A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTED
IN THIS EDITION: Australia Day Celebrations, Battling the Heat, Chocolate Mint Day, Upcoming Events
Welcome 2021 and a wonderful year ahead!
After the busyness of the holiday break, we now find ourselves well into another, what’s turning out to be a bustling year ahead. Let’s just hope that we all stay happy and healthy as we learn to live with COVID-19 popping in and out of our community.
It was fabulous to see so many happy faces at our End of Year Party and this year, and we are hoping to have more regular events and activities throughout 2021. We have put together a calendar of events that we will be sharing with you.
We are still bound by restrictions and finding venues and activities that will keep everyone safe. Bookings for all events will be essential, and all chosen venues have been carefully selected based on recommendations from your
Co-ordinators, COVID-19 friendly practises, accessibility and affordability.
Australia Day Traditions!
We know how much Aussie’s love summer and celebrating Australia Day, but due to COVID-19 many Aussies had a COVID safe Australia Day at home; chilling in the air-con on the extremely hot day, watching the official Australia Day live events from home, firing up the barbie with family and friends, while officials recognised the contributions that many Australians have made to our community.
Some of the popular Australia Day treats must include a Lamington!
Acknowledgement of Those That Give Back!
Congratulations to 2021 Senior Australian of the Year, Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM
Born in the bush at Daly River, artist, activist and teacher, Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM has been named 2021 Senior Australian of
the Year.
The 73-year-old Aboriginal educator from Daly River established the Miriam Rose Foundation in 2013 to bridge the divide between Aboriginal culture and mainstream society, driving reconciliation at a grassroots level.
The Aboriginal elder has been a long-serving campaigner, advocating for the inclusion of visual art as part of every child’s education.
Through her professional and creative life, Dr Ungunmerr Baumann has remained dedicated to maintaining the cultural independence of her people and being a spokesperson for the Aboriginal worldview.
Trained as a teacher in Melbourne, her first position with the Northern Territory Department of Education was as an art consultant. She went on to achieve a master’s degree in education and returned as principal to the same St Francis Xavier Catholic school in Nauiyu.
Dr Ungunmerr Baumann was appointed to the Order of Australia for services to Aboriginal people in 1998, and joined the federal government’s advisory body, the National Indigenous Council, in 2004.
She was also awarded an honorary PhD from Charles Darwin University, recognising her outstanding service in the fields of education, visual arts, and Aboriginal affairs.
Her advocacy work with the Miriam Rose Foundation has been to develop pathways to help Indigenous youth learn to “walk in two worlds” – those of Aboriginal culture and Western culture.
“Every voice matters” – 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame
As our newest Australian of the Year, Grace’s inspiring story of overcoming sexual abuse and wanting to help other survivors to tell their stories on their terms will bring tears to anyones eyes.
Grace’s legal case against her perpetrator in Tasmania was the catalyst for the #Letherspeak campaign along with a number of other courageous survivors. Their fight and advocacy helped change Tasmanian victim gag laws that silence many sexual abuse survivors.
Her speech was very moving and influential. We hope that her message “that our voices can empower others to help others” inspires others to support her good work and community contributions.
Living in the Aussie Heat
Last summer, before we suffered crippling bushfires exacerbated by never seen before weather conditions, and while this summer hasn’t been as hot, we live in a sunburnt country where hot days and heat waves can stress our bodies.
With climate change, we continue to experience extreme heat.
Some fast facts according to the Weather zone:
- Sydney reached 41.6 degrees on Australia Day, the city’s hottest temperature recorded on January 26 since 1960.
- 2019 was Australia’s hottest on record, with temperature records broken across many towns and cities.
Hot weather can affect your health, causing dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. With hot summers likely to continue, it’s important that we all know how to prepare for high temperature days.
Who is most at risk from hot weather?
While most people find extremely hot weather and heat waves uncomfortable, some people have a higher risk than others of becoming ill.
These include:
- elderly people aged over 75 years, babies and young children
- people with long-term health conditions, for example heart or respiratory disease, diabetes or circulatory diseases
- people who are obese
- people taking certain medicines
- people who are socially isolated
- people who work outdoors or in hot and poorly ventilated areas and those engaging in vigorous physical activity in hot weather
- people who are not acclimatised to the heat, for nexample overseas visitors
Hot Weather Tips!
Drink plenty of water!!!
One of the best ways to avoid heat-related illness is to drink plenty of water. It’s important to keep drinking water even if you don’t feel thirsty, because this can prevent you from becoming dehydrated.
Avoid alcoholic, hot or sugary drinks (including tea and coffee) because these can make dehydration worse.
Keep your body cool!!!
Keeping as cool as possible can also help you prevent heat-related illness. Make sure you stay out of the sun. Drinking cold drinks and eating smaller, cold meals, such as salads and fruit, can also help you to keep cool.
Other things to do include wearing light-coloured and loose-fitting clothes made from natural fibres such as cotton, and taking cool showers or baths.
Keep your house cool!!!
You can help keep your house cool by shutting curtains and blinds during the day. If you don’t have air-conditioning, go to a cool place such as a library, shopping centre or movies.
Have a plan!!!
Keep an eye on the weather forecast and know who to call if you need help. Ask your doctor if you have any health conditions that mean you are at greater risk of heat-related illness, and what you need to do about them to keep well in the heat. Signs of heat-related illness include confusion, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, and weakness. If you are unwell, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. If you think your symptoms are serious, call for an ambulance immediately on triple zero (000).
Stay safe in the sun!!!
If you need to go outside in the sun, it’s important to protect your skin. If you avoid sunburn, you reduce the risk of skin cancer, which is one of the most common cancer types in Australia. You should also check the UV index. When it is 3 or above, a UV Alert is issued by the Bureau of Meteorology and you should use sun protection.
The UV Alert is reported on the weather page of all Australian daily newspapers, on the Bureau of Meteorology website at www.bom.gov.au/uv and on some radio and mobile weather forecasts.
Can you guess why Friday 19th of February is special?
It’s Chocolate Mint Day
The ancient Greeks and Romans valued mint for its ability to aid in digestion, freshen one’s breath, and was used in many different kinds of foods. Mint-flavoured chocolates didn’t occur until the late 19th century when solid chocolate was being manufactured as candy.
This aromatic herb, however, combined with chocolate didn’t truly become a popular concept until York peppermint patties came to be during the 1920s. Henry Kessler opened up the York Cone Company during this time, and the company, while it didn’t specialize in the mint concoction it’s known for today, manufactured and produced ice cream cones.
It wasn’t until the 1940’s that the York peppermint patty was created. Mint and chocolate had already existed during this time, but York’s development made the combination a classic and a popular one at that.
Today, the York Cone Company is now owned by Hershey, and Hershey provides a wide variety of York peppermint patties, with options such as sugar-free, chocolate truffle mints, York peppermint bites, and all kinds of shapes for the various holidays throughout the year.
Now, the combination of mint and chocolate has become a classic – Chocolate Mint Day, sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, is celebrated every year through various activities, mostly with people buying their favourite brand mint chocolate and eating to their heart’s delight.
Make Your Own Mint Chocolate Popsicles
Cool mint gives these dairy-free pops a refreshing feel. Flecked with shards of sweet chocolate (use a serrated knife to get the best texture), there’s no better way to get your mint-chocolate fix in the height of summer.
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Finely chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Combine coconut milk and fresh mint leaves in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat for 5 minutes, until bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain infused coconut milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the mint with the back of a spoon. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Stir chopped chocolate into mixture and fill popsicle moulds. Freeze for about an hour, then insert popsicle sticks and freeze overnight.
Notes
- Add a few drops of peppermint extract to enhance the mint flavour; taste mixture before adding extract – you may not need it depending on the strength of your mint leaves.
- Need help to prepare? Let us help you prepare mint chocolate popsicles. Ask your Co-ordinator how!
DIY Mint Gifts in 5 minutes!
Ingredients
- paper lunch bags
- spray paint
- paint pen or marker
- leafy medium size plant
Instructions
- Start by spray painting the outside of your paper bag outside, in a well-ventilated area. Put rocks or pebbles inside the bag, so the bag will stand up as you spray paint. Wait for the paint to dry.
- Once dry, flatten the bag once again to make the bag easy to write on. And grab a paint pen. Select and write a message on the bag.
Message Options: ‘We’re mint to be’ and ‘A little encourage-mint- you can do it’. If you think of any others, please let 365Care know. We want to hear what creative messages you dream up. - Once the paint pen message is complete (and dry), roll down the top of the bag several times. The first roll may slightly tear the bag, but it will be completely covered by the subsequent rolls, so don’t worry about it.
- Next, add a mint plant, write the mint chocolate popsicle recipe in the card and it’s ready to be gifted.
Call 365Care and request a carer to take you to get supplies. Our carers also enjoy DIY projects and want to do projects with you.
Backyard Bliss: How to stop mint taking over your garden…
If left unchecked mint can take over. But there’s a simple solution for growing mint without it invading the rest of your vegie garden.
Mint is one of the essential herbs to have in your garden. However, left to its own devices it will become your whole garden as it has an enthusiastic character and strong vigour, meaning it can be everywhere in a blink of an eyelid.
Mint has shallow roots which move outwards rapidly and send up new shoots of leaf as it goes – it can and will cover many square metres.
Often gardeners will combat this challenge by isolating it and putting it into a pot or container to keep it out of the main garden.
COVID Update
Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine granted Australian approval
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia. The first priority groups in Australia will start receiving a vaccine in February. This registration means Pfizer’s vaccine has met the TGA’s rigorous standards for safety, quality and efficacy, and will be provided for free to all Australian residents.
It has been provisionally approved in Australia for people 16 years of age and over. Two doses will be required, administered at least 21 days apart. The approval is subject to strict conditions, and Pfizer will be required to continue providing information to the TGA on the safety, efficacy and quality of the vaccine.
Priority groups such as aged care and disability care residents and workers, front line health care workers, and quarantine and border workers will be the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine will be delivered at up to 50 hospital sites across Australia, and in residential aged care and disability care facilities.
If you would like more information, or just want to speak with someone, call COVID-19 Support Line on 1800 171 866. We will continue to share COVID updates, based on the advice from the Australian Government Department of Health website. If you need more information, please contact your local GP who will provide you with accurate advice, specific to your health and well being.
Recommended Movie
Have you seen or heard of the new movie The Dry?
ERIC Bana stars in one of 2021’s new movie releases, The Dry – a film adaptation of Jane Harper’s crime novel. Bana is federal agent Aaron Falk, who returns to his drought-stricken home town after more than 20 years for the funeral of his childhood friend Luke, who allegedly killed his wife and child before taking his own life.
When Falk agrees to stay and investigate the crime, he opens up an old wound – the death of 17- year-old Ellie Deacon. He begins to suspect the two crimes are connected.
As he struggles to prove Luke’s innocence, and his own, Falk is pitted against the prejudice towards him and the pent-up rage of a terrified community. Also starring Genevieve O’Reilly, Matthew Nable, Miranda Tapsell and John Polson.
Event Cinema Special
Event Cinemas offer special Senior screenings where the first session of the day is dedicated to senior members. Plus, you can purchase any midi popcorn, midi drink, Mount Franklin water, regular coffee, vanilla choc top or Smiths chips for just $4* each. Or grab a regular coffee with a choice of Twix or cookie for just $6*.
If you would like to see a movie, call 365Care to arrange transport and mobility services or a career to see the movie with you.
Upcoming Events
If you are living alone, it can be lonely sometimes, especially when families are busy with back-to-school activities, work and generally juggling family commitments. You might also be finding it a bit harder to get out and about and find yourself relying on others to take you places.
Don’t wait any longer. Ask your Co-ordinator to help! Your carer can help you get from place to place and accompany you on outings. No need to miss out if your family is busy!
Join us at the 365Care Friendship Lunch.
When: Thursday 11th February
Time: 12 noon – 1.30pm
Where: Nepean Rowing Club
Cost: $30pp
RSVP: Tuesday 9th February
COVID-19 friendly venue
Due to the requirement to meet COVID-19 restrictions, please let your Co-ordinator know if you wish to join us or email: office@365care.com.au
And remember, if you need transportation, or someone to accompany you, please speak to your Co-ordinator, and don’t miss out. Pls make this stand out
Stay tuned for more in March!
365 Care we are here to make a difference in your lives and work hard to build caring relationships, based on honesty, respect, and advocacy.