mecwacare | Non-profit organisation

mecwacare

Phone: 1800 163 292

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25.01.2022 June Alderslade, 95, has been a resident at mecwacare Park Hill in Mornington since April 2015. She started drawing and painting at the age of 10 and has continued her passion throughout her life without any formal art tuition. In her younger years, June worked as a mechanical tracer where she professionally sketched mechanical parts by hand. It was in this role that she learnt the technique of realism drawing. June believes her days as a tracer taught her how to draw to scal...e and just get it right, no matter how long it took. June has always loved drawing and painting. She spends time every day creating new pieces, firstly using a mapping pen and then a fine point pen for the detail. Since moving into Park Hill, she has been painting animals mainly, and the quality of her work has blown everyone away. June is very modest about her work, but happy to share them for the enjoyment of others. We are thrilled June has allowed us to share some of her work with you. See more

22.01.2022 Our residents are among the most vulnerable people in our community, and we are doing all that we can to ensure they are safely isolated while maintaining social activities and communication with loved ones. You can help lift their spirits and put a smile on their faces by sending a letter, card or artwork with personal messages of support. Our #isomail campaign has already been a hit with our residents, and we want to keep this going as stage 4 restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne limit their social opportunities. If youre interested in participating in #isomail, you can email us at [email protected] or send your mail to Fundraising Department 1287 Malvern Road, Malvern VIC 3144. Take care and stay safe.

22.01.2022 When we asked our residents at the mecwacare Simon Price Centre in Mont Albert how they would like to celebrate Fathers Day this year, the answer was swift and unanimous: A good old-fashioned Aussie BBQ, and thats exactly what our fabulous team organised for them. Celebrating their special day together, our residents enjoyed a cold beer, snags, burgers and a good old chinwag. This was topped off with a delicious chocolate surprise from Haighs Chocolates. We are so pleased we were able to brighten our residents day with fun activities and acts of kindness, particularly with COVID-19 restrictions in place.

20.01.2022 Wednesday was National Meals on Wheels Day, a day to highlight the significant contribution this service has made to communities across Australia. mecwacare has a proud history of providing meals to the community and has done so since 1960, originally running out of the building that now houses our disability day services in East Malvern. Our Meals on Wheels program is based in multiple locations across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria and is delivered by our am...azing volunteers. For more information on our home care services, you can visit our website here http://www.mecwacare.org.au/servic/1/0/InHomeServices.html

19.01.2022 Our residents at mecwacare Park Hill on the Mornington Peninsula had a French-themed celebration recently in recognition of Bastille Day. Residents discussed trivia, inventions, cuisine and personal experiences of travels to France. Sparkling wine and Pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) were thoroughly enjoyed. Bonne fte nationale!

19.01.2022 The sun is out, lockdown is over and restaurants are open. Why not grab a burger from Grill'd South Yarra this weekend and support mecwacare with a jar token? mecwacare is featured as one of three local charities participating in the Local Matters program by Grill’d. Every customer receives a token, which they can place in a jar of their choosing. How about a Mighty Melbourne beef burger with sweet potato chips and chipotle mayo dip?... Enjoy!

19.01.2022 The mecwacare Noel Miller Centre in Glen Iris has had two very special birthdays recently. Married couple Patricia and Xavier both turning 101 within days of each other! The couple, who have been living together at the Noel Miller Centre since November 2016, both share a love of tennis which resulted in their meeting at the local tennis club in St Kilda when they were 30 years old. The year was 1950. The couple married soon after on Easter Saturday and have been happily marri...ed ever since. Wishing you both the happiest of birthdays!

17.01.2022 As we enter this new phase in the coronavirus pandemic, it is with some sadness we advise you that we need to implement the next step in our COVID-19 management strategy. While the robust infection prevention and control measures we have had in place since March to protect your loved ones have worked to date, we must now reinforce this strategy to keep our residents safe this is a shared responsibility. At the time of writing this, all our homes (staff and residents) remain... coronavirus-free, which is great news. Effective immediately mecwacare has implemented renewed visitor restrictions at all mecwacare aged care facilities. This is not a decision that has been taken lightly, but we feel it is necessary to ensure the ongoing health and safety of your loved ones. Our proactive approach to the COVID-19 pandemic has always been to remain calm and ensure a coordinated and controlled proactive response. For at least the next six weeks (9 July 2020 TBA ) which is the same timeframe as the Victorian Governments stage three lockdown period in-house access will be limited to essential visits only i.e. for special needs, including assessed deterioration, palliative care and new admissions. Please click on the following link for more information on changes to visitor access http://www.mecwacare.org.au/covid-19.html

16.01.2022 The residents at mecwacare Simon Price Centre in Mont Albert commemorated Remembrance Day by creating a beautiful poppy wreath together. The residents added their own poppy in the wreath, which was placed by the flag pole by nominated resident Jim (pictured). Jim was born in Poland, moved to the UK when he was 10, served in North Africa for the British Army in World War II and eventually emigrated to Australia in the 1950s. Lest we forget.

15.01.2022 https://enliven.org.au/covid-19-resources/

13.01.2022 This month our Park Hill facility in Mornington launched their Travelling Trolley which was created and crafted by Kevin Baptist, Park Hills Maintenance Officer. This fabulous piece of kit is a great resource for the lifestyle team and the possibilities for its use are endless including cultural celebrations, cooking groups, happy hour as well as 1:1 activities room to room and the resident shop. Shannon Glover, Lifestyle Coordinator, would like to extend a huge thank you to Kevin for building the trolley which he did with care, creativity and heaps of patience!

12.01.2022 Our All Stars campaign highlights the amazing contribution of aged and disability care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the most vulnerable people in our community to stay healthy, active and safe. We are featuring mecwacare staff from every aspect of the organisation to acknowledge the care and support they provide to our residents and clients, either directly as a frontline worker or behind the scenes keeping the business running. Their passion and commitme...nt to keep our residents and clients safe during this challenging period and every day is truly inspiring and we cant thank them enough. They are all stars in our eyes. Louise Henderson Disability Liaison Officer SEM/COM/SER Louise is a Disability Liaison Officer working in the South East Metro, City of Melbourne and South East Regional areas. Louises main responsibilities include onboarding NDIS participants, arranging all the relevant agreements and all tasks required for the support of the client. Louise continues to strive and aim high in her role every day, always going above and beyond and putting in the extra work without being asked. Louise has great attention to detail and her relationships with the people she supports demonstrates her passion for helping others. Louises manager says we are lucky to have her. Thank you Louise for providing amazing support for our NDIS participants.

11.01.2022 https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/translated-resources-coronaviru

10.01.2022 Today's All StarIrene is an Administration Officer working at our South East Regional office in Pakenham. Irene’s role involves working at reception, directing calls to the appropriate person, arranging home maintenance requests and organising contractors. Irene is very approachable and helpful. She also supports the office staff and always makes sure general office needs and duties are completed and up to date. Irene is a quiet achiever and a great first point of contact for our Pakenham office. We never have to search for anything, all our needs are met without us even knowing! said Irene's manager. Thank you Irene, for looking after our clients and staff with such dedication, passion and a smile. We appreciate it very much.

09.01.2022 Located on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula, mecwacare Annie’s Court in Shoreham is a charming aged care residence, close to shops and other important amenities. With access to 24-hour care and support, and an active and diverse lifestyle program in safe and comfortable surroundings, Annie’s Court is a popular choice. Residents can be pampered in the on-site hair and beauty salon, exercise in the gymnasium, catch a movie in the cinema or soak up the sun in the gorgeous landscaped gardens. We are currently welcoming new residents. Find out more today by calling 03 8573 4812 or visit http://bit.ly/anniescourt. For further peace of mind, mecwacare has implemented a number of precautions, including advanced PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to keep our residents, staff and community safe.

09.01.2022 It is with sadness that we advise you, our wonderful and supportive customers, that from tomorrow (July 23) our op shops will again be closed temporarily due to the coronavirus. Our stores have been an important part of the community for more than 60 years, raising money for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people. However, due to the ongoing threat of the virus in Melbourne, we feel the time has come (again) to protect our staff and volunteers, many who are elde...rly, and to encourage people to stay home in line with the governments advice. We will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, please look after yourselves and each other, and check on your neighbours, particularly if they are elderly or living with a disability. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

09.01.2022 Picture below is Christine, who is a resident at OMara House in Traralgon. Christine is usually a regular at a local day centre participating in activity groups twice a week. Due to COVID-19, the day centre is unable to have visitors so Christine has been chatting with her friends and participating in activities via Zoom. Also keeping Christine busy has been a bird house that shes painted in a lovely purple colour, which she will gift to a friend to hang up in her bird aviary.

08.01.2022 Our All Stars campaign highlights the amazing contribution of our aged and disability care workers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the most vulnerable people in our community to stay healthy, active and safe. We are featuring mecwacare staff from every aspect of our organisation to acknowledge the care and support they provide to our residents and clients, either directly as a frontline worker or behind the scenes, keeping our organisation running. The...ir passion and commitment to keep our residents and clients safe during this challenging period and every day is truly inspiring and we cant thank them enough. They are all stars in our eyes. Todays All Star is Dianne Gilbert Fitness Instructor Rivendell House Dianne is our much-loved fitness instructor at Rivendell House in Pakenham who runs interesting and engaging strength training programs for people over 65 years of age. Current COVID-19 restrictions mean Di is unable to run her programs as normal at Rivendell House, but that hasnt stopped Di from coming up with ways to provide a high-quality service for the people she supports and cares about. Di sends out quizzes, brain games and exercise routines to her clients, either by email or post. She calls every client regularly and encourages them to keep motivated to continue with their exercise programs and prioritising their health during lockdown. Dis manager frequently receives positive feedback about the great program she provides and clients are incredibly grateful for the fantastic support she continues to provide while theyre in isolation. Thank you Di for your passion, dedication and commitment to support the health and wellbeing of our wonderful clients.

07.01.2022 Thank you to those who have generously donated to our fundraising appeal to bring the benefits of music to our residents living with dementia. We are raising money to purchase music equipment and training for staff to provide specific music therapy programs at each of our residential aged care centres. Music therapy has proven to be beneficial, particularly for people living with dementia, as it helps reignite memories, connect residents with positive thoughts and improve men...tal health and wellbeing which is particularly important now with stage 4 restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and stage 3 restrictions in regional Victoria limiting resident access to their regular social activities. It is not too late to donate to our appeal, for even the smallest donation can make a big difference. To learn more about the benefits of music, follow this link http://www.mecwacare.org.au//Newsl/Wintertaxappeal2020.pdf

07.01.2022 Our OMara House residents recently celebrated World Chocolate Day, and had a wonderful time making and eating their own chocolate. Cooking groups are just one of the many activities our lifestyle team put on for our residents and they always have so much fun. For more information on our residential services, visit our website http://www.mecwacare.org.au/

07.01.2022 With lockdown restrictions in place our lifestyle teams have been working very hard to assist our residents in continuing some of the activities they love. Rhonda, a resident at OMara House in Traralgon, loves to knit. In just one week, Rhonda turned a purple ball of yarn into a beautiful bed spread for her room and is already working on other projects.

06.01.2022 Fathers Day is around the corner and lockdown is calling for innovation! Thanks to Haighs Chocolates , we have a delicious surprise for our lovely aged care residents this Fathers Day. Haighs Chocolates very generously donated 250 chocolate hearts to share across our 13 residential aged care homes in Victoria. Definitely a most welcome treat this Sunday. We continue to be touched by the community support we are receiving during this challenging year. Thank you to Haighs Chocolates for being so generous and thoughtful and putting a smile on our residents faces this weekend.

06.01.2022 Today is R U OK? Day a national day of action to remind us of how important it is to check in with friends and family. This has been a challenging year for everyone, which means staying connected has been even more important. Feeling isolated is a major contributor to poor mental health asking a simple question such as are you okay? can help establish and maintain important connections. #RUOK #ruokayday2020 If you would like to check in with our residents and send a letter or card with a personal message of support, email us at [email protected] or send mail to the mecwacare Fundraising Department, 1287 Malvern Road, Malvern VIC 3144 #isomail

06.01.2022 Our Facebook page has recently ticked over 1000 likes! Thank you to our wonderful Facebook community for liking/commenting and sharing our stories throughout the years. We hope youve enjoyed reading all about whats happening with our residents, clients and participants as well as our dedicated volunteers and staff. 1000

06.01.2022 Aged care workers around the globe are in the fight of their lives as they try to shield their residents and home care clients from the coronavirus. On Aged Care Employee Day, we salute our 2,000-strong dedicated team on the frontline nurses, care workers, lifestyle teams, administration staff, kitchen and laundry workers, cleaners, volunteers, nurse educators, quality and risk advisers and those in corporate support roles who are keeping the engines going in the backgrou...nd. They have been working around the clock since the pandemic began to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our community. We still have a long road ahead but we share a common goal to continue providing high-quality, safe and respectful care. Now more than ever, our residents and clients need us, and every single one of our team is stepping up and rising to the challenge. We are incredibly proud of your commitment and determination to keep your residents, clients and colleagues safe. #thanksforcaring

05.01.2022 Over 60 years ago, mecwacare was founded by a group of volunteers concerned about the elderly and vulnerable people in their local area. Today, volunteers are still an integral part of mecwacare with over 510 working throughout Victoria in numerous roles across the organisation. Graeme is a volunteer transport driver in Pakenham and was the 500th person to sign up and donate his time to mecwacare. Graeme was in the unfortunate position of losing his employment due to COVID-...19 so was looking for something else to take its place. Taking inspiration from the knowledge that there are a lot of people in the community who need assistance, Graeme decided to take up a volunteer role. Graemes new role will involve driving Cardinia residents to and from medical appointments, community activities, shopping centres and social events, and he is looking forward to doing this after the coronavirus risk has passed. Welcome to the team Graeme! For more information about volunteering opportunities at mecwacare, visit our website here: http://www.mecwacare.org.au//volunteering-opportunities.ht

05.01.2022 With our community centres closed to participants, the staff at the Barry Fenton Centre (Malvern East) have been keeping themselves busy by preparing special care packages. With the assistance of a template from the DHHS website and some fabrics already in stock, the staff have been busily sewing up masks in a variety of colours and patterns ready to be delivered to their most vulnerable participants. The care packages will also include items such as puzzles, art activities and exercise plans dependant on the individual needs and interests of each participant.

05.01.2022 Check out this handy health and wellbeing calendar created by our recent mecwacare All Star Dianne Gilbert. Di is our fitness instructor at Rivendell House in Pakenham and developed the calendar so she could continue supporting her clients during lockdown. Looking after our physical and mental health is so important right now and we hope that Dis tips can help you too. You are welcome to share this calendar with your family and friends.

04.01.2022 Did you know that mecwacare is building a boutique luxury retirement village in the heart of Malvern? Named in honour of our esteemed Life Governor Robin Syme, this village is designed to enhance the lives of its residents with highly considered facilities and spacious unique floor plans. With the external part of the building almost complete, we are now putting the finishing touches on the lavish interior of these luxury retirement living residences. With only 31 apartments available and a number already spoken for, now is a great time to find out more by contacting Pauline or Mitchell on 03 9831 9876 or visiting https://robinsymemalvern.com.au/

04.01.2022 Hot off the press! The summer 2020 edition of mecwacare Matters is now available on our website: https://bit.ly/mecwacaresummernewsletter2020 Learn more about our pandemic heroes, the touching short film Trust Frank, the opening of our new boutique retirement village, and so much more! To receive our quarterly newsletter, simply email your details to [email protected] Happy reading

03.01.2022 The Park Hill (Mornington) cooking group has been whipping up more tasty treats and snacks for residents. On the menu recently were delicious zucchini fritters, a very popular choice with everyone asking for seconds! Unfortunately there were no leftovers but if youd like to make your own, check out the recipe below. For a vegetarian version leave out the bacon. Whats your favourite recipe? Leave it in the comments below wed love to hear from you

03.01.2022 Our volunteers are an integral part of our organisation and have been for more than 60 years. With restrictions and lockdown periods continuing in Melbourne, it has meant some of our volunteers have been unable to fulfil their usual roles. Although Jacqueline could not attend her volunteer social support role at Jubilee House (Caulfield North) she has found another way to give to the organisation by making 20 masks for our community housing tenants. Thank you Jacqueline for your generosity. Were sure our Jubilee House residents are missing you!

02.01.2022 Its the little things in life that make a big difference! Special thanks to Antonette from Bunnings Warehouse Australia (Hoppers Crossing) for donating 50 pot plants to our residents at John Atchison Centre. Your kind gesture has put a big smile on our residents faces. We continue to be humbled by the wonderful support from our local communities, especially during this pandemic. Thank you again Bunnings Hoppers Crossing, we look forward to seeing stores back to normal with sizzling sausages soon! Pictured below is one of our lovely residents, Therese, with her potted succulent.

01.01.2022 Please be advised that our op shops will remain open during this lockdown period. Our stores provide essential items, such as clothing, shoes and bedding to some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Several precautions will remain in place to ensure the safety of our staff, volunteers and customers. When visiting our stores please adhere to the following rules: - Maintain social distancing of 1.5 metres between yourself, staff and other customers - Please use the ...hand sanitiser available upon entry to the store - Cashless payment is preferred - Please read signage on the door and listen to store managers to help them manage maximum numbers inside the store - Stay home if you are experiencing any cold or flu symptoms Thank you for your support and cooperation.

01.01.2022 We have special news from the mecwacare Noel Miller Centre in Glen Iris. Lorie, one of our lovely residents, recently turned 100. Ordinarily, we would have organised a big celebration in the dining room with Lorie and her family, as well as all the residents and staff. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, the team at Noel Miller Centre still did a fabulous job at creating a very special day for Lorie. Yummy cake, balloons, big smiles and presents from family in hand, the tea...m surprised Lorie and sang Happy Birthday. They then connected Lorie with three different family members via one Zoom call and they had a fantastic time wishing her happy birthday and enjoying seeing Lorie opening all her presents including a very special birthday message from Her Majesty, the Queen! Happy Birthday Lorie. We hope your special day was filled with laughter, love and happiness. See more

01.01.2022 Park Hills (Mornington) Friday Happy Hour was an extra special one last week with the celebration of Fathers Day. All men received a gift and shared positive memories and stories of times with their families. The travelling trolley provided light refreshments as well as warm beanies and money pouches. The men also had their portrait taken, which was then laminated and sent to family members. Fathers Day was enjoyed across all of residential homes, especially with the donation of chocolate hearts from Haighs Chocolates

01.01.2022 Our All Stars campaign highlights the amazing contribution of aged care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the most vulnerable people in our community to stay healthy, active and safe. We are featuring mecwacare staff from every aspect of the organisation to acknowledge the care and support they provide to our residents and clients, either directly as a frontline worker or behind the scenes keeping the business running. Their passion and commitment to keep our ...residents and clients safe during this challenging period and every day is truly inspiring and we cant thank them enough. They are all stars in our eyes. Todays All Star is Eduardo Uycoco Endorsed Enrolled Nurse, Noel Miller Centre Eduardo is an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse at the mecwacare Noel Miller Centre. Eduardo is second-in-charge in unit one and is responsible for administering medications, wound management and behaviour management. Eduardo is dedicated, hard-working and always treats the residents with dignity. His ability to manage his work, stay focused and interact effectively with the residents during this challenging time is outstanding. Numerous times he has been seen redirecting residents from potentially precarious situations and successfully resolving conflicts between residents. Most notable is his ability to stay composed and pleasant, regardless of the situation. He is a pleasure to work with and be around.