Client Newsletter – Issue 14 June 2015

Put this date in your diary now!
Stage 2 completed
The Mosaic Couch Project is now
complete. A new mosaic mat and
ottoman proudly adorn the space
in front of Aunty Connie the
mosaic couch. Again we thank
the women involved in the
project.
Wednesday 26th August
Conversations at ‘Conversations’
Elbow Hill Café
A meeting for those interested in developing
creative ways to share their stories with their
family, friends and or the community.
11am -2.30pm
Cost: $20 for lunch, coffee and cake.
Contact: Sharmane for further
Information — 8682 2177
Thanks also to Bunnings Port
Lincoln for providing materials for
this project. You can visit Aunty
Connie at St Thomas Church,
Cnr Adelaide Place and
Washington St. Port Lincoln.
Ipad class of May 2015 Tumby Bay
Staff changes at West Coast HomeCare
After 15 years Helen Dalby is transitioning into a
new part-time role with a focus on quality
improvement. WCHC staff and management thank
Helen for the past 15 years in client care
management in the Port Lincoln area and for her
leadership as the Senior Care Manager.
We welcome Jan Bebbington who will take on
Helen’s role as Senior Care Manager and client
manager for Port Lincoln.
Pam Brougham, Greg Nixon (tutor), Marie Bell,
Gwenyth Smith, Marlene Poole. Absent Julia Flavel
Tumby Bay Men’s Shed
Call Rob Turner for further information
0419 805 680
We also welcome Teresa Melzner who has taken
on the Records and Administration role in the front
office replacing Jodi Vivian who is taking on the
new role of Finance Officer.
Creative Media Lab
Memory Lane Support Groups
Memory Lane Support Groups are currently
available in:
Pt Lincoln – 3rd Friday of each
month 10.00am – 12.00pm
Cleve – last Friday of each month
10.00am – 12.00pm
STORY GARDEN
Develop creative & technical skills in Audio-Visual
production, as well as Desktop Publishing. Have
fun using devices creatively to tell stories. BYO or
use our equipment. Informal workshop & project
based skill sharing with David Rose.
If you would like more information please
call Jill at West Coast HomeCare on
8682 2177 or 0427 822 177
Tuesday 1– 4
Activities Room
West Coast HomeCare
4 Eyre St, Port Lincoln
Commencing 23rd June for 4 weeks
Limited numbers
$2.00 per session
Further information call 86822177
West Coast Community Services Inc.
Trading as West Coast HomeCare
4 Eyre Street, Port Lincoln
(08) 8682 2177
Plenty of parking out the front.
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VOLUME 15
JUNE 2015
Community Care Chit Chat
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
Victor Hugo
Winter Edition
Welcome to the 2015 Winter edition of Chit Chat. A lot has been happening at West Coast
HomeCare since our last Newsletter and we have endeavoured to share some of it with you in this
newsletter.
We have included information about changes to home support services starting from July 1st.
These are particularly relevant to those seeking home care services for the first time. Information
about recent staff changes can be found on page 4 and inside this edition there are some great
photos of recent activities celebrating Volunteer Week and our Biggest Morning Tea event.
Please read our insert called Step Forward inviting interested people to be part of a new pilot
project aimed at supporting older people to be part of a steering group to assist with planning and
designing future programs for the Eyre Connections program.
Take a peek on page 4 of the completion of stage two of the mosaic couch. We think you will be
impressed. In the meantime, keep yourselves warm and cosy until Spring.
Please call 86822177 to talk to our friendly staff if you would like more information about
our Eyre Connections Program or if you have some ideas about activities that could be
started in your local area.
Home Support Changes from July 1st
West Coast HomeCare (WCHC) has proudly been in the business of supporting older frail people
and younger disabled people and their carers to remain living independently in their own homes for
as long as it is safe for them to do so since 1989.
In the past the WCHC Care team has had the ability to provide a personal face to face assessment
and plan services in partnership with the client. Additional assistance was provided to suit the
changing needs of the client and an affordable fee was negotiated. From 1st July 2015 accessing
Commonwealth Home Support services will involve a central assessment and referral service with
a set fee structure.
From 1st July the initial enquiry and request to access services will be undertaken by a trained assessor via a National Call Centre who will refer to an appropriate local service provider via a new
electronic referral system. New clients will still have an opportunity to identify a service provider of
their preference and may want to do this if they are familiar or aware of the services available in
their local area.
WCHC will continue to provide home support services in the Lower Eyre Peninsula and are happy
to provide information and support to people about the changes which will commence from 1 st July
2015. Our caring staff at WCHC are available to assist anyone wanting more information about
these changes including current clients and those who do not yet have services in place but are
thinking about their future needs. Call us on 8682177 - Monday to Friday 8.30am — 4.30pm.
My Aged Care national contact centre – 1800200422 or My Aged Care website at
myagedcare.gov.au
Biggest Morning Tea
Volunteer Lunch Celebration
West Coast HomeCare hosted this years Biggest Morning Tea on Tuesday 2nd June at St Thomas
Anglican Church Hall. 60 people attended and enjoyed the sumptuous morning tea provided by
provided
West
Coast
by West
Staff and
Coast
Volunteers.
Staff and Volunteers.
Julie Low was the MC for the occasion, representing the West Coast Community Services Inc.
Board.
Yellow
Yellow was
was once
once again
again the
the theme
theme of
of the
the day
day and
and prizes
prizes were
were awarded
awarded for
for Best
Best Dressed
Dressed in
in yellow
yellow
and
the
popular
karaoke
music
team
known
locally
as
Holly
entertained
the
group
with
music
and the popular karaoke music team known locally as Holly entertained the group with music and
and a
a
sing-a-long
choosing
songs
about
the
colour
yellow.
The
Tea-bag
Toss
game
was
played
for
the
sing-a-long choosing songs about the colour yellow. The Tea-bag Toss game was played for the
second
second year
year in
in a
a row
row with
with three
three woman
woman hitting
hitting the
the mark
mark and
and getting
getting the
the teabag
teabag into
into the
the bucket.
bucket.
Thanks
Thanks goes
goes to
to those
those who
who donated
donated prizes
prizes for
for the
the day
day -- House
House and
and Kitchen,
Kitchen, Liz
Liz Graham
Graham and
and West
West
Coast
HomeCare.
$310
was
raised
for
Cancer
Council
SA
and
will
go
towards
reducing
the
impact
Coast HomeCare. $310 was raised for Cancer Council SA and will go towards reducing the impact
of
of cancer
cancer in
in South
South Australia
Australia through
through research,
research, education,
education, prevention
prevention and
and support
support services.
services.
National Volunteer Week for 2015, from the 11th – 17th of May with the theme this year
being 'Give happy, live happy' and the aim being to get everyone volunteering to make
Australia the happiest place on earth.
West Coast HomeCare marked the start of
National Volunteer Week by holding a BBQ lunch
for their volunteers on Monday the 11th of May
onsite at 4 Eyre Street. Volunteer Coordinator Sharmane
Cooper-Welk acknowledged how fortunate West Coast
HomeCare are to have such a dedicated, compassionate and
skilled group of individuals volunteer their time. From Caravan
Project Helpers, Community Visitors, Computer Tutors,
Garden Project Assistants, Insiders (Indoor Activities)
Assistants, iPad Tutors, Media Creator, Memory Lane
(Dementia Carer) Support Group Leaders, Walking Group
Leader and Administration and Event Support personnel we couldn't do it without them. West Coast
HomeCare want to extend a big heartfelt thank you to all their wonderful volunteers including their
board members.
Pictured are BACK from Left to Right: Volunteers Greg Nixon, Sam Zimmermann, Maryanne Shillabeer, Dave
Bascombe, Anna Van Der Hart, Louise Stutzer, Jo King, Debbie Morris and Sharmane Cooper-Welk (Volunteer
Coordinator). FRONT from Left to Right: Volunteers Valda Glover, Board Member (Treasurer) Sandra Andrew
and Board Member (Chair) Rosemary Davison, David Rose and Susie Ramsey.
West Coast HomeCare Library
1st Lucky Door Prize
Barbie Clutterbuck
Tea-bag Toss winners: Joan Belling,
Helen Breakey and Sandra Andrews
2nd Lucky Door Prize
Winner Maxine Dunchue
iPad for Seniors
Pet Therapy in Tumby Bay
Connecting seniors with each other, friends and family has to be one
of the most rewarding outcomes of the iPad for Seniors Programs.
The absolute joy when a participant received their very first email
while in a class, only 10 minutes after setting it up in the device. The
message from her son, who at the time was holidaying overseas,
included pictures and a lengthy message detailing his travels.
We are pleased to introduce Trixie as our newly recruited Volunteer Community Visitor in Tumby
Bay in a Pet Therapy Program. The Pet Therapy program was inspired by Jill Schultz, our Care
Coordinator for the Tumby Bay Region, and will be supported by the Eyre Connections Community
Engagement Program.
Often the first half hour of a session is spent discussing their iPad
experiences during the week. These vary from talking to
grandchildren overseas using Skype, to showing off new interior
decorating ideas or blossoms in their gardens in emailed photos.
Listening to participants discuss how they are spending time outside
of class connecting up, sharing hints and tips about their devices
confirms that their confidence in using their iPad is growing.
Best Dressed in Yellow
winner Marilyn Mayne
We have a great collection of novels, many large print, magazines and jigsaw puzzles for loan. You
are welcome to call into our office at 4 Eyre St Port Lincoln and take a look. Monday to Friday
8.30 am – 5.00pm
Having delivered the introductory iPad program in Port Lincoln for
some time the opportunity to participate has been extended to people
living in Coffin Bay, Tumby Bay and Cummins. The program has
recently recruited a new volunteer tutor for Tumby Bay and is hoping
to do the same in Cummins. Demand for the introductory iPad
program continues to grow while a groundswell of interest is being
generated in ongoing support and advanced iPad classes.
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More than 63% of Australian households own a pet, and 83% of Australians have had a pet at
some time in their lives, but for whatever reason owning a pet can become a difficulty for older
people who live on their own. Research has shown that pets provide health benefits, both
psychological and physiological, and that Pet Therapy has been proven to provide many of the
benefits of pet ownership.
A social visit with a dog provides a positive mutual topic for discussion, increases enthusiasm and
interest, and lifts mood and this continues after the visit. It can give elderly people something to
look forward to, hence increasing quality of life, promoting greater self esteem
and general well-being and reducing feelings of loneliness.
Interaction with a furry friend has also been shown to reduce tension, fatigue
and confusion and stimulate memory and even assist with pain management.
If you, or you know of someone in the Tumby Bay area, who would benefit
from a visit from this adorable four-legged visitor and her owner, Dorothy Tree,
please do not hesitate to phone the office for more information.
(Data courtesy of the Australian Companion Animal Council)
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