Paper Hearts project takes shape

The Paper Hearts Project will culminate in an exhibition at the Space Between, the former Malcolm Reid Building, off Rundle Street.

ACH Group’s community – including residents, community-based art groups, staff and volunteers – are working together to make hearts using coloured origami paper.

The community arts project supports ACH Group’s SALA theme, which is ‘LOVE: give, share, celebrate’.

ACH Group has been involved in the visual arts festival since its first single-venue exhibition in 2010 and has grown to a record seven exhibition venues this year.

ACH Group’s Lenore de la Perrelle says visual art provides an avenue for expression that has many positive flow-on effects.

“When people paint or draw they are describing their emotions; expressing something that they can’t find words for,” she says. “Art gives people the opportunity to look back and think about things in a creative and deeply meaningful way.”

She says SALA participation supports ACH Group’s Healthy Ageing approach which makes it as easy as possible for people in our residential living homes to choose to be active, remain connected and engage in what they love to do.

It also supports the organisation’s six elements that contribute to living a good life: being unique, belonging, contributing, engaging and being optimistic.

SALA runs from 1 to 31 August.

ACH Group exhibition venues:

The Space Between, Level 1, 187 Rundle St, Adelaide

Our Wellbeing Place, 108 Swanport Road, Murray Bridge

Milpara Residential, 147 Saint Bernards Road, Rostrevor

Home Grain Bakery, 13 Old Coach Road, Aldinga

Manoli’s Mezes Mediterranean Cafe, 32 Saltfleet Street, Port Noarlunga

John McVeity Centre (YMCA), 12 Peachey Road, Smithfield Plains

McLaren Vale Club, 177 Main Road, McLaren Vale

Love is in the air for artists

Pat Egan didn’t pick up a paintbrush until three years ago, and now there’s no stopping him.

From birds, to boats and buildings – and in acrylics, pencil and ink – Pat’s creativity is ever-evolving.

But the artwork he’s currently working on is particularly unique.

“Three years ago there’s no way I would have pictured myself drawing ‘love,’ but that’s exactly what I’m doing with this piece,” Pat said, as he gestured towards his intricate line drawing of India’s famed Taj Mahal, which was built for love.

Pat’s artwork, which he will complete with pen and ink, will feature in this year’s South Australian Living Arts (SALA) Festival, at the ‘Space Between’ exhibition in Adelaide.

ACH Group’s theme for this year’s festival, which runs from August 1-31, is Love: give, share, celebrate.

“Painting to a theme is challenging, because it makes you think outside the square. But it’s good to have challenges as you get older – it certainly keeps the brain active!” Pat – who is a member of the Osmond Social Art Group at Norwood, said.

Pat began painting when his career as an architect was brought to a sudden halt after suffering a stroke four years ago.

“I spent one year convalescing and then started the hard road back to good physical health. A stroke really knocks you physically and you have to be disciplined and stay mentally strong to get better.”

He says painting gave him a new focus and direction as his body slowly healed.

“I’d never painted before, but ACH Group told me there was an art class nearby, so I thought I’d give it a go.”

“As an architect I used to work a lot in lines, but now I have the freedom to try different mediums and subjects. I really love it.”

Would you like to join an art group? ACH Group runs a number of art groups across Adelaide. For more information, call ACH Group on 1300 224 477. 

Teddies bring smiles to sick kids

ACH Group Bedford Heights Estate Craft Group presented an armful of AFL-themed teddy bears to the Box Hill Hospital Children’s Ward in May.

The group made the 39 colourful teddies at its weekly get-together.

“We wanted to do something for the children and someone suggested that teddy bears might be a nice idea,” Group Convenor Gloria Turner says. “We thought if children are feeling a bit flat, a teddy is a good way to make them feel better; it’s something they can get attached to.”

Fifteen were decked out in AFL colours and a few were dressed in pink skirts to represent the players’ ‘wives and girlfriends’.

The bears were warmly received by staff at the hospital, who said they would also appeal to older age groups.

“We were told that doctors use these bears if patients are anxious or confused and that it brings an enormous amount of comfort; they’re a distraction that makes people feel comfortable,” Gloria says.

Staff told them that the bears would bring comfort to parents of sick children.

“The parents appreciate that someone has given their energy and thought to their child; that makes the bears special,” she said.

For more information on Bedford Heights’ 147 independent living villas at Box Hill, Melbourne, please contact ACH Group on (03) 9890 8514.

Band plays on for Jeff

Jeff Uern is a man in demand. The trumpet and coronet player is a member of three bands and most weeks plays to an audience somewhere in Adelaide.

Living in a hassle-free independent retirement unit at Salisbury, Jeff manages to find time to help out at the auto repair business he founded, enjoy a weekly motorbike ride and fulfil his duties as treasurer of Playford City Bands Inc.

Jeff, 83, started playing the trumpet in his 20s, and was a regular fixture at beer gardens and cabarets as a member of a dance band during the years of ‘six o’clock closing’.

Life became busy after he married, with four kids to raise and a business to run.

“I hadn’t picked up an instrument for 40 years until I joined the Late Starters Band (later renamed the Playford City Band) when I retired,” he says. “I got out my old trumpet and started playing again.”

From there Jeff went on to join the Salisbury City Brass, then the 14-piece German band Die Lustige Kapelle (‘The Fun Band’).

He practises for half an hour a day and regularly performs to community groups and in public concerts across the state.

“Music is a necessary part of my life,” he says. “Reading music stimulates my brain, and playing and connecting with others is something I love to do.”

Jeff gets a kick out of performing, especially when he has a solo.

“It feels really good when you stand up and think well, I can’t sing, but I sure as hell can play this instrument.

“The thing about music is that there’s just so much of it – there’s always something to learn; you never stop learning.”

He also enjoys playing at Minda where he performs three times a year to people with an intellectual disability.

“It’s nice to see those kids enjoying themselves; smiling and laughing. Music is a big part of their lives, just like it is for everyone else.”

To find out more about ACH Group’s independent living options, phone 1300 224 477.

Friends step out for reconciliation

Next week, as South Australians celebrate National Reconciliation Week, friends from indigenous and non-indigenous backgrounds will meet for their weekly dance class.

The Otherway Guys and Gals dancing group is a collaboration between ACH Group’s Social Links program and the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry at Stepney.

The class began in 2012 when ACH Group’s Aboriginal Wyatt Holiday customers joined a Social Links dance group at Burnside.

Social Links Coordinator Tash Burczyk says by the time the six-week program ended and the venue was no longer available, strong friendships had formed.

“It has been so successful, not just in terms of dancing, but in terms of reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous customers,” she says.

The Aboriginal Catholic Ministry at Stepney offered its Otherway Centre at Stepney as a venue, and the group meets there every Wednesday.

Otherway Centre Coordinator June Romeo says the class is more popular than ever.

“They are all so close, there’s a lovely bond there, so we’re pleased that a way was found to keep it going,” she says. “We went and did a demonstration at the Aboriginal Elders Village this year which was great – everyone loved it.”

Marsha Hind, who came to Adelaide from Scotland 47 years ago, is happy to be part of the group.

“I have my music on at home all day long and I dance all day long,” she says. “I love dancing and I love the company.”

Dance instructor Margaret Plew says beginner level line dancing is low impact which is suitable for people who are recovering from injury or illness.

“We try to keep it at a speed and pace that suits everybody,” she says. “You don’t need a partner, but you’re still having fun and socialising.” 

WHAT: Otherway Guys and Gals Dance Group

WHEN: Wednesdays, 1pm to 2.30pm

WHERE: Otherway Centre, Stepney

COST: $5

Katie set to cook at Tasting Australia

ACH Group chef Katie Otto will demonstrate how to cook dishes for people with dementia as part of Maggie Beer’s ‘Food in Aged Care’ Think Session at Tasting Australia next month.

Katie, who won the ‘Every Dollar Counts’ competition against five other chefs from aged care organisations at the 2014 Tasting Australia event, will join Food Ambassador Peter Morgan-Jones in a session on ‘It’s All About The Food, Not The Fork’.

Each will present dishes suitable for those with dementia, including Katie’s high-energy protein balls.

Katie says ACH Group is a leader in preparing ‘moulded’ food – texture-modified food that is both nutritious and delicious.

“These foods are visually appealing and quite simple to prepare, with minimal ingredients,” she says. “I am proud of the food we produce and I am looking forward to sharing this knowledge with other chefs, carers and the wider community.”

The cooking session is open to the public and will be held on Wednesday 4 May from 2.30pm to 3.15pm at Tasting Australia Town Square, in the northern half of Victoria Square.

The event will also include a panel discussion on ‘Creating an Appetite For Life’, an intergenerational choir performance, and a cooking challenge between Maggie Beer and the ‘nonnas’ from PISA Italian Meals & Services.

Katie will continue to share her knowledge as an instructor at TAFE SA Regency and Barossa campuses, where she will present a unit of the new short course ‘Enhancing Your Cookery Skills and Nutrition Knowledge in Aged Care’ that kicks off in June.

Enrol for the TAFE course here: https://www.tafesa.edu.au/xml/course/sc/sc_T519175549.aspx

Read Tasting Australia’s full program at www.tastingaustralia.com.au/

Group tees off for younger people with dementia

A new golf group at West Beach is part of an innovative project that aims to transform the way services for people with younger onset dementia are delivered in South Australia.

The weekly golf group kicked off in November with help from an ACH Group Foundation grant and support from Alzheimer’s Australia (SA) through the Younger Onset Dementia Key Worker Program.

Each participant is living with younger onset dementia, a condition that occurs in people under 65 years old.

The program is run by a golf professional from Adelaide Shores Golf Club, with support from an ACH Group support worker and volunteer.

The program is coordinated by Louise Bower, through Swan Cottage respite services, and is also being supported as part of ACH Group’s Tailor Made Project, which aims to develop a ‘tailor made’ respite model for younger people living with dementia, their families and carers.  Tailor Made explores the notion that other forms of respite care can provide better outcomes for both the person with dementia and their carer or family member.

Dementia Learning and Development Unit Senior Project Officer Kelly Quinlan says there is a lack of specific services to cater for this group, which numbers about 2,500 across the state.

She says most encounter challenges in accessing services that are mostly provided through the aged care sector, and may not be appropriate for their age, level of fitness or interests.

“People often have younger children and mortgages and might still be working at the time of diagnosis,” she says. “They also tell us that their social networks fall away because people just don’t know how to deal with it – it’s not easy.”

She says being engaged in the community, being physically active and having opportunities to learn new things are all important.

Group member Ian Drummond, a former police officer who had to retire early due to his diagnosis, says the social and physical benefits of the golf group are invaluable.

“We help each other out where we can, and we have a bit of fun – we don’t take things too seriously,” he says. “It’s great to get outside to have a go at golf and with others who know what you’re going through.”

To find out more about the Tailor Made Project contact Kelly Quinlan on 8159 3462 or email [email protected]

Betty goes with the flow

Volunteer Betty Wolf combines her passion for art and counselling as lead artist at ACH Group’s ‘Continue the Flow’ Community Art Group at Murray Bridge.

Betty is a much-loved contributor to the weekly program, which offers art workshops for older people living with memory loss.

She was born in Holland and has lived in many parts of the world including Scotland, her last port of call before moving to Australia with her husband and three children in 2001.
With a background in social sciences and education, Betty spent much of her career working with cancer patients as a counsellor.
“I discovered that creative activities can help put minds at rest, and that instilled in me a desire to use my creativity for therapeutic reasons,” she says.

On her arrival in Australia Betty studied a diploma of visual arts, specialising in tapestry weaving, and became an active member of the local arts community.

She helped establish the Continue the Flow Community Art Group five years ago following the successful ‘In the Flow’ street banner project in Muarry Bridge.

She loves seeing the benefits that art can bring, particularly to people living with dementia.

“I love working with people to bring out their creativity and to see them learning new skills, interacting socially and relaxing is very rewarding,” Betty says. “It brings people together to engage with one another and it’s stimulating for the mind, as well.

“The upbeat atmosphere shows the value of being together, sharing stories, being creative and having fun.”

Each week Betty consults with the group before choosing a theme that is meaningful and tries to draw on long term memories that many people find are still accessible.

“Some people say to me ‘I haven’t thought about this for a long time’,” she says. “There’s so much joy in remembering old songs and things people can share together.”

“The process of making art is just as important as the finished product. It gives people a real feeling of achievement.”

The group works with a variety of art techniques including painting, drawing, clay work, collage, weaving and mixed media.

Their work on the theme of ‘Love’ will be exhibited as part of this year’s South Australian Living Artists (SALA) festival in August.

To join the weekly Thursday program or for more information please contact ACH Group on 1300 224 477

Fred’s gift to last a lifetime

At 86, Mr Biggerstaff is an avid painter who donated one of his oil paintings depicting a scene at Clarendon, along with a generous donation to The ACH Group Foundation.

The painting will take pride of place in the new Foundation Room, opened in October 2015.

The new room – established by a grant from a private donor – will add to the short term respite already available through the first Foundation Room which opened in January 2013.

ACH Group Foundation Development Manager Paul Harris says the Foundation Rooms provide older people and carers an alternative to the traditional government-funded aged care model when they need it most.

“The service means people can avoid unnecessary assessments and access levels of support beyond typical offerings within the system,” he says.

“There are no geographical restrictions placed on where they lived, they can stay as long as they need in order to be able to return home, and the service is provided free of charge with the option of a voluntary contribution.”

“The ACH Group Foundation wishes to acknowledge that these achievements have been made possible through the generosity and commitment of our highly respected private donor along with the exceptional staff at Perry Park who have embraced and enacted this exciting vision.”

To find out more about the ACH Group Foundation please contact Paul Harris on (08) 8159 3407.

Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience brings back memories

Thelma Pope became the oldest person to take in the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience when it toured Adelaide in March.

The 106-year-old created a buzz when the national exhibition organisers discovered her age and her photo and visit was recorded on the group’s Facebook page.

Thelma, who lives at Kapara in Glenelg South, was one of several ACH Group residents who toured the exhibition.

A group from Perry Park at Port Noarlunga also took in the stunning photography, audio and interactive displays that brought Australia’s war years to life, from the eve of the First World War to World War 2 and beyond.

They included Pearl Uden, 86, who was nine and living in the UK when World War 2 broke out in Europe.

She and other Perry Park residents wore red poppies crocheted by residents during the visit.

See a virtual tour of the exhibition via www.spiritofanzac.gov.au.