BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

Dear Residents,

I would like to wish everyone all the best for 2015. Here at Blakehurst we are working towards a happy, healthy New Year for all.

As you can see work has commenced on our new flooring for the facility. The Park is now complete and looking grand. Work will recommence in the Sands in March.

The front foyer has also been revamped, with a fresh coat of paint, some stylish accessories and

elegant art work. Creating a fresh, inviting entrance.

We encourage residents to enjoy our gardens and courtyard areas. We have purchased new outdoor furniture, including new umbrellas, to make the outdoors a little more inviting during summer. These will be up and ready for use at our Australia Day BBQ.

God bless

Bianca Ivancic ESM

Blakehurst Happenings Highlights from December

Resident of the Month

Meet, Dot Bailey, one of the residents of Blakehurst Aged Care

Resident Review The Common Ground Cafe

Upcoming Events Dates for your diary

JANUARY 2015

A A Message from Bianca

IN THIS ISSUE

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE NEWS

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

December had an abundance of entertainment, outings and festive celebrations.

We were fortunate enough to have a performance of Christmas Carols from both the local girl guides and Mater Dei Primary school. The children with their angelic voices, made it easy for the residents to enjoy and sing along. It was lovely to see our young visitors spending time chatting with the residents.

Rhonda our bus driver, made use of her investigative skills to find a sea of Christmas lights. For our Xmas lights outings we went to various locations such as Lilly Pilli, Caringbah, Barden Ridge plus more, but our first destination is always the ice cream shop. Well, we do have to wait for it to get dark!

The Christmas Lights never fail to disappoint, with everyone talking about the outing for days. A big thank you to Rhonda and those who volunteered their time to help make it such a special night.

The Christmas party was enjoyed by one and all, we had a full house. The celebration was kicked off with Misha performing for us, and what a performance she gave! Not only singing all our favourite songs, but also

dancing the day away. Before the day was done we managed to have everyone dancing, either in their seat or on the dance floor!

With an abundance of delicious food and drinks, no one was left wanting more. Thank you, to all the residents, families and staff, for getting involved and making it such a wonderful event.

BLAKEHURST HAPPENINGS - DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

1st Bruce Tuxford Demitrios Grespos

2nd Timothy Dawson Jane Gallo

9th Valerie Peeling Noelene ‘Nola’ Uptin

12th Doris Bailey Myra Slade

13th Charlotte Chaves Syed Azhar

14th Caterina Trimarchy Stanley Whitmore

20th Lionel Howe Xanthipi Polias

23rd Myra Slade Pero Susac

25th Mona Davies

27th Betty Williams

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS!

WELCOME

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

Dot came into this world on Tuesday, January 12th 1915. She grew up in the Camperdown-Paddington area along with her brother, Kevin and sister Gloria.

Dot attended school at Malabar and Bondi, leaving at the age of 13. This was when Dot started working at the Knitting mills in Sydney. Dot continued working at the mills until she had her first son John.

Dot met her husband George Bailey at a Salvation Army band concert. The two were married on the 12th November 1938. Doris says having a family of her own and watching her two wonderful sons grow up and develop is the highlight of her life.

There is a 12 year gap between the two boys, John was born in 1939 and Graham

in 1952. Dot always said this kept them young, having to cope with a teenager growing up in the 50’s and one in the 60’s.

Now Dot has 4 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, who never fail to put a smile on her face.

Dot kept herself very active playing Vigoro and tennis when she was younger. Later in life she was very active with the Red Cross and joined the View Club in Cronulla. George had a passion for motorcycles and cars, which rubbed off on Dot, as she became the social secretary for the Southern Sporting Car Club.

Dot and George were lucky enough to have their own business (E.A Bailey and Sons in Mortdale) that allowed them both to travel. As George was not too keen on flying most of their travels were on Cruise Ships. Some of the places they travelled to were, China, South Africa, Japan, USA, UK & Europe.

One memory that sticks out for Dot was meeting Robert Menzies at a public rally. A 12yr old Dot asked him a question, to which he replied ‘young lady you should be at home in bed at this time of night”

We would like to congratulate Dot on turning the big 100! In doing so, the facility is organising for her a seafood lunch in Cronulla. This was Dot’s birthday wish, and we are more than happy to make it come true.

BLAKEHURST RESIDENT OF THE

MONTH

‘Dot’

Doris Vashti Bailey

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

The bus was loaded, all

ready for the long drive

to Picton. The drive was

pleasant enough, with

nice scenery along the

way.

The Café is situated at

the historic Razorback

Inn giving it a country

feel. The owners, who

were more on the hippie

side, also ran the place.

Making us feel right at

home, chatting away

with us as we made our

decision on our meal

selection.

The menu wasn’t overly

vast, offering Burgers,

Pies, Pizza & Barramundi.

The majority of us at the

table opted for the

flamed grilled

Barramundi, which was

quite delicious. As was

the Artisan Breads, which

is a specialty of theirs and

a must have if you ever

visit. The vegetables

were definitely fresh and

tasty, straight from the

vegie garden out the

back.

I didn’t try any of the

desserts but they did

look tempting.

All in all the meal was

tasty the service

outstanding. I would

return, but it won’t be on

my top 5 list of places to

dine.

Resident review – Common Ground Café by Shirley Hammond

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

Answer on page 7

Riddle On the table is a carton containing 6 eggs. Six people entre the room and take an egg each. Yet one egg remains in the carton, how is this

possible?

FIND A WORD A T W A T T L E D S H Y O

B U F G D O E T Q U R G R

O Y S E S P B T S N F E E

R T H T H E J T U B U K W

K H J H R R D R P U I A S

G O U T B A C K D R A N A

I N S A E H L G K N C G T

N G O O K O D I T X V A T

S S D G J U P F A L C R Y

I U D U I S L A N D A O D

L H F K A E S E T A R O B

B N D I D G E R I D O O N

AUSTRALIA OPERA HOUSE KANGAROO OUTBACK DIDGERIDOO ISLAND SUNBURN THONGS WATTLE

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

LAUGH OUT LOUD

HEALTH TIPS This month’s tips are bought to you by Anthony our Care Manager

Start your day with lemon and water – This aids digestion and cleanses your urinary tract.

Eat Slowly – Makes food easier to digest and you will consume less calories. Spend some time in the sun – Vitamin D is essential for overall health and

wellbeing. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon are the best times to spend a few minutes in the sun.

Maintain Fluids - Not only will this keep you hydrated but also helps compose the brain.

Apply Vitamin E Cream – Vitamin E is one of the most powerful antioxidants, it helps rehydrate your skin and can help prevent premature aging of your skin.

JOKE OF THE MONTH Sheila walked into the kitchen to find Bruce stalking around with a fly swatter.

“What are you doing?” she asked “Hunting flies” he responded “Oh, Killing any?” she asked.

“Yep, 3 males, 2 Females” He replied Intrigued she asked. “How can you tell them apart?”

To which Bruce responded, “3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone.”

Riddle Answers: The last person took the last egg, still in its carton.

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

Our Country

The love of field and coppice, Of green and shaded lanes.

Of ordered woods and gardens Is running in your veins,

Strong love of grey-blue distance Brown steams and soft dim skies

I know but cannot share it, My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains.

I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea,

Her beauty and her terror – The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest

All tragic to the moon, The sapphire-misted mountains,

The hot gold hush of noon. Green tangle of the brushes,

Where lithe lianas coil, And orchids deck the tree-tops And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!

Her pitiless blue sky, When sick at heart, around us,

We see the cattle die – But then the grey clouds gather,

And we can bless again The drumming of an army,

The steady soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country! Land of the Rainbow Gold,

For flood and fire and famine, She pays us back threefold – Over the thirsty paddocks, Watch, after many days,

The filmy veil of greenness That thickens as we gaze.

An opal hearted country,

A wilful, lavish land – All you who have not loved her,

You will not understand Though earth holds many splendours,

Wherever I may die, I know to what brown country My homing thoughts will fly.

POETS CORNER

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

PICTURE PERFECT

BLAKEHURST AGED CARE CENTRE

Australia Day BBQ

Come and enjoy a great Aussie BBQ On Friday 23rd January at 12:30pm in The Park.

Followed by Entertainment With ‘Misha’

UPCOMING EVENTS – JANUARY

Tuesday 6th – Entertainment Misha, Singing at 2:30pm in the Bay

Wednesday 14th – Monthly Birthday Party 10:30am in the Bay with entertainer ‘Kane’

Wednesday 14th – Anglican Church Service 2:30pm in the Bay

Friday 23rd – Aussie Shin Dig in the Park, 12:30pm BBQ Lunch with entertainment by the delightful ‘Misha’ at 1:30pm.

Friday 30th – Entertainment Ian Blakeley singing at 10:30am in the Bay

Bus Outings – Every Monday and Tuesday morning, enjoy a scenic drive and morning tea.

Lunch Bus Outings – Every Wednesday for independent residents

Do you have any news or contributions to this newsletter?

If so please contact Renee or Lisa our Leisure & Lifestyle Coordinators email leisure-blakehurst@ibispl.com.au