FROM THE DESK OF THE HEALTHCARE MANAGER
Dear Residents, Families, and Friends,
As we step into spring, there is a renewed sense of warmth and anticipation in the air and we are excited to bring more activities outdoors during the summer.
Residents and families can look forward to gentle spring walks in the gardens to encourage exercise, and creative activities such as flower arranging and seasonal crafts. We are also preparing for community events, including our Christmas lunch, while maintaining a strong focus on health and wellness to ensure every resident feels safe, supported, and meaningfully engaged.
What is an IDT?
At the heart of our approach to care is our Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) of professionals who work hand-in-hand to support every aspect of resident’s well-being. By combining our expertise, we ensure care is not only clinically sound but also deeply personal.
Our team includes:
• Doctors overseeing medical care, managing chronic conditions, prescribing treatments, and raising awareness on important health topics.
• Social Workers focusing on emotional well-being, counselling, and family communication.
• Occupational Therapists that promote independence, mobility, and meaningful activity.
• Nursing teams that ensure daily health needs are met with compassion, including medication safety, wound care, hydration, skin protection, care planning, and ongoing monitoring.
• Carers that provide hands-on personal care and companionship.
• Support services offering administration, catering, housekeeping, and maintenance services.
• Allied Health Services: Residents also have access to physiotherapy, dietetics, and speech therapy. These services are vital in maintaining mobility, ensuring nutritional health, supporting communication, and enhancing quality of life.
Updates on the Building Progress
Our sub-acute facility has had an excellent year, with strong patient outcomes and positive feedback from patients, referring specialists and families. This service continues to provide high-quality, focused rehabilitation and recovery care.
We are also building a new coffee shop for our Healthcare Centre. This will provide a welcoming space where residents, families, and visitors can meet in comfort. Having a coffee shop on site adds warmth and convenience, making visits feel more like time spent together at home rather than in a healthcare environment.
For our long-term residents, we are creating communal spaces to ensure they continue to feel truly at home. Plans are already in motion to open a dedicated area with more light, improved garden views, and inviting layouts. This project is set for completion early next year. In the meantime, while renovations are underway, our priority remains to keep our current communal areas engaging, homely, and full of life.
Thank you to our residents for their trust, and to families for their ongoing support. Together, we look forward to a new season filled with connection, health, and joy.
Enjoy the read.
With warm regards, Dane Nagel and The Heritage Interdisciplinary Team
Dane Nagel Healthcare Manager hcmanagernorth@faircapehealth.co.za
A NOTE FROM OUR DOCTORS
Understanding Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is the gradual loss of muscle strength, size, and function that comes with aging. It often starts slowly and many people don’t notice it. However, over time it can affect balance, walking, and independence.
Sarcopenia is one of the leading causes of frailty in older adults, but with the right care, it can be slowed down and muscle strength can even improve.
Why Sarcopenia Matters
• Weaker muscles increase the risk of falls and fractures.
• Reduces stamina, making everyday activities like getting out of a chair, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries more difficult.
• Loss of muscle mass can affect metabolism, appetite, and even recovery from illness.
• Closely linked to osteoporosis as weaker muscles put more strain on fragile bones.
What Helps Prevent and Manage Sarcopenia
• Exercise: Gentle strength exercises like resistance bands, light weights, chair exercises and regular walking. Even small daily movements make a difference.
• Protein: Muscles need building blocks and each meal should ideally include some protein. Eggs, chicken, fish, dairy, beans, and nuts are excellent sources of protein.
• Vitamin D: Sunlight and supplements help support both muscles and bones.
• Medical Support: In some cases, doctors may recommend specific supplements or treatments, especially if weakness is progressing quickly.
How Your Doctor Can Help You
• Encourage safe physical activity: Our doctors and physiotherapists support walking and chair-based exercise programmes.
• We have an on-site dietitian who can help monitor nutrition to ensure residents are receiving enough protein and balanced meals.
• Our IDT is trained to watch out for early signs of Sarcopenia, such as slower walking, difficulty standing, or increased fatigue.
• Our social workers will work with families to keep residents engaged in movement and daily activities.
Remember, Sarcopenia is a natural part of aging, but weakness is not inevitable. With daily movement, good nutrition, and attentive care, we can keep muscles stronger for longer, supporting mobility, independence, and quality of life.
By Dr Erin Warren-Hansen, Dr Heather Dicks, and Dr Nicole Jacka
MEET YOUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TEAM AT HERITAGE
Occupational therapy at Faircape Health Heritage plays a crucial role in helping residents maintain their independence, improve daily living skills, and enhance their overall quality of life through personalised and meaningful activities.
CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
Over the past few months, our residents have enjoyed participating in a variety of creative group activities including rock painting, scrapbooking, mosaic art, and more. These hands-on sessions have not only sparked creativity but also created meaningful moments of social connection and joy.
Each resident has the opportunity to keep and display their finished pieces, bringing a strong sense of pride and accomplishment. These creative outlets are more than just fun. They play an important role in supporting emotional well-being, encouraging self-expression, and enhancing overall mental wellness. It’s always a delight to see the smiles, conversations, and shared laughter that come from creating together.
CHEERS TO ANOTHER YEAR!
At Faircape Health Heritage, we believe that every life is worth celebrating, and birthdays provide a special opportunity to do just that. For our residents, a birthday is a meaningful reminder of their unique journey, cherished memories, and the lasting impact they’ve had on those around them. At Heritage, we are proud to honour each resident’s special day, ensuring that no birthday goes unnoticed, and every individual feels celebrated.
MUSIC THERAPY SESSIONS
Where words fail, music speaks. These sessions create moments of peace and happiness for our residents.
WALKS FOR WELLNESS
Our walking groups include both walks and wheelchair walks and play an important role in supporting residents’ health and well-being.
Engaging in outdoor or indoor walks promotes mental wellness by reducing feelings of isolation, encouraging fresh air and sunlight exposure, and offering a change of scenery. These moments of movement and companionship can uplift mood, enhance cognitive function, and support a greater sense of independence.
Whether it’s a gentle stroll or a wheelchair-assisted walk, every step taken together helps build a healthier, happier community.
PUZZLES,
BINGO & BOARD GAMES
Heritage residents really do enjoy their weekly bingo sessions, which have become a much-loved tradition filled with excitement and friendly competition. Residents also engage in a variety of puzzles and board games that challenge the mind and encourage social interaction. These activities provide a wonderful opportunity for mental stimulation, helping to keep minds sharp while fostering connections among friends. Whether it’s the thrill of a bingo win, the satisfaction of completing a puzzle, or the strategy involved in board games, these sessions bring a strong sense of community to all who participate.
DELIGHT YOUR TASTE BUDS
Residents recently enjoyed a delightful series of food tasting events, including chocolate tasting and chip tasting sessions. Identifying flavours, usually seen as a simple task, turned out to be quite the challenge. These sessions sparked lots of laughter and conversation, as residents shared their guesses and surprising reactions.
ALL THINGS NURSING
In addition to tasting, we also rolled up our sleeves for a fun baking session, where we prepared a delicious peppermint crisp tart. The day ended with a well-deserved afternoon tea, allowing everyone to relax and savour the fruits of their labour.
Our nurses are at the heart of our work, and we’re grateful for their unwavering commitment and care.
Here are a few snippets of them enjoying some well-deserved moments together.
WHY BLISTER PACKS ARE SO IMPORTANT
At Faircape Health Heritage, one of our biggest responsibilities is making sure every resident receives the right medication, at the right dose, at the right time. To help us achieve this safely and consistently, we use blister packs for all medicines.
Blister packs are neatly sealed packs of tablets arranged and labelled by day and time. They may look simple, but they play a huge role in keeping our residents safe and comfortable.
What We Do Every Day With Blister Packs
• Daily Checks: Nurses review each resident’s pack at the start of every shift.
• Safe Administration: Each dose is clearly marked, so medicines are given correctly and on time.
• Record Keeping: We sign off each dose immediately, reducing confusion about what has been taken.
• Error Prevention: The packs make it almost impossible to mix up tablets or give the wrong amount.
• Follow-Up: If a dose is missed (for example, if a resident is sleeping or unwell), it is easy to see and act quickly.
Hydration: A Simple Step with Big Results
One of the biggest health challenges in older adults is dehydration. It can lead to dizziness, constipation, and infections, but with attention, it is easy to prevent.
What we do:
• Offer Drinks Often: We encourage small, regular sips rather than waiting until residents are very thirsty.
• Variety Matters: Soups, fruit, herbal teas, and juices are offered, not just water.
• Monitoring: Nurses record fluid intake daily for residents at risk.
• Encouragement: We gently remind residents to drink fluids throughout the day, even during activities and visits.
We are focused on making hydration part of daily routine and encouraging families to join in. Offering a favourite drink during visits helps more than you realise.
Skin Health: Comfort, Dignity, and Protection
Healthy skin is essential for comfort and dignity. As skin becomes more fragile with age, extra care is needed to prevent sores, dryness, or discomfort.
What we do:
• Daily Inspections: During personal care, we check skin closely for early signs of redness or breakdown.
• Moisturising: We apply creams to prevent dryness and itching.
• Repositioning: For those less mobile, we regularly change positions to avoid pressure sores.
• Collaboration: We work with families to use familiar lotions or clothing that feels comfortable.
Doing this helps prevent problems before they start, making skin care a moment of care and comfort, not just routine.
Every day at Faircape Health Heritage, our goal is simply to keep residents safe, comfortable, and cared for with dignity. With consistent nursing practices, open communication, and family support, we ensure that every resident feels valued and protected. Together, we continue to build a community of care.
Sincerely,
Your Nursing Team
Sr. Stephanie Tredoux, Sr. Lucinda Taylor, Nurse Felicity Charles and Nurse Thobile Shabalala.
NEWS FROM OUR SOCIAL WORKERS
Growing, Learning, and Supporting: The Heart of Social Work at Faircape
Our social work department has been hard at work upskilling, diving into new knowledge and honing their skills in some of the most sensitive and important areas of care.
Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ve been up to:
• All our social workers completed a short course in palliative care presented by the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC).
• Liesl de Kock added another feather to her cap by completing Oncology Training for Social Workers with the inspiring Linda Greeff.
• Angelique Oosthuizen, Rebekah Delsouiller, Sherae Swart, and Juanee Pretorius bravely tackled the difficult topic of suicide assessment and intervention in a workshop led by Belinda from Wisemind.
• We also got our thinking caps on during capacity assessment training with Suzaan Jenkinson, an experienced UK-trained Best Interest Assessor.
• On the self-study front, we explored the world of art therapies to support healthy aging and brushed up on how to recognise and respond to anxiety symptoms in older adults.
While we love our training sessions and workshops, our greatest teachers are, and always will be, our residents. Many of the people we work with are two generations older than us, and while we bring the theory, they bring the wisdom, humour, resilience, and life lessons that no course can teach.
By Juanee Pretorius, Group Social Work Manager at Faircape Health.
VOLUNTEERING: A GIFT YOU GIVE AND RECEIVE
When we hear the word volunteering, it’s natural to think about giving your time, your energy, and your care. However, for many of us living in a retirement village, after decades spent giving to family, friends, and community, it’s easy to wonder what else I have left to give?
This is often the hesitation I encounter when trying to recruit volunteers. People often feel that they have so little left to offer.
Recently, however, I came across an article that completely shifted how I see volunteering. It explored three categories of loneliness, including the kind that can linger even when we’re surrounded by people. They are;
• Social loneliness: having few visitors or relationships.
• Emotional loneliness: lacking meaningful, close connections.
• Existential loneliness: a deeper sense of being truly on your own in the world.
Although the article discussed these forms of loneliness in the context of elderly individuals in care facilities, it struck me how relatable they are for so many of us, regardless of age or circumstance. We can go through entire days talking to people and still feel isolated.
Conversation doesn’t always equal connection. The busy nature of life can push aside the deeper, soul-filling relationships we crave, sometimes without us even noticing.
THE RECIPROCITY OF VOLUNTEERING
This is where volunteering, especially with older adults, can offer something truly special. Yes, it involves giving your time, presence, and energy but it also gives something back. In these spaces, a beautiful reciprocity can form. Volunteers often find themselves appreciated in a way that’s rare in everyday life. They’re seen, valued, and welcomed into meaningful conversations that spark selfreflection and affirmation.
Volunteering with the elderly is about connection as much as it is about service. It’s about sharing stories, learning life lessons, and building genuine relationships that reach far beyond the boundaries of age. In many ways, it can answer some of the deeper life questions we all wrestle with.
In my own work with the elderly, people often ask if my job is emotionally draining, and my honest answer is no, it’s the opposite. The elderly have enriched my life in ways I never expected. The joy I feel from serving, from meeting people exactly where they are, from breaking down walls
HAVE A LOVED ONE WITH DEMENTIA?
The purpose of the Dementia Support Group is to create a safe space where spouses and family of persons living with dementia (PLWD) can share their experiences in a supportive, non-judgemental and caring environment. The group is facilitated by Occupational Therapist Marijke Scrooby and Social Worker, Liesl de Kock.
and sharing authentic human connection, is hard to put into words.
Yes, it’s heartbreaking when someone passes away, but I carry with me the richness of our connection, and instead of feeling empty, I feel filled.
Just one hour-a-week is all it takes to experience moments and connections that are truly priceless, not because of what you give, but because of what you gain.
If you would like to be a volunteer, please send us an email at socialwork@faircape.co.za. We would love to hear from you.
Written by Angelique Oosthuizen, Social Worker at Faircape Health Heritage
