GIN GIN COMMUNITY CARE NEWS Phone: 4130 4630

GIN GIN COMMUNITY CARE NEWS
Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre
August/September 2015
October/November
Issue 7 2015
Issue 8
We are a not-for-profit organisation that caters to the needs of the local community. Our aim
is to enrich the lives of the people in our community. Please feel free to drop in!
Opening hours: 8.30am—4.45 pm Mon to Fri
4 Dear Street, Gin Gin Phone 4130 4630
Email ggnc@bundaberg.qld.gov.au
TIME IS RUNNING OUT
FREE COMPUTER LESSONS
TAX HELP FINISHES END OCTOBER
LADDER OF LEARNING
Do you want to learn how to use a computer or
understand how to make better use of your laptop?
Tax Help is a network of community volunteers who
help people complete their tax returns during tax
time. This is a free and confidential service.
Volunteers are fully trained, accredited and
supported by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
These volunteers are people from within the
community who give up their time each year. They
are not ATO staff, but they receive training and
support from us. Tax Help is suitable for people with
simple tax affairs who earn around $50,000 a year
or less. Tax Help operates from the
Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre.
For bookings phone 4130 4630.
Learn how to email, add photos and files to your
emails. Learn how to research on the internet and
see the world from your own home.
How to use YouTube and listen to your favourite
music or learn how to do hobbies such as gardening,
craft, DIY.
How to securely do internet banking including
paying accounts and transferring money.
CYBERSAFETY. This shows you how to be aware
of scams and how to secure your information.
A whole world is there for you to explore so please
contact Glenda at the Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre
on 4130 4630 to make an appointment.
If you are 50 or over did you know that you have FREE access to the Seniors
Broadband Kiosk located at the Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre.
Not sure about the whole computer thing and would like to learn?
Free Tutoring is also available by appointment.
Phone: 4130 4630
Centrelink—The Centrelink office continues to operate from 39 Mulgrave Street.
Opening hours are from 9.00am to 11.45am Monday to Friday.
Operational Supervisor of Community Care:
Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre Coordinator:
Community Care Facilities Coordinator:
Neighbourhood Centre Support Worker:
Gin Gin Administration Officer:
Our Volunteers :
Kirstin Harrison
Tricia Cross
Steve Mallan
Rechelle Dodds
Amber Larsen
Kelly, Karen & Glenda
If you have a community notice you would like to put into
the next newsletter, please drop it in to the
Neighbourhood Centre, or email it to
ggnc@bundaberg.qld.gov.au. We’d love to share your
news with the wider community!
SENIORS WEEK 2015
What a busy week for our Senior Community this
year. The bus trip to the Botanical Gardens with
morning tea, provided memories of travelling
through the gardens on the train and a chance to
explore the various plants and attractions
throughout the venue was appreciated by those
venturers who took the opportunity. This was
followed the next day by the Seniors Expo which
was overflowing with visitors. The Gin Gin Social
Club set up an interactive games area for
everybody to join in with indoor bowls, board
games or a game of cards. It was great to see so
many new providers including the Australian
Hearing Bus giving our community the opportunity
for hearing checks right here in Gin Gin. Coral
Coast Pharmacy was also on hand to do free Blood
Sugar Testing. Members of the local Emergency
Services also joined us.
WHAT’S ON IN GIN GIN
Our Alfresco Movie Night was a huge
success with around 200 people attending.
Mother Nature gave us a beautiful starry
night and mild weather. It was obviously a
good movie as not a sound was heard by
those watching the movie. Many requests
were made for more nights such as this
and we will endeavour to source more
funding. The local SES provided a BBQ,
with The Ice-Cream Lady offering a range
of movie food and Coffee Gin Gin served
up delicious coffee. To top it off what
would a movie night be without doughnuts
and popcorn which was served up fresh by
the Rotary Club of Bundaberg East. Many
thanks must go to the community for
supporting events like this as well as the
Bundaberg Regional Council and Dept of
Communities for funding the evening.
Community Events Directory
Free Food and Behaviour Workshop: Tuesday 6th October
9 am—10 am at Gin Gin Youth Centre, Walker Street, Gin Gin.
Contact: 4130 4630
Free Playgroup—Mobile Playscheme
Dear St Park—Gin Gin 1st, 3rd, & 5th Tuesday each month
Heusman St Memorial Park—Mt Perry 2nd & 4th Tuesday each
month
Contact: Bonnie 0429 892 225
Gin Gin Bowls Club BBQ: 3rd Friday every month 6.00 pm
Contact: Ritchie Manderson 4157 2588
Gin Gin Golf Club BBQ: Every first Friday of the month
GG Golf Club at Bundaberg - Gin Gin Road
Contact: Geoff Brandon 4156 2403
Gin Gin Bowls Mens & Mixed Social : Every Saturday 12.30 pm
Contact: Ritchie Manderson 4157 2588
Gin Gin Bowls Club Bingo: Every Thursday—6.00 pm
Contact: Ritchie Manderson 4157 2588
Gin Gin On Road Remote Control Racing: 2nd Saturday of Month
GG Track located on corner of Station St & Mulgrave St.
Contact: Michael Acquasanta 0488 732 873
Gin Gin Bowls Ladies Day: Every Wednesday 12.00 pm—4.00
pm
Contact: Cath Manderson 4157 2588
Gin Gin Theatrical Society Bingo: 2nd & 4th Fridays 6.30 pm
Godfrey Wilson Hall
Contact: Wendi Guy 0404 360 174
Gin Gin Menshed: Every Wednesday & Friday 7.30 a.m.—11.30
am Gin Gin Showgrounds, 14 King Street, Gin Gin
Contact Secretary on 4157 4681 or 0417 336 319
Judo Seniors: Every Tuesday & Thursday 5.00 pm—6.30 pm
Fridays 4.30 pm—6.00 pm
National Fitness Hall (Mulgrave St)
Contact: Ivan Hills 0439 573 575 / Tamara Kelly 4157 2085
Judo Juniors : Every Tuesday & Thursday 4.00 pm—5.00 pm
National Fitness Hall (Mulgrave St)
Contact: Ivan Hills 0439 573 575 / Tamara Kelly 4157 2085
Tai-Chi: Every Monday 9.30 am—11.30 am
Youth Centre—Contact: 4130 4630
The Music Group: Last Sun every month 1.30 pm—5.00 pm
Youth Activity Centre Contact: 4156 3122
Social Inclusion Week Bushdance — November 28th at Bundaberg
Recreational Precinct. Expressions of interest for bus to be called
for beginning of November.
Gin Gin Social Club: Meets every Tuesday 8.30-11.30am
RSL Hall, Milden St. Indoor games.
Contact: Thelma Jensen 0428 734 942
Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre can help you with the following…..
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 Community group activities
 Referrals and information (aged care, youth, children, women's issues,
Legal aid referrals
Photocopy service
health, mental health, community housing, legal aid, directions,
community groups, disability, medical, domestic violence, dispute
resolution)
Clerical services
Email services
Fax service
Document printing, binding and laminating
Completion of forms
Tax help for low income families and individuals (August to
October)
Administration support (Letters, Resume)
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Tai Chi
Seniors Internet Kiosk
Volunteers
Taylor Street Legal Service Community group activities
Ladder of Learning (one on one individual need computer use/training)
Referral to emergency relief and assistance
We welcome Rechelle Dodds to our team. Rechelle will be working with us
one day a week as Neighbourhood Centre Support Officer and relieving when
Trish is on leave. Rechelle brings with her many years of working in the
community services sector and also works at the Childers Neighbourhood
Centre in the same role but predominantly within the Child and Family
Program.
Whilst Kevin's shoes are big shoes to fill we believe Rechelle will be a
wonderful asset to the Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre. Feel free to
introduce yourself to her and welcome her to our Community.
KOLAN COMMUNITY OPTIONS
NEWSLETTER
October/November
NEWSLETTER
The warmer weather has come on us quickly and has us hoping for decent
rainfall to grow feed for the animals, fill our water tanks and keep our
gardens and trees alive. There is a high risk of bushfires again this season
as there is hardly any green grass in the paddocks. Please keep in mind all
our volunteer Fire fighters and SES ladies and gentlemen that give up
their time to assist when there is an emergency.
A big “Thank You” for all the hard work they do.
Keep our fingers crossed for some high rainfalls from the storms that
have been around but hopefully there will not be any damaging winds.
Cheers Linda and staff
Commonwealth Home Support Program - Update
The CHSP commenced on 1st July 2015 for people who are over
65 (or over 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
to access Community Care assistance for the services that
Kolan Community Options provides in our local Gin Gin area.
People wanting to be assessed for assistance can contact:
My Aged Care and be screened for eligibility. A face to face
assessment will be completed by a Regional Assessment Officer in your
home to discuss the services available and send a referral for assistance.
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Your personalised client record is then created which will maintain up to
date information on your needs and any services you receive. You or your
representative can access your client record using myGov and as your
needs change you can contact the My Aged Care Centre to be referred
for additional support as required.
www.myagedcare.gov.au
My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
Seniors Week
It was great to meet so many of our older community members
who came along to the Seniors Expo at the RSL Hall in August
and had a chat with our Community Care staff.
Here is a photo of our Community
Care Operational Supervisor, Kirstin
Harrison helping at the Kolan
Community Options table.
You may have picked up one of our
environmentally friendly bags with
information on the community
services which are available here in
Gin Gin. Please feel free to contact us
on 4130 4626 if you require more
information.
SAFETY INFORMATION FOR
DISPOSAL OF SHARPS and TREATMENT OF INJURIES
Just a warning for clients to be aware of the potential dangers to staff and visitors who
may accidently be injured with “Sharps” which have been in contact with blood. If you
use needles, syringes, lancets or similar at home it is important to remember to dispose
of these items in an Australian Standards approved sharps container which is rigid with
puncture proof walls and a tight fitting lid. Sharps and sharps containers that have been
discarded incorrectly are a serious safety risk for our community and Council staff.
Injuries need prompt treatment: Encourage the wound to bleed, wash the wound using
running water and soap, don’t scrub the wound, don’t suck the wound, dry the wound and
cover with a dressing and seek urgent medical advice. Regular blood testing over a 6
month period is required to rule out any infection so this period of time can be very
stressful for staff. Prevention is the best option.
Kolan Community Options Staff
Linda Lucke Co-ordinator
Lee-Anne Tober - Social Support Supervisor
Kaz Campbell Administration
Community Support Workers
Karen Lindsay
Gayb McNally
Faren Munro
Vanessa Frame
Volunteers
Joe - Ana - Pauline - Karen - Glenda
KOLAN COMMUNITY
OPTIONS
Office phone number:
4130 4626
Office hours are 8.30am to 4.30pm
Monday to Friday
If the matter is URGENT
After Hours Contact: Mobile: 0414 684797
MEMORY CHANGES
This Help Sheet from Alzheimer’s Educate Australia describes some of the
differences between memory loss as a part of normal ageing and as a
symptom of dementia. It provides some tips for keeping your memory sharp.
This help sheet is funded by the Australian Government under the National Dementia support Program.
One of the main symptoms of dementia is
memory loss. We all forget things from
time to time, but the loss of memory with
dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease,
is very different. It is persistent and
progressive, not just occasional. It may
affect the ability to continue to work, or
carry out familiar tasks. It may mean
having difficulty finding the way home.
Eventually it may mean forgetting how to
dress or how to bathe.
Key points about normal forgetfulness
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As we get older, the most common
change that we complain about is
memory change
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Knowledge about how memory
changes as we get older is a lot more
positive than in the past. Memory
change with healthy ageing certainly
doesn’t interfere with everyday life in a
dramatic way
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Everyone is different, and the effect of
getting older on memory is different for
An example of normal forgetfulness is
each person
walking into the kitchen and forgetting what 
Recent research describes the effect of
you went in there for, or misplacing the car
getting older on attention processes, on
keys. A person with dementia however,
the ability to get new information into
may lose the car keys and then forget what
storage, on the time it takes to recall
they are used for.
things and “on the tip of the tongue”
experiences
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Research also suggests that immediate
memory and lifetime memory do not
change as we get older.
FIGHTDEMENTIA.ORG.AU
Based on Remembering Well, by Delys
NATIONAL DEMENTIA HELPLINE 1800 100 500
Sergeant and Anne Unkenstein
DESCRIPTION
PERSON WITH DEMENTIA
OLDER PERSON
Events
May forget part or all of an event
Memory may sometimes be vague
Words or names for
things or objects
Progressively forgets
Sometimes may forget; words or
names are on the tip of the tongue
Written and verbal
directions
Increasingly unable to follow
Able to follow
Stores on TV, in
movies or books
Progressively loses ability to follow Able to follow
Stored knowledge
Over time loses known information
such as historical or political
information
Everyday skills such Progressively loses capacity to
as dressing and
perform tasks
cooking
Although recall may be slower,
information is essentially retained
Retains ability, unless physically
impaired.
KOLAN COMMUNITY OPTIONS
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
OCTOBER 2015
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Polio Awareness Month
4th
M ental Health W eek
National Amputee Awareness
Week
5th
Labour Day Holiday
6th
Day Program
7th
Bundaberg Transport
8th
Day Program
World Sight Day
11th
NOVEMBER 2015
Lung Health Awareness Month
Walk4BrainCancer
3rd
Melbourne Cup Day
3rd
Day Program
4th
Bundaberg Transport
5th
Day Program
10th
Day Program
11th
Bundaberg Transport
12th
Day Program
22th
National Nutrition Week
15th
Haemophilia Awareness Week
17th
Day Program
18th
Bundaberg Transport
19th
Day Program
24th
Day Program
25th
Bundaberg Transport
26th
Day Program
27th
Day Program
28th
Bundaberg Transport
29th
Day Program
13th
14th
15th
20th
21th
National Skin Cancer
Action Week
Day Program
Bundaberg Transport
Day Program
Day Program
Bundaberg Transport
Day Program
Quote
“The secret to staying young is to
live honestly, eat slowly and lie
about your age”.
Lucille Ball