In This Edition: Coping with Incontinence, COVID-19 Updates, Aged Care Sector News, Fall Detection Tech, and many more!
Welcome to Our 365 Care October Newsletter
With vaccination roll-outs in full swing this spring, we’re looking forward to better times ahead!
As always, we’re here to bring you the latest updates on the trends, issues and stories of the month that matter to you.
So, sit back, enjoy a nice, warm cuppa and our latest newsletter!
Labour Day
4 October, Saturday is Labour Day in NSW, but do you know the actual origins of the day?
We think we have it bad nowadays, but back in the 1800s, a workday would be 10-12 hours long and people would work six days a week!
The work-life-balancers of our modern-day would be outraged and the labourers of that day were, too. Finally, they said ‘enough is enough!’ and marched to protest their long hours and to support the Eight Hour Movement, meaning eight hours of work, eight hours of play and eight hours of sleep.
They achieved their aims in the 1850s and Labour Day marks their victory. Their 6-day work week, however, continued for about 100 years more and finally became a 5-day week in 1948.
Anyhow, thanks to them, we have a long weekend in the first week of October each year — right in the heart of spring! So it’s a great time to get some sun (but don’t forget to wear a mask and practise social distancing) with a friend/family member.
Health Focus for The Month: Coping with Incontinence
Incontinence is not a fun subject. Sufferers often feel uncomfortable, embarrassed and nervous talking about it. You may be surprised to learn that one in four Australian adults struggles with incontinence. We’ve compiled some tips that we hope will help any of you who are experiencing this to learn how to improve or manage it.
Here are 7 tips to prevent or manage incontinence
- Do pelvic floor exercises
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that run from your pelvic bone backwards all the way along your undercarriage. If you try to stop the flow of urine, you will be using your pelvic floor muscles. To strengthen them, squeeze and hold these muscles for 20 seconds. Try to breathe normally and keep the rest of your body relaxed. Repeat 10-15 times.
- Drink water
It might seem counterproductive if you tend to leak, but if you don’t drink water, your bladder will shrink and be less able to hold fluids. You will also become dehydrated, which will affect your digestive system, amongst other things.
- Lose weight
If you have a lot of fatty tissue, it puts pressure on the bladder and bowels. If you are overweight, losing some weight could help cure or relieve some of your incontinence.
- Limit alcohol
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you need to urinate more frequently. Cutting it out might improve the situation.
Avoid caffeine and spicy food
These irritate the bladder and bowels and can exacerbate the problem.
- Don’t work out wildly
If you want to do some exercise, try a low-impact one like Pilates that strengthens the pelvic floor. Don’t do exercises that put pressure on the pelvic floor, such as high-intensity training or weight training.
- Speak to your doctor
Don’t be shy to talk about the issue to your doctor. They may have a solution or at least be able to make the situation more bearable. They can also point you in the direction of a specialist.
You can also call the National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66) for help, guidance and advice.
COVID-19 Updates
The future’s looking brighter
Not only has spring sprung with the sun getting brighter and warmer by the day, but there appears to be a light at the end of the COVID tunnel, or at least one dangling lightbulb somewhere in the distance.
We are currently getting close to 50% of NSW residents being fully vaccinated (at the time of writing). Once we reach 70%, those who are fully vaccinated will have some level of freedom.
They will be allowed to:
- Have up to five other fully vaccinated visitors in their homes.
- Have gatherings of 20 pax outdoors.
Gyms, retail stores, personal services like hairdressers, hospitality venues, stadiums and theatres will also be able to reopen with restrictions.
Once we reach 80%, things are supposed to largely open up. The prediction is that NSW residents will be 80% vaccinated by 14 November 2021, which means it’ll be just in time for the summer holidays.
Aged Care Industry Update
Aged Care sector putting government on notice
In May, the results of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety came out, which outlined 148 recommendations to reform aged care. The government responded by committing $17.7 billion of the Federal Budget to these aims. Yet, over 100 days later, little has been done and very few actual providers, workers, or consumers have been consulted on the reforms and how they should be implemented.
Now, aged care sector stakeholders and peak bodies have put the Federal Government on notice. Lasa CEO Sean Rooney notes, ‘You cannot have successful and significant reforms without meaningfully working with the people who have to implement them. The result of a failure to appropriately engage will be confusion and misinformation, slowing progress to realising better outcomes for older Australians.’
Hopefully, this push-back from the aged care sector will be the impetus needed to start effectively implementing change where it is needed and make the Federal Government make good on the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
Slice of Life Stories
This tattoo was no rash decision
AnnaMarie Oppegaard, a resident at North Dakota’s Dickinson’s CountryHouse Residence, decided to mark the occasion of her 94th birthday in ink…skin ink! The gutsy granny got her first tattoo – a blue heart on her arm. The procedure only took ten minutes but Oppegaard was tickled and said, ‘Well, I had to join the rest of the crowd. That’s why I had the tattoo…I think my grandkids are going to love it!’
It just goes to show that you’re never too old to do something for the first time…or even feel peer pressure!
Tech News
Technology taking the fall
One of the main causes of hospitalisation in Australians over 65 is falling, and one in three in this age group suffers falls each year.
A tech company has created a personal alarm that will ensure older Australians can go about their lives without the fear of falling and being stuck without help.
The MePACS Mobile Alarm
is a lightweight alarm that can be worn around the neck or hooked on pants. It has automatic fall detection technology that is connected to a 24/7 emergency response team so that if someone falls and can’t push the button for assistance, help will already be on the way.
If someone starts to fall and stops their fall by bracing themselves on something, sliding or rolling to the ground, or something breaks their fall, the alarm won’t automatically go off but they can push the button for help.
For more info, phone 1800 685 329 or visit their website at www.mepacs.com.au.
Travel Spotlight
Since we can’t travel very far at the moment, we thought it would be a good idea to showcase some far-reaching and little-known places in the world to inform, inspire and entertain you.
This month, we are turning our spotlight on the Maldives.
The Maldives is a collection of 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, although only 200 of those are inhabited. The Maldives is only 7 feet and 7 inches above sea level at its highest point, making it the flattest country on Earth.
The Maldives is famous not only as a honeymoon destination but also as a diver’s paradise. This is apt as the Maldives is the only place that has ever had a government meeting underwater using scuba equipment!
Cowry shells used to be the currency and people used to make their houses out of coral but this is now banned to protect the precious reefs. And finally, the sand on the beaches of the Maldives is largely made up of the undigested coral that the colourful parrotfish eat and then defecate. Yup, the sand is fish poop!
Read more about the marvellous Maldives islands here at www.dreamingofmaldives.com.
Recipes
Let’s whip up these delicious dishes! Find more recipes at www.womensweeklyfood.com.au
Chicken &
watercress pasta salad
A fresh and filling salad that’s easy to prepare!
Serves: 8
Cooking time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
Chicken & watercress pasta salad
- 500g short pasta
- 180g green beans, trimmed, sliced diagonally
- 2 cups (240g) frozen peas
- 3 cups (480g) shredded cooked skinless chicken
- 4 cups (160g) firmly packed trimmed watercress
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 3/4 cup (60g) flaked natural almonds
Lemon and watercress dressing
- 2 cups firmly packed trimmed watercress
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2/3 cup (160ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Instructions:
- Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute less than packet instructions state, or until pasta is slightly firmer than al dente. Drain, rinse under cold running water, drain.
- Meanwhile, make lemon and watercress dressing. Blend or process ingredients until smooth, season to taste.
- Boil, steam or microwave beans and peas, separately, until vegetables are just tender, drain. Refresh in a bowl of iced water, drain, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add pasta, chicken, watercress and parsley to bowl. Toss gently to combine. Place salad on a large platter or divide among bowls. Top with almonds. Drizzle with dressing.
Banana and
cinnamon upside-down cake
A sweet, tantalising treat for your tastebuds!
Serves: 10
Cooking time: 1 hr 10 mins c
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cups (125g) walnuts
- 4 small ripe bananas (500g)
- 80g (2½ ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup (165g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup (80ml) buttermilk
- 90 grams (3 ounces) unsalted butter, extra, melted
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a 12cm x 23cm (4¾-inch x 9¼-inch) loaf pan; line base with baking paper, extending the paper 2cm (¾ inch) over the long sides.
- Spread walnuts on an oven tray; roast for 5 minutes or until nuts are fragrant and lightly golden. Cool. Process until ground finely.
- Peel bananas; halve lengthways. Drizzle base of the pan with butter; sprinkle with brown sugar. Top with banana, cut-side down, slightly overlapping.
- Beat eggs, caster sugar and vanilla in a small bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until thick. Fold in sifted flour and cinnamon, then ground walnuts, buttermilk and extra butter. Carefully pour mixture over banana in pan.
- Bake cake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean; cover cake loosely with foil if it starts to over-brown. Leave cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.
NOTE: Store cake in the fridge for up to 3 days; stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Not suitable to freeze. Serve with thick cream or ice cream and roasted or candied walnuts.
Mind Games
Word Scramble: Let’s Make A Sandwich!
Unscramble the letters to form the correct word:
- d r a b e
- c l u t e e t
- o o m a t t
- k r y u t e
- u p e n a t t r u b e t
- e y l j l
- d r u m t a s
- e s h e c e
- f e b e
- g l o o n a b
Rhyme Time:
Rhyming words for gold:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rhyming words for queen:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rhyming words for spring:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Book Review
Lake Eyre by Paul Lockyer
Written with heartfelt wonder and featuring awe-inspiring photographs, journalist Paul Lockyer relates the captivating story of Australia’s largest lake. From an arid salt pan to an Eden-like landscape when the great rivers fill its basin, Lake Eyre’s transformation is a metaphor for the stories of those who have chosen to live here, from the early pioneers to its current residents — be it human,
animal, or plant life. This book is also a fitting tribute to Paul and his companions when they lost their lives during filming in 2011. A remarkable testament to one of Australia’s grandest natural wonders.
Service You Can Trust
At 365 Care, we provide quality, compassionate home care in Western Sydney for the elderly and for adults with disability who want to remain independent in their own homes. We work alongside families seeking peace of mind whilst building caring relationships that are based on honesty, respect and advocacy.
For more information on the aged care services and disability services we offer and how we can assist in maximising the value from your home care packages, contact us on 1300 365 248.
Online Resources for Aged Care Assistance
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
If you have concerns regarding the quality of your aged care services, visit this website to download the brochure for more details:
www.agedcarequality.gov.au/resources/do-you-have-concern-brochure
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
To make a complaint regarding safety and support services, visit this website to download the brochure for more details:
www.ndiscommission.gov.au/document/806
My Aged Care
If you require assistance with home, transport, and personal care support, click on the link to download the document for more details:
www.myagedcare.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-04/myagedcare-poster-english.pdf
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)
If you need free legal support for aged care rights, click on the link to download the document for more details:
www.opancom1.b-cdn.net/OPAN_Support_DL_April-2021_V3.pdf
Answers to Word Scramble:
- bread
- lettuce
- tomato
- turkey
- peanut butter
- jelly
- mustard
- cheese
- beef
- bologna