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Gymea Home and Community Care (HACC) Services ph: 9524 9559 Email: naid@gcais.ngo.org.au or hacc @gcais.ngo.org.au

Dear Gymea HACC Volunteers,

I am excited now that winter is officially over! The sun is warm and bright, new leaves and blossoms are on the trees, the days are light for longer – spring has sprung! Nature is looking after our sensory wellbeing.

Welcome! A warm welcome to our newest HACC Volunteer: Marie. We hope that your

Volunteering with us is a rewarding one.

I owe a huge apology to a new Volunteer who I missed from my welcome list last newsletter. Thank you for letting me know Sandra – that’s what it is all about. Sandra, my apologies and a belated warm welcome!

While I am on “Welcomes” I would like to welcome

members of the Spanish community to our HACC Service, in particular, the Multicultural Aged Centre Based Activity group. A warm Welcome also to all of our new HACC Clients. We take pride in delivering professional, friendly services with you, our Clients, as our focus. We encourage you to provide any feedback, good or not so good, and to discuss any issues/concerns you may have.

2013 Public Holidays 7th October, Monday – Labour day 25th December, Wednesday – Christmas Day 26th December, Thursday – Boxing Day

Information about Local Home

Delivery Shopping Services Thankyou Kylie for the information!

You may be finding getting to the shops to do your shopping isn’t the problem but carrying it home is. Following is some information about local shops that provide home delivery that may be able to support you to maintain independence. .

*Gymea Superbarn, Gymea Bay Rd -Contact Julie:9531 9577 Mon-Fri,7.30am-12noon. You can place your order over the phone. Up to 14 bags for $8.80 (over 14 bags at an extra cost)

*Coles –Sylvania Southgate -Home Delivery fee $7.70 for 1-8 bags (only if you shop yourself in Coles at Sylvania).

* Miranda Coles does not have any delivery service. Has an on-line shop which delivers at Coles/ShopOnline. Delivery fees: from $8-$12

*Woolworths- Caringbah -Home Delivery fee $8.50 for 8 bags (only if you shop yourself in Woolworths Caringbah). Also has online shopping services you can visit the Woolworths website or Ph:1800 000 610 to set up an account.

*Franklins has no delivery service

These options may suit most of you but there may be times when you cannot get out at all. An option that we are consider is to do on line shopping. What that would involve is: The client rings here with their shopping list, we enter it on line (probably Coles/Woolworths at this stage), delivery is usually the next day and payment (either cash or card) is made on receiving your shopping. If not for yourself you may know of someone who may need this type of support. Your thoughts on this would be welcomed.

39 Gymea Bay Rd.,

Gymea 2227

SEPTEMBER

2013 HACC CLIENT NEWSLETTER

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You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

Good communication when speaking to a

person with vision impairment

IMPORTANT: remember to treat all people with a higher need as a person

first and then consider their impairment!

Let the person know who has a vision impairment know that you have entered the room or joined the group, and if appropriate, who else is there

Identify yourself. Do not play guessing games such as “do you know who I am?”

Always make it clear to whom you are talking, by using the person’s name wherever possible.

Always address the person with vision impairment directly & never through a third person

Never assume that a person with a vision impairment will need or want your help as many people are quite capable and independent. A good way of finding out is to ask! “do you need help?” If help is required, find out exactly how they want to be helped by asking “how may I help you?”

Let the person know that you are leaving the room or gathering so that they do not end up talking to you once you have left

It is not necessary to raise your voice or slow your speech because someone has vision impairment. Speak as you normally would

Feel comfortable in using the language that you normally would, including such words as “look” and “see”.

Be cautious in the use of sarcastic humour and when making inappropriate gestures. You never know from the start whether a person with vision impairment has enough functional vision to see your body language and facial expressions, or not. Non-verbal gestures that would usually help to indicate that you mean the opposite of what you say, might not be appropriate.

Taken from a Guide Dogs factsheet

REMINDERS: * If there are issues/concerns you would like to discuss with either Janet or myself, I would recommend that you contact us and make an appointment as we are not always in the office or available when you stop by. With an appointment we can ensure that you are given the time and attention that is needed.

Special Award On Thursday, 4th July 2013 Mr Graham Annesley, Member for Miranda, presented the NSW Government CALD Community Service Award to Lin, a Volunteer that has assisted with the Chinese Aged Based Activities Group for over 10years.

One of the guidelines for this award was: “recognises people through NSW who have substantially contributed to the improvement of the quality of life of members of their community, beyond that expected in their usual occupation.

Besides the wonderful Certificate and engraved award that Lin received, Mr. Annesley also announced that her name and award received has been entered into Parliament records, the Hansards!

It was a great opportunity for the Clients of the Chinese Group to see that the contributions Volunteers make are recognised and valued on such a larger scale.

While it is always difficult to single out one Volunteer over many others, we are very proud for Lin and the worthy recognition she received. We also equally proud of all our HACC Volunteers and the outstanding contributions they make to you our clients, to group leaders and the groups and our organisation. Not quite the same but a trophy to them all! Our Volunteers are selfless but not immune to a simple gratitude by the people they assist.

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“Happiness comes when your work and

your words are of benefit to yourself

and others” – Buddha

Brain Matters

Research shows that Australia is facing an increasing number of people living with cognitive impairment and dementia. It also suggests that living a brain-healthy life may help to reduce the risk of these conditions, says Alzheimer’s Australia, which is launching the brain health program, Your Brain Matters.

The program aims to promote the following three messages: 1. Keep your brain active: by socializing and

challenging yourself with new activities. This helps build new brain cells and strengthen connections between them

2. Be fit and healthy: eat healthy foods (I have very thoughtfully provided you a guide in “happy moods foods”), and work out regularly. Physical activity is associated with better brain function and a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

3. Care for your heart: if it’s good for the heart it’s good for the brain. This means keeping your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and blood sugar at healthy levels. Smoking should be avoided.

Learn more at yourbrainmatters.org.au Just wondering how you went with the tongue twisters I provide you with in the last newsletter? I am still trying to master “The sixth sick Sheik’s sixth sheep is sick”.

Happy MOOD Foods: Eat your way to a happier state of mind? Absolutely!

And it’s simple to do – just include the following foods in your daily diet: Fruits high in Vitamin C are great for your

general health so snack on in season fruits

Dark, leafy greens contain folic acid and this B vitamin has been shown to help stave off depression

Turkey and chicken are lean, high protein foods that contain amino acids which help boost the feel-good brain chemical dopamine

Brazil nuts are high in the mood-boosting mineral selenium. You only need a small handful each day to get the benefits. (oysters and liver are also good sources of selenium)

Whole grains can lift you mood. Oats, grainy bread, brown rice and brown pasta trigger the release of the hormone serotonin, which helps keep you on an even keel

Bananas contain lots of magnesium, which can help lift your mood. So eat up!

Chillies and hot mustard –when you eat these spicy foods, it stimulates nerve endings in your tongue. Your brain then release pain-killing endorphins to counter the sting!

Dark chocolate is a wonderful treat because a little of what you fancy makes you feel good

Water is vital to keep you hydrated. Even mild dehydration can lead to foggy thinking. This has been taken from a health magazine and of course is only a general guide. This by no means overrides any medical advice that you may have had.

Where sayings came from……

* Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, And they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married. * Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"

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HACC Services would like to

acknowledge the “retirement” of

Dick, our Volunteer since

September 1999.

Dick’s assistance with transporting clients,

(possibly some of our readers) to various groups

has been such wonderful support as he has

complemented our service by providing where we

could not. Clients have had the benefit of not only

receiving the practical issue of transport addressed

but also a friendship on the journey.

We thank Dick for the commitment and

enthusiasm that he brought to his Volunteering role

over the many years.

We wish Dick good health and welcome him to

any future social Volunteer events we have.

If you want to touch the past, touch a rock. If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life. ~Author Unknown

By-Gone and not so bygone days

The Box, or Brownie Camera Brownie is the name of a long-running popular series of simple and inexpensive cameras made by

Eastman Kodak. The Brownie popularized low-cost photography and introduced the concept of the snapshot. The first Brownie, introduced in February 1900, was a very basic cardboard box camera with a simple lens that took 2¼-inch square pictures on 117 rollfilm. With its simple controls and initial price of $1, it was intended to be a camera that anyone could afford and use, hence the slogan, "You push the button, we do the rest." The camera was named after the popular cartoons created by Palmer Cox.

One of the most popular Brownie models was the Brownie 127, a simple bakelite camera in which millions of which were sold between 1952 and 1967. Another simple camera was the Brownie Cresta which was sold between 1955 and 1958.

In 1908, the Austrian architectural critic Joseph August Lux wrote a book called Artistic Secrets of the Kodak in which he championed the use of the camera for its cultural potential. Guided by a position that was influenced by the Catholic critique of modernity, he argued that the accessibility the camera provided for the amateur meant that people could photograph & document their surroundings and thus produce a type of stability in the ebb and flow of the modern world. Who would have guessed?! The rest they say is history. Photos are a wonderful source of connecting us to the past and captures such a unique moment in time. Just some thoughts for you: What camera did you use or did you have a box brownie also? Do you recall the very first photo you saw of yourself, what was your reaction? What did you like to photograph? Do you have a favourite photograph that you have taken or are in? Have you had the opportunity to try out a current camera model? What differences have you noticed in photo taking?

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Please contact me if you would like to include or suggest anything; I always welcome your ideas and contributions. Of course any issues/ concerns please call Janet or myself on 9524 9559. Also it lets me know that I have some readers out there – I know for a fact that I have at least one reader out there!

And for now, enjoy the sunshine Stay well,

Angela Roberto

Our H.A.C.C. Service is funded by the Australian Government and Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) Auspiced by Gymea Community Aid and Information Services Inc.