365 Care Community Engagement - September

In This Edition: Celebrating Dad’s Day, Managing Anxiety, COVID-19 Guidelines, Care and Ageing Well Expo, Springtime recipes, and much more!

Welcome to Our 365 Care September Newsletter

Spring has finally arrived! Although the recent lockdown measures have limited our activities, we can still perk you up with the latest updates on the trends, issues and stories that matter to you.

To our beloved dads, we would like to wish you a Happy Father’s Day! We are truly grateful for your steadfast love and support and we hope you’ll enjoy your special day!

So, sit back, enjoy a nice, warm cuppa and our latest newsletter!

Spring has finally arrived! Although the recent lockdown measures have limited our activities, we can still perk you up with the latest updates on the trends, issues and stories that matter to you.

To our beloved dads, we would like to wish you a Happy Father’s Day! We are truly grateful for your steadfast love and support and we hope you’ll enjoy your special day!

So, sit back, enjoy a nice, warm cuppa and our latest newsletter!

Day of the Dad

Father, dad, pop, papa, abba, opa, tata, baba. No matter what you call him, the father or father figure in our family is worth celebrating. September 5th is Father’s Day in Australia and here we usually celebrate him by giving a gift, sending a message or making a call. But how do other cultures celebrate Father’s Day?

Father’s Day Around the World

Brazil
In Brazil, their Father’s Day traditionally celebrates the Virgin Mary’s father, St Joachim. The children write their dads cards and letters to thank him for being a good dad and then, in true Brazilian tradition, they have a massive churrasco (Brazilian BBQ). There’s nothing dads like better than grilling some meat.

Italy, Spain and Portugal
In these predominantly Catholic countries, they celebrate the feast of St Joseph – the father figure of Jesus. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and the Italians must agree because their Father’s Day is a day to eat traditional foods like zeppole (similar to doughnuts), frittelle (fritters) and bigné (cream puffs).

Germany
Now the Germans have an interesting tradition. Their men pull wagons loaded with food, beer and schnapps through the woods and around town and then everyone has a picnic. Way to make them work for their treats!

Thailand
The children in Thailand give their dads, granddads and father figures Canna lilies and wear yellow on the day. Their king also makes a speech.

Mexico
Mexico has a bit of a reputation for being a laid-back country. But not on Father’s Day! They have a 21 km marathon called Carrera Del Dia Del Padre to raise funds to protect their forests. For their amazing efforts, they get rewarded with a feast and gifts afterwards.

Health Focus for the Month: Managing Anxiety During Lockdown

We are in for another month of lockdown as the COVID-19 situation continues to worsen. With the current circumstances, it is understandable that many people are struggling with feelings of helplessness, uncertainty, frustration and anxiety at the unending rules, regulations and health dangers.

While we can’t control external factors, we can take steps to control our minds and to build healthy habits to manage anxiety.

Here are 5 tips to help manage anxiety during lockdown:

1. Take control of what you can

In this pandemic, there are things you can control and things you can’t. You can’t control the spread of the virus, the government rules, or the actions of other people.

You can keep yourself informed, follow the guidelines that keep you safe, wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, and make a plan for yourself on how to cope for the next few months.

2. Avoid overdosing on media

While it’s good to know the facts, obsessively watching the news on COVID-19 all day long will not help your anxiety levels. Limit yourself for a few minutes to a morning update and an afternoon update from a reliable source and then switch off the TV or log off from your social media (and your mind) to the topic.

Go for a walk, read a book, solve a puzzle, get into a new hobby, work on a craft – anything to redirect your thoughts to something positive.

3. Try to focus on the moment

You’ll likely have heard this piece of advice being touted by everyone from health gurus to psychologists to Oprah. The reason is that it actually can be helpful. You can’t change yesterday, and you can’t predict tomorrow, so taking each day one step at a time and focusing on the now can help.

If you feel so inclined, meditation is a good way to learn to do this and there are numerous free online resources available for guided meditations.

4. Look after your physical health

One of the biggest anxiety triggers from this pandemic is obviously the danger it poses to your health and that of your family. Do what you can to protect yourself.

Keep your immune system up by getting daily exercise, fresh air (as long as you’re within your residential area), eating nutrient-rich food, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. These practices will not only keep your body healthy but also go a long way to keeping your mind healthy, too.

2. Get connected with others

We really are in this together and with lockdowns come isolation and loneliness. Make sure you reach out to others in your family, living area, and community.

A phone call, text message or even a hand-written letter can help someone feel that they are not alone. If you feel you need more support than you are getting, speak up. There is no shame in admitting you are human and struggling in this unprecedented situation.

Read more about managing anxiety here at www.10-tips-for-managing-anxiety-during-covid-19

Reach out to your caregiver at 365 Care if you need someone to talk to as well about your feelings of anxiety.

COVID-19 Updates

Where you can go and what you can do

It’s clear that the storm of COVID-19 is settling in and we are going to have to learn to live with it for a long while. The situation has moved from the idea of elimination to rather managing it as part of life.

The only tool we have to manage it at the moment is vaccinations, so if you haven’t yet had yours, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. You can find more information about the government’s vaccination program on their website.

At the time of writing, this is the advice on travelling between areas and having visitors that will come into force on 23 August:

There are two sets of rules – one for LGAs of concern and one for the rest of Greater Sydney.

The LGAs of concern at the time of writing are Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith.

Greater Sydney and LGAs:

You can leave home within a 5 km radius of your house to:

Get groceries and essential goods (one person per household).
Get medical attention/care.
Exercise. This can be with household members or with one person from another household.

You must wear a mask at all times when outside of your home, except when exercising.

You can have a visitor for medical treatment or compassionate care, or if they are your chosen ‘singles bubble’ person, meaning you live alone and have nominated them to be your sole visitor.

If you want to travel outside of Greater Sydney, you will need to apply for a permit to do so.

For LGAs of concern, there is a curfew between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.

No one from outside your LGA can enter it and you cannot leave your LGA, unless under special circumstances.

For more information, visit the NSW government website at www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/affected-area

At 365 Care, we will always prioritise your health and safety, especially during these challenging times. We will continue to monitor the situation, provide updates, and we will be here for you if you have any questions or concerns.

Aged Care Industry Update

The Care and Ageing Well Expo

All right! That’s enough COVID doom and gloom. Let’s look at something more inspiring!

The Care and Ageing Well Expo was created by Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) in 2017 with the aim of equipping older Australians with information and tools to live longer and age well. This year, it was hosted in Perth and is now coming to the east coast in 2022.

It will be held at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre from 12-13 February 2022[1] [LP2] . Over 60 aged care exhibitors will showcase products, services and information on a range of aged care topics, including ageing well, home care planning, aged care finances, caring for those with dementia, and cybercrime and safety for seniors, to name a few.

For more information, go to https://www.careandageingexpo.com.au/

Slice of Life Stories

Don’t be a victim of scamming

There are many good people in the world but, unfortunately, there are also those who take advantage of the vulnerable for their own benefit.

David Annor, a 28-year-old man in the US, is one such person and is being convicted of stealing over $5 million from elderly, isolated women through online scams.

He and his co-conspirators would target these women through online dating sites, emails and online applications. He would then gain their trust and build a relationship with them through a fictitious online romance then ask for money. One such victim deposited around $60,800 into his account!

Luckily, he has been taken into custody but there are many more people out there engaged in these scams. If you or a loved one receive any requests for money from an online romance, ‘do-gooder’, or someone who has a long-winded story, be sure to tell someone you trust and further investigate it as this is likely a scam.

Gran-slam of poetry

On a more positive note, Queensland is seeing seniors trying their hand at slam poetry.

The project was thought up by aged-care provider Feros Care and performance producers Everybody NOW! and is giving a unique voice to the seniors of the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers area.

Around 20 seniors aged 70 to 98 took part in the workshops with slam poet David Stavanger. They also got the chance to perform their poetry live at the Byron Writers Festival.

This project is allowing the voices of seniors heard and enabling them to express themselves in a new and unique way.

Tech News

Website design that considers the older generation

It’s no secret that new technology and the age of the Internet has been a difficult transition for many older Australians. Firstly, having to learn a whole new system of communication and functionality is a challenge. Secondly, most websites and apps are being designed by coders in their 20s or 30s who often forget to take the older population into consideration.

With the pandemic, the shift to doing practically everything online has prompted some companies to start redesigning their websites to be more user-friendly for their elders.

The reasons for this are twofold. One is the economic aspect. If they make it easy for the older population to use and navigate their website, they open themselves up to a good injection of revenue. Secondly, with the increased isolation we are seeing in Australia at the moment, making these websites more accessible helps to alleviate some isolation and disconnection that many older Australians are feeling due to the lockdown situation and restrictions.

What makes a website user-friendly for older people?

Bigger font size and simple fonts without flourishes
Clear, contrasting colours to make the text easier to read
Easy navigation that allows you to complete a task in three steps

While, at the moment, most of the companies taking these steps are ones that provide products or services for older people, the shift is happening, and more and more web designers are moving towards this trend so that their sites are inclusive for everyone.

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 Bhutan.

Bhutan is a Buddhist kingdom high in the Himalayas. It is full of monasteries, temples, fortresses, steep mountains and breathtaking valleys.

It is also the only place in the world that measures the effectiveness of the government by the happiness of the people. Instead of measuring their GDP, they measure their GNH – gross national happiness.

Residents of Bhutan get to respond to a survey on their happiness according to four pillars: sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, good governance and a healthy environment.

Other interesting facts about Bhutan:

It is the only carbon negative country in the world, meaning its forests absorb more carbon dioxide than it creates.
There are no traffic lights anywhere in the whole country.
Bhutan is a matriarchy and women run businesses, inherit properties and their husband moves into their home after marriage.
Bhutan has never been conquered by a foreign country, due to its inaccessible location along with the decisive tactics used by their rulers.

Read more about beautiful Bhutan here at www.facts-about-bhutan-2365.html

Springtime Recipes

From delicious.com.au, perk up your meals with a lemony twist to welcome the Spring season!

Image from delicious.com.au

Lemon Chicken

Try this tangy, stir-fry dish with just a few calories!

Serves: 2
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Finely grated zest & juice 1/2 small lemon
2 teaspoons coconut or canola oil
1 skinless chicken breast fillet (around 150g), cut into 1.5cm slices
1 capsicum, any colour, deseeded and sliced
1 medium carrot (around 80g), trimmed and thinly sliced
100g broccoli, cut into small florets
150ml chicken stock (made with 1/2 Massel Plant Based Chicken Stock cube)
4 spring onions, trimmed and thickly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the cornflour with the soy sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat, add the chicken, capsicum, carrot and broccoli and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned and the vegetables are beginning to soften.
Pour the lemon and soy mixture into the pan, add the chicken stock and spring onions and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through, stirring regularly.
Sprinkle with grated lemon zest and serve with rice.

Image from delicious.com.au

Lemon Pound Cake

Delicious dessert without the sugar and less carbs!

Serves: 8
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 cup erythriotol sweetener (4oz (120g))
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups almond flour
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon gelatin powder

ICING

1/2 cup powdered erythritol sweetener
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS

Set the air fryer on the bake setting and at 315°F (155°C). Line an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the butter and erythritol until lightly fluffy. Add the eggs and continue to beat until well combined.
Add the almond flour, lemon zest and juice, baking powder, and gelatin powder. Mix well. Place the mixture in the pan.
Place the pan in the fryer basket and bake for 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
In a small bowl, make the icing by combining the powdered erythritol and lime juice. Mix until it resembles icing. Add more lime juice if the erythritol is too dry.
Remove the pan from the fryer basket and allow the cake to cool completely. Top with the icing and sprinkle the lemon zest over the top. Slice into 8 slices before serving.

Mind Games

SPRING WORD SCRAMBLE

Unscramble the spring-themed words below.

UARBMELL
UESFBTRTEIL
RLSOFWE
UNSYN
IPLSTU
EISNSNUH
OLOSSBM
CICNIP
NGEARD

MATCH THE MONTH

Read each clue and write the answer.

First month of the year
Last month of the year
Month after June
Month before September
Month between May and July
Second month of the year
Tenth month of the year
Third month of the year
Month between March and May
Fifth month of the year
Month before October
Month before December

Clues:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Book Review

Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance

by Mallory Weggemann

Mallory Weggemann is a Paralympic gold-medalist swimmer, ESPY winner, and NBC Sports commentator. In this book, she shares her learnings that have helped her heal and hone her skills into becoming a world champion, not just in sports but in life as well. Becoming paralyzed after a medical procedure, going through extensive surgeries, and breaking world records, Mallory’s powerful story of resilience in pushing the boundaries is truly inspirational.

Upcoming Events

Due to the lockdown, we will be postponing our events for September.

We will provide updates as soon as they are available.

Online Art Classes

Staying connected is important during this lockdown period. Why not use the time to explore your artistic side and share your talent with fellow artists as well?

We’d like to invite you to join our online art classes with Kimberly Hetherington, an art therapist based in Sydney. These will be conducted weekly via Zoom with a maximum of 15 people per class. Each session will be for 1.5-2 hours and will cost approximately $25-$30 per session.

For HCP clients, you can claim this through your package. Contact your Coordinator if you are interested so we can send you more information. You can find out more about the art therapy classes here at www.kimberlyhetherington.com.

Happiness Chats

Having a chat with someone about your hobbies and interests is a great way to feel good about yourself and to stay connected with others.

We are trying out a new initiative called ‘Happiness Chats’ where you can have a social conversation with a younger person. Each chat will be around 20 minutes and can be done by phone or through Zoom at a time that’s convenient for you. This service is FREE as we want to help you to reach out and connect with our community.

Contact your Coordinator if you want to participate in our Happiness Chats so we can arrange a suitable time for you.

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.

SPRING WORD SCRAMBLE ANSWERS: