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Blue Hope Consulting Pty Ltd

Phone: +61 412 994 759

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23.01.2022 Seniors week Last week we celebrated our Seniors. This group of people range from those in their 60s upwards to those like two of my very dear friends who are both turning 93 in December. Who are the 'Seniors' in your life? How can you celebrate who they are? Most of our seniors are busy volunteering for various organisations giving back and sharing their gifts and talents. If the government, either state or federal, were to put a cost of paying our volunteers for even a we...ek for their time and effort I think they would be surprised and more effort going into support our Seniors (well maybe at least Seniors month rather than Seniors week). Blue Hope Consulting has been working with two amazing Seniors, one Aged 84 who is very active in her community providing significant contribution to multiple facets of her local community and another Aged 90 who contributes to an Op Shop twice a week. These are barely a tip of the iceberg in terms of contributions made by our wonderful Seniors. Blue Hope Consulting helps people plan their options when they are no longer able. Sadly the most difficult issue amongst these beautiful clients is hearing loss and ability to plan for what if .... Maybe you could help someone in your community to make a phone call to support them, or take them somewhere further than where they would normally drive themselves. Perhaps take the time to take them to a movie, or if you do not have the time, get Blue Hope Consulting to take them somewhere. Let's celebrate in a positive and practical way the seniors in our lives.

20.01.2022 I saw this on another site but it is so very apt as we support the elderly and advocate for them. We will find the time if you can't.

16.01.2022 My client said to me today "Wendy, you have kept me sane through this process, I don't know whether we would have achieved this result without you". Great feeling - I could bottle those lovely comments.

16.01.2022 Preparing for the Unexpected I have seen too many people end up in hospital without having considered a doctor saying to them: "You won't be able to go home for a number of weeks or perhaps at all". This then throws everyone, including the family and carers into a spin as little planning has been put into place. Blue Hope Consulting has established a booklet which we can fill in that describes what you want done, where things can be found, what bills are to be paid/cancelled etc.as well as who to contact for these What if ... events. Whilst not exclusive to Dad's for Fathers Day we are offering a launch of $100 for two hours to develop this booklet and tailor it to your needs. Call us now on 0412 994 759.

13.01.2022 Great to see Maggie Beer encouraging chefs within the aged care industry to cook more suitable meals. I think given the number of aged care homes, the budget for each meal is appalling yet people pay a considerable sum. As an advocate for my Mum, I was constantly on the war path to the chef's office to discuss her dietary needs. Great idea Maggie and great TV but the reality is that it is driven by costs.

13.01.2022 Salt of the Earth Many of my clients will know that I am carer for my aunt who has Dementia. I am in flight as I write this, heading to Alice Springs where she lives and as always, I am fascinated when I travel over Lake Eyre enroute. This is a vast salt lake and the colours of the desert remind us of how dry this amazing country is. But Lake Eyre is about salt and it reminds me about the term given to people as being salt of the earth. I am not suggesting that I am nec...essarily, although try sometimes. Working with clients and people with Dementia brings a new set of skills. My aunt is an amazing woman who I have always greatly admired and it saddens me when I see this strong woman who can’t remember much from an earlier conversation. But for her, it’s about instilling the values you bring to show love and kindness, patience to go through things a second or third time and if they are anxious to demonstrate the peace around you so that they absorb it. I am hopeful that the values and love I have always shown this woman somehow operates on a default setting. That she knows in her inner being that I will endeavor to do the best I can for her in the years that remain. I know sometimes when she looks at me I interpret that her body and mind is telling me this. When I am looking out for places to care for clients with Dementia, I tend to look with a set of eyes that the people, the place the process is ‘salt of the earth’. My aunt doesn’t need fancy. Like a child, she needs routine and consistency in the care that she can trust with her inner being. Whilst I set up Blue Hope Consulting to honour my Mother who went into Aged Care, I hadn’t planned, nor at that time, understood, how different a journey is with someone with Dementia. I continue to be amazed by the minds of the elderly to ensure the best can be done for them. But those around them need to be Salt of the Earth. I am also supported in this journey by two strong couples: my brother and his wife and my cousin and his wife and collectively, and we operate as a strong team in support of my Aunt.

13.01.2022 Are you getting what you paid for? I have been checking the accounts of a friend who has top level In-Home Care for her husband who had a stroke. This is tax payer funding to support the providers of service provide essential services for the elderly who do not wish to move into Aged Care living or who may not have the funds to do so. If you are not sure about whether you are getting value for money, or feel restricted and can’t move, please understand your rights as a consumer. That you are free to move (theoretically, although you may have to pay an exit fee). Blue Hope Consulting can provide you with a comparative chart based on your In-Home care package value. We would be happy to assist you understand your entitlements. Don’t get ripped off. We are here to help.

12.01.2022 Look for our table at the Knox Active Ageing Expo https://www.facebook.com/events/587664014932778/

11.01.2022 I received a very similar card from the Alzheimer's contact when I was in Alice Springs discussing the care for my aunt.

10.01.2022 I recently spent some time clearing the house after an elderly lady moved into an Aged Care facility. She had spent approximately fifteen years in this particular home. There was stuff everywhere. She clearly hadn’t even opened drawers or some cupboards for years. I suspect for the last couple of weeks she was in her unit, she spent most of the time in the lounge room in her favourite chair, watching the telly at a volume way above the norm because she couldn’t be bother...ed putting on her hearing aids. Sound familiar? I can count very quickly a number of people that do this now. They are becoming less mobile and less able to tackle the heavy workload of clearing, sorting and cleaning. In my former career with Australia’s foreign service, I used to travel every two years or thereabouts to a new country. It was therefore necessary to pack up my home and all my belongings every two years. Whilst this can get a little old after some years, it nonetheless gave me the opportunity to clear out some things that I had gathered. I find that after a while, we don’t actually ‘see’ what is lying around in our cupboards as it becomes wall paper. There is an amazing amount of ‘stuff’ in the bottom drawer here, the back of a cupboard there that hasn’t seen the light of day for many, many years. Why do we keep this stuff? I had to clear the retirement village unit after my mother died and whilst I understood some of the treasures she had kept, there were a couple of things that I thought what was she thinking when she kept this? Maybe the gift you can give this Christmas/New Year is to someone in your family Time. Time to help them rifle through that cupboard and sort things, throw things out or re-gift to the Op Shop. Check the use-by dates in the pantry that will surprise you. It is an overwhelming task on their own and they will appreciate your company and time you share with them. For more information about how Blue Hope Consulting helps families with the Transition to Aged Care or request a copy of our Newsletter, email [email protected] See more

10.01.2022 It’s Father’s Day. Many families are out and about celebrating with their Dad’s, Grandads and other family members. Today is a good day for those in nursing homes that don’t get many visits as family go to visit. Men often have the ability to think on the fly, but when the body shows signs of not responding as quickly as it used to, it becomes a battle for both men and women just to stay alive and well. Women generally like to think things through and want to do a little... more planning around the What If scenarios at end of life or later in life planning. It’s interesting watching couples who are in a new situation when the female has been knocked down by an illness. Men find they are less able to manage well without the woman who has done the domestics. The men wander around rudderless. Whilst it reflects the beauty of a good marriage, there is a vulnerability in men and women learning to survive and stay on top of things when one partner gets sick for a serious length of time. The children have families of their own and are busy doing life so when extra visits to a hospital or specialist is required it is sometimes hard to get reliable help. Earlier this morning, I dropped in to see one of my clients who phoned me late last night to say she was unwell, could I check in on her in the morning? Sometimes the service is more than just doing the paperwork. Blue Hope Consulting has been focusing on helping families prepare for the unexpected, to assist with decision making so that if something happens, decisions have been made in advance. We have developed a booklet for families to work through. For all planning though, we offer a free, one-hour consultation. Call us now on 0412 994 759. See more

09.01.2022 Well it’s the New Year and this time of year means that there a few quiet days and with that I suggest we start clearing out those back cupboards. Yes downsizing. Please do not put this off, promise yourself a few boxes here and there, ensure your rubbish bins are full and make some hard and fast decisions about clearing. A dear friend of mine and long-time neighbor passed just before Christmas and I now see the family sitting in the midst of family albums, boxes of this an...d that and doing their best to pass on items that may be loved again by another through our friendly op shops. But we all know there is plenty of stuff in everyone’s cupboard that just needs to go into the bin or down the shredder. It collates faster that you can fill another recycling bin. I cleared my office just before Christmas things I had just put away when my mother died. Only to find I hadn’t touched them in three years. Do I need them, does the family need them. Probably not. Reluctantly I filled both the regular bin and the recycling bins but you can hardly tell I have done a clean. It has to be done. You are responsible for your things and not your children. Be brave and start. The stuff that needs the biggest clearance is not the obvious, it’s the paperwork that needs removal (we have a great contact with a shredding company) and they will even come to you if you have a bin full of shredding. Before you put away that new thing, make sure the old one is thrown out. Someone will thank you for it down the track. Each day you postpone this gets harder and harder. If you need assistance with downsizing or secretarial work closing off those accounts or writing to get rid of some junk mail, we can help. Call us on 0412 994 759. Don’t forget if you need to consider a plan for just in case in the transition to Aged Care, we can help put a plan in place and our first consultation is free. Happy New Year, we hope it is a happy and healthy one for you all. See more

06.01.2022 Need a calendar to give someone for Christmas? This is Mr January - part of my 'baby kookaburra collection, there is a one day sale (today only) if you would like to purchase any calendar 16 x 21cm for $15 plus postage. Great for the oldies in your life who have everything.

05.01.2022 This morning I took down all my Christmas cards. I had already taken down my Christmas decorations last Sunday (twelfth night), but my lovely collection of cards and beautiful messages had remained on the dresser and shelf. This morning I re read the beautiful messages of hope, good wishes, love and blessings and they blessed me all over again. In doing so, I was thinking about how words, in particular written words speak to me. If you know the book The Five Love Language...s written by Gary Chapman this describes how various forms of language speak to a person stronger than another form (I ‘hear’ things so much better when they are written down, or written in an encouraging way). My mother was a gift giver, you couldn’t walk out the door without some cakes, a small container of soup etc as that was her love language. Whilst some in my family, their language is ‘Acts of Service’. Anyway, I digress. So, it got me to thinking re the elderly people in our lives. What is their love language? How do we show our support of them through the love language that speaks to them the loudest. It was interesting hearing how one the pastors at my church had a ‘moment’ with his mother (who had been diagnosed with vascular dementia) just before Christmas, as he was reading out a story. All of a sudden, there was a moment of connection between them, because he was speaking her love language. It was a beautiful story. Last September when I visited my Aunt in Alice Springs, I took her out to some nearby gardens and in a quiet space so that she could hear me properly as she finds it difficult hearing in a café where there are competing noises. I sat and read letters from friends of hers. I had written to them saying she had moved to Aged Care and probably wouldn’t be in a position to return their letters/cards but advising that my aunt was well etc. I received a number of beautiful letters in return. My aunt could not remember any of these people, even though they had at various times been significant in her life. But she did enjoy listening to the letters being read out. It was a lovely time. Caring for the elderly takes a bit more of an effort to be creative in our busy schedules. They don’t need much, but they want you to speak to them in a way that is meaningful. Let us know if we can help in any way, contact us through our website www.bluehopeconsulting.com.au via the contact page or on 0412 994 759. See more

05.01.2022 It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday and many people are sharing the opportunity to celebrate their Mums. Whilst my Mum passed away beautifully last year, we had a plan in place for her final years. I have established Blue Hope Consulting as a result of the love I had for my Mum and allowing her to spend her final days in an Aged Care facility, making sure the transition was with ultimate dignity and being the advocate for her when the occasion arose. If your Mum is still around and... of an age where she has everything, then probably the gift she doesn’t have is how you will support her when she needs help in her retirement and final years. In the course of running my new business I have been saddened by the way the Government thinks the oldies in Retirement Villages can just jump on line to log in to MyAged Care and get their appropriate provider to look after them. I was appalled this week when a customer told me the frustration and mountain of paperwork that she had had to go through to get assistance for her husband who has dementia. Furthermore if they can’t jump online, Centrelink and other services think they can phone, but a lot of the oldies are so deaf (like my aunt) and can’t tell the difference between an operator and ‘on-hold’ music. So think about how you can practically support your Mum this mother’s day and or Grandmother does she need ears to make a phone call, does she need help to be registered on line for something? Does she understand her statement from her in-home care provider? Not every gift has to be wrapped with a bow, but rather given with thought and love. Feel free to share this message from Blue Hope Consulting Pty Ltd or find out more about our Services from our website www.bluehopconsulting.com.au. If however, you can give your Mum a hug, then do so with extra vigour because there is nothing I would love to do more. See more

04.01.2022 To all our customers and friends, to those that have 'shared' our pages and those that have 'liked' our pages - we thank you. We wish you and yours a Christmas full of Joy and a year ahead filled with many blessings.

03.01.2022 International Women’s Day help those who don’t have a voice to be heard Supposedly women have come a long way. However there are still some women living in the dark under the rather strong control of their husbands. (Don’t get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for couples who have been married for many years and respect the subtle compromises a healthy relationship requires.) Last year I ran some Facebook ads for Blue Hope Consulting and I had the opportunity to follow ...up a client who showed interest in learning about the Five Steps to Preparing for Aged Care. I met this woman and her husband and I suspect she was doing research to learn more. However when I came to provide a free consultation and offer a free report, he closed me down so quickly. He did not want to discuss options for Aged Care or what might happen to him or his wife in the future, almost dismissing his wife who was interested. I vaguely had a chance to talk with her at the front door on departure but it alerted me to the fact that she was being told what they could and couldn’t do. She wanted to know the options and be informed, he didn’t. There were signs he would need assistance in the near future. We all know men refuse to take themselves to the doctor or seek advice but this greatly concerned me. Women usually end up being the carers of their men folk and need to know options and put good planning in place. Please help support more women be informed so that they know what to do in the case of an emergency and preferably that they can discuss and agree in advance decisions that may need to be made. Blue Hope Consulting has established a booklet available for $25 to complete yourself or we can step you through it and prepare a copy for you and /or your family. It is easier for us to ask the hard questions and allow the woman to contribute to the discussion. See more

02.01.2022 Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. A day of expressing our love for one another. Whilst we shouldn’t need to highlight one day, let’s hope more and more people want to show love for their elderly family and friends through (appropriate) touch, a hug or kiss. There are many in Aged Care facilities who have very little interaction with family. For those of you who have elderly parents, the best ways to express love is not through a dozen roses, but through a visit or phone call.... Pop in to see them for five minutes. The joy this will bring is very uplifting for these people. One of my brother’s has a business where he is out and about in the car visiting clients and used to pop in to see my Mother. It was sometimes only for 5 minutes before he was off to his next appointment, but the joy it brought her was amazing. My other brother would visit also when he and his wife were up our way, and whilst it was more difficult for them to get up to town, the joy on my mother’s face said it all. It was just a message to say I love you. It was just as significant from both boys and the joy it brought to my Mum was equally valued. I used to have a Post It note in the shape of a heart. Sometimes I would pop in to see Mum and then pop into her bathroom and leave a Post It note on her bathroom mirror that said I love you. She would love this little surprise when she next went to the bathroom. It didn’t cost much but it was thoughtful and it brought her joy. Take the time this week to call, or pop in to see someone who may otherwise be alone. Show them love in a tangible way, or leave them a note to express your love and show how much you value them. Valentine’s Day is not just for lovers, but for those you love. Haven't got the time to show someone how much you love them? Get Blue Hope Consulting to take them out for a drive. We have done a couple of 'day trips' just to get some of our favourites who can no longer drive themselves out for coffee, to the nursery or out for a drive.

01.01.2022 Yesterday I heard on the radio that today is International Coffee Day I don’t quite get some of the things we celebrate in regard to international whatever day, but I do get coffee. I first became a coffee junkee when my American boyfriend at the time used to make a classic expresso in a pot on the stove, we used to sit by his window from which he had a beautiful view of the Capital building in Washington DC from his apartment. This was when I fell in love with coffee. ...Continue reading