Fairway Rise

The 2020 Festive season brought much happiness and joy to residents and staff at Fairway Rise.

Clinical Care Coordinator Monica Tatnell said that they had lots of comments on how excited the residents and families were with the line-up of Christmas events and activities at the home. Residents enjoyed the Christmas Hamper Day, the Nutty Bunch Baking Group made lots of Christmas treats, and the Leisure and Lifestyle team organised plenty of card-making and hamper-building activities for the 2020 Giving Tree. All residents, staff, friends and families at Fairway Rise were incredibly generous in their support of the Giving Tree, and we extend a huge thank you to everyone who contributed.

Residents very excitedly welcomed back family that they hadn’t seen in months, with some mainland family members able to visit around border closures. The team did their best to accommodate everybody while abiding by COVID-19 regulations. Guests were unable to gather with their loved ones in communal areas, however very happily enjoyed Christmas lunch or dinner together in resident’s rooms.

Overall, Monica says that the team did a wonderful job throughout the busy festive period. chose to make Fairway Rise their new home, and had moved in before the year was out.

Looking ahead to 2021, there is lots of clinical learning for the nursing staff, who are excited at the prospect of new training and educational opportunities.

‘Staff did a fantastic job caring for the residents and getting them up and ready before a certain time for their families to come and collect them.’

Aside from Christmas events, the home has been a hive of activity. A number of residents from Mary’s Grange

Above- volunteers Peter and Patricia visited on Christmas day with their furry friend and spread much Christmas Joy. Here they are with resident Vivian Tate.

Editor's note. In the last edition of Under the Stars we met Pat Job. There was an incorrect fact in this article regarding her work, which we wanted to amend. It was noted that she worked at the Queen Victoria Nursing Home in Adelaide. Pat worked at the Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital in Adelaide while completing a Midwifery training course in 1950. She then returned to Tasmania where she married and had two children. Once her children went to school, she commenced work as Deputy Matron at the Queen Victoria Nursing Home in Lindisfarne. Pat also worked in many other nursing homes and Repat Hospitals, and 10 years in radiology in the late 1960’s. Above- Betty Fry started her own garden bed on one of the decks at Fairway Rise. Betty has a passion for gardening and is now continuing the hobby she loves.

Staff spotlight - Monica Tatnell Clinical Care Coordinator, Fairway Rise.

After spending three years at Rosary Gardens, where she completed her graduate year and the two years following as a registered nurse, Monica ventured off to the Royal Hobart Hospital. There, she spent some time in orthopaedic surgical specialties and burns nursing. This experience gave her an excellent background in acute care and trauma, and she is pleased to be able to apply this breadth of education at Southern Cross Care in a range of clinical circumstances including in leadership and teaching opportunities in her role as Clinical Care Coordinator.

She says that for a registered nurse to work in aged care, they need drive, and should have a strong passion for the industry because "when you have that you can do anything with it." She says working as a nurse in aged care also gives you the opportunity to "spread your wings" a little more than in an acute setting, as you often need to rely on your own assessments.

Although Monica has been back with Southern Cross Care for only a few months now, she says this is definitely the role where she wants to be.

I am Betty Fry, Fairway Rise is my home and this is my story.

Betty was born at Scottsdale in the North-East to a farming family. After getting married, her husband was approached by the town of New Norfolk to join their football team, where the two of them would spend the next 20 years before finally moving on to Hobart.

When Betty decided to move into Fairway Rise, her granddaughter measured every inch of the room and arranged her furniture such that when she arrived it was like "walking into home". Describing her room as "like her lounge with a bed in the middle", Betty felt she fitted in very well and made a very comfortable transition.

Despite being a resident of Fairway Rise only since last February, Betty is the current President of the Residents’ Committee, though she said that appointment came as a bit of a shock! Betty enjoys music, crafts, and other activities ran by the Leisure and Lifestyle team.

'You can't find time to do half the things here, there's just so much on all the time. It's very good.'