NEWSLETTER - Carers` Society Otago

NEWSLETTER
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016
Carers' Society Otago
Community House
301 Moray Place
Dunedin 9016
03 4716204
[email protected]
www.carersotago.org.nz
CC 32766
Susan says,
Here is some good advice from the book The Selfish Pig's Guide to Caring by Hugh Marriot.
You may borrow this book from our library in the Carers' Lounge.
TEN TOP TIPS FOR CARERS
1. Ask another carer. When stymied for information ask other carers. One of them will know.
2. Don't want what you can't have. Caring can clip your wings and it's easy to feel bitter. An
effective response is to decide not to want what you can't have.
3. Develop a thick skin. Carers have to be like double glazing salespeople, throroughly
accustomed to rejection and totally resilient to it.
4. Share the caring. It isn't the caree who has wrought this cataclysmic change in your life. It's
the disability, which you both share. So it's ok to share the caring too.
5. Start talking. Carers feel isolated. But we aren't because there are millions of us. We should
talk to one another, not suffer in silence.
6. Don't stop asking. Whether you're asking for support, equipment, or information, the chances
are you might get a 'no' answer. Keep asking.
7. Keep Caree Time. Carees operated at a slower pace and it can drive you bonkers. The answer
is to live within their timeframe.
8. Wear a special uniform and adopt a professional manner. Carees often pay no attention to
their carer, but slavishly follow the instructions of anyone in a uniform.
9. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. People tell you you're a saint, which you know you're
not. But then, when you lash out or swear, you become upset with yourself.
10. Be selfish. You may think you're selfish because from time to time you entertain 'if only' or
even 'evil' thoughts. The truth is that you're not selfish enough. Lower your standards a bit. Be
your own carer sometimes.
That last bit is very important. Caring for yourself is one of the hardest things to do because we
are so used to it being a selfish act. The rationale behind self care is that if you don't take care of
yourself and fall over, who will care for your caree. So take frequent and regular breaks to
recharge your batteries and you will 'last' a lot longer. You will find a shelf in our library devoted
to books on self care. Come in and have a look or call us and we can send you the booklist.
Take care.........................................Susan
TAKE A BREAK TAKE A BREAK TAKE A BREAK
TAKE A BREAK TAKE A BREAK
CARERS’ MEETINGS 2016
SOUTH OTAGO CARERS’ MEETINGS
Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of every ALTERNATE MONTH at 6:30 pm in the Brian Dodds
Room of Clutha Health First.
SEPTEMBER 6 - Carers, get ready to be pampered.
MILTON CARERS' GROUP
All Milton carers are welcome to attend the Balclutha meetings. If you would like to be picked up
please ring the office on 03 471 6204.
NORTH OTAGO CARERS' GROUP
Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the months of February, May, August and November in
the Weston Community Church.
AUGUST 9 - Pebble Painting. Please bring some nice pebbles to paint.
CENTRAL OTAGO CARERS’ GROUP
Meetings are held at 2pm on the 1st Thursday of the months of February, May, September and
November in the Alexandra Community House.
SEPTEMBER 1 - Our speaker is from the Central Otago Friendship Network.
DUNEDIN CARERS’ MEETINGS
Meetings are held every month on the 2nd Thursday of the month beginning in MARCH at 1:30 pm in
the Alexander McMillan Room, Community House, 301 Moray Place.
AUGUST 11 - CARERS' SOCIETY OTAGO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 8 - Kovido, Mindful Stretching.
WALKING GROUP
th
We meet on the 4 Tuesday of every alternate month. The walk usually starts with a coffee at 10am.
Latecomers can get a coffee to go. All carers welcome. We would like to suggest that walkers meet
informally in the intervening months when the group does not meet. Please check with the latest
Newsletter for the meeting place.
AUGUST 23 - 10 am. We are meeting at Toitu Early Settlers Museum.
YOUNG CARERS' GROUP
rd
Meetings are held on the 3 Thursday of the month, 5:30 – 7pm. Contact Susan or Anneloes for more
information 471 6204.
Young Carers will be sent a monthly Newsletter advising of the dates and activities.
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party was a resounding success for Dunedin carers. Good food, lots of laughs,
and fun quizes were the order of the day.
The Dunedin Walking Group met at the Otago Museum for a coffee and then experienced a home
grown Planetarium show put on especially for us. A good time was had by all.
The South Otago Carers met for a lovely afternoon tea in Milton. Lots of scones, cream and jam.
Yum!
WHEELCHAIRS: We have two wheelchairs available at the moment.
WHEN A CARER BECOMES A CAREE
Anneloes wrote this while she was off work so that the information would be fresh from
her experience.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
As most of you know by now I had a fall back in March and ended up breaking my ankle. It turned out
a complicated break. There I was: from a life lived full with work, family, friends, music, garden and
dog to a complete stand-still. I had to surrender to two weeks in hospital, operations, 8 weeks in bed at
home and now a very slow recovery.
Hardest of all was the loss of power, control and independence. To be able to return home my dog had
to go to a kennel and I needed lots of help. I went from being a carer to a full-time caree. It has been
and still is an amazing process. I would like to share with you some of my findings.
First of all I found out I had many very good friends. Amazing what people do for you without having
to ask. Food was cooked and brought to me, people did my laundry, helped with my garden and
provided me with lots and lots of visits. They shared my fears, my ups and downs, my tears and my
laughter.
I guess my most valuable discovery is that it is never the people that let you down: the nurses and
doctors in the hospital, the social workers, my ACC case manager, my careworkers who are still coming
to my house, all those people proved to be amazing and fantastic. It is the system however that lets the
people down. As an example I learned to appreciate how hard careworkers work and that they can't be
always on time but I couldn't accept that the agency doesn't ring when there is a big delay or even a
cancellation, or when they are sending a new person to do your showering. Personal care is an intimate
process and it is upsetting if you get 3 different people in a week to tend to that aspect of your care.
Some tips:
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•
•
•
•
Embrace the technology! I listened to the radio, I learned to watch movies online, how to play games on
my lap top and above all to use my e-reader and quite frankly I was never bored.
I loved doing the online shopping with Countdown. I felt in control in a small part of my life. It is one
thing to ask a friend to bring some milk but quite another thing to present them with a huge shopping list.
A great service and delivered on the kitchentable.
I loved using Driving Miss Daisy. They are an awesome service. Their care of you is great. When I had
to go to the facture clinic they arranged for a wheelchair and wheeled me right to the waitingroom and
picked me up there as well.
I was glad CSO had a wheelchair available because it enabled my friends to take me for a drive and a
small walk by the sea.
If people offered help I learned to say yes! I also learned how to ask for what I needed. A caree does a
lot of thinking having a lot of time on her hands. And often I felt I couldn't ask for help or company not
wanting to over stretch my carers' good will but I learned after a while to trust that if they wouldn't want
to or it wouldn't suit they would tell me so.
It is exhausting trying to be a good patient and I think as carers we often forget. My world has become so small
and the most insignificant thing can really upset me and because I don't want to worry my carers I keep trying to
put a brave face on everything.
After a while the novelty has worn off and people start to fall away. They still come but not as often; they need to
get on with their own lives. I have started looking forward to my regular careworkers and I feel they have
become part of my life and it will be strange once this is all behind me to see them go.
A G M
We have our Annual General Meeting coming up on August 11. The meeting is held
in the Alexander McMillan Room of Community House at the time of our regular
Carers meeting, 1:30. At the meeting we hold the election of members to the
Governance Committee.
The Governance Committee meets once a month on a Thursday, from 12:30 to
1:30, to pay the monthly bills and to listen to reports from the Treasurer and the
Community Workers. They also meet to decide on current matters and develop
future strategies, policies, and any constitutional changes necessary to keep up with
legislation.
This is an important committee that steers Carers' Society in the right direction.
If you or someone you know would like to be on the Governance Committee, you
will find a nomination form below, in the Carers' Lounge, or at the AGM.
The Governance Committee is a friendly group of people that quite efficiently get
through the business side of things within the meeting hour.
CARERS' SOCIETY OTAGO
Annual General Meeting
11 August 2016
1:30pm
Alexander McMillan Room
Community House
301 Moray Pl
Dunedin
I nominate ...................................................................................................
for membership to the Governance Committee of Carers' Society Otago.
Signed:..........................................................
Address:..................................................................................
I second this nomination...............................................................................
Signed….......................................................................................................
Address....................................................................................
WILL YOU HELP US?
At this time of year Carers' Society Otago makes a request for donations. All the
services provided by Carers' Society Otago are free of charge to members and to
non-members, but we always appreciate donations from anyone who feels they are
able to contribute.
Our Ministry of Health contract ended in September 2015. This means that we will
have to seek out new funders for 40% of our operating budget in order to continue
to provide our Otago wide service as we do. This is a tall order.
Our ultimate aim is to ensure that every carer in Otago is recognized and supported
and to date Carers' Society Otago has come a long way in achieving this goal.
We are an incorporated, not for profit organization with charitable status and you
will receive a tax deduction for any donation over $5.
If you wish to make an internet or phone banking deposit our details are as follows:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: Carers Society (Otago)
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 03 0903 0415768 00
Please include your name on the deposit so you can be properly receipted.
Donations may also be posted, delivered to the office, or brought to a meeting.
Please include the tear off slip below so that we can make sure your donation is
properly receipted.
Many thanks for your support.
….................................................................................................................
Carers' Society Otago
Community House
301 Moray Pl
Dunedin 9016
Please accept my donation of $...........................cash/cheque
From:
Name:..................................................................................................
Address:..............................................................................................
THE MAD HATTERS'
TEA PARTY
THE QUIZZES WERE SERIOUS
STUFF
THE
FOOD WAS GOOD AND SO WAS THE
COMPANY.
AND
THERE WAS LOTS OF TIME FOR A
SANDWICH, A CUPPA, AND A CHAT
RECIPES
Winter time is a great time to dust off the slow cooker/ crock pot and here are 2 great recipes:
PULLED PORK
Take a pork shoulder and rub it all over with smoked paprila powder, lemon pepper and garlic salt.
Place it in the crock pot and don't add anything else.
Cook on auto or low for 8-10 hours.
You can use the meat in all kinds of ways. Pulled apart in an open sandwich, with rice and stir fried
vegetables and in a hearty soup.
It is really delicious.
PEACH COBBLER
Ingredients:
150 gr dark brown sugar
100 gr rolled oats
100 gr all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the cooker
1 tin peach slices
Combine the sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, allspice, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients until a crumbly texture is formed.
Fold in the peach slices.
Butter the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.
Add the mixture and cook on low for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Serve immediately with some yoghurt, ice cream or cream.
The Mission of Carers' Society Otago is to ensure that every family carer
is recognized and supported.
HERE WE ARE AT A HEALTH EXPO IN MILTON
Do join us in the Carers' Lounge for a cuppa or a chat, a bit of quiet time, or to explore
our Information Zone and Jennie Clegg Lending Library
Up the stairs or take the elevator
Community House
301 Moray Pl
Dunedin
Some of the wonderful support we receive throughout the year is from:
New Zealand Lottery Grant Board, COGS, Presbyterian Support Otago, Dunedin Casino,
University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic, Lion Foundation, Dunedin Community House,
William Downie Stewart Charitable Trust, Dunedin City Council, Otago Community Trust,
Healthcare Otago Charitable Trust, Carers' Donations, The Otago Masonic Trust,
Bendigo Valley Sports & Charity Foundation.