Dunlop's Diary Winter 2018

Dunlop’s Diary Weary Dunlop Retirement Village

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Winter edition 2018

Royal birthday Residents Marguerite La Brooy and Irene Neubauer celebrating at the Queen’s Birthday Happy Hour

Meet Joanne

Graham and Helen

Bentley the therapy dog

Greetings from Kym...

Hello and welcome to the winter edition of Dunlop’s Diary.

I have now been the village manager at Weary Dunlop since March, thank you to everyone who has welcomed me into the Ryman family so warmly. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you better.

During May, all aspects of our residential aged care services at Weary Dunlop were audited by the Aged Care Quality Agency; resulting in successfully achieving full compliance for another three years. Congratulations and thank you to our team who worked hard to ensure we met the requirements.

A further congratulations needs to go to our head chef Lawrence and his team, who have received the council’s Golden Plate 5 Star

Award, recognising businesses throughout the city of Monash that provide a high standard of food safety. The kitchen team at Weary Dunlop Retirement Village achieved the perfect score for the third year in a row!

In May, many staff and residents took advantage of the free flu vaccination provided by Ryman. If you haven’t had yours, it’s not too late to beat the winter bugs. Please see your GP to arrange an appointment.

Please keep warm and healthy.

Kind regards,

Kym Faulkner Village Manager

A master chef class We love hosting events at Weary Dunlop for our residents and village friends. The “meet Deb morning tea” in June was a great success, the highlight was the cooking demonstration with chef Lawrence. It was a great experience to learn more about cooking.

Pictured: Deb and chef Lawrence at the cooking demonstration.

Deb

Kym Faulkner Village Manager Ph: 03 8545 1400 Call Kym for general enquiries, or for information about low care, high care and dementia care.

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Deb Sutherland Sales Advisor Ph: 03 8545 1403 Talk to Deb for more information about independent or serviced apartments.

Quee en’s Birth hday Our independent residents nibbled on cucumber sandwiches and sipped glasses of Pimm’s to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday.

Resident Jean Horsley stole the show with her royal impersonation, donning a crown and cape her family gave her when she was crowned ‘Queen Jean’ for her 90th birthday last year.

Jean received a rapturous reception, waving regally and posing for photographs with the awe-struck crowd.

“It’s been a lovely day,” lifestyle team member Deidre Forrester said.

“We had a beautiful turnout – more than 100 residents sitting down, socialising and just having a good time together.”

Above: Residents Elaine Ripper and Shirley Head proudly show off their tiaras for the occasion.

Right: Jean Horsley bestowed her favour on the party.

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Staff Profile

Introducing Joanne From a brush with death, a thirst for life To understand why Joanne Wang has been so successful in her career you need to know something personal about her: she almost died.

When the clinical manager at Weary Dunlop retirement village was a teenager in her native China, she was struck down by a lifethreatening illness.

She recovered and came to Australia to study soon after, but her brush with death has had a profound impact on who she is. Most of all, it has had a profound impact on how she goes about her work.

“I think I always had a belief that when I recovered from my illness before I came to Australia that life is very short,” she says. “If I want to do something, I want to do my very best because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow.

“I think my approach to life is totally changed after [my illness]. I just can’t believe today that I’m still here talking to you when I think how ill I was then.

“So, it makes me appreciate life and time a bit more.”

It has also given her a greater appreciation of what it’s like being on the other side of the nursepatient relationship.

When you understand how fragile life can be, as Joanne does, it informs your philosophy of care for residents.

“That’s why I keep saying to the staff… never just walk out of their room without asking them, ‘What else can I do for you?’”

That dedication to her work and her empathy for people needing care has been central to her career success.

At just 30 years old Joanne has been the clinical manager at Weary Dunlop for almost three years, where she oversees more than 50 staff and is responsible for 82 residents.

But she’s not just managing Weary Dunlop’s clinical services, she’s leading them.

Joanne won the ‘Leader of the Year’ category at the Ryman Annual Awards in June.

“I don’t know how they chose me but, anyway, I’m thankful for the trust they all have in me. It is everyone’s effort – I wouldn’t be what I’m doing today, and we wouldn’t be able to achieve the [recent] accreditation, without any of them on the floor, she said.”

That the nomination for the leadership award came from her staff means the most to Joanne because, she says, it reassures her that the team is behind her in her pursuit of excellence.

But high-functioning teams don’t just happen by accident. Asked how she built that culture among her staff, her response makes clear that her empathetic outlook extends beyond a sense of shared experience with patients.

“You trust them, and you put yourself in their role. I was a PCA before I was a nurse, and I was nurse on the floor before I was a nurse unit manager, and I was a nurse unit manager before I became clinical manager. So, I know it can be hard.

“And I have trust in them. I always have trust that everyone is always genuine and kind.”

Left: Ryman Chief People & Technology Officer Nicole Forster presented the award to Joanne Wang.

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Ryman Healthcare the big winner at Monash Business Awards Ryman Healthcare had a huge night at the Monash Business Awards, winning the health category before being announced as the overall business of the year.

The awards, presented at a gala dinner at the Huntingdale Golf Cub, recognised the best business in the City of Monash across a range of categories.

The top prize was presented to Ryman’s community relations team leader Denise Thompson by City of Monash Mayor Paul Klisaris.

“I would like to acknowledge our founders Kevin Hickman and John Ryder, two men who founded Ryman Healthcare for the very best of reasons: to lift the overall standards of aged care and to ensure that there is a retirement option that

would be good enough for Mum,” Denise said.

“This founding principle still guides all our staff and has resulted in a business with a heart that provides an environment and care for older Australians that is second to none.”

Monash Business Awards committee chair Rebecca Paterson said: “We selected Ryman Healthcare because of their commitment to the Monash community as an employee and service deliverer who are positively impacting the elderly and families in Monash.”

Above: Ryman Australia’s team members with Monash Business Awards Chair Rebecca Paterson (front row second from left) and Monarsh Mayor Cr Paul Klisaris (far right at the back).

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Resident Profile

Introducing Graham & Helen

Sronger together Graham Ruthven just wants to be near his wife – now more than ever.

“And that’s such a bonus here, the fact that I can go for a 200 metre walk and see Helen every day.

When he and his wife Helen moved into an independent apartment at Weary Dunlop retirement village in 2016, Graham had one eye on a future he hoped would never eventuate. But it did.

“I’d hate it if I had to get in the car and drive even a mile or two miles, or however many miles, down the road to go and see her every day.

“At that particular time Helen’s problem hadn’t been diagnosed but I felt there was something wrong,” Graham says.

“Helen was alright until about October last year, then all of a sudden she went downhill quick. I looked after her [in our apartment] from October until April, but it got to a stage where she needed fulltime attention, and if I’d had kept going I would have gone downhill too I think.”

“You’d have to go downstairs, get in the car, drive somewhere, park somewhere else, go in and see her, then come back.”

Now, Graham goes upstairs to have lunch and dinner with Helen every day, “but I can go up whenever I want to and make sure she’s alright”.

And when he’s not with his wife, Graham enjoys spending time with a whole new circle of friends.

“Another good thing about the village is I’ve met some wonderful people here.”

Graham requested that Helen be moved into the aged care centre just upstairs from their apartment, which he says was accommodated immediately.

He says the future is always unpredictable, but whatever happens he and Helen will be under the same roof, “and that’s a big plus”.

Seeing his wife’s health deteriorate was incredibly hard, but Graham says having her still so close to him is “just magic”.

Above: Graham and his wife Helen in her room at Weary Dunlop care centre.

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It’s got to be

good enough for Mum In May 2018 Kevin Hickman announced he was standing down from the board of Ryman, ending 34 years of service at the company.

There is no doubt that Ryman Healthcare would not be the company it is today without Kevin, and everyone at Ryman wishes him all the best with his retirement.

The Ryman story began back in 1983, when Kevin was a former policeman turned private detective.

He was asked to investigate an aged care home fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, and he did not like what he saw.

“The fire was in an old villa and there were four people to a room all with shared toilets,’’ Kevin recalls.

“To me it was crazy, the standards were so poor. But that’s how aged care homes were in those days.’’

Kevin would never dream of putting his Mother into a place like that if she needed to go into care.

“I thought, what would I want for Mum?” And so, Ryman’s philosophy that care has to be “good enough for Mum” was born.

Kevin teamed up with John Ryder, an accountant, and together they made a dynamic pair.

Ryman – a combination of Ryder and Hickman – Healthcare was registered and they bought their first property to convert into an aged care home in 1984.

“I thought, what would I want for Mum?” As well as providing care that was better than anywhere else, the company had to be sustainable, with its systems constantly refined and improved upon.

The size of the villages and the facilities offered may have changed over the past 30 years, but Ryman’s core philosophy remains the same.

Care is still at the heart of what we do. And it’s got to be good enough for Mum. Or Dad!

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Italian meatballs Meatballs 500g Mince beef 1 Onion diced 2 tbsp Fresh thyme 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 Egg 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs Salt & Pepper

A note from Ryman chef,

Sugo sauce 1/2 Onion, diced 1tbsp Garlic 1 tbsp Basil, chopped 1/4 cup Red wine

400g Tinned crushed tomatoes 1 Bay leaf 500ml Beef stock

Method • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

• Combine all the meatball ingredients with the beef mince and mix well, then roll them into golf ball size portions.

• Fry all the meat balls in a semi deep fry pan to seal the meat, and place them onto a baking tray.

• Use the same deep fry pan to sauté the onion, garlic, basil and bay leaf, then deglaze with red wine and add the crushed tomatoes and beef stock.

• Once the sauce starts bubbling, pour over the meatball tray.

• Cover with baking paper and foil and cook for 2 hours.

• Serve hot on a bed of mashed potatoes.

• Serves 4-5.

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Lawrence Slow cooked Italian meatballs are a resident favourite at our Weary Dunlop Retirement Village. It’s a hearty dish that blends well with our new Harvest menus, and residents love the texture and flavour.

Furthermore, it’s a healthy option and is easy to prepare.

You simply combine the ingredients and let the oven do the cooking – leaving more time to spend with your loved ones.

Weary Dunlop chef Lawrence with resident Enid McCauley

Resident Profile

Meet Russell

I was married to Ellena for over sixty years before she sadly passed away. I have five children, three boys and two girls. I am also lucky to have 37 grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

I have lived in Victoria my whole life and I was born in Williamstown. Near our house was a yacht club and for most of my youth I spent many joyous hours sailing yachts. When I left school, I became an electrician for Austin Crane & Hoist. I wired the gantry cranes on the ground in Victoria, and I also had to assemble the cranes with riggers.

I am also lucky to have 37 grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

Later in my life, I decided to open a Shell Service Station. I worked at the station for near on 14 years as an owner and operator. I would work from 7.00am until 8.30pm seven days a week.

I used to come home late and my lovely wife always had a warm meal ready for me. My sons also helped out in the station after school and what a great help they were.

Hello, my name is Russell Garnsworthy and I am 98 years old. I live in the Burma wing in the care centre at Weary Dunlop.

My father always said to me that I was born in a hurry and that I have been in a hurry ever since.

However, I have slowed down for now and love my life at Weary Dunlop village.

Watercolour painting Our watercolour painting group volunteers visit the Java residents fortnightly, for an engaging painting session.

Residents’ families and staff were delighted to see so many pieces of art exhibited in Java. It is a great activity for the high care residents to get involved in. So, thank you David and Shirley Williams and John Pretlove for sharing your joy of painting.

Pictured: Bill and Mary Swift busy painting their masterpieces.

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Meet Bentley

Mother’s Day

On Monday afternoons, volunteer Mark and his dog Bentley, visit our care centre residents for pet therapy. Bentley is greatly favoured by the residents and he always receives pats, cuddles and smiles. He is a Schnoodle – which is a Schnauzer and Poodle cross and he is completely adorable!

For Mother’s Day this year, we had several celebrations throughout the village. It started in the morning with a cup of tea and shortcake biscuits, and in the afternoon residents delighted in eating cake, sandwiches, cocktail Frankfurters, quiches, pies and sausage rolls. The residents loved the celebrations and their families couldn’t be happier.

Above: Bentley with residents Joyce Imeson and Bonnie Lloyd.

Above: Resident Ina Haylock with her daughter Katherine Kittlety at the Mother’s Day tea.

Staff Profile

Introducing Anan

Hello, my name is Anan Du and I am a registered nurse.

I immigrated to Australia at the age of 17, to pursue my academic studies. I graduated at Taylors College in Melbourne and began a Bachelor of Nursing in order to become a registered nurse. My family and childhood friends are all still living in China.

We work as a team, and everyone in the team has their own individual talents and skills.

Working in aged care is a passion of mine, and I feel like I have family around me every day working at Weary Dunlop.

At Weary Dunlop we work as a

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team, and everyone in the team has their own individual talents and skills. The combination of this staff dynamic creates a diverse, hard working and happy team!

Last year I had a wonderful overseas holiday and toured Europe. My favourite country that I visited was France for the sites, people and the fantastic food.

I enjoy spending my free time in yoga class, eating delicious Chinese cuisine, and drinking cocktails!

Our wood working At our Weary Dunlop workshop, John Skinner is our expert in wood work. John recently encouraged our residents to make wooden jigsaw puzzles.

Each resident chose their own pattern, photo or picture as the base of the puzzle. We had a wonderful time crafting these amazing puzzles and we learned a lot too!

Resident Bill Corbet (pictured), is always the first to arrive at the Tuesday class and wouldn’t miss it for anything. He enjoys the smell of the wood and the company especially.

All independent and serviced apartment residents are welcome to join the class to learn wood working while having a fabulous time engaging with other residents.

Upcoming events August

September

Scam savvy presentation

Father’s Day

September

October

Rebecca Nelson

Pippa Wilson Jazz Band

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20

02

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242 Jells Road, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

www.wearydunlop.com.au