Viewpoint The MDNZ Newsletter
ISSUE 19 – June 2021
0800 MACULA (0800 622 852) I [email protected] www.mdnz.org.nz Help with the Banking Changes
As you will be aware the banks are currently going through some changes with branches closing and cheques being phased out.
Many people have voiced to us their As cheques will no longer be available, concerns about how they will make the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand payments without cheques, access (FINZ) has been working with the banking personal service and how they can use the industry to support other ways for people technology available especially with vision to donate. Please check with your branch loss. We have spoken to the banks and manager/staff to see what is being offered shared these concerns. The banks have to support your charitable giving. informed us of services that they are putting into place to address some of these issues. MDNZ is very grateful to all our kind In this issue of Viewpoint we focus on donors. With your continued support providing to you as clear as we can details we can continue our work to prevent about what each of the 7 major banks unnecessary loss of sight. Unfortunately, we have available and how to contact them. will no longer be able to accept donations We hope that you find this useful. by cheque after the 20th June 2021 (to Please feel free to either pull the centre enable any cheques to be banked). pages of this newsletter out or cut out Donations can still be made by credit card, your specific bank’s information. Page through our website www.mdnz.org.nz, five (the first of the centre pages) is an over the phone or by donation slip. You can instruction sheet on how to use ATMs also donate directly into our bank account with earphones/hearing buds (the wired (either by automatic payment, internet kind). The majority of ATMs can be used banking, or through bill payee details). this way. You do not need to be able to see the screen when doing this. Please call us on 0800 622 852, we are happy discuss these options with you.
1 Introducing Shalini Raju We are very pleased to introduce Banana and Walnut Loaf Shalini, our Fundraising and This is fabulous served straight from the Administration Support person. oven with a little butter as a special treat or equally as delicious served on its own. You may have Makes 2 standard loaves. spoken with Shalini as she often Ingredients: answers the phone, Olive oil for greasing helping people 450g (14 ½ oz) plain flour out with their Pinch, sea salt inquiries. Shalini is 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder a well-loved and 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda important part of 400g (13oz) caster sugar the MDNZ’s team 5 eggs who is always 250ml (8fl oz) light olive oil happy to lend a hand whenever needed. 1 cup walnut kernels, roughly chopped This is shown by her (and her family) and toasted recently volunteering to be a puppy raiser 4 ripe bananas, mashed (walker) for Blind Low Vision New Zealand. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional We are looking forward to sharing this • Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°F). experience with Shalini, when the puppy • Spray and line two 31 x 9cm (standard comes into our office. size) loaf tins. Shalini says “I’m still relatively new to • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, MDNZ, starting my role as Fundraising salt, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda. & Admin Support in June 2020 coming • In a separate bowl mix sugar, eggs, olive from an accounting background. I came oil and vanilla, stir until combined, then into MDNZ not knowing much about add the walnuts and bananas and mix macular degeneration but, very quickly together with the dry ingredients. felt passionate about the work being done • Pour into the two loaf tins and cook to save sight. I enjoy working at MDNZ, it’s for about 1 hour (timings can vary a small tight-knit unit of people with the depending on each oven). same goal in mind - to help people.” • Halfway through baking rotate the loaf tins to help loaves bake evenly. Shalini would like to share the following • Test loaves are ready by inserting a eye healthy recipe that you may like to try. skewer into the centre of the loaf. If it “This recipe is lovely and very suitable for comes out clean the loaf is done. winter as a treat. It is also very large and • Let them cool in the tins for 10 minutes makes two standard loaves, I hope you all then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. enjoy it.” • Serve warm and enjoy.
2 with the use of analogies which made Macular it very easy to understand. The team at MDNZ had an interesting weekend too Degeneration as Auckland went into a second lockdown in a month on 28th February, while the seminars rest of the country was at Level 2 with restrictions on the number of people allowed at public gatherings. We went We hit the ground into contingency mode, calling as many of running with the our registered attendees as possible and organising of splitting the group into two for Dunedin. We thank everybody who attended and seminars in 2021 after accommodated the change in session times. experiencing quite a We are also grateful for all the help and bit of disruptions to our support we got from the Wanaka Upper plans due to Covid-19 Clutha Lions Ladies, Lorraine and Darlene; last year. Robyn, Michelle and Rhonda from Blind Low Vision, Kirsty from Ocula Wanaka, Christine from Lake Wanaka Centre and Penny and her events team at Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. We could not have done A big shout this without you! out to ANZ Staff Foundation for their support and sponsorship which enabled us to organize five seminars for the public around Aotearoa: We delivered some excellent presentations with the help of these wonderful and knowledgeable ophthalmologists in the following cities:
WANAKA 27 February DUNEDIN 28 February Dr. Harry Bradshaw presented three excellent presentations over the weekend. Top: Dunedin seminar, everyone sitting 1m apart to We received lots of positive feedback from meet Covid requirements while Dr Harry Bradshaw close to 130 attendees, commenting that presents. Bottom: Wanaka Seminar with Dr Harry Dr Bradshaw gave very clear information Bradshaw presenting
3 ALBANY (AUCKLAND) 13 March This was held at a lovely setting, North Shore Golf Club on a beautiful Saturday morning. Dr. Narme Deva gave an excellent and very clear presentation to a cozy group of about 40 people and helped Waikanae Seminar Dr James Leong presenting answer a lot of questions from the floor. We are thankful for the support from our WAIKANAE 10 April lovely volunteers from ANZ Takapuna Branch, Jade and Maja, David from More than 70 people attended our seminar Haydon Optometrist and Niishahn from at Waikanae Baptist Church. Dr. James Humanware who showed a few of their Leong received great reviews from the assistive technology products for people audience with his very clear, enthusiastic and with low vision. engaging presentation. Almost everybody commented they learned so much, and NEW PLYMOUTH 27 March that the seminar was very useful to them We made the decision to postpone this and that they enjoyed it. Again, thank you seminar from 6th March as we were in to our lovely friends Debra and Sue from between lockdowns. Apologies that we did Sight Support, offering advice on low vision not manage to convey the change of date aids, and a big thank you to the amazing to a few participants who had turned up on volunteers from ANZ, Hope and Vik. the original day. Dr. Simon Nicholas gave a As a small charity organisation, we cannot very “concise, informative and reassuring emphasize enough the gratitude from our presentation” to about 100 people at TSB team for all the support and help we get. Showplace, with many people commenting Thank you again. that they learned a lot about macular degeneration. Thank you to Stratford Seminars coming up in 2021 Optometrists for their presence and Debra and Sue from Sight Support for being there We are planning for a few more public with the low vision aids and to offer advice seminars for the next few months: to people with low vision. Also a heartfelt These seminars will be in: thank you to Lance Girling-Butcher from Palmerston North – 26th June 2021, Positive Ageing New Plymouth for helping 10am-11.30am. Venue: Globe Theatre us publish an article in Midweek, and for Taupo – September the help with the shuttle service. Manukau / East Tamaki – November
Please register your interest to attend these seminars at www.mdnz.org.nz/public-seminar-sign-up or call us on 0800 MACULA (0800 622 852) We look forward to seeing you at a seminar this year.
4 Bank ATMs, In brief... Locate the and using their 1 hearing buds plug audio function Insert hearing 2 buds into the The majority of ATMs in New Zealand hole have their voice instruction option enabled. This means that once you plug in a pair of earphones/hearing buds Listen to description of they can instruct you to complete your 3 keypad layout banking needs without you having to be able to see the ATM screen. Below we have described how to do this. If Insert your card you would like further help do not hesitate 4 and follow the audio prompts to ask the bank staff. Or call MDNZ and we will see if we can help over the phone. 1. Locate the hearing buds plug, on the bottom right side of the ATM. This 3. Once you can hear it the ATM will is normally just above where the cash explain the process through the comes out. You will find a row of raised hearing buds in full: including the imprints, the first in the shape of hearing layout of the keypad which has “braille buds. Then a dip with the hole to plug marks” on it – the number 5 button has the hearing buds into and then a button a raised dot; the ok button has a circle; with some raised symbols showing the change button has a straight line; volume increase/decrease. and the cancel button has a cross. We found when doing this that it can 2. Put your hearing buds on, then insert be easier to use an ATM that does not them into the hearing buds hole have the security cover over the keypad, (described in step 1). Make sure they especially if your fingers are not very are fully inserted. The machine will start nimble. Please just make sure that you talking straight away. If you hear no keep your hand covered when entering sound, make sure the sound is turned your pin. up, using the volume button. If still no success, play with the hearing buds plug 4. It will then tell you to insert your card a little to make sure they are connected (including what is the right way up) fully (some are a little difficult). If still no into the card reader and then what luck maybe try another ATM or set of numbers to push on the keypad to hearing buds. achieve whatever you wish to do.
We found that this process does take time to do, especially the first time, but if you do take your time and listen carefully to the ATM's instructions it is very successful.
5 • • • • • • help could that info Banking All phone abilities via Apple Pay or Google Pay. Cards Credit and Contactless payment ANZ with Visa Debit follow the registration process. Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android) and ‘ANZ goMoney New Zealand’ from the App totext beenlarged. To register, download supports your phone settings to enable worked on). On Android phones, the app recognition (Android phone ability being supports the use of fingerprints and facial ANZ goMoney (Smartphone App): login with photo ID. Internet Banking, or visit any ANZ branch To register, visit www.anz.co.nz and search readers (such as JAWS, NVDA for desktop). Guidelines and is compatible with screen Accessibility Content Web international the ANZ Banking Internet reference. branch supplied for by the be call 103 0800 123. 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(refer to separate article in this low vision to beable to gain access to (wired version) and will guide people with this. Talk to member astaff about this. your account to ensure that you receive (assistance) for some reason they can flag your banking and if you need care extra 0800 400 600 Contact Centre over phone the recognition. supports the use of fingerprints and facial Westpac (Phone One App) payments. regular manage Debits Direct and payment fails. Automatic payments a certain amount, or when aplanned accountwhen balances over/under go Text reminders readers. screen with with ease of reading and is compatible Westpac’s website call 600. 400 0800 Phone number 172 0800 172. To register access. Login using Customer ID and PIN. telephone banking system, 24/7 unlimited Westpac Phone Banking westpac.co.nz/demo/app.html#login> you can practice using, go to 0800 1720800 172 600 400 0800 Cut here and retain for your files Celebrating our champions, You! Thank you!! If you are reading this article, thank you for your then you will probably know wonderful donation how vital MDNZ’s resources, and for taking action to information and support help others. are for people with macular Two generous donors degeneration. offered to match your donation. By You may be someone whose sight answering their call, has been saved through using an you have doubled Amsler Grid; or someone who now your impact. Thanks eats healthily thanks to the nutrition to you, in the coming and recipes that MDNZ shares; or year, MDNZ will have someone who found a listening ear a busy schedule on the 0800 Helpline at a time when distributing more you were feeling anxious about your Amsler Grids and macular degeneration diagnosis. reaching more people. We want to get a Grant, whose story you can read here Grid into the home of every person over 50 ( 13 Open letter to the Minister Kia ora Minister Vision loss can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Not only those experiencing vision loss, but those who love and care about them. Right now, we don’t even know the scale of the problem. We call on you to show leadership by Macular Degeneration is a making eye health count in the next member of the Eye Health parliamentary term. Collation which is working People with vision loss are: towards affordable and • far less likely to be employed equitable eye health for all • three times as likely to experience New Zealanders. One of the clinical depression first steps towards achieving • twice as likely to fall and four times as this is to understand the eye likely to suffer hip fractures health of New Zealanders, Currently New Zealand has no formal data which we are currently lacking on the prevalence or causation of vision information on. loss and no comprehensive eye health strategies, policies or frameworks to plan EHA has written an open letter to the for and measure progress in eye health Minister of Health, and we are asking and vision care. you to join us in signing the petition The first step in correcting this is to get truly for the first ever National Eye Health representative and current New Zealand Survey in New Zealand. population-based data on the prevalence Please click on this link to the petition and causes of vision impairment. 14 Thank you to all our generous Please donate to support those with MD donors who have responded so Title Mr / Mrs / Ms / Miss / Other positively to our requests for support. First name Last name We are able to accept cheques until the Name to appear on tax receipt 20th of June 2021, after which we will not have time to deposit these before Street address they are no longer accepted by our bank. Suburb Please contact us if you wish to discuss how to donate without using a cheque. City Postcode Email We can and will continue raising awareness, educating, and supporting Phone (home) those with macular degeneration. Phone (mobile) With your continued support you will be I would like to give a gift (choose one) assisting others as follows: Single Monthly Annually Amount $200 $150 $100 $50 or $ Information packs posted $50 I would like to pay by (choose one) out to 10 people Cheque (enclosed) (accepted until 20 June 2021) $150 Information packs for Credit card VISA / MasterCard (circle one) 36 seminar attendees Card number $500 One week of the Cardholder’s name 0800 Save Sight Helpline Amount $ Expiry date / $2,000 An Awareness and Education Signature Seminar in your community For online donations visit www.mdnz.org.nz $10,000 Help fund a Community Thank you Educator I would like to receive information about MD I would like to receive the MDNZ newsletter Saving the sight of another is Please send me more information about leaving such a wonderful gift to give. a gift/ bequest for MDNZ in my will Please complete this form and return to: Macular Degeneration New Zealand, Gift in Wills PO Box 137070, Parnell, Auckland 1151 Have you thought about leaving a gift For assistance phone to support the future work of MDNZ? 0800 MACULA (0800 622 852) Contact us to find out more. Donations over $5 are tax deductible. Email [email protected] or phone We take great care with your personal information. Please see our Privacy Policy which is published on our 0800 MACULA (0800 622 852) website. See: www.mdnz.org.nz/privacy Issue #19 15 More from our 2021 Seminars Besides the public seminars that we organized for the local communities in the various cities around New Zealand, our General Manager, Anna Crane has also 19 – June 19 2021 given talks to 10 retirement villages, seniors’ clubs and community organisations around Auckland, Rotorua and New Plymouth in ISSUE the past few months. We want to ensure more and more people are aware of macular degeneration and early detection saves sight! Podcast of this newsletter is now available We are very pleased to announce that Viewpoint will now be available on our website as a Podcast, and those who are Blind Low Vision NZ members can also access it on Blind Low Vision NZ platforms. Click on this link to head to the podcast on Macular Degeneration NZ website www.mdnz.org.nz/viewpoint-podcasts To access it on BLVNZ platforms please search for Macular Degeneration Top to bottom: Dr Narme Deva Answering New Zealand Viewpoint. questions at the Albany Seminar; New If you would like to in future receive the Plymouth Seminar, audience listening to Dr Simon Nicholas Seminar; Sight Support, Viewpoint Newsletter by email only please low vision aids at New Plymouth Seminar; do email [email protected] informing us Wanaka Seminar Table. of this, or call 0800 622 852. For further information contact MDNZ WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK www.mdnz.org.nz The Southern Trust for their kind support in funding this edition of Viewpoint. 0800 MACULA (622 852) [email protected] PO Box 137070, Parnell, Auckland 1151