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Headstart ABI Services 95 Turnbull St HAMILTON NSW 2303

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NewsLink

NewsLink is produced by many people involved at Headstart ABI Service

We welcome contributions from everyone:- an article, letter. photograph, poetry, etc. We also

welcome suggestions as to articles that we could write about for future issues.

We appreciate feedback on things like the size of our typeface, layout and general appearance of

our newsletter.

HAVE YOUR SAY on these, or any other issues by writing to us at:

Headstart ABI Services

95 Turnbull Street

HAMILTON NSW 2303

Phone: (02) 49654420

Good onya Daniel and James for cooking a fantastic Pavlova and caramel slice for our Christmas Party. They were delicious. And Daniel your rendition of Silent Night was beau-

Good onya everyone– consumers, staff and committee for meeting the challenges of the year and making 2018 a fantastic experience for us all. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Good onya Gary Stanton and Kim for finding the correct venue for a CET presentation even though we’d been supplied with the wrong address!

Good onya Gary and Richard for sorting out the tool box at Headstart. Now we can find the tools that we need instead of rummaging around!

The Newsletter of the Headstart ABI Services

Volume 23 Issue 4 Dec 2018

Page 1. Newslink

In late November,

after a long process,

Jason Edwards got

the keys to his new

home. Jason has

been living with his

mum and dad up to

now and, as you can

see by the picture on

the right, he is

pretty excited about

moving into his own

place.

Col (far left) looking like a rock star himself, amongst the crowd at the Queens of the Stone Age concert.

By Lyn Wilkes

I loved my holiday in

Coffs Harbour . We

did lots of activities

over the week–

Butterfly House, Big

Banana, Porpoise

Pet Pool, lookouts,

drove to Nimbin for

the day. Lyn also

loved going to the

Hoey Moey pub to

watch a live bands. I

can’t wait to go away

By Col Reid

Last night Chris picked me up for the band “Queens of the Stone Age”. I had a good night and, it

made me laugh, we got a park right in front of the snack bar ( a joke between us).

Dub’s (Zeke) is a ‘goodun’. He

takes me to the break wall for a walk on Tuesdays. If not we go for coffee at the Corner Lane Café.

Christie, Ken, Pete, Dayne, Cheryl and James cool off at the Merewether ocean baths.

Page 2. Newslink

Snapshots from the ED’s Desk

It’s Christmas again and its has been a mammoth yerar!! It is the perfect time to reflect on our lives and on all the happenings this year. Whilst the time has flown by, there has also been an amazing amount of things happening. Our renovations are nearing completion, we have a new Service Manag-er Kes and 3 new Co-workers Nicola, Lauren and Bec. Also we faced some sad times in losing mem-bers of the service and our love and thoughts are passed to their family members especially at this time.

This year we commenced work on our marketing plan to include our upcoming TV commercials and redoing our website and placing regular postings on facebook. All of this gets our name ”out there” into the community so that people after an injury or stroke or tumour can find us much more easily.

Christmas is about family, friends, peace, fun, joy and giving. Our Christmas Party on Wednesday 13th was one of the very best ever! You are all such a lively and happy crowd…our hearty thanks to San-ta Daniel, and to our resident chef James and to Gary Luke for his photos.

This year we have seen many people achieve their goals, or come closer to achieving their dreams! Our satisfaction comes from being a part of seeing these achievements happen in your lives. I would like to thank all of you!! Consumers, carers, support workers, co-workers — you are the reason we have such a solid reputation and I thank you for that—your hard work and dedication is second to none. Till next year...stay safe and I leave you with Shaz’s photo, and wish you a Happy Christmas and wonderful New Year for 2019.

Committee Of Management

Chair: Lorraine Blair Secretary: Romeo Donolato Treasurer: Tracey Laverick Ordinary Members: Phillippe Phan Sue Reid Deb Hodgson

Community Education Team

Tracey Blair Dominic Coates Jason Comerford Romeo Donolato Ken Fewings Tim Grant Stephen Little Scott Priestley Colin Reid Dayne Robertson Richard Sarrasqueta Gary Stanton Darren Swain

Staff

ED: Sue McHattie Finance & Admin Manager Therese Paksi Manager Service & Supports Kesley Skippen Admin Assist: Lisa Johns Accounts Clerk: Sylvia Kuijpers Co-Workers: Mel Armstrong Adrienne Bryce Leanne Cox Kellie Crane Will Hoey Lauren Kiely Nicola Nicolaou Andrew Sutherland Samantha Trajanovska Recreation Worker: Cheryl Cheers Community Educator: Will Hoey

And our large team of hardworking Support Workers

Newslink Production

Design/layout/editing: Andrew Sutherland Resident photographer: Gary Luke Drawings: Jason Comerford

You have the right to complain under the Community Services (Complaints, review and monitoring) Act 1993. If you have a complaint there are steps to take. At each step, every effort will be made to resolve your complaint before going to the next step.

Step 1. Talk with the person concerned Step 2: Talk with Co-worker, staff member Step 3: Talk with Director Step 4: Talk with Chairperson Step 5: Talk with Committee Step 6: Talk with an outside service

At each step you have the right to have someone else present if you wish. This person is called an advocate and may be your friend, family member, staff member, paid advocate or someone else. If you wish Headstart can help you locate an independent advocate.

Newslink Page 11.

Definition of INDELIBLE : that which cannot be removed, washed away, or erased. Making marks that cannot easily be removed or forgotten. Lasting …

The two brilliant photographs below were taken by members of our Happy Snappers Photography Group. There will be more indelible images in the next issue...

Q.

What is a sprain?

Q.

What country did

acupuncture

Q.

How wide

is DNA?

Q.

Which sporting

team is known as

A.

One 80 Billionth

of an inch

A.

Australian

Netball Team

A.

China (over 25oo

years ago)

A.

A stretch or

tear of a

ligament

By Ken Fewings

Dom Coates took this shot and achieved a slightly surreal mood by with the diagonal horizon, leaning poles. And withdrawing figure. The colour and cloud

This shot by Deb Todd is also quite surreal. The metal object in the foreground becomes the main focus– a sculptural form that dominates the picture plane. Then we become aware of the

By Danial Sheedy

Recently I have started singing with the Brainwaves Aphasia choir group for about six weeks now. It has given me the opportunity to meet new people and improve my social skills which has been great.

Even though I do have trouble with word finding and reading the songs I’m improving with these things each time we practice on Saturday mornings. I sang at my first concert on the 8th of December in Newcastle mall. I’m looking forward to singing at more concerts in the Daniel (centre) with fellow singers

Newslink Page 10.

Christmas Wishes

Wanted to post a card to you from me

That could be put up near the tree Or somewhere you'd station a show-piece

Something like a mantel piece?

Thought that it would be totally great Like fishing with plenty of bait

If across these miles between us My words could travel with nary a fuss!

But have too often put it off

And now faced with the Christmas cut-off See there's only one thing I can do- A rhyme via email from me to you.

Which isn't so bad, as I think For while useless is writing ink There is another, newer invention

Which can help to get your attention.

I promise it won't take all-that long And when it's done you can just run along

For the folks you are with deserve your Attention— Not internet voices from distant

dimensions!

Of each I gladly think-ses And send all my best-est wishes

That the Silly Season this year Unites and gives plenty of cheer.

So I send out my warmest regards

In lieu of the typical card... And now I must away Will see y'all some other day! Tim Grant

As you can see below, Cath Turner has done some more beautiful mosaic work. There seems to be an

Anne loves her new fridge

Tom with his brand new fridge

Two consumers– Anne and Tom– were able to purchase new fridges recently through the Appliance Replacement Offer.

You can apply online for the appliance replacement offer.

When you replace your old, inefficient model, you can receive:

• 40% off the cost of a fridge

• 50% off the cost of a television

The offer applies to selected fridge and television models.

To replace your fridge, your current fridge must be at least 6 years old. To replace your televi-sion, you must own a plasma or cathode ray tube (CRT) television. To receive this offer you must be a NSW resident and hold one of the following:

• Pensioner Concession Card

• Health Care Card or Low Income Health

Care Card from Centrelink

• Veterans' Affairs Gold Card

There are other conditions that apply. Ask your Headstart Co-worker about the application process.

Newslink Page 3. Newslink Page 3.

Lyn (left) with some of the other contributors at the nursing home

By Lyn Maddison

Fridays, Therese and I go to Fronditha Aged Care and do voluntary work in the little shop.

We enjoy our time with all the residents. Quite often they come down and have a cup of tea with us and a chat.

They talk about where they lived and their families and I think they enjoy our company. We enjoy their company too. It’s nice to go somewhere and hear of old times rather than the young ones and their ‘ra ra’ music! I think they seem to enjoy it. There is a lot for them to do. The staff are nice too.

Last Friday I was invited to a talent show. Some danced and they had a little dog doing tricks. I took over my mosaics, the gui-tar, frames, Christmas balls and

some other things. I spoke about my love for mosaics and I think they were surprised at what I can do with one arm.

We are hoping they will all have a very merry Christmas. Our Christmas greetings are with them all and I just hope they stay

Speaking about her

Lyn’ made this beautiful Christmas

tree decoration

By Timothy Grant In October I responded to an ad for a ‘General Service Officer’ at a nearby Aged Care Facility. To my surprise, I was called that very afternoon and asked to come in for an interview! Shortly after, I was offered the position of Laundry Attendant. This has not been without its challenges, but already I am feeling a lot more confident with the job.

As it’s developed, my shifts loosely follow the same pattern:

From the Nurses, I have learnt the value of having a ‘hand-over’. I’ll clock in about fifteen minutes early, and be updated on where things are at. 'Wash these', I might be told, or 'deliver these trolleys’ of clothes’, which gives me a headstart on how the shift is to progress. Writing a few pages of key notes (‘hang these’

and ‘operate-like-so’) for quick reference has helped too.

There is always a mound of personal linen to be sorted, which threw me in those first few weeks. But the alphabetical list of resident’s names made shortly after I started with their room number helps tremendously, as does composing a mental map of people and faces by delivering to them. ‘So-and-so?’ I’ll think. ‘Oh, he’s in wing 2!’ and often look straight to the trolley.

I wrestled with those bothersome sheets and blankets at first! Then I was showed a neat way of folding those pesky fitted sheets and the handy-man told me about the '3rd Arm'. A tool used by the hos-pitality industry, it has a clamp and footswitch which allows you to fold linen sheets with minimal back-strain and zero ground-time. Haven’t looked back. So for the first few hours of my shift

I’ll alternate between washing, drying, folding and delivering, which will of course be guided by the hand-over. Then in the last hour I’ll set aside some time to focus on the cleaning routine. The lint filters must emptied, the soiled linen trolleys must be cleaned (Residents’ can be quite care-free with corn-flakes), floors must be regularly swept and mopped, bins must be emptied and supplies need re-stocking.

On a good day I’ll knock off maybe five minutes late. Sometimes I may stay back a little longer if I’m a bit behind, but there’s kind of an unspoken agreement there. ‘You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours,’ I was told one day, and I get that. Can’t rest on my laurels just yet, mind you- still gotta pass the six-month probation- but they’re a good bunch to be working with, and I’m feeling optimistic about this...

Newslink Page 4.

Officer Marika

Andy and Andrew (rear) watch as Dayne tries on the gear

As of 1 July 2018, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

will assume responsibility for most complaints relating to the NDIS in NSW. It will work with NDIS participants, service providers, workers and the community.

Among other things the Commission will:

• Respond to complaints and reportable incidents, includ-ing abuse and neglect of NDIS participants,

• Promote the NDIS principles of choice and control, and work to empower participants to exercise their rights to access good quality services as informed, protected consumers,

• Register and regulate NDIS providers and oversee the new NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards, and

• Monitor compliance against the NDIS Code of Conduct and Practice Standards including undertaking

investigations and enforcement action.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will continue to handle internal complaints and complaints about participants plans. Participants can still contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman, NSW Ombudsman and NSW Fair Trading about NDIS complaints and be pointed in the right direction. For more information on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission visit www.ndiscommission.gov.au or call the NDIA on 1800 800 110

By Jason Comerford

We went for a tour of the Newcastle police station. It was pretty cool. We checked out the protective gear. I didn’t realise it was so heavy to wear.

One of the coppers demonstrated how to use a baton. He talk ed about the old style batons then showed us the new ones. He flicked it out real quick and showed us how it could be used. We went down to the underground car park. It was cool. Had a look at the police cars and I got into the back of the paddy wagon.

Leah would make a great policewoman.

Ken puts the gear on and looks like he could subdue a riot

Kynan and Jason try the gear

Page 9.

Good mates Zaklina and Marika Kristy, Zaklina, Lyn, Mele, Mary and Andie Christmas shopping

Sharynn gets pampered Zaklina gets her nails done

By Pat Turner

Women’s Group have had a very busy year with many varied activities. Mele joined us and is enjoying the activities and company of everyone. It has been great to share everyone’s birthdays with a special lunch for each one.

Free concerts at Belmont 16fts then a delicious lunch to follow. Sharon was so pleased to see us at Nelson Bay Bowling Club, as we don’t get to see Sharon very often it was a special treat for everyone.

Painting nails was a big hit– very glamourous for those who

participated. Thanks to Lorena for supplying the products.

Christmas shopping is always welcome each year– it comes around too quickly! Popular by far is Musical Bingo– prizes to be won and very exciting! Thanks to Carolyn and Paul for entertaining us.

Some thoughts from the participating women on why they like coming to Women’s Group:

Lyn: It’s good company– talking, enjoying the day out. Being listened to.

Marika: Ilike to talk– don’t like to be quiet! In my home there is no

one to talk to. At Women’s Group I can talk. I like to wear my beautiful clothes.

Zaklina: I like to speak English. Everyone talks to me. It’s good to be with nice people, joking and laughing. I feel smart. It helps my memory.

Mary: Nothing! Oh yes, coffee with everyone. Even though I can’t taste things I still like to have the food with the Women’s Group.

Sharynn: I like all my friends at Women’s Group. When we go out to different places my support is very nice and friendly and helpful.

The girls get ready for a nice lunch

Social Wrecks

Page 8.

Pete enjoying his swim

And poses some more

Dayne enters the water

Santa poses with the crew

Pete is also very good at bombs

Pete dips a toe in Santa and one of his helpers at the baths

The lifeguard knew Santa

Ken Weaver has just completed another great project at Tanilba Bay Men’s Shed – a fantastic bright red wheelbarrow!

Ken doesn’t waste time. He has already started his next project which is to make a tool box for his son.

Newslink Page 5.

Ken starts the project

Jason works hard with physiotherapist Nicole

Ken with the finished product.

Leah whistling to a hungry camel

Entertainment books are available for order online. Cost is $65

There is still also a hard copy version available. To order online go to http://bit.ly/1N9NJEW And identify Headstart as your charity of choice.

To place an order now phone 4965 4420 or see Admin at the front desk

Thank you for your support!!!

By Nicole Edgeworth Physiotherapy

Jason Edwards what a legend!

I have been working collaboratively with Jason for the past 2 years, but Jason first started coming to Edgeworth Physiotherapy in 2014. Since then he has been involved in many changes both personally, physically and mentally.

We have been completing functional activities and exercises twice a week, working towards his goals of increasing his balance, confidence, motivation and strength, specifically in his capacity of walking and daily functional activities.

Our sessions consist of 30 mins and activities include a combina-

tion of the following; bike riding, treadmill walking, balance activi-ties, walking unaided, strengthen-ing movements and always a laugh. Jason has a wicked sense of humour which also helps with the motivation and friendship be-tween us.

As a part of our sessions we have kept results and notes to provide incentive and record Jason' s progress. Recently Jason has decreased his risk of falls by 8 points which is quite significant.

Just goes to show that with perseverance and dedication, even on those days when we don't feel like it, our actions really do matter and really do make a difference and results in

The barrow is taking shape

Newslink Page 6.

Social Wrecks

Rachel, Ashley and James playing UNO after 10 pin Cheryl and James with play a big connect 4

The best way to look at this sequence of Santa jumping into the pool is from right to left.

It was a month of firsts for Mark- Ken fishing at Dom frocked up on Melbourne

Newslink Page 7.

Social Wrecks

From right, Santa starts his run up, launches himself over the top of Jett and into the pool

Lyn welcomes Col back to the shooting range

Mark’s first attempt at archery saw him shooting like a pro

Col returns to archery after a lengthy break. He’s still got it!

Ken with a yummy desert Leah (right) picnics with friends Shaz out and about in the bay