Resilience is key to moving forward

Welcome to the winter edition of The Jubilee newsletter! I’m both optimistic and hopeful that the colder weather will now mean less rain and a chance for us all to dry out.

2022 – It’s a storyline no movie maker would contemplate – a major flood in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and then more rain as an entree to a virulent influenza virus as we enter winter. Yet together we have all lived it, we still live it and will do so for some time to come. I am pleased that within these pages we have provided you with a smattering of stories that capture some of the experiences from this time.

It was a new experience for me to have contacted a staff member with COVID in February to ask how she was getting on only to be told that she was at that time abandoning her house due to rising flood waters. Amazing stories have punctuated this time.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our valued clients, for your patience, resilience, good humour and kindness as Jubilee continues to navigate the challenges of COVID and the recent flooding. The safety of our clients and staff remains our priority so your support and understanding during these challenging times is genuinely appreciated by all at Jubilee.

With regards to COVID, Jubilee continues to ask our staff to strictly adhere to the protocols set by Queensland Health in relation to the wearing of masks and protective clothing, which in turn governs our business operations.

The Jubilee family recently expanded our Client Coordination team and in our website’s News section we introduce Debbie Hinton whose focus is the care and support of our clients.

Also, look carefully and find a poem by our client Doreen in our News section and then take a moment to read about some of the ways our Home Care Package client Roma is using her package funds to live the life she chooses and explore the sights and experiences of Brisbane along with her Jubilee support worker Fran.

Several staff members at Jubilee were affected by the recent rains and flooding. Some lost much that they owned but still chose to work and support Jubilee clients. This is an example of the Jubilee spirit – helping each other out amidst challenging circumstances. Their efforts have been appreciated by staff and clients alike. Read about two of our brave and compassionate staff, Nanette and Andrea, in this section of the website.

Jubilee’s much-loved activities program has been slowly returning and is kicking off in full swing after many months of restrictions. For a full list of activities look at our July, August and September calendars in our Activities section of the website. Jubilee clients might like to join our activities officer Vicki on her regular Zoom video calls. If you are unable to get out and about on one of our buses you can still keep in touch and make new friends but do it with Vicki online!

I would like to reassure everyone, Jubilee Community Care is here for you. If you would like more information on our services or other ways we can assist you please phone us on 3871 3220.

Best wishes, Darren Sonter, Executive Director

Joining our tremendous team at Jubilee Community Care is new client coordinator Debbie. We are thrilled she has become part of the Jubilee family!

Debbie Hinton – Client Support Coordinator: I am very happy to return to Jubilee in this role after previously being a Jubilee support worker some years ago. I am enjoying getting to know our clients and wonderful support workers. My background is in administration before moving into the community and healthcare sector. I completed a Diploma in Leisure and Health and co-ordinated a busy, dementia-related respite centre and various community-based programs. More recently, I worked as an aged care home support assessor, connecting individuals and their families to beneficial support and care, many of them being linked to Jubilee! I enjoy spending my free time indoor gardening, going to markets and walking.

Loneliness and a sense of dislocation from the life older Australians would like to live are real and present issues among many of our clients. Are there activities you want to do, outings you want to take or work in your home you want done to make you feel safer and more comfortable?

Did you know you can legitimately use your Home Care Package to re-activate your life and social connections? The government has provided Home Care Package funding to enable older Australians to continue to live as full and active lives as possible. Funds that are unspent from your Home Care Package are retained by the government. Alternatively, these funds can be used now to help you live the life you imagined and on your terms.

The following services are just some examples of the ways you can use your Home Care Assistance Package:
** Outings to cafes, church, the football, a gallery, social clubs and appointments;
** Yard maintenance such as mowing, clearing overgrown gardens and gutters;
** Home modifications which contribute to your health and wellbeing such as wheelchair ramps or shower rails; purchasing wheelchairs, walking sticks and walkers, and installing airconditioning.
** Providing companionship, respite or shopping assistance;
** Assistance with purchasing or using technology such as computers, Ipads, emails and Zoom; and
** Assistance with more personal activities like medication support and showering.

Jubilee’s valued client Roma uses part of her Home Care Package to enjoy living an independent life with just a little assistance from Jubilee support worker Fran. Roma’s zest for life is infectious and Fran is happy to oblige! They have forged a strong friendship over the years and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. From shopping, a high tea to celebrate a special birthday to taking in the sights of Brisbane, Roma never misses living life to the fullest and trusts Fran implicitly to ensure she is comfortable and safe when venturing out.

If you would like to make the most of your Home Care Package funds phone Jubilee and talk to your coordinator about what is possible for you!

Jubilee client Doreen is an avid poet, penning and publishing some of her works in FreeExpreSion magazine. Here’s one to brighten your day.

The Hare and the Tortoise

Said the tortoise to the hare
As together they wandered here and there.
“I’m not as old as my body
My spirit is still young and free

If you think that I’m old then I’m sorry
That’s not how it seems to me.
My brain perhaps is not so agile
And my skin is wrinkled and thin.

On my legs I’ve travelled many a mile
And I wait for each day to begin
When I like to count my blessings
And think of years gone past

As I enjoy the memory of things
I know that my spirit will last.
Think of me as old if you wish
Giving credit for the experience of years

That have given the strength to accomplish
A fortune of joy and tears.
The hare to the tortoise replied
“I know what you say is true

On appearances cannot be relied
For the revelation of the sparkle in you.”

Our Jubilee staff and clients have been amazing over the last 2.5 years and never more so than in 2022 when the pandemic truly arrived in Brisbane along with a flood and major rain events.

Thank you all for battling together through each challenge with tremendous spirit and positivity. Jubilee Chairperson Sabina Janstrom, above, and a couple of our key operational staff, Mary and Leigh, below, reflect the sentiment of all of us at Jubilee as we consider the fantastic effort of our staff and the support and understanding of our clients during this historic time. Thank you!