Sandown Apartments

Above- the Monthly Fun Photos Christmas afternoon was a great hit. From left, resident Ev Harper, resident Hilda Deegan, and Glenn Perry (Sandown Maintenance).

The festive season was certainly merry and bright at Sandown Apartments this year.

There was a Door Decorating competition, Christmas Hamper Day, and the annual Peter Campbell Christmas Concert (a Christmas Carol singalong). On December 22, a different Christmas Concert unfortunately had to be cancelled at the last minute. But this did not deter the staff who put on their own concert instead! Residents were highly entertained by this spontaneous staff concert and have requested an encore for 2021. The Leisure and Lifestyle team also held a session on the meaning of Christmas, where residents could reminisce on what Christmas means to them. The staff Christmas Party and BBQ was thoroughly enjoyed by the team. Greg, the Sandown and Guilford Young Grove Roster Clerk (and jackof-all-trades), who we met in the last edition of Under the Stars, was the BBQ chef.

The Home welcomed seven new residents from Mary’s Grange. There was some confusion initially while getting used to their new surrounds, these residents have now settled in nicely. A friendship group who transferred from Mary’s Grange together, and they have maintained this friendship at Sandown Apartments, supporting each other through the transition.

They have also welcomed staff from Mary’s Grange and new volunteers as well. The team are thrilled at the return of volunteers now that the Home's doors have reopened after COVID-19 restrictions.

A Memorial Service was for residents who passed away over the past 12 months was held in December. The service was conducted slightly differently than normal to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. The Chapel doors were kept open so that families, residents and loved ones could watch on from the lounge area. Everyone was happy to have the opportunity to hold a service for, and celebrate the lives of, these residents.

The Leisure and Lifestyle team have also been incredibly busy with the launch of their new Busy Bee Club. The Busy Bee Club is a sensory room that provides experience and sensory stimulation to assist with activating one or more of the five senses. Different activities are held daily such as music, art, cooking, building and gardening. The program enhances feelings of calm and comfort, wellbeing, usefulness and joy. It also assists with fine motor skills and tactile processing. We look forward to seeing the success of the Busy Bee Club!

Above - the good Royal Doulton china is broken out for afternoon tea during the Busy Bee Club.

Staff spotlight: Kath Johnson Admin Assistant, Sandown Apartments.

Born in England, Kath came to Australia with her family when she was three years old, where they eventually settled in Hobart.

After completing her aged care certificate but discovering it wasn't the best fit for her, Kath saw a position advertised in the paper seeking an administration team member who also had their Certificate III in Aged Care. So, she commenced working with Southern Cross Care and has been with us for 15 years since!

Kath is pleased to have also completed the Understanding Dementia course through the University of Tasmania (which she highly recommends to anyone wanting to learn about dementia), and obtained her Certificate IV in Business through Work and Training.

Kath says that she really loves the residents, and her best memories are of getting to know them. She has had some wonderful facility managers and staff members to work with which has been a great joy to her.

Her advice for starting work in aged care is to 'be prepared emotionally for the fact that you do become a part of someone else's life ... the residents rely on you a lot, it's really rewarding.'

I am Joy Goodman, Sandown Apartments is my home and this is my story.

You may recall Joy’s joyous smile from the last edition of Under the Stars. When we last spoke with Joy she resided at Mary’s Grange. With the phased closure of the home, Joy moved the short distance to Sandy Bay and into Sandown Apartments. She says she can only praise the move to Sandown.

'It was very carefully orchestrated. We had a carer help us pack. I had family come to help too, but the staff were there to do all the little bits that made the move so smooth. A carer came with me when I moved and had lunch with me, and really settled me in very, very nicely.'

Joy now enjoys a sunny room looking out onto a sheltered courtyard lined with pot plants and a little garden bed, all tended to by the residents.

'We congregate out there, two or three at a time, and chat for hours. It is really, really pleasant,' she says.

Joy has been busy with relatives visiting since she moved in, so is yet to join in on all the activities on offer. So far, she has tried Tai Chi and craft and has made the most of the lovely weather by walking down to Lower Sandy Bay to have an ice-cream by the beach.