Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Magazine Autumn 2022

Central Coast Retirement Lifest yle

Retirement and Lifestyle on the Central Coast T here are many reasons why you might move into a retirement village. You can enjoy tailored services, including assisted and independent living. Meet new people and find companionship in the village and wider community. By releasing equity fromyour current property, it could help fund the retirement that you need andwant. With our beautiful natural environments and traditionally relaxed lifestyle, the Central Coast is home to many older residents who are vibrant, active and valued members of our local community. This has contributed positively to our identity and is something to be celebrated and appreciated. The Central Coast has a number of 50+ Leisure and Learning Centres and Senior Centres which provide opportunities for social, educational, cultural and physical development. Our lifestyle encourages older residents to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle with easy access to shopping centres and health services. Make the Central Coast your forever home today!

Dementia Care at The Salvation Army Aged Care

“I love working with dementia residents, I absolutely do,” says Penny Palmer. “Just because they have dementia and they forget the day-to-day things, doesn’t mean they lose their feelings and emotions.” Penny is the Lifestyle Co-ordinator at Riverview Gardens, one of The Salvation Army’s Aged Care Centres across Australia. She has been with the Centre for 20 years. She says that seeing the joy on a resident’s face when they do something that they enjoy, or when they see a family member or hear music or a song that brings back a memory for them is so rewarding. Dementia is a generic term for loss of memory, problem-solving and other thinking skills caused by disorders affecting the brain that impact behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. According to Dementia Australia, there are estimated 487,500 Australians living with dementia. The Salvation Army Aged Care’s personalised memory support services cater for mild to advanced levels of dementia in most of their aged care homes. “We have holistic care incorporated with our dementia care,” Penny says. “We have our nursing and clinical staff, specialists, Chaplains, volunteers; and families and friends are always welcome. “ Many of The Salvation Army Aged Care Centres have their own dementia specific wings with group and individual activity calendars to encourage engagement and interaction. The dementia wings are designed with residents’ comfort and happiness in mind. For instance, at Riverview Gardens, the staff have coined an aspect to the afternoon care, “Twilight.” “It’s more of a downtime,” Penny explains of the multi-sensory light that illuminates the ceiling. “It has little lights and flickering patterns with soothing, relaxing music. So, this is a time for the residents that want to have a rest.” Among other things, Penny explains they have a therapy dog who visits the residents too. Penny, like many care service staff at The Salvation Army Aged Care, have their many years of practical experience backed with a substantial amount of training in dementia care. “You need to be a person who has a lot of patience,” she says. “I find it very enjoyable to be with our dementia residents. They are still individuals with their specific needs and wants, likes and dislikes. I just think that if I can give them something to make them feel valued in the day, then I feel that I've achieved something in my job.”

24 Home & Lifestyle Magazine | Autumn 2022