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April 2019
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Hello Welcome to this months enews. |
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Thank you to Fran Aylott for sharing this poem |
In this issue:
Bakers Creek Falls Lookout |
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Our Wayward Armidale Trip
Hilgrove Museum
What a week, who new that there was so much to see and do so close to home. Our holiday adventure was to Armidale and surrounds for the week. We started early, enjoying morning tea at a very dry Wollomombi Falls with chocolate cake cooked by Marie which was a hit on a slightly chilly morning. Next stop, Hillgrove Museum which is steeped in history about a once bustling Gold Mine Town and is well worth a visit. After lunch at Hillgrove, it was onto Bakers Creek Fall again very dry and no water but an amazing gorge, then onto Armidale for a well deserved rest and our accommodation for our four night stay. Tuesday we took in Dangars Gorge where a few of us did a couple of the walking paths. then it was onto Deeargee Woolshed and Gostwyck Chapel
Lunch was enjoyed at Uralla and a walk around the township. Wednesday was a Heritage Tour around Armidale with Norman Dare, who had lived in Dorrigo as a small child. We toured around UNE taking in the Natural History Museum with its large array of animal artifacts, then onto Booloomindah which was built between 1886 and 1888 for Frederick White.This is where we learnt of the birth of the University of New England. It was in 1936 when the son in law of FR White gave the Estate to the University of Sydney. It was 1954 that the University of New England was created on this site. After morning tea at Dumaresq dam, then it was onto Saumarez House for a garden tour, We then visited a private residence with a large collection of collectable and a home with history. This tour went for around 3 1/2 hours finishing off at the Imperial Pub for a well deserved lunch.
June enjoying Booloomindah Residence at UNE.
Booloomindah Residence Thursday we joined the lovely Susie from Wayward Trails who was our guide for the day (a very busy day at that) first stop was Peterson's Winery for morning tea and wine tasting for some, then onto the Sunhill Goat farm for cheese tasting and to see the goats, The Lazy Magpie was the next stop in an amazing old homestead for condiment tasting (yum). Lunch was in Uralla followed by the Dobson Distillery for a taste of their world famous gin and whiskey, I must say we helped the small businesses out with our purchases throughout the day. I think we were all exhausted at the end of the trail, I know the bus driver was.
Lazy Magpie
A spot of Tasting Friday our day to head home. Checking out Armidale Lookout and Arboretum on the way. We then detoured to Guyra, where we enjoyed lunch at the park and a look around the town just to help the Guyra economy. I must say it was a jam packed week and I'm sure everyone of us needed a rest to recover on Saturday. Thank you for all that joined us on this trip.
Gostwyck Chapel that is privately owned. |
Recipe for Easter
Easy Tuna Mornay serves 6 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20minutes 50g butter chopped 1 Onion peel and chop 1/3 cup plain flour 1 litre milk 1 chicken stock cube 1tbs Dijon mustard 2 x 425g Tuna in spring water 1/3cup Parsley 250g tasty cheese grated 3/4cup breadcrumbs Preheat oven to 200oc. Melt butter in large saucepan, add onion. Cook until soft. Add flour, cook stirring until combined with the butter. Gradually whisk in milk, crumble in stock cube and add mustard, whisk until sauce comes to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes, whisk constantly or until thickened. Remove from heat, add tuna, stirring and add 1/2 parsley and cheese. Pour into a 6 cup capacity oven proof dish(22x16cm). Combine breadcrumbs remaining cheese and parsley, scatter over tuna sauce. Bake 10 -12 minutes or until golden. Options- swap tuna for salmon Make in individual ramekins swap for gluten free flour and breadcrumbs. Whats on in April Wednesdays Bingo at Hickory House starting at 10.30am. Scrabble starts at 1pm at Hickory House. 5th CEX Seniors Show pick up starting at 10.30 cost of transport is $15-. Lunch is at own cost, Show is free. Please book in. 7th Daylight Saving finishes turn clocks back. 8th New Year New You Workshop starting at 10am followed by lunch. Remember to book in for catering. 11th Town Lunch at Components Cafe 12noon. 18th Bus trip to Toormina Gardens pick ups starting at 9am cost for bus $12-. Lunch at own cost. 20th Made in Dorrigo Day main street starting at 9am. 22nd Easter Monday Office closed. 25th Anzac Day Office closed. Please Remember to book in if you would like to join us for trips, lunches at Hickory House and town lunches. It is important that we know numbers prior to these events. Seniors Walking group meets at Hickory House 9am on a Wednesday to car pool. If wet it to a Coffee Shop. 3rd April- Mountain Top Rd 10th April- Urunga Boardwalk 17th April- Clarks Road 24th April- The Glade. -------------------------------- Dorrigo Community Bus run by Community Transport leaves Hickory House every Monday except Public Holidays at 9am cost to Coffs Harbour is $8-. They drop off at Woolworths Park Ave, and Park Beach Plaza. Arriving back to Dorrigo around 3pm. School Holidays it returns at 4pm. There is an additional service through the School Holidays on a Thursday also leaving at 9am from Hickory House returning at 4pm. Any Dorrigo Resident can access this service. For more information contact Community Transport on 1300 812 504. ------------------------------ * Do You have ideas for bus trips or is there somewhere you would like to visit either for the day or for a overnight stay please let us know to see if its possible to accommodate your needs. Most away trips we try for apartment style accommodation to give you more space, if you require your own room this can be arranged on booking but we need to know early and there could be an extra cost involved. * We are always keen to find out what your interests are and what you would like to see the Dorrigo Support centre offering. There are many talented People in the area that are always willing to share their gift. Please call in, ring or email us at the Dorrigo Support Centre - 50 Hickory Street, phone- 6657 2896, email- dorrigosupport@bigpond.com. With your ideas.
* Our next Supported Trip away will be in June so stay in tuned if you would like an Itinerary. ---------------------------
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My Aged Care - Improving Home Care Pricing Information To improve transparency for senior Australians, all home care providers will need to publish their pricing information in a new standardised pricing comparability Schedule on the My Aged Care Service Finder. The Schedule will provide information on the common services and costs under a Home Care Package. This will better support senior Australians to understand and compare home care pricing information, and make a more informed decision about which provider is best placed to deliver their care. Why these changes are needed? Currently, home care pricing is not transparent, or able to be easily understood and compared. Some providers are also charging high administration payments. These issues have been raised by senior Australians and their families through a variety of channels, including directly to the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care, the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, MP (the Minister) and through the Legislated Review of Aged Care 2017. Schedule Design The Schedule has been designed to: 1. encourage senior Australians to consider other factors in addition to the price of the service when choosing an approved provider 2. provide clear and unambiguous pricing information on the common Home Care Package services 3. achieve price comparability across common Home Care Package services 4. limit any impact on the ability of providers to innovate by catering for different business models 5. ensure equity in the requirements across providers and allowing dedicated areas to promote their value statement and point of difference. Within the Schedule, providers will need to nominate a single price (the most common) for each common home care service within the Schedule. Where providers offer genuine client choice of different prices for a service, they will also be able to enter the minimum and maximum price points. This may be where an approved Home Care Provider arranges services via sub-contracting arrangements and therefore can offer their clients different prices for a service. Relationship between published and contracted price The price published in the Schedule will be the default price charged. A copy of the Schedule must be included within a client's Home Care Agreement and Individualised Budget. This ensures the published price is a meaningful and accurate indication of the costs charged under a Home Care Package. There are situations where the contracted price will need to differ from the published price. For example, where the client has a particular request. In these instances, the Home Care Provider will need to negotiate and agree a price with their client. This difference in price and accompanying reason will need to be clearly outlined within the Home Care Agreement and Individualized Budget. It is expected this would be an exception. In most instances, the price published will be the price charged. Common Services The Schedule will include five common Home Care Services: 1. Personal care 2. Nursing 3. Cleaning and household tasks 4. Light gardening 5. In-home respite To ensure a like-for-like comparison, definitions will be developed for each service. The Schedule will not be an exhaustive list of all services, given the variability in service delivery across all Home Care Providers. This also ensures senior Australians are provided with a meaningful and manageable amount of information. Other Costs The Schedule will display information on Maximum Exit Amounts. The current approach to Maximum Exit Amounts is not changing. Providers will also be able indicate if they charge a per kilometer cost for a care worker to travel to the client's location; or if they charge an extra amount if a client wishes to subcontract, and receive services through a different provider. Providers will need to explain their approach to any separate cost, for example, if it is charged separately or include in the service price. Approach to Care Management Care Management, often called Case Management or Care Coordination, is a key component of every Home Care Package. The introduction of the Schedule provides an opportunity to better define care management, and educate senior Australians. Providers will need to indicate the cost of Care Management Services, and will outline their approach to Care Management in the Schedule. Care management may include: 1. reviewing the Home Care Agreement and care plan 2. coordination and scheduling of services 3. ensuring the care is aligned with other supports 4. providing a point-of-contact for the home care recipient or their support network 5. ensuring care is culturally appropriate 6. identifying and addressing risks to the home care recipient's safety. Care management should ensure there is no overlap, over-servicing or mismanagement of services. These services may be provided in different ways including face-to-face or via phone or email. Approach to Administration Costs Thee are different components to administration costs; package management costs, and other administration costs. Providers will be able to include their fortnightly package management costs across each Home Care Package Level in the Schedule. Package management is the ongoing organisation activities associated with ensuring the smooth delivery and management of a Home Care Package. It may include the costs for preparing monthly statements; managing package funds; and compliance and quality assurance activities required for home care. It does not include costs that are unrelated to supporting a person's care or costs associated with running any business, such as marketing, office rent, insurance, or activities completed before a person enters into a Home Care Agreement. Any other administration costs that need to be recouped from a Home Care Package, aprt from package management, will need to be included in the unit price for specific care services. This will ensure people can see the all-inclusive costs of delivering the service. Transition Approach Providers ar4e encouraged to start publishing information in the new Schedule as soon as it is available from April 2019, with compliance required from 1st July 2019. Providers will be required to review, and if required, update their pricing Schedule on My Aged Care annually. This will ensure accurate pricing information is published, and included within clients 'Home Care Agreements and Individualized Budgets |
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability Have your say! As you might be aware, the Government has now announced the beginning of a public consultation on the draft terms of reference for a Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. People with a disability, and other stakeholders, have the chance to provide feedback on the draft Terms of Reference, which are open for public comment from Wednesday, 13th March to Thursday, 28th March 2019. The Government will seek the Governor-General's approval to establish a Royal Commission after the public consultation is completed. The Royal Commission will focus on what governments, institutions and the community should do to prevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disabilities. It also seeks suggestions on how to make the Royal Commission more inclusive and accessible for people with a disability. This consultation does not seek specific information on cases of abuse or violence. The current draft of the Terms of Reference broadly cover: 1. what governments, institutions and the community should do to prevent, and better protect, people with a disability. 2. what governments, institutions and the community should do to achieve best practice to preevent and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation 3 what should be done to promote a more inclusive society which supports the independe4nce of people with a disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation
International Women's Day was Celebrated on the 8th March. This years theme was Balance for Better - to build a gender balanced world. Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive. International Women's Day is a global event dating back to the first gathering in 1911. International Women's Day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action. What colours signify International Women's Day?Internationally, purple is a colour for symbolising women. IWD Coffs Coast Women of the Year 2019 was Shelley Lowe from Urunga. Some may know Shelley from the Stepping on Program that was run in Dorrigo a couple of years ago. Shelley is the founder of Shelley's Boot camp and her Seniors Ucando classes in Urunga that encourages and motivates her participants in exercise and lifestyle habits. The runner-up award was won by Kamla Ruthnam-Webb, who has volunteered as a mentor for the Indigenous Mentoring Experience for eight years. History of the Day
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"New Year, New You' - Wellness Workshop Monday 8th April 10am - 12noon
Come and join in it, it's not to late! Maggie has a wealth of knowledge in the Wellness Sector. She can help you learn how to relax and lower stress through relaxation techniques. Research has shown us that practicing mindfulness meditation, can improve and address various medical and psychological difficulties. You can improve problems such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, oversleeping, depression, high blood pressure and many more. "The past is gone, the future is not yet here and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life." Thich Nhat Hanh. Relax, its important ! Workshop Dates- Pop them in your diary 10am -12noon- 8th April 6th May 3rd June. Did You Know? Dorrigo Library has a large range of Audio Books to Borrow FREE and also have the Plextalk Daisy Player Dorrigo's friendliest CD player It can play CDs and MP3s that can be borrowed too! Recommended by Vision Australia Please ask your friendly Local Librarian Reminder - cost of transport is $5- for pickup and return around the Dorrigo township please remember to pay Staff. Transport out of the CBD area, there are additional cost. Dorrigo Support Centre Closure Dates In April 2nd April- Closed due to training. 22nd April- Public Holiday Office Closed 25th April- Anzac Day Office Closed |
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card: How to apply and what it covers Health care costs in Australia can leave a big dent in people's finances but, if you're over Aged Pension age, did you know you could actually save money by applying for a free Commonwealth Seniors Health Card? The concession card entitles older Australians to cheaper health care, as long as you meet a number of eligibility requirements, including being an Australian resident currently residing in the country. Am I Eligible? To be eligible for the card, you must meet the following criteria:
While there is no assets test for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, your income must be less than $54,929 a year if you are single, or $87,884 per couple. However, if you are a couple that has been separated by illness, respite care or prison, the income limit is $109,858. If you have a child in your care, for example a grandchild who lives with you full-time, you're entitled to an additional $639.60 on top of these sums. How do I apply? You can apply for a card online by simply logging into your MyGov account, after ensuring that you meet all of the requirements. If you do not have a MyGov account though, you can cliam your card by visiting the Department of Human Services' website and completing a "Claim for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card'' form. Alternatively, visit the nearest service centre or call Centrelink's self-service helpline. What are the benefits? With your card you can get cheaper medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and bulk billed doctor visits - if offered by your general practitioner. Your card could also land you a bigger refund for out-of pocket medical costs not covered by Medicare, according to the Department of Human Services. Some state and territory governments also offer additional discounts, such as reduced electricity and gas bills, lower water rates and lower fares for public transport. You will need to ask if this applies in NSW. Do you have a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card? |
| The Dorrigo Support Centre opening hours are 9am-4pm Monday to Thursday. You can contact us on (02) 66572896 or via email- dorrigosupport@bigpond.com |
This monthly newsletter and schedule of events is supported by the Commonwealth Home Support Program. |
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