Queanbeyan Goulburn Seniors Aged-Care - SE NSW

Cooma/Snowy Young Multicultural Newsletter

NSW Sth Coast

Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre Inc Inside this issue: Newsletter Nov 2011

Flags of Marulan 1 Flags of Marulan

Marulan is on the Hume Highway between Goulburn and Sydney. Marulan’s population of around 550 has a rich multicultural history as described by locals Community Care 2 at a recent seniors gathering. Respite Care Residential Care The prospect of work at the local mines had been a big attraction bringing a diversity of people to Marulan. In the early European migration period, single National Infor- 2 males were accommodated in tents along the railway line and later in tin huts mation Line (referred to as ‘cubicles’ by the locals) in town to accommodate mine workers

The Snowy - 3 Birthplace of Multiculturalism

All Alone 3

What’s Happen- 4 ing In Your Region

Aged-Care Ser- 4 vice Directory

from many European countries. Today, the seniors group is a mix of families of CPP Agencies & 4 the early miners and farmers who settled in the region and includes people Contacts originally from Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Nor- way, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, , Samoa, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Uruguay, UK, USA, Zambia. In 2006, Marulan celebrated its diversity on Harmony Day by publishing stories of the many families who settled in Marulan and also by holding a special flag raising ceremony with the local mines donating flag poles erected in the park on the edge of the highway which is on the 150th East. The Goulburn CCP worker spoke at a seniors’ lunch arranged by Goul- burn Mulwaree Council HACC team each month. As well as learning about the rich cultural diversity of Marulan, the Goulburn CPP worker explained Goulburn Multicultural Centre’s role in providing information to communities on aged-care & respite options. Page 2 Newsletter

Community Care - Respite Care - Residential Care

Here is some information on aged-care options to Respite Care consider. Respite Care is short-term care, which enables the older person and their carer to have a break Community Care from their normal routine. Respite Care provides Difficulties for older people doesn’t always mean hav- care services to the older person on a temporary ing to give up their home. Here are some examples basis, which enables the carer to rest, attend to of Community Care that can be provided in the home. other responsibilities (eg shopping), or to have a holiday. It is usually planned in advance, but may Home and Community Care (HACC) provides basic be arranged in an emergency. support services for frail aged people who are experi- encing difficulties managing daily tasks but who wish Respite care may also be accessed by older peo- to continue living independently at home. Services ple who live on their own and feel unable to look may include: nursing, assistance with bathing, dress- after themselves and need a break. It can be pro- ing and eating, Meals on Wheels and other food ser- vided in the older person’s home, in day-care vices, home help with housework, laundry and shop- centres or in Residential Care. ping, home modification and maintenance, transport, counselling and social support. Home and Communi- Residential Care ty Care services are usually provided by local coun- Staying at home may not be an option. Aged care cils, community health centres and community organ- homes, also known as ‘Residential Care’, provide isations. low-level or high-level care. Both levels of care provide a range of specified services, including: Community Aged Care Packages provide services accommodation, basic furnishings, laundry, to frail aged people who require a greater range of cleaning, meals and refreshments, staff to help at services to help them continue living at home. The all times, personal care (assistance with bathing, packages may include: personal care (assistance dressing and eating), occasional nursing care and with bathing, dressing and eating), meal preparation, social activities. High-level care is designed for home help (assistance with housework, laundry and people who are very frail, requiring 24-hour assis- shopping), gardening, transport and social support. tance and on-going nursing care.

National Aged Care Information Line - 1800 500 853

Call 1800 500 853 for information about aged-care services and options. You can contact your doctor, community nurse or local hospital for more information. You can find more information at these web sites or contact us (details on last page):

Dept of Health & Ageing Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing http://www.health.gov.au and search ‘multilingual’ http://www.culturaldiversity.com.au/

Aged Care Aged Carer Australia http://www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au/ http://www.agedcarer.com.au/

If you need an interpreter, phone the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50 Newsletter Page 3

The Snowy - Birthplace of Multiculturalism

The Snowy Mountains is the birth place of Multiculturalism in Australia with the arrival of migrants from 1949 to work on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Scheme. Many migrant families still live in the Cooma/Snowy region with seniors supported by Yvi Henderson through the Community Partners Program (CPP). Yvi came to Cooma as an exchange student from Switzerland and settled to raise a family and support people who have settled in the region. Yvi works closely with the Multicultural Activities Group in Cooma (MAGIC) group who meet regularly and organise a variety of multicultural activities including infor- mation sessions, community celebrations and the Cooma Multicultural Festival held in March each year. As the CPP Multicultural Aged-Care contact, Yvi works closely with seniors in Cooma and the Snowy region. Yvi organises regular infor- mation sessions to explain aged-care and respite options to seniors and their families. For women of CALD background who care for a relative at home, this is important as many are not aware of all the Australian aged-care and respite services available. As well as providing information sessions, activities such as gardening work- shops, Italian Pizza Making Day, International Lunches provide op- portunities to meet new people, form new friendship and overcome social isolation.

ALL ALONE

(Poem by Josipa Pusswald, born in Croatia, came to Cooma during the Snowy Scheme)

In this big and different country, In winter everything is gray and gloomy I feel cold scared and so very lonely. I’m a stranger in this country, and I can’t speak their language Many People are walking up and down the street, but I feel so alone.

Why oh why had I come here, why did I leave my old country? My family and friends and everyone that I love. Some time had passed and spring had come Blossoms are on the trees and flowers on the ground Richly like perfume smelling, I hear children yelling , they are playing. The sun is shining and birds are singing, everything around me is living And slowly my heart is warming, and I don’t feel alone any more I love this big different countr y.

What’s Happening In Your Region

QUEANBEYAN

Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre (QMLC) AGED-CARE Musicianholds regular and ex-MYSweekly informationyouth sessions for sen- worker,iors in Queanbeyan Heidi Gill, helped on aged the care services and INFORMATION FOR younghealthy people living. Sessionthrough topicsthe include care and health services,complexities mental of thehealth, studio home and care, home mainte- THE MULTICULTURAL nance,in the preparationmeals-on-wheels, of their hearing and mobility equip- ment, ACAT assessments, managing dementia, and COMMUNITY songs. As well as producing dealingtheir first with CD, depression. it was a great

QMLCopportunity also organisesfor young seniors’people excursions and mul- ticulturalto learn about lunches. the Contactmusic busi- QMLC (02) 6297 6110 Queanbeyan ness.for more information. Multilingual Centre COOMAThanks to Brianna, / SNOWY Advisor to 12 Rutledge St the Children & Young Peo- Queanbeyan NSW 2620 MOUNTAINSple’s Commissioner for her Ph (02) 6297 6110 support, and also congratula- Monaro Family Support Service (MFSS) coordi- Fax (02) 6297 0386 tions to Angeer Email: [email protected] nates information sessions for the local multicultural com- munity. WebSite: www.qmlc.org.au Cooma and the Snowy Mountains was probably the birth- place of multiculturalism in Australia and is still attracting overseas employees who continue to find employment and with the Snowy Scheme and who bring new families Cooma often with dependent parents.

Monaro Family Support Seniors are invited to the monthly multicultural lunches Service where information on different topics is discussed. 59 Vale St Monaro Family Support Service also assists local health Cooma NSW 2630 and aged-care services to provide accessible and culturally Ph (02) 6452 3450 sensitive services to the multicultural community. A directory of local aged-care services is also Fax (02) 6452 6080 available for the community. Contact MFSS on (02) 6452 3450 for more information. Email: [email protected] GOULBURN

Goulburn Multicultural Centre (GMC) runs regular information sessions and work- shops for the many CALD residents of Goul- burn and has recently updated its Directory Goulburn of Aged-Care Services in the region. Goul- Multicultural Centre burn also has early settled European commu- 205 Auburn St nities as well as new communities from Goulburn NSW 2580 and Africa. These communities meet at Goul- Ph (02) 4803 9042 burn Multicultural Centre to discuss the Fax (02) 4821 8811 needs of these communities and their fami- Email: [email protected] lies. Specific information sessions are held on WebSite: www.gmc.org..au age care services and options. Contact GMC on (02) 4803 9042 for more infor- mation.

Aged-Care Services Directory NSW Sth Coast, We have been busy updating the directories Young of aged care services in Queanbeyan, Coo- Contact Queanbeyan ma and Goulburn.

Multilingual Centre These have information and contacts for: • Respite Care • Residential Care • Home and Community Care • Home Living Support

We’re on the Web If you would like to obtain a copy of a direc- QMLC.ORG.AU tory or need further information, contact the relevant CPP agencies listed on this page.

The CPP Newsletter is supported through the Department of Health and Ageing - Community Partnership Program -