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Connecting people and communities
Friday, 18 July, 2014 Page 3
In brief Kylie fever POP STAR Kylie Minogue has drawn hundreds of fans to Geelong’s Cunningham Pier for a promotional appearance. Minogue and Ocean Grove’s Johnny Rollins visited the waterfront to sign autographs and pose for cameras ahead of his latest appearance on television’s The Voice.
HARD TO SWALLOW: John Druzic’s photographs of food he considered substandard during his stay at Barwon Health’s McKellar Centre.
Patients slam servings By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN THE FOOD at Barwon Health’s McKellar Centre is so bad that it’s sometimes inedible and resembles excrement, according to recent rehabilitation patients. Hamlyn Heights’ John Druzic and Newtown’s Ian McLean said the food was prepared two days in advance and kept in warmers during their weeks as patients. Fruit was often rotten and bruised, other food “oozed oils and fats� and pasta and rice dishes were dry and hard, they complained. Mr Druzic, an amputee, said he was a patient for more than five weeks
after a complete knee replacement, while Mr McLean spent almost three months in the centre after a leg amputation. “I was absolutely appalled at the food,� Mr Druzic said. “But my main concern is, unlike myself, there are many people living at McKellar who are unable to speak for themselves and this is what they’re being served up on a daily basis. “My dad is there in the nursing home and they’re serving that stuff to him. I feel for my dad and the other people there.� Mr Druzic said he and Mr McLean complained to their unit manager and requested to speak with the catering
manager but were “avoided� for two weeks. When they eventually spoke with the catering manager they were told the kitchen prepared meals two days in advance and kept them in warmers before serving. Mr McLean said he turned to friends to bring in replacement meals, went out to get his own food or filled up on sandwiches. “We called it dinner lotto because you never quite knew what you were going to get and it rarely resembled the description.� A Barwon Health spokesperson said the McKellar commercial kitchen delivered 3500 meals a day.
“Hospital food is a regular subject of comment but usually this is without a clear understanding of the complexity of delivering meals to people with a wide range of conditions and requirements,� she said. “Some patients and residents have difficulty swallowing, so if they order a meal such as roast pork or lamb it will be pureed to an appropriate consistency; it won’t look like how it’s served at home. “We utilise a cook/chill process for all our meals, which are then delivered in specialised climate-controlled trolleys before being distributed to patients and residents.�
Cafe serving up musical menus for Corio oldies
Word first AUSTRALIA’S “largest� non-fiction literature festival will bring writers and readers together in Geelong next month, organisers have announced. Deakin University, City of Greater Geelong and the region’s library corporation will run the inaugural Word for Word at Deakin’s Waterfront campus from 15 to 17 August.
‘Poofter’ apology A TELEVISION footy commentator has apologised on air for calling Geelong Cats star Harry Taylor a “big poofter�. Brian Taylor issued the slur while watching video of the champion defender waving to the crowd after his 150th match for Geelong.
Death finding A “MAJOR medical event� or an accident probably killed the former boss of Lara’s Barwon Prison when he went missing on a hunting trip three years ago, according to a coroner’s report. Deputy State Coroner Iain West rejected theories David Prideaux was murdered, committed suicide or faked his death in the Victorian Alps.
Tourism boost GEELONG has highlighted itself as a tourist attraction to 350 delegates at an annual tourism conference, according to Mayor Darryn Lyons. He said the 2014 Victorian Tourism Conference, at The Pier, was a “great� opportunity to showcase the region to industry professionals.
By EMILY IANNELLO
Fine festival
A GOLD coin donation guarantees elderly patrons a morning of entertainment at a new Seniors CafĂŠ in Corio’s Cloverdale Community Centre. The initiative is quickly becoming a hub of the seniors live music scene in the northern suburbs. On the last Wednesday of every month seniors of all ages have been enjoying a vibrant cafe setting over cake and coffee while socialising and enjoying live music. The cafĂŠ program commences again from 1am to 11.30am Wednesday for term-two sessions Manager Sue Hartigan said Cloverdale had been focusing on presenting live music for the past two years but had now expanded the program. “This year we decided to combine a seniors activity with live music, so we’re trialling it at the moment,â€? she said. “Last terms three sessions were really popular. Last time we had about 20 people turn up, so we’re running it again this termâ€?. Ms Hartigan said the cafe helped elderly residents in Geelong’s northern suburbs deal with isolation issues. “There’s no place to go and get a coffee apart from the shopping centre and there’s also very little live entertainment. “The social space is very limited, so we have created a space where people can come and hang out, pop in and have a coffee and listen to music.â€? Ms Hartigan said the entertainment suited the cafe’s casual atmosphere. “As a neighbourhood house we’re more informal and very friendly and welcoming. People can come and go as they like – they don’t have to come right on 10am.â€? Ms Hartigan said the cafe would unveil new musicians as the program developed. “The idea is really just to have a lovely social morning with live music.â€? The program will also run on 27 August and 24 September.
FIVE films over three days will form the basis of a movie festival at Queenscliff next weekend. Organisers said the Bellarine Lighthouse Films program would feature “fine-art� movies at Queenscliff Town Hall from 25 to 27 July.
Man rescued PASSERS-BY have saved the life of a 38-year-old man after a heart attack on Torquay’s White’s Beach. The rescuers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used a defibrillator on him before an air ambulance arrived to take the victim to hospital. SOUNDS FUN: Ron Ellis entertains patrons at Corio’s Seniors Cafe. 123739 Picture: REG RYAN
Phone call A BELLBRAE couple’s 28 years of struggling with dodgy phone services has reached the floor of federal parliament. Member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson this week told parliament about Maxine and Noel Flakemore’s problems with their fixed-line Telstra service, which dropped out for up to three weeks several times a year.
Diabetes survey LOCAL researchers will survey 1000 mothers in a study to reduce the risk of pregnancy leading to type-two diabetes. Deakin University dietician Dr Sharleen O’Reilly said the survey could improve GPs’ level of care, advice and support for pregnant patients at risk of diabetes.
Disabled housed A NEW facility is providing supported accommodation for seven people with disabilities in Grovedale, South Barwon MP Andrew Katos has announced. He said the Marshalltown Rd facility, which received $2 million in Commonwealth funding, had four units for individual tenants and a shared facility for three requiring 24-hour care.
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