This was the experience of ECH’s Arts Inclusion project which saw clients produce more than 40 works of art, under the guidance of artist Evie Photakis, in the Walkerville Day Program in 2007

and 2008. It is recognised within the healthcare system that visual art is a catalyst in promoting the positive attributes of a person living with dementia. Five artworks produced at Walkerville Day Program in 2008 were among those exhibited at an art show held as the ﬁnal event of the CECD conference. The exhibition was hosted by The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care (Australia) Inc and Aged Care and Community Services SA & NT Inc and was opened by the Hon Jennifer Rankine MP, Minister for Ageing. The exhibition was proudly supported by ECH, Flinders Medical Centre, Marra Dreaming Indigenous Arts, Aldersgate (Uniting Care Wesley Adelaide aged care facility), Helping Hand Aged Care, James Brown

Memorial Trust, Alzheimer’s Australia SA and the Richard Llewellyn Arts & Disability Trust. It provided a great opportunity to showcase a broad range of artworks by older persons that is reﬂective of their life experiences and cultural backgrounds. The artists are living within community, residential aged care, participants of day programs and patients of hospitals. Entertainment at the event was by Tutti Ensemble Choir funded and supported by the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust. ECH is hoping to offer the Arts Inclusion Project again in 2010 for community based clients with moderate dementia. Enquiries should be directed to the Walkerville Day Program Coordinator Sharyn Blows on 8342 8367.

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TECHNOLOGY FEATURE

Computer access and training for seniors Computers and the internet are a big part of modern technology and daily tasks can often be performed or assisted through their use. If you would like to attend training, there are many options for seniors throughout Adelaide. Volunteer Colin Martin provides computing classes for residents in ECH independent living units (see details on this page). The Seniors Information Service offers free computer and internet access to people aged over 50 through their Internet Lounge located at their city office. Staff and volunteers are available to provide support and guidance in word processing, sending emails or ‘surfing the net’. The Seniors Information Service can also provide information on where you can find computing courses in your local area. Other computer courses for seniors, from beginners to advanced, are offered through Seniors-On-Line and WEA Adult Learning. Contact details for these providers are listed below.

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Seniors Information Service Phone: (08) 8232 1441 Website: www.seniors.asn.au Seniors-On-Line Phone: (08) 8201 7727 Website: www.sol.asn.au WEA Adult Learning Phone: (08) 8223 1272 Website: www.wea-sa.com.au If you have your own computer and would like access to the internet, TADAust Connect is an internet service provider that provides low cost dial-up connection for people who receive an aged pension or disability support pension. Please contact TAD Aust Connect direct on 1300 735 439 or visit www.tadaustconnect.org.au for more information. You may remember in the last edition of ECHo! the Australian Government initiative ‘Broadband for Seniors’ was mentioned. This initiative is based on providing ‘internet kiosks’ at various communal locations rather than individual homes. There are also many other internet service providers available if you would like a faster connection or require a different service. Each service provider will have different packages with varying costs and contract terms so remember to shop around.

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The details for external training and internet access are provided as an information service and not an endorsement by ECH Inc.

Computer classes for ILU residents Expressions of interest are sought from residents in our independent living units who would like to attend basic computing classes. The classes are run by volunteer Colin Martin and are held at ECH Corporate Ofﬁce in Parkside at no cost to participants. The classes are directed towards residents who have no previous experience using computers. ECH will provide laptops for the participants to use during the classes. Classes will commence in mid January 2010 and will be held on Tuesdays, commencing at 10am or 1pm, for 2 hours duration. If you are interested in attending these classes or would like further information, please contact Colin on 8379 3863.

Prepare yourself for the digital age of television You have probably heard the phrase ‘digital television’ mentioned many times over the past year. Like many others, you may be wondering what it means, how it affects you and how to prepare for the switch from traditional television.

What is digital television? The Australian Communications and Media Authority describes digital television as a system for broadcasting and receiving moving pictures and sound by using digital signals rather than the traditional analog signals used to broadcast television.

What are the benefits of digital television? Digital television allows a range of extra services to be offered while also improving the quality of the picture and sound of the programs you watch. Other beneﬁts include: • Better reception • Extra free-to-air channels • Electronic program guides.

Why do you need to switch to digital television? Between 2010 and 2013, Australia will be turning off analog free-to-air signals. This means that you will not be able to access free-to-air television if

you are not set up to receive digital television. This may sound very soon but fortunately Adelaide will be one of the last areas to be switched over to digital television with this occurring between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2013. However, for those who may be in other areas of South Australia your analog television signal may be switched off as early as 1 July 2010. You can ﬁnd out when your area will be switched by visiting www.digitalready.gov.au/rolloutmap.aspx.

How can you prepare for digital television? You can access digital television now if you have the right equipment. There are two options available: • Option 1: Purchase a digital set top box which will allow you to view digital television on your analog television • Option 2: Purchase a television which has an “in-built digital tuner”.

Where can you get help? If you need assistance with preparing for digital television you can speak to staff at your local electronics store or wherever televisions are sold. You can also contact the Digital Switchover Taskforce by emailing switchover@dbcde.gov.au or calling 1800 201 013. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, then you can either phone 1800 555 677 and ask for 1800 201 013 (TTY users) or phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1800 201 013 (Speak and Listen users). You can also visit their website www.digitalready.gov.au.

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New staff profiles Megan Humphrey Meet Megan! Megan has joined ECH in our Corporate Ofﬁce in Parkside as Personal Assistant to Judi Coombe, General Manager Residential Care. Megan comes to ECH with seven years experience in the recruitment industry where she held various positions in the areas of recruitment support, accounts and payroll, WorkCover claims administration, injury management and return to work and also occupational health and safety. Soccer is Megan’s main hobby, along with sports ﬁrst aid, and she spends most, if not all, of her spare time playing soccer, watching her partner play soccer, coaching soccer or working as a sports trainer

Ashling O’Boyle There’s also a new face at Community Services – West. Ashling O’Boyle commenced in the role of Community Programs Coordinator in late August. When asked why she chose to work for ECH, Ashling replied: “It is reputed to have great community presence, is a not-for-proﬁt organisation and is client focused.” Ashling brings to ECH 20 years experience working in allied health as a therapy assistant in acute and post acute rehabilitation and workers’

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for a soccer club. She is also a Sports Medicine Australia accredited trainer! Megan’s interests also include anything that involves rehabilitation or assisting people to maintain or improve their physical wellbeing. “Working for ECH presented me with the opportunity to merge my business skills with my personal interests and passions,” Megan says. “I love health and ﬁrst aid and if I had my time again I think I would have become a paramedic or an occupational therapist,” Megan says, “Instead I have all of these administrative skills and joining ECH gave me the chance to apply those skills to a workplace that focuses on the health and wellbeing of a very important group of people within our community.”

Megan also feels that the philosophy of enhancing independence complements her endeavours in the sporting arena. “In different ways its still just about keeping people doing what makes them happy for as long as possible, whether that’s returning to the soccer ﬁeld or staying in your own home,” Megan says.

rehabilitation. She has a degree in health science and majored in health management. “I enjoy a caring role and assisting those most in need in our community,” Ashling says in response to what she enjoys about her new job. Ashling has a vast range of adventurous hobbies, including belonging to a sporting club for which she is a range ofﬁcer for the local club and competitions manager for the state club. Also possessing creative abilities, Ashling enjoys painting, reading, attending church and choral

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

singing. A part of an Irish family of six children, Ashling has two sisters and three brothers who are all living here in Australia.

Sarah Tomlinson It feels strange having to write a proﬁle about myself but, as ECH’s new Publications Coordinator, writing for ECHo! is now a part of my job! Having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2007, I decided that I wasn’t really interested in taking up the role of a ‘hard-hitting’ reporter and started searching for something with a softer focus and a genuine community service aspect. In the meantime I began working in administration in the health industry and started taking on tasks which involved writing for and creating newsletters and also proofreading and designing publications. I was so excited when offered this position at ECH as it was exactly the type of organisation I wanted to work for, its values and

direction complement my own personal beliefs about life and community while also allowing me to fulﬁl my professional pursuits in communications. Away from the workplace I enjoy other creative outlets such as music and photography (I don’t like having my own photo taken though!). For me, music is about having fun, being uplifted and letting go of the stresses of life while photography allows me to capture moments that may have otherwise been missed or forgotten. I have had the pleasure of meeting some of you through certain events and when you have visited the Corporate Ofﬁce in Parkside and I look forward to meeting more of you as I make my way around the sites reporting on your fascinating life experiences and events!

You can also contact me directly. Please feel free to give me a call at ECH Corporate Ofﬁce in Parkside on 8407 5160 or email publications@ech.asn.au as I would love to have a chat about anything that might be great for future editions of ECHo!

Resident contribution: Be careful! By Jean Turner of Knightsbridge, Myrtlebank This story is a warning to readers to be very careful of how you phrase your questions to young children. Please pass this on to your granddaughters, dear readers. I was in my bank in Devonport, Tasmania. It was much smaller than usual ass building alterations were taking place, consequently it was very crowded with h men. To my tortured imagination it seemed that there was not a single woman an to give me a glance of sympathetic understanding. My little daughter was almost toilet trained. She would take her pants off, and nd ‘off’ meant right off so it required constant vigilance on my part to ask my daughter if she had her pants ‘on’. She was standing quietly beside me, not running around or getting into any mischief, a model child, a credit to my upbringing until… …she lifted the hem of my skirt, peeped underneath it and said in a very loud and very clear voice, “Have you got your pants on, Mummy?”

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Annual Meetings of Independent Living Unit Residents

The following four pages are an abridged version of the minutes of the ECH Annual Meetings of independent living unit residents held on 13, 14, 15 & 16 October 2009 A full version of the minutes were posted to all residents in the ﬁrst week of November and can also be viewed on the ECH website.

Item 1 – ILU Financial report Paul Thorne, General Manager, Independent Living Residents’ maintenance fees The weekly maintenance fee covers: personnel costs (salaries and wages and associated administrative costs such as superannuation, WorkCover insurance, leave and training), utilities (council and water rates, communal power and insurance for public liability and buildings), operating costs (mobile phones and vehicles - purchase, petrol, registration and insurance), Maintenance Services Kidman Park depot costs (rates and taxes for the site, computers and phones), repairs and maintenance, and a provision to the maintenance reserve fund. ILU actual v budget for 2008/09 All residents received an audited statement of income and expenditure for the last 12 months and a budget for the next 12 months as part of the notice of the Annual Meetings. Detailed expenditure of repairs and maintenance 2008/09 The repairs and maintenance budget was expended in 2008/09 as follows (please note amounts are rounded to the nearest $’000):

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• Contracts, internal painting, lawns, gutter cleaning, rubbish, fire prevention - $375,000 • General maintenance, general repairs - $279,000 • External works, such as paving and fencing - $253,000 • Plumbing, such as blocked pipes, taps - $125,000 • Building, such as cracks, salt damp - $105,000 • Appliance repairs - $91,000 • Roof repairs, such as repairs to gutters - $22,000 Maintenance reserve fund expenditure 2008/09 In total ECH spent $646,268 from the maintenance reserve fund whereas only $600,000 was transferred into it from weekly maintenance fees. This resulted in an expenditure of $46,268 in excess of the annual provision. This deficit was funded by ECH from other consolidated revenue. Detailed expenditure of maintenance reserve fund 2008/09 The maintenance reserve fund money was spent as follows (please note amounts are rounded to the nearest $’000): • Landscaping (site upgrades) $178,000 • Painting - $117,000 • Building upgrades - $111,000 • Paving - $90,000 • Roofing and gutters - $47,000 • Windows - $35,000 • Fences - $23,000 • Balcony Works - $22,000 ILU Budget 2009/10 This financial year we have budgeted for an increase in weekly maintenance fees to offset

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increasing costs. However, even with the increase it is forecast that there will be an increased operating deﬁcit from the previous year to $523,927. This will, once more, be funded by ECH from other consolidated revenue. The percentage of expenditure for each category has increased which is a reﬂection of increasing operating costs.

Item 2 – Maintenance fee increase In order to fund increasing operating costs, such as utilities, council rates, fuel, labour, contractors and supplies, and maintain the same level of services, it has been necessary to adjust the weekly maintenance fee. To minimise the impact we have again decided to implement the increase over two half yearly periods. Accordingly, the increase in the weekly maintenance fee has been contained to $1.75 per week in November 2009 and $1.75 per week in May 2010.

Item 3 – New works and upgrade works ECH has embarked on a ﬁve to six year program to redevelop or refurbish our sites and units. The new works include building new stock and the upgrade works include room additions, carports, turning units into garages and upgrading kitchens and bathrooms. Many residents have expressed concern about what impact this will have on the weekly maintenance fees. These capital costs are funded by ECH from reserve funds and ILU contributions and are not funded from residents’ weekly maintenance fees.

Item 4 – Independent Living key challenges Delivery of Capital Works ECH has committed to spend $57m to upgrade each of its sites over the next five to six years as well as build 30-50 new ILUs each year for the next five to six years. Award Modernisation This is the current Federal Government’s response to the former government’s Work Choices legislation which aims to reduce the number of awards and make them standard across Australia. For example, everyone in the aged care industry across Australia would be covered by the one award. Currently the aged care industry is trying to understand the implications of the new legislation as early indications for aged care employers are that, despite the inclusion of a no disadvantage clause, it could result in a 15% increase in costs. This has the potential to have a significant impact on the aged care industry.

Item 5 – Capital Works Ian Browning, Project Manager, Capital Works

Maintenance surveys The resident satisfaction survey, which involves an average of 50 residents being contacted by phone every month to answer a survey about the services they received during the month, achieved: • 96% satisfaction for maintenance; • 83% satisfaction with the garden service; • 71% satisfaction with gardens.

Refurbished kitchen and bathroom Both newly designed areas provide more storage and ease of movement. The kitchen has been given a pantry with pull-out drawers, an increased number of soft close drawers, while the bathroom has a larger shower recess, a floor to ceiling linen cupboard for extra storage and a higher toilet pan. Better quality fittings have been installed with some offering an extended warranty of up to 15 years. This will mean less maintenance and inconvenience for residents. Site upgrades Work is well advanced on the first group of site upgrades and the Capital Works team is communicating with the residents involved. As part of the site upgrade program unit upgrades will only be carried out on units that have not been refurbished since 1994. Participation by residents in this program is voluntary and will be free of charge.

Review of works for 2008/09 During the year the Capital Works team worked with the Accommodation Services team to deliver 44 major upgrades, 35 minor upgrades, 26 paint and cleans, two room additions and two carports.

Environmental initiatives ECH has implemented a program to use the current government rebate to improve insulation in units on all our sites where they meet the government rebate criteria.

Layout and design of new units compared with the old layout The new unit design provides an open plan kitchen and living area as well as more storage space in the bathroom and kitchen and better accessibility.

Graeme Dolman, Facilities Maintenance Manager

Item 6 – Maintenance Services During the last year the Maintenance team attended to 13,692 requests for general and grounds maintenance, a 10% increase from the previous year.

What have we changed? In response to the results from the resident surveys two additional Site Improvement Ofﬁcers were employed and the number of sites per ofﬁcer were reduced resulting in increased frequency of visits to sites. We also introduced ID badges for contractors so that residents can easily recognise authorised people on their sites.

Item 7– Accommodation Services Tania Kelly, Manager Accommodation Services The last 12 months During the year the team handed over 91 Independent Living Units, assisted 100 new residents to enter their new homes and conducted 12 information sessions with a total of 336 attendees. In total there are now 1806 residents in ECH ILUs. Holiday Units During 2008/09, 209 residents enjoyed a holiday in one of ECH’s affordable holiday units located at Ardrossan, Glenelg and Victor Harbor. The process to book a holiday unit is outlined on page 35.

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Item 8 – Independent Living Services

Item 9 – Community Services

Helen Harmer, Manager Independent Living Services

Sue Green, Rima Sallis, Tania Thomspon and Charmaine Duce (varied according to location)

What have we been doing? Over the last 12 months Independent Living Services has: • Met with 1375 residents in their homes; • Provided 1491 telephone contacts to residents; • Visited 90 new residents in their new homes; • Organised 20 health information sessions which were attended by 369 residents; • Supervised two occupational therapy students from UniSA doing their ﬁnal year placement who completed a community project focusing on wellbeing with residents at four sites in the Southern area; and • Secured placement of another two occupational therapy students for 2010. The next 12 months The focus of the Independent Living Services Team over the next 12 months will be to: • Implement a lifestyle and needs discussion – where residents will be offered the opportunity to discuss their needs with ILS for earlier referral. These will be offered to all new residents and existing residents at the age of 70, 75 and 80 years; • Conduct informal site gatherings with ECH’s ILS Coordinator and Living Well Project Ofﬁcer to discuss local services and activities available to residents; and • Continue to collaborate with ECH’s Community Services to explore ways to support residents to stay in their homes as long as possible.

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In home services ECH Community Services provides different care packages such as Home and Community Care and Community Aged Care at Home (low care) and Extended Aged Care at Home (high care). These packages cover services such as personal care, domestic assistance and transport assistance to access social clubs. ECH also provides a STAR (Short Term Assistance and Recovery) Program for residents living in ECH Independent Living Units for assistance when returning from hospital. Therapy services There are four therapy ofﬁces that offer a range of allied health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise groups and balance and falls prevention.

Has any thought been given to building serviced apartments? ECH already operates a semidependent facility called Crichton Court at Henley Beach which has 20 units and the Board is continually looking at different models to provide quality affordable housing for older people, such as serviced apartments/semi-dependent units. We have an ongoing problem with feral cats at Knightsbridge. What is ECH going to do to actually rid the site of these feral cats? This question was taken on notice. Maintenance Services has engaged a pest control company to trap the feral cats on this site. This has had limited success due to people feeding the feral cats which mean they are not hungry and therefore they are not attracted by the bait in the traps.

What is the status of the promised refurbishment to lawns and gardens of units in Hill Court, Victor Harbor? These works are ongoing. All three sites at Victor Harbor are scheduled to be upgraded as part of our site upgrade program in 2011.

How often are air-conditioning and shower vents cleaned? If you are concerned about the vents in your air-conditioner or shower please contact Maintenance Services on 8355 6333 and they will arrange to have them inspected and cleaned. It is the intention of Maintenance Services to introduce a preventative maintenance program over the next year to check items such as hot water systems, smoke detectors, and air-conditioning and exhaust fans on an annual basis.

Is any action proposed for the removal of brush fences dividing units at Clarence Gardens Estate? There is no immediate action proposed to remove brush fences at Clarence Gardens Estate. Suitability of the fencing will be considered as part of the site upgrade.

You talked about contractors and badges. What happens when the contractor subcontracts and they have no badge? We are now selecting our contractors based on set criteria and undertaking contractor inductions prior to them commencing work with ECH so these situations should stop occurring.

Item 10 – Questions

ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

I have just moved in and the previous external blinds were taken out. I was told I could choose between double glazing or roller shutters. Who pays for these, ECH or the government? The government does not pay or subsidise double glazing and ECH will only pay for the installation of double glazing in units on main roads as part of the site upgrade program. Roller shutters are the preferred specification for external. Where there are no blinds on a unit it is the responsibility of the resident to pay for their installation. ECH is also going to apply a solar film to north, east and west facing windows, where possible, as part of the refurbishment and site upgrade program at no cost to residents. Last year when it was time to fertilise the lawns the contractor asked us, the residents, to fertilise them. I did five lawns. Are we doing them organically this time? This year all lawns will be fertilised by the Site Improvement Officers and not contractors. We are waiting for the soil temperature to rise before commencing and we have a product that does not require watering in. We will also treat the lawns for broadleaf weeds and scarify and core them. A number of questions were asked in relation to the width of paths around units/sites. The issue of footpaths and accessibility will be picked up as part of the site upgrade program. Is there going to be any checking to make sure all old light bulbs are changed for new energy efficient globes? Maintenance Services will only install approved globes in keeping with the legislative requirements.

Are you going to continue to make two units into one with garage? Yes, where identiﬁed, all building works will be done as part of the site upgrades. Do all refurbished units have reverse cycle ducted air-conditioning or only two bedroom units? All refurbished one bedroom units will have a reverse cycle split system unit and all two bedroom units will have ducted reverse cycle air-conditioning installed. Are whirly birds being used in conjunction with the insulation upgrades? Are they going on all the units or just some? ECH is working with our Federal Government authorised insulation contractor to assess and ﬁt these ‘whirly birds’ to vent the roof space where possible. They are not being installed on surfaces that could be used for solar power in future. Regarding the site upgrades is ECH doing one site at a time? There will be a number of sites that will be upgraded at the same time. We are starting in the Glenelg area and residents of those sites are being communicated with. Are you looking at solar power? Yes, quite a bit of research is being undertaken on the feasibility of installing solar power. It is hard to take the bins out when they are full. I am not sure about what can be done. Many local councils provide a service to assist people who are not able to manage their bin. Please contact the Independent Living Services Team on 8407 5111.

I don’t see ECH showing any initiative about water conservation. As ECH is responsible for water costs we are very interested in water conservation. All new appliances and fixtures are WELS rated for maximum water efficiency. All new site upgrades will include drought resistant and heat tolerant plants with automated drip irrigation. It is not practical to retrospectively install underground water harvesting on existing sites due to the costs associated with removing existing infrastructure and installing underground stormwater pipes and tanks. We will consider stormwater retention on the new sites. Should a resident wish to install a rainwater tank they need to seek approval from Accommodation Services on 8407 5151 and the resident is responsible for the cost. Regarding maintenance at Victor Harbor, the contractors come from Adelaide. Can they be local? We are looking at sourcing all suitably qualified and cost effective contractors locally as that saves travel time and money. However, with some contractors (such as fire prevention) it is more economical to manage it centrally for all residential care and independent living sites.

ECH Inc | ECHo! Summer 2009/10

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Share a little part of yourselves Please tell us if you have a story you would like to share with fellow residents, you may even have interesting ‘site’ happenings that others would like to hear about. While we can’t promise to publish every story we will do our best. The final publishing decision will be made by the ECHo! publications committee. Each story should be a maximum of 300 words.

Dates to remember 26 January 2010 Australia Day

Please forward them by mail to:

24-31 January 2010 Healthy Weight Week

Publications ECH Inc Reply Paid 83158 174 Greenhill Road Parkside SA 5063

or email publications@ech.asn.au Telephone queries can be directed to

7 March 2010 Clean Up Australia Day

Sarah Tomlinson on 8407 5160.

8 March 2010 Adelaide Cup

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR ARTICLE:

11 March 2010 World Kidney Day 12 March 2010 World Glaucoma Day

Topic: Author:

21 March 2010 Arthritis Awareness Week

Site:

2 April 2010 Good Friday

Phone: Email: Image available:

Yes

Independent Living

Resident/Client

Community Services

Family/Friend

Residential Care

Staff Member

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ECHo! Summer 2009/10 | ECH Inc

26 April 2010 Anzac Day 30 May – 5 June 2010 Kidney Health Week 14 June 2010 Queen’s Birthday

2010 holiday unit bookings Bookings for next year are now open

2010 Holiday Unit Booking Form Name Address

ECH provides three well appointed holiday units at Ardrossan, Glenelg and Victor Harbor which are available to independent living unit residents. Making a booking is as easy as completing the form opposite, cutting it out and returning it to: Corporate Ofﬁce Reception ECH Inc 174 Greenhill Road PARKSIDE SA 5063 The holiday units at Glenelg and Victor Harbor are one bedroom with two single beds whilst the two bedroom unit at Ardrossan sleeps a maximum of four people - one double bed and two singles. A few things to remember: • The holiday booking is for seven nights at each unit. • Your week commences on a Thursday with check in after 2pm and check out prior to 10am the following Thursday. • Your booking request will be conﬁrmed in writing. • You will receive a reminder letter one month prior to your holiday with all the relevant information about what you need to take with you. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to phone us on 8407 5151. ECH wishes you a happy and enjoyable holiday

Phone Mobile

ARDROSSAN Unit 14, 32 Oval Terrace Fee for seven night stay 1 person/per night $20 = $140.00 2 people/per night $25 = $175.00 3 people/per night $40 = $280.00 4 people/per night $50 = $350.00 Note: No taxi service is available, bus arrives at Ardrossan in the evening.

GLENELG Unit 1, 13 Moseley Street Fee for seven night stay 1 person/per night $20 = $140.00 2 people/per night $25 = $175.00

VICTOR HARBOR Unit 7, 7 Acraman Street Fee for seven night stay 1 person/per night $20 = $140.00 2 people/per night $25 = $175.00

BOOKING PREFERENCES 1 2 3

Web www.ech.asn.au • Email admin@ech.asn.au

ECH Inc Corporate Office Chief Executive Reception Community Relations

174 Greenhill Road Parkside 5063 174 Greenhill Road Parkside 5063 Volunteering - bequests - donations

8407 5151 8407 5151 8407 5189

Independent Living Accommodation Services Independent Living Services Maintenance Services

Retirement unit information for ILU residents for ILU residents

8407 5151 8407 5111 8355 6333

Community Services Community Programs North/East South Southern Regional West

598 Lower North East Road 433 Goodwood Road 33 Cornhill Road 358 Findon Road

Campbelltown 5074 Westbourne Park 5041 Victor Harbor 5211 Kidman Park 5025

8337 2334 8271 2166 8552 8380 8353 0844

19 Dawkins Avenue 19 Cornhill Road 168a Cudmore Terrace 160 Walkerville Terrace

Willaston 5118 Victor Harbor 5211 Henley Beach 5022 Walkerville 5081

8522 3255 8551 0600 8356 3169 8342 8367

1/1 Corner Rellum and Fosters Rds 126 Pimpala Road 33 Cornhill Road 168a Cudmore Terrace

Greenacres 5086 Morphett Vale 5162 Victor Harbor 5211 Henley Beach 5022

8369 3393 8322 5700 8552 8380 8356 3169

Day Programs James Martin Day Program Ross Robertson Day Program Sundowners Plus Walkerville Day Program

Therapy Services Greenacres Southern Victor Harbor Western

Residential Care Centres Referrals and Respite Carinya Charles Young Holly Marten Ross Robertson Smithﬁeld Walkerville ECH Food Services

174 Greenhill Road 39 Fisher Street 53 Austral Terrace 16-24 Penneys Hill Road 110 Strathﬁeld Terrace 19 Cornhill Road 1 Warooka Drive 160 Walkerville Terrace 358 Findon Road

Parkside 5063 Myrtle Bank 5064 Morphettville 5043 Hackham 5163 Largs North 5016 Victor Harbor 5211 Smithﬁeld 5114 Walkerville 5081 Kidman Park 5025

8407 5192 8130 6444 8350 3600 8392 6700 8248 9555 8551 0600 8254 4700 8342 8300 8353 7433

ECH Inc 174 Greenhill Road Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 08 8407 5151 Facsimile: 08 8407 5130 Email: admin@ech.asn.au Website: www.ech.asn.au