Activus Newsletter 2022-January / February

Activus Calendar January/February 2022 Edition Our Community Partners Message from the GM With a New Year comes new hope! I think caring and compassionate attitude of Activus has sought to introduce new all of us are happy to leave 2021 behind all our team members were we able to programs around social support. We and along with it - the end of a worldwide stay operating. I want to thank you, our are currently providing a new online pandemic. Considering the devastating customers, for supporting Activus through program called the Virtual Social Centre impact it took on the way we lived our the past two years in particular as we (VSC) at a subsidised rate. We are in lives and connected so differently with navigated through the ever changing the process of designing one-on-one our communities, it truly brought into health order restrictions. and group social support that will assist focus how important human connection customers who require some extra is. Without the freedom of movement, Well it’s time to spread our wings again help when attending outings, medical isolation can have an enormous impact and I’m sure from this editions calendar appointments or company to attend on our mental health. you will find an outing that you can enjoy movies or family gatherings for example. and maybe even try something new and We are not funded to provide these Activus is such an essential service for meet new friends along the way. additional services so although a small the Sutherland Shire community and fee is attached, we believe the immense only through the hard work, dedication, Activus listens to your feedback and benefits of such a program will be well continues to provide services that benefit worth it. you to live the life you love. Although we primarily deliver transport; we recognise From all of us here at Activus – thanks the importance and synergy of also for enriching our lives. There’s nothing providing social support. Part of our better for us than knowing that we can purpose is to recognise unmet needs in make a positive difference to a person’s our community. life just by being able to connect them to their community through our essential transport service. Yours, Greg Stanger

JANUARY 2022 Time2Enjoy Calendar 10 11 12 13 14 MON TUE WED THU FRI FIRST DAY BACK WEST EAST WEST EAST Lunch at Gerroa Sylvan Grove Geranium Cottage & Lunch at Bellambi Fishermans Native Garden & Lunch at the Cafe Bowling Club Lunch at La Piazza, Bankstown Sports 17 18 19 20 21 MON TUE WED THU FRI WEST EAST WEST EAST WEST Lunch at Gerroa Lunch at Gerroa Sylvan Grove Geranium Cottage & Lunch at Bellambi Fishermans Fishermans Native Garden & Lunch at the Cafe Bowling Club Lunch at La Piazza, Bankstown Sports 24 25 26 27 28 FRI MON TUE WED THU PUBLIC HOLIDAY EAST WEST EAST EAST AND WEST Lunch at Gerroa Lunch at Yarra Bay Lunch at Yarra Bay Lunch at Headlands Fishermans 16ft Skiff 16ft Skiff Hotel Austinmer Sailing Club Sailing Club 31 MON WEST Lunch at Yarra Bay 16ft Skiff Sailing Club BUS FARE ONLY $20* Note: *For those that meet subsidy requirements. The bus fare is in addition to any venue or meal costs unless otherwise stated. Please pay your Activus driver or carer on the day of the outing. Please note that the ticket cost of evening outings include bus fare.

FEBRUARY 2022 Time2Enjoy Calendar 1 2 3 4 TUE WED THU FRI EAST WEST EAST WEST Shopping at Salvos Narellan Shopping Lunch at Illawarra Lunch at Illawarra & Lunch at Club Yacht Club Yacht Club Windang 7 8 9 10 11 MON TUE WED THU FRI EAST AND WEST WEST EAST WEST EAST Shopping at Salvos Shopping at Salvos Narellan Shopping Lunch at Illawarra Lunch at Illawarra & Lunch at Club & Lunch at Club Yacht Club Yacht Club Windang Windang 14 15 16 17 18 MON TUE WED THU FRI EAST AND WEST EAST WEST EAST WEST VALENTINES DAY Rockdale Tennis BERRY - Lunch at BERRY - Lunch at Plants Plus Altra Corrimal RSL High Club Berry Hotel Berry Hotel Nursey & Lunch Tea $29 at Mortdale Masonic Club 21 22 23 24 25 FRI MON TUE WED THU EAST EAST WEST EAST WEST Plants Plus Altra Lunch at Rockdale Tennis BERRY - Lunch at BERRY - Lunch at Nursey & Lunch Maroubra Seals Club Berry Hotel Berry Hotel at Mortdale Masonic Club 28 TIME2 Group activities, caring HEALTH & To and from medical, health ENJOY centres or social visits. WELLBEING and wellbeing appointments. MON WEST Lunch at LIVING Shopping and local ACCESS Live beyond a disability, let us Maroubra Seals ALL AREAS offer you more opportunity. ACTIVITIES village centre visits.

Speaking engagements If you are a member of a probus Pam Collocott, Business Development group, sports club, Rotary etc and Officer and Jordan Fitzhenry, Customer would like Activus to come and speak Services Manager are speaking at the to your members –we’d be happy following locations. Call 8555 0000 to. We can talk to members about our to book them for your next function. transport services and options and • 2 Feb – Probus Ladies Kirrawee all attendees will be given a promo • 7 Feb – Probus Menai pack with information and goodies • 21 Feb – Frank Vickery Village (Expo) • 23 Mar – Parkinson’s Support Group Activus Says Goodbye A Massive welcome to all those to ‘Gorgeous George’ volunteers that have either George Kandris has driven off ailments that people had,” he recently started with us, or who into the sunset after working as a laughed. Some people he drove every are currently being onboarded. driver for Activus for 28 years. second day for over a decade to see their husbands or wives in nursing Without you – we’d be lost. George started driving for Activus, when homes and formed strong bonds we were known as Sutherland Shire with them during the commute. Keith Kerr Community Transport, first as a volunteer Phil Byrne from 1993 and then as a paid worker George is one of those truly humble Bernadette Hofrichter from 1995. He said he was looking people that put his customers first and Robin Bond forward to retiring and travelling around went out of his way to make their journey Denise Cavanagh Australia and Europe with his wife. memorable. Gorgeous George was one Graham Johnson of our most loved drivers and will be Karen Arthur “I really enjoyed working with Activus, sadly missed by staff, volunteers and Desley Taueki they were really nice people to work customers and we wish him well for the David Hughes for, that’s why I stuck it out for so long,” next chapter of his life and hope that the Jackie Symes he said. When he hung up his keys the road holds many more journeys for him. fleet consisted of over 15 cars and a In the words of Tina Turner – handful of buses, but when he began as You’re Simply the Best! a volunteer he was our only driver and there was only one vehicle in the fleet. He said he would miss the people he drove around, taking them to hairdressers and doctors appointments. “I made a lot of good friends over the years. I learnt a lot of different Tell us where to go! We hope you enjoy the outings that we have planned for January and February. A lot of time, effort and consideration goes into planning trips that we believe you’ll really enjoy. We love nothing more than receiving suggestions from customers about places that they would love to visit. Simply call the office on 8555 0000, ask to speak to the customer services team or email [email protected] with your suggestions and we’ll be sure to consider it for upcoming outings.

Important Dates January/February 2022 1st January New Years Day 3rd January Public holiday (New Years Day) 10th January We are back for 2022! 26th January Australia Day 1st February Chinese New Year 14th February Valentines Day Activus Says Goodbye to ‘Gorgeous George’ THE VIRTUAL SOCIAL CENTRE (VCS) IS HERE Would you like to join a safe online community? Then the Virtual Social Centre (VSC) might be for you! The VSC allows you to meet people online, stay connected, and have new experiences, all from the comfort of your home. IT’S VERY EASY DISCOVER AND INTERESTED? PARTICIPATE IN: The VSC is easy to use and safe. You will If you believe this program would be be provided with training that will show you • Book clubs and special beneficial to you to stay connected how to join and participate in the sessions. interest groups with your community, learn, have fun and enjoy new experiences – HOW MUCH • Seated yoga, tai chi, movement then we want to hear from you! DOES IT COST? to music/dance Call our customer services team EXCLUSIVE ACTIVUS CLIENT OFFER: SAVE • Explore the latest healthy living on 8555 0000 to talk about how $40 per month on your VSC subscription. information and advice you can participate in the VSC and to answer any of your questions. NOW ONLY $32.90per week • Arts and craft workshops (RRP $42.90 per week) • Activities to challenge and Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time, stimulate your mind and there are no long-term contracts. • Chat groups (make new friends) • Discussions with guest speakers and lots of surprise events What is a Home Care Package? The Home Care Packages program is What are the Home Care Package levels? had an Aged Care Assessment, you will a government-subsidised program that be told which level applies for you. provides long-term support for older There are four levels of Home people who want to stay living at home. Care Packages for different What other options are there? There are four levels of Home Care care and support needs: Packages for different levels of care and Home Care Packages are not the only support needs. Each level receives a • Level 1 for basic care needs way you can have your needs met. You different amount of funding. This money may find extra support from your family, in can be used to buy hours of care or • Level 2 for low-level care needs your community, in your social network, other support that suits your needs. using your own money or resources, or • Level 3 for intermediate care needs by creating a network of people that Home Care Package funds aren’t paid may be able to help you. There are also to you directly. Instead, you choose • Level 4 for high-level care needs. lots of other programs, some of which an approved Home Care Package are funded by government, which you provider to administer the funds Each level receives a different amount of might be able to use. You can contact on your behalf and give you ‘case government funding. The higher the level, My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 management’ support and advice. the more funding the government pays for information on what Government on your behalf, allowing you to buy more programs you might be eligible for. services. A Level 4 package allows you to buy the most services. Once you’ve

What makes up an excellent model providing services to older Australians? Recently I was asked about what The lock down was easy for some but very makes up an excellent model providing difficult for most due to isolation from family and services to older Australians. friends, closure of shopping centres, cinemas, playhouses, concert theatres, public pools, and loss I suggested that the best services are centred of direct contact with medical services, exercise to the individual person’s needs, provides care classes, physiotherapy and social events. rapidly, provides care to all, and works well with lots of other services and general practitioners. Isolation is so difficult for us all and it certainly took a great toll on older and young people’s I was then asked what object would physical and mental health. The restrictions on represent such a model of care. visiting family and friends in their own homes and aged care homes was devastating. On my desk I found a toy model of the Activus bus. This was my answer to that question. It has been great to see the amazing vaccine uptake in NSW especially from the older generations which Transport is essential to allow people to access shops, has resulted in markedly reducing the number of medical appointments and very importantly, social COVID positive cases, hospitalisations and numbers groups and outings. The Activus bus fulfils these in intensive care units. This has allowed us to open transport requirements but also allows for those up and rekindle those important relationships. characteristics of the best services described above. I thank everyone who has got the jab twice I was excited and delighted the other day and many who will then take it for the third when I had one of my brief times to spend with time, six months after the second one. my one year old granddaughter at Centennial Park, when I saw the Activus bus dropping off We still have to be careful with our hand washing and Sutherland Shire older residents to enjoy the keeping away from big crowds and trying to keep one magnificent park, the foliage, the flowers, the and a half metres distance from others when we can. ducks and swans, the dogs and horses, the soccer players, the picnickers, the tai chiers etc. I thank the amazing Activus team in getting going again and as life returns to normal I I then knew life was starting to return encourage you to resume those outings and to some normality after an incredibly socialise and start enjoying life yet again. difficult lock-down due to COVID. I wish you all a wonderful 2022. Associate Professor Peter Gonski, Activus Ambassador

From the desk of Cheryl Koenig OAM - Activus Ambassador, Author & Motivational Speaker. As a writer, I sometimes obsess over words and their re-join society. We need to put some effort into meanings, or simply their shape or sound (strange PARTICIPATING in meaningful activities, whether that but true!). I happen to like the word ‘kith’. Most be commencing or carrying on learning or working of us know the phrase ‘kith and kin’, yeah? Most outside the home; taking up a new hobby such as recognise that ‘kin’ relates to our family and relations, joining gyms, exercise groups, book clubs, choirs but what exactly is ‘kith’? Well, kith is your wider etc; volunteering for a good cause; or just enjoying circle of friends and relatives, and might include your the simplicity of coffee with friends. Whatever. neighbours. Some of us use Facebook or other social media to connect to friends and relatives/kith and In my own experience, writing and voluntary kin – especially during the seclusion we all faced work are just some of the ways I maintain self- over the last two years, but however many Facebook esteem. And when we have good self-esteem we friends we have, we can still feel disconnected and are proud of ourselves. When we are proud, we lonely. In my experience Facebook helps maintain respect ourselves. When we have respect, we weak ties with a slightly larger circle of acquaintances, listen to ourselves and trust our decisions, which instead of truly nurturing real friendships. means feelings of self-doubt have little room to manifest or grow into anxiety or even depression. It’s well documented that real friendships underpin our mental and physical well-being, NSW hospitals Fundamental to reconnecting to society, is having and Mental Health Organisations are now presenting ACCESS. I am privileged to be an Ambassador data representing a surge in admissions and enquiries for Activus Transport. They are a truly empathetic directly attributable to social isolation, loneliness, transport organisation founded to support people and our failure to foster friendships and community who are reliant on assistance in accessing activities in ties during the pandemic. Countless overseas the community. Activus understands the importance studies have shown that loneliness is bad for our of a person’s support network, and does not charge health, linking social isolation to a range of health if a carer is required to support the frail, aged, and problems, from high blood pressure to a weakened people with disability. Or, Activus can provide immune system to a greater risk of depression, transport assistants to take on a temporary carer role heart attack and strokes. One US study suggested for shopping and other social outings as they support that those without adequate social interaction are individuals in strengthening community connections. twice as likely to die prematurely, making loneliness as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day! One of my favourite words in the English language is ‘empathy’ (right up there with ‘hope’!). Empathy So that’s the negative part of this column done! Covid underpins everything that makes society work… is soooo last year! I’m a glass-half-full person. Like like trust, altruism, collaboration, friendship and happiness, I believe positiveness is a choice – and support. Failure to empathise is a key part of this is coming from someone who has suffered great most social problems – discrimination and equity loss and personal health crises. I don’t look back – included. So an empathetic ethos – like that 2020 and 2021 are done and dusted, and it’s time for of Activus – which fosters identity and societal all of us to re-emerge from our cocoons. Reconnect inclusion is really important, as it also underpins with our real ‘kith and kin’- face-to-face. Find our AUTONOMY – the right to make decisions. Not only identities again. For identity is what makes us unique. a great word, but a basic human right for everyone. Not only is it how we view ourselves, but also how the world views us. To move forward we need to For more info about me visit: www.cherylkoenig.com.au

Private bus hire If you are a sporting team, social group, school group, or similar, and require a bus then Activus can help you. We have 21 to 24 seater buses and 13 seater mini buses available which can accommodate wheel chairs if required. For all that extra gear or luggage, lockable trailers are also available for hire. Vehicles are provided on a self-drive basis (subject to meeting appropriate licensing conditions). Our rates are extremely competitive and any funds generated through this enterprise go directly to supporting the community. If you’re interested – complete a Bus Hire Agreement and complete a Booking Form on our website at activustransport.org.au/bus-hire or call us on 8555 0000 and we’ll get you on your way. Time to Buddy-UP – COMING SOON In the new year Activus is introducing a brand new program called Buddy-up. If you’ve ever thought to yourself ‘I could really use a buddy right now’ then you’re going to want to read on. Every now and then wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to assist you with your shopping, to get that elusive jar or tin from the very top shelf and help you with heavy shopping bags? Or how about someone to accompany you to a medical or personal appointment? They could assist you with your mobility aids or provide a hand to navigate medical centres and hospitals. But wait there’s more – would you like to have a buddy to take you for a coffee or a lunch or play a game of cards with you? If this sounds like something you would be interested in then you’re going to love Buddy-Up. We can match you up with one of our Activus Buddies to provide that little bit of support, a helping hand and some company. If you would like to know more, keep an eye on our Facebook page, our website, through information in our vehicles and ask our friendly booking staff when you next call to make a transport booking.