Newly crowned centenarian Evelyn Benson has some wisdom to share about how to live well: “Just be yourself, love yourself, and love others as they would love you.” Happy 100th Evelyn! The Trinder Park Aged Care resident received a letter from newly crowned King Charles to celebrate the significant milestone. But she especially enjoyed the party where her family travelled from across Australia to help celebrate. Thanks Living in Logan for sharing the event.
Our residents at Salem Aged Care, Toowoomba, shared some of the reasons why they love their nurses.
Let’s take a moment today to celebrate all the wonderful nurses out there – you are highly valued and appreciated for the warmth, dignity and professionalism you bring to your role and the lives of many.
Happy International Nurses Day!
A hunt for sunflowers amongst the cane fields at Jacobs Well turned into a serendipitous outing for Trinder Park Aged Care residents recently.
Volunteer Lyn spoke to some of the farm workers who were so chuffed to be visited by a bus load of older people, they cut each person a giant flower to take home.
And with smiles as big sunflowers, they headed back home!
It’s not just man’s best friend, the dog, that can combat loneliness and boost your happy hormones. Cue the grey kangaroo joeys who bounced their way into Lutheran Services Orana Aged Care residents’ hearts on a recent visit.
With soft, strokable fur and the type of cuddle session that leaves you with oodles of the happy hormone oxytocin, the joeys were a big hit and are bound to visit again. Local wildlife carer xxx kindly brought in some of the kangaroos she helps to rehabilitate after they have been injured or orphaned.
Orana Aged Care resident Sandra White was thrilled with the wildlife encounter.
“I love every animal who visits,” she said.
Mrs White also regularly visits the horses who live in the paddock next to Orana.
“They give all of themselves and my visits to the horses gives me no end of pleasure,” she said. “Show them gentleness and we have a friend for life. (Kangaroos) Luna and Drew were so loving and cuddly and a joy to watch as they jumped around the room approaching people for pats and trying to get outside the circle. What a joy!”
Orana Aged Care Service Manager Kym Zischke said animals were a wonderful way to promote social interactions.
“Studies show that animals are a very effective type of therapy as well as being such a delight,” she said. “We have animals that visit regularly and you can see it instantly on residents’ faces – they chat more, they smile and they love the touch. Kangaroos are something a bit different to dogs and cats, so it was a nice experience, and the way people cuddled up to them really showed how much enjoyment they had.”
A study on social isolation in Geriatric Nursing (2014) supports Kym’s experience.
The study showed that interactions with animals meant aged care residents participated in longer and more in-depth conversations, increased their vigour and reduced fatigue.
You may have heard about Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) now being legal in Queensland. As of 1st January 2023, Queenslanders may now access medically assisted euthanasia, providing they meet certain criteria of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (QLD).
As a department of the Lutheran Church of Australia Queensland District, Lutheran Services does not provide voluntary assisted dying services.
Our Director of Chaplaincy and Ministry Development, Rev Dr Russell Briese, provides guidance on offering pastoral care to those seeking VAD, their families and friends in Queensland.
Read below for our approach to pastoral care during VAD, where we seek for all residents to feel heard and supported spiritually, whatever their choice.
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is legal in Queensland as of 1st January 2023. Queenslanders may now access medically assisted euthanasia, providing they meet certain criteria as per paragraph 10of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 (QLD):
• be diagnosed with a disease, illness or medical condition that
-is advanced, progressive and will cause death;
-is expected to cause death within 12 months
-is causing suffering that the person considers to be intolerable.
• have decision–making capacity in relation to voluntary assisted dying
• be acting voluntarily and without coercion
• be at least 18 years of age
• be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have been ordinarily a resident in Australia for at least three years immediately before making their first request (or granted an Australian residency exemption by the Director–General of Queensland Health)
• have been ordinarily a resident in Queensland for at least 12 months immediately before the
person makes the first request (or granted an Australian residency exemption by the
Director–General of Queensland Health).
Furthermore, somewhat like clergy being familiar with lodging a Notice of Intended Marriage, anyone seeking VAD must make three formal requests, witnessed through approved channels within the designated period of 9 days from and including the first request (s 43.3).
It is to be noted that the above is not related in any way to current Advanced Health Care Directives, as these are relevant only when a person is no longer able to manage their own affairs.
The topic of this short paper is not medical or logistical, but pastoral. How do LCAQD pastors and pastoral carers (I will use the terms ‘pastor’ and ‘pastoral carer’ interchangeably) offer pastoral support for those seeking, contemplating, or undertaking VAD? How do we care for family and friends of these same people before, during, and after the VAD process?
The LCAQD’s ‘Submission to the Queensland Law Reform Commission Consultation on a Legal Framework for Voluntary Assisted Dying’ in 2021 emphasises respect for human life as a divine gift and inherently valuable, and it urges that human autonomy be balanced with the principle of the common good. It needs to be noted that church–affiliated aged care institutions (such as those run by Lutheran Services) are not granted an organisational right of conscientious objection (although individuals working in the organisation are able to conscientiously object) since residents are living there in their ‘own home’.
Must be something in the soil!
This Jacaranda planted five years ago this month is catching up fast to the two-storey building it was planted to celebrate.
It’s wonderful to look back on how far we’ve come at Cooinda Aged Care, Gympie – time sure flies by!
Reminiscing back to February 2018, Aged Care Minister, Hon Ken Wyatt and Llew O’Brien MP, Federal Member for Wide Bay, planted the tree to mark the start of construction of the aptly named Jacaranda building, which now houses 50 aged care residents.
Look at all the lush greenery now!
It’s hard to tell who got more out Federal Aged Care Minister Anika Wells’ special visit to Salem.
Residents at Salem Aged Care were thrilled when their game of hoy was ‘interrupted’ by a VIP guest.
Over a few rounds, Minister Wells chatted to residents and staff about what they value.
We shared about Happy Table, which is delivering better nutrition outcomes and our award-winning Nurse Practitioner program.
Thanks for dropping in!
From January 1 2023, The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 makes voluntary assisted dying (VAD) lawful in Queensland under specific circumstances.
As a ministry of the Lutheran Church, we believe that in Christ’s love everyone is someone; beloved and created in the image of God.
As such it is Lutheran Services’ policy is that we do not provide VAD services or play an active role in the VAD process. This policy does not prevent our residents or clients accessing external VAD services on our sites.
If residents or clients in our care seek information and/or access to VAD, we will direct them to the Queensland Government’s Q-VAD Support where authorised doctors, nurses, and others assist with information and access to VAD.
While Lutheran Services does not provide VAD services or play an active role in the VAD process, a respectful approach will always be maintained by all Lutheran Services people in the everyday care of residents who choose to pursue VAD, and to family and friends of such residents throughout the VAD process and any subsequent bereavement. Access to medical, chaplaincy, nursing and care services will not be adversely affected. We however do not play an active role in the VAD process.
You can read more about our approach to VAD here.
For more information about VAD in Queensland, including the contact details for Q-VAD Support visit www.health.qld.gov.au/vad.