In a world that rushes by too fast, we like to focus on creating experiences with our clients. It's important to take time to appreciate the journey and savour the simple things in life that help us all to feel good. We aim to leave a smile on every client's face after a trip. Pre-bookings required.

Autumn walks in the our beautiful neighbourhood! We are making the most of this mild Autumn weather here in Auckland and prioritising morning and afternoon walks. We know that there are massive health benefits associated with regular walks - along with the social benefits of walking as a group.

Are you looking for Rest home care or day care? We can help.

www.rest-home.co.nz

We are pleased to advise that we have again achieved the maximum four years certification from August 2021.

Room Vacancy Status

We currently have one room available, please call to discuss your needs for any upcoming vacancies and our popular day stay service. All rooms have an ensuite toilet and there is a mix of sizes and configurations such as those with glass sliding door to a garden courtyard or others with views toward the Waitakere ranges, Royal Heights Park or Auckland City and the bridge. Please call us to discuss.

We welcome visits to view the great resources our facility has for residents and our day stay clients. Book a visit by calling 09 833 9333 or to have a chat about your needs. Our visiting policy currently asks that you have had a negative RAT test prior to entering and wear a mask please to ensure the safety of our residents.

Day Stay

Please note: Our popular Day Care Programme is currently paused at L4.

Please have a chat to us about our day stay service. These can be either regular or occasional. Join in the activities, entertainment and meet our friendly residents and staff. This is a booked service so we do need to discuss your day care needs before hand. All the various funding support options can be utilised toward this service.

Royal Heights is proud to have achieved four years certification (three times running).

Our home has been revamped to become a modern, light, bright and airy unit with up to date artwork and access to seating in the garden areas being updated.

We celebrated NZ music month with a special afternoon tea and entertainment. As it was also anti-bullying Friday, our staff made a statement in pink.

Camellia court offers a lovely memory care facility in Papanui with outdoor area for the residents. We pride ourselves in our warm and family orientated environment and the passion and commitment of our staff to provide the best care possible to your loved ones.

Did you know that you need more than just a Will?

It’s never an easy topic to think about, but getting your affairs in order makes things far less complicated for your loved ones after you’ve gone, and ensures your assets are dealt with in the way you would like. To make this difficult process a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of the documentation you require.

In addition, we’re offering a comprehensive package combining all the required documentation. We call this the Peace of Mind Package.

Included in our package:

Will (a directive for when you pass away);
Living Will (also commonly called advanced directive - a directive for when you do not want your life prolonged artificially);
Enduring Power of Attorney for Property (appoints someone as your Attorney who can look after your property matters whilst you are still alive – can come into effect immediately or when you become mentally incapable);
Enduring Power of Attorney for Personal Care and Welfare (appoints someone as your Attorney who can look after your healthcare matters whilst you are still alive – will only come into effect if you become mentally incapable), and finally;
Digital Assets Register (this register details a list of digital assets you hold, for example a Facebook page, email accounts, cloud storage accounts, etc. so that these can be dealt with once you pass away).

We can meet you at any of our three convenient locations across Christchurch or meet with you at your home or rest home to discuss putting these documents in place.

Phone 03 366 5540 or email info@pierlaw.co.nz to find out more.

BOOK YOUR PRIVATE VIEWING -SHOW HOMES BY APPOINTMENT:

Show Homes Open: Wednesday and Thursday 10 am-12 pm by appointment, 20 Alfriston Road, Manurewa. Parking available onsite. Use visitors carpark. Step inside and experience a virtual tour of our apartments here: https://youtu.be/621L0v-YVXI

Contact Marisa Johnstone for more information or to book a private appointment: 021 991 805

Our surprisingly affordable Enduring Power of Attorney just got surprisingly more affordable! Right now, you can get $30 off with a SuperGold card. Make an appointment or enter the offer code GOLD30W Welfare & Personal Care or GOLD30P Property online.

The best time to get an EPA is now

Start your EPA online today.

Affordable Apartments Starting From $180,000 Available Now At
Ultimate Care Rosedale Village

Rosedale Village is for the 65+ and its well-appointed affordable accommodation is set amongst a well-established residential area in Albany which enjoys the backdrop of Bushlands Park. One of the benefits of living at Rosedale Village is the ability to choose the level of support you require.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule a viewing appointment
09 414 1144

www.rosedale.co.nz

We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to be the recipient of the #ACE Adult and Community Education Awards 2022 Tangata Tiriti Community Based Programme of the Year! for our #SeniorNet #SeniorHangouts Programme. Plus Heather Newell, our SeniorNet Executive Director is the recipient of the Tangata Tiriti Educator of the Year Award. Thank you to the wonderful team at ACE Adult Community Education for the great work that you do for our New Zealand communities. #SeniorNet #KeepingNZSeniorsSafeAndConnectedOnline #education #thankyou #awards #NewZealand #Education

https://www.facebook.com/SeniorHangoutsNZ

Caring for a loved one at home, but need some Respite - secure a booking today at Aroha house by contacting Donna 021 774586 - Currently NO Vacancies till July 22

Have you tried our delicious new Coconut Prawn Curry? Bursting with the flavours of South India, this light and fragrant curry is made with coconut milk, tamarind, ginger and just hint of chilli, giving this meal a light touch of spice and sourness. Served with basmati rice and a side of green peas, high in protein and sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Do you find reading tiresome? Are you looking for a transportable, user-friendly magnifier that reads your printed documents aloud?

Imagine reading from a newspaper, completing a crossword or viewing family photographs at a more comfortable size.

With the ONYX® OCR, you can!

This Portable Desktop Video Magnifier with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is a video magnifier with the ability to read the magnified text to the user.

The ONYX® OCR is the ultimate, transportable low vision solution and it doesn’t take up too much space! It’s designed for reading, writing and everyday practical activities. The clear voice, magnification and high contrast makes reading so much easier.

Simply point the flexible camera towards the desktop and enlarge everyday items on-screen in superior High Definition. With plenty of space beneath the camera, reading, writing and everyday practical activities become easier. Additionally, reposition the flexible camera and point in any direction or towards yourself to check you appearance.

Comfortably change your focus from reading magnified texts yourself, to letting the ONYX OCR read them to you when reading becomes too tiring. Just place your document under the fixed OCR camera on the left and activate the speech function.

Enjoy listening to any document as it is read aloud by a high quality voice, without straining your eyes.

For more information about the ONYX OCR Video Magnifier visit our website at 1lowvision.com or call our friendly team on 03 376 5071

Support for Mums

Sarah is a loving, dedicated mother of five teenage children, who only six months ago was diagnosed with stage 3 endometrial cancer. Her journey with cancer is a remarkable story of steely strength and courage.

Sarah doesn’t have a lot of family support nearby to call upon for help, so they have found it especially tough, both emotionally and financially. Because Sarah has always put her family before herself, she initially didn’t recognise the symptoms that her body was trying to tell her that something wasn’t right.

In these challenging times we are hearing from more and more New Zealander’s every day who need support from the Cancer Society.

After feeling increasing bouts of fatigue and an irregular menstrual cycle, she went to see her doctor. Further testing confirmed that Sarah had endometrial cancer and it had already rapidly progressed.

“When I found out I had cancer I started to panic, and then I became terrified, angry, and overloaded with emotions opposite to hope and joy. I was all alone.”

The urgency of Sarah’s situation meant that no time could be wasted, and cancer specialists sprung to action to give her the best chance. She underwent intensive abdominal surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, before starting chemotherapy.

But during chemotherapy Sarah suffered with side effects that made her too unwell to continue. She had terrible numbness and pain, was nauseated, and felt fatigued. Sarah bravely completed her radiation therapy, and felt much better afterwards, much more like her old self.

“The side effects of chemo were very horrible; I didn’t know my own body or how to describe what I was feeling.”

“The doctors said I may only have a couple of years left, if that.” Sarah’s main worry is what will happen to her children when she’s gone:

“We don’t have family close by to support us, so I’m very worried about my children when I won’t be there to help my husband/their father to look after them.”

True to her nurturing nature and driven by the fierce love she holds for her children; she is focussed on finding joy in the little things and comfort in leaving the household in the best shape she can for her children.

“No more tears, no more pain, I need to move on and look forward and be strong for my five children. I have so many things to do. I must keep going. I am a mother and I have a house to make a home.”

Sarah explained to me that she finds comfort in her faith. She also tells me how much joy she finds in singing, taking morning walks with her husband, catching up with friends and family over video chats, and cooking delicious meals for her family.

Through this incredibly difficult time, Sarah has found her Cancer Society Nurse Debs has given her a lifeline of support.

“Nurse Debs always checks how I am feeling, and makes me feel more comfortable, at peace and happier.”

Sarah found the Cancer Society nurse advice extremely helpful as she explained to her what the technical terms meant, and what to expect from treatment. Most importantly Debs gives Sarah gentle advice and provides an attentive listening ear so that Sarah can really be open about her fear and worries.

Being able to access nurse support and counselling, advice, information, from the Cancer Society is made possible by the generosity of our supporters.

There is no magic remedy to cure Sarah’s cancer, so knowing that she can get support from the Cancer Society is crucial for her mental wellbeing.

As Sarah bravely continues her cancer journey, she has just recently returned to work, six days a week. She loves her job as an activities co-ordinator and healthcare assistant at a local nursing home. She is also determined to leave her family in the best possible position.

“My cancer journey had me crippled with my darkest thoughts during those long nights in bed at the hospital. And just when I had succumbed to all those horrifying thoughts, I thought of everyone I hold dear to my heart, the images of all my tiny babies I have carried in my arms came flashing through my mind.”

Cancer Society is there for everyone going through cancer. Through all the challenges, cancer patients can find practical support and advice from a Cancer Society nurse.

“The Cancer Society gives me help, they are very supportive, they are always happy to listen, and so patient – thank you” – Sarah

Please show your support by donating now and you will be helping more people like Sarah and her precious family. Thank you for reading and for your support.

You can donate here!

“I feel like I’m falling apart at the seams!” I recall saying these very words during a period of intense grief; thankfully I was ‘held’ by family and friends who knew that my powerful emotions were natural, normal responses to my loss. Grief is a universally human experience, yet felt uniquely and personally - however you need never be alone and support is available in many different ways.

Hello I’m Liz! I am quite new to Eldernet and will introduce myself and my work at The Fifth Season to you over the next few months.

I have always been interested in people and life’s stages. I was brought up in the UK, Europe and Kuwait where, through experiences, I was introduced to death and dying. As a child I experienced the deaths of family members and friends. Coming to adulthood, the end-of-life experiences of those I lived and worked amongst shaped my knowledge of death and dying. I carry an awareness that dying is a part of living: that with support we can better understand the challenges of dying; and that fulfilled living can prevail.

I trained (and registered) as a Social Worker many years ago and have most recently spent six years as a volunteer palliative biographer and, earlier this year, established The Fifth Season. My greatest hope is to support you with all matters related to death and dying – whether that is how to support you or someone close to you in grief (as in the opening quote) - or how to start the conversation about dying; how to remember and commemorate, maintaining soul and spirit health during a tough period or how to say goodbye. The list of questions is infinite: anyone, at any stage of the journey, with any question, is welcome to contact The Fifth Season.

The Fifth Season (thefifthseason.co.nz) a telehealth palliative support service.

Goodbye for now, more next month, I will close with a photo:

Me and dad: this photo was taken a few years ago on a walk – it was the first time I had taken my children to England, the occasion was his 70^th birthday. I look forward to seeing him next January, here in New Zealand.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women in our lives. We celebrated here at Knox with a high tea for all our caring women, mums, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Great conversation and connections...and there may have even been a bit of an impromptu sing-a-long and boogie. Its hard to resist a good song!

Now you can get out and about with confidence with the new St John Mobile Alarm. It's super easy to use and works when you’re away from home. Best of all, it’s the only mobile alarm that connects directly to St John. We're confident that you'll want to take it with you wherever you go.

Call 0800 50 23 23 or visit stjohnmedicalalarms.org.nz to find out more

St. John Caring Caller

About the service

Sometimes living alone or being house bound
means that we miss out on daily human contact,
someone to chat to, laugh with and share news
with. Everyone needs this sort of contact and the
St John Caring Caller service provides just that.
The Caring Caller service aims to provide the
opportunity of friendship and regular contact
over the telephone. On agreed days, a friendly
Caring Caller can telephone you to check that all
is well, and to have a chat.

People become clients for many different reasons.
Sometimes their spouse has recently passed
away, others have found that family members
have moved away and they do not get regular
contact with them anymore. Some clients stay
with the service long term, several years in
some cases, others may just need the service
temporarily while family and/or friends are away.

This service is FREE and is part of the commitment
that St John has made to support local
communities by contributing towards the health
and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.

The benefits

It can provide:
• a break from day to day activities
• a new found friend
• regular contact
• knowledge that someone out there is
checking that you are ok

Anonymity

There is a high level of anonymity in this service.
Caring Callers are only provided with your first
name, sometimes age, telephone number, and a
short personal profile of you.
When the Caring Caller telephones you, it is the
policy of the service that they do not disclose
their surname, address, or telephone number.
Contact
For more information phone 0800 780 780.

April 2022

Hello everyone,

We hope you are keeping safe and well and enjoying the wonderful autumn weather with the cool nights and warm days. There are picturesque scenes everywhere with the autumn colours of gold, red, brown, yellow and maroon - all so beautiful.

It was a busy birthday month, with four birthdays; these were for Christine West, Mark Matthews, Josephina Fransen and Nina Taua. Cakes were made in the kitchen and enjoyed and celebrated by all at morning tea. Happy Birthday to you all.

Happy Hour was held on Friday 1^st April with a sing-a-long and delicious snacks. Thank you to Ian Birse who has been arranging the sing-a-longs through his computer in the past few months with the music and words coming up on the TV for everyone to take part in, sing along with and enjoy.

Easter was a lovely celebration with pretty decorations, some made by the residents in a craft session and an Easter egg game held on the 14^th, Thursday. There were Hot Cross Buns on Friday and an Easter egg for each on the Sunday.

Anzac was acknowledged and remembered quietly too.

Bingo is twice a week, with games mornings, crafts and walks outside to enjoy the last of the summer flowers.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy, religious services and quizzes have been put on hold for the moment as well as the entertainers. Hopefully we can resume these services soon.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

March 2022

Hello everyone,

We hope you are keeping safe and well as Covid spreads everywhere! We are doing our very best to keep everyone safe here at Brylyn and our staff too. We thank you for your understanding and kind messages.

Thanks go to our staff who have been working very hard and for filling in shifts where needed.

Birthdays this month with a cake made for each resident from our kitchen, were for Cherry Davis on the 11^th, David on the 27^th and Snow on the 29^th – Happy Birthday to you all.

On 2^nd March our Residents had Subway snacks as a treat to say thank you for being so understanding with the Covid restrictions and the staff for coping with it all.

We celebrated St Patrick’s Day with a Happy Hour on Friday 18^th incorporating as much green food and snacks as we were able during the day. Staff and residents dressed up with something green which made a fun day for all.

Some hot air balloons were spotted in the sky early in the morning making their way over Brylyn.

Thank you to Mary Robb’s family for the kind donation of a keyboard which we plan to make good use of.

Our popular Bingo is held twice a week and we have games mornings, crafts and walks outside to enjoy the fresh air and the garden.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy, religious services and quizzes and the Hairdresser have been put on hold for the moment, as well as the entertainers. Hopefully we can resume these services soon.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

February 2022

Hello everyone,

We hope you are keeping safe and well as Covid spreads everywhere! We are doing our very best to keep everyone safe here at Brylyn and we thank you for your understanding and kind messages.

It has been a slow and quiet month here at Brylyn. Only one birthday during the month and this was for Bruce Scott on the 14^th. Happy Birthday to Bruce who enjoyed a cake from our kitchen and enjoyed by all.

On Valentine’s Day 14^th February, we purchased a celebration cake for residents and staff to enjoy.

Residents had their lunch out on the deck on Friday 18^th which turned out to be a lovely occasion.

Our popular Bingo is held twice a week and we have games mornings, crafts and walks outside which we encourage – it is always good to get fresh air and to enjoy the beautiful and colourful summer garden.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy, religious services and quizzes have been put on hold for the moment and the entertainers too. Hopefully we can resume these services soon.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

January 2022

Hello everyone, Happy New Year!

We wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous year ahead.

Two birthdays celebrated this month were for Raymond Matson on the 6^th and Ian Birse on the 26^th.

Happy Birthday to both gentlemen who celebrated with a cake made from our kitchen and enjoyed by everyone.

On Friday 31^st December residents had a “Sing a long” Happy Hour with drinks and nibbles to celebrate the incoming New Year.

Anna, chef, planned and cooked a special meal on New Years’ day which was enjoyed by our residents.

Thanks go to two of our residents Ian Birse and Ashley Connor who have been doing some handy work for us and again to Ian who was most helpful with the putting up and taking down of all our Christmas decorations – sometimes it’s good to be tall!

Thank you to both gentlemen!

Our popular Bingo is still held twice a week and we have games mornings, crafts and walks outside which we encourage – it is always good to get fresh air and to enjoy the beautiful and colourful summer garden.

Mahi did a plastic ‘bubble’ Christmas craft which had an individual photo of resident inside. The photo was taken in front of our beautiful Christmas tree. They turned out very well and made a happy display on the dining notice board!

Canine Friends Pet Therapy came in once but are back on hold for the moment. Our religious services and quizzes had also been resumed keeping strict regulations with them but have also been put on hold at present.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

December 2021

Hello everyone,

It is hard to believe it is the end of another year!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support and understanding through the year with all the Covid restrictions that have happened. This has not been easy for you and your family or for our residents and staff here at Brylyn. We continue to endeavour to give the best of care to your loved ones.

The two birthdays celebrated this month were for Robert Brough on the 12^th and Glenys Alexander on the 21^st when everyone had a slice of birthday cake for morning tea, which was made in the kitchen by the chef. Happy birthday to you both.

On the 3^rd December we had a morning Happy Hour with Glen Carley entertaining our residents who enjoyed the occasion immensely. Glen encouraged everyone to sing along with him which was great fun. He also took song requests.

We had our resident’s Christmas BBQ on the 15^th and thank goodness the rain held off – good music, good food and a good time had by all. Thank you to Mahi, Lin and staff who made it a special occasion.

The Residents that were due, had their Booster Covid Vaccination on 21^st December.

There was a Christmas Happy Hour on the morning of the 24^th with Glen Carley again, who is a very popular entertainer with the residents. Each resident then received a Christmas gift from Brylyn.

On Christmas Day a special lunch was planned by Lin, our Chef, with Christmas crackers to celebrate. The day was enjoyed by all.

We would like to thank Christine Fisher for the box of knitted Christmas animals that she dropped off for our residents. Christine has been working on these all year in her free time and this was much appreciated.

We have a new dining table and chairs for the deck outside which has tidied up the area for our residents and visitors.

Our popular Bingo is still held twice a week and we have games mornings, crafts and walks outside which we encourage – it is always good to get fresh air and to enjoy the garden. Mahi did a Christmas craft plastic ‘bubble’ which had a photo of each resident in it, which was taken in front of the Christmas tree. They look beautiful!

Canine Friends Pet Therapy came in once but are back on hold for the moment. Our religious services and quizzes have also been resumed along with entertainers and be assured we are keeping strict regulations with them.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

November 2021

Hello everyone,

This has been another hard month with the Covid lockdown. Thank you to all of you for your understanding in this matter as we do our very best to care for your loved ones.

November only had one Birthday, and this was for Ashley Connor on the 10^th. A cake made from our kitchen and celebrated with everyone. Happy Birthday Ashley.

A Melbourne Cup celebration was held on 2^nd November with a special menu and decorations put up to create a festive occasion. Residents all drew out a horse’s name and 2 prizes were given out to the winners who were Thomas Wilkins and Barry Cartmill.

On Thursday 4^th we had a small Diwali afternoon tea occasion with music where some of the staff danced with our residents.

Friday 5^th November had a special Guy Fawkes menu day and afternoon tea. Many of the residents did a craft to create a ‘fireworks explosion’ for the centre of the dining room tables.

Bingo is still held twice a week and remains popular with our residents. We have another ‘caller’ now, Floss Dunkin, who is doing a very good job. Thank you Floss. We have games mornings, crafts and walks outside which we encourage – it is always good to get fresh air and to enjoy the garden.

There were no bus trips this month due to the Covid lockdown.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy and our religious services have been on hold. We hope these services will be able to resume sometime soon too.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

October 2021

Hello everyone,

This has been a hard month with the Covid lockdown and we understand it has not been easy for residents or families who wanted to visit their loved ones. We carry on and continue to look after our residents with the best of care. One can be grateful that they are not living alone somewhere in the community - at least here they have company all day long if they wish it. Thanks go to our staff who are doing a wonderful job.

In the month of October there were two birthdays, these were for Ross Roulston on the 4^th and Wayne Rolton on the 23^rd. Both were celebrated with cakes made in our kitchen and enjoyed at morning tea by everyone.

The September Happy Hour was ‘celebrated’ on Friday 1st October, just before the Waikato Covid lock down. Our residents appreciated this long-awaited occasion where we had Peter Whaley in to entertain while enjoying snacks and drinks.

We organised a low-key “Halloween theme” day on Friday 29^th with a special menu. Thanks go to Anna who did a wonderful job in the kitchen! There was Happy Hour in the afternoon with snacks and drinks and a cake. Residents had a fun ‘Karaoke sing-along’.

We have Bingo twice a week which is very popular plus there are games mornings, crafts and walks outside which are encouraged as much as possible to enjoy the spring flowers and get some fresh air and sunshine. Mahi and Jo did a Halloween craft which some enjoyed doing.

There were no bus trips this month due to the Covid lockdown.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy and our religious services have been on hold. We hope these services will be able to resume sometime soon too.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

September 2021

Hello everyone,

Another month gone by and although it is spring, the weather is always unpredictable. Wonderful to see the lambs, daffodils and spring blossoms and flowers everywhere, and good to have the warm days in between.

Hopefully we will be able to lift our visiting restrictions soon. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. It is hard for all of us, but rest assured we are doing our best.

September birthdays were for Marie Johansen on the 9^th, Olive Begley on 14^th, Ian Stewart on 21^st and Joyce Park on 18^th. A cake made in our kitchen for these occasions was shared and enjoyed by all.

Father’s Day was celebrated on Friday 3^rd September with a special cake made from our kitchen and a gift each from Brylyn of a Tee Shirt and Shaving Gel. It was a happy and enjoyable day.

This month the surprise lunch was on the 21st and our residents had Fish and Chips from the fresh fish Seafood Bazaar who make very good fish take-aways and this was followed by a special dessert made by Lin our chef of a Chocolate Self Sauce Pudding.

There were no bus trips this month due to the Covid lockdown.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy and our religious services have been on hold. We hope these services will be able to resume sometime soon.

Bingo is still enjoyed twice a week plus there are games mornings, crafts and walks outside to take in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

August 2021

Hello everyone,

Spring is almost upon us, although this doesn’t always bring good weather as we know, but it feels good to have reached this time of the year.

Unfortunately, we have had another Covid lockdown. We should feel very fortunate for the free time we had prior to this, to have been able to move around and have holidays in this beautiful country.

Rest assured, we are all doing our very best to keep everyone safe and happy here at Brylyn.

The residents are content with their bingo twice a week, floor games and pampering activities. Mahi is also taking them out for fresh air. We have been using the lemons from our lemon tree in the garden and the staff are making nice lemon and honey drinks for the resident’s wellbeing every day.

The staff are looking out for each other too. They have been helpful and are doing well.

Our birthdays in the month of August were for Susan Harvey on the 2nd, Colin Brewer on the 28^th and Annette Coombs on the 30^th. A cake was made from our kitchen to share and to celebrate. Happy Birthday to you all!

The resident surprise lunch this month on the 16^th was from Jesters Pies - which seemed to be a winner with everyone. The pies were served with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy. This was followed by a pavlova made by Lin our chef.

The Bus trips went out on the Raglan Road and another trip to Cambridge and Lake Karapiro.

On Friday 27^th we had a sing-along Happy Hour as we were unable to have an entertainer come in. The occasion was a happy one and a good time was had by all.

The weekend entertainers that came in at the beginning of the month were Louise, George, Charlie and Marlene.

Lisa had not been able to come in with Boomer on Wednesday afternoons before Covid lockdown, as she has been helping with calving at the farm. We look forward to seeing them both again. Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions and also brings Mitzi in. This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

Normally religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks by Reg, Jan, Len and David. We also thank David for doing our quizzes. We have daily exercises before morning tea. Bingo is held twice a week with games mornings, crafts and walks outside to take in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine when possible.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and be safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

July 2021

Hello everyone,

The end of July already with spring just around the corner, an uplifting thought. Roll on those warmer days!

Our birthdays in the month of July were for two ladies, Margaret Job on 22^nd and Floss Dunkin on 31^st. They each had a cake made from our kitchen to celebrate. Happy Birthday to both women!

We held the Resident meeting on the 15^th and the ‘flu vaccinations were done on Monday 19^th.

Tuesday 20^thwas our surprise lunch here for the residents. This month they had Pizzas from Dominoes followed by a Baked Custard Pudding with Doris Plums made by Lin, our Chef.

The Bus trips went out on the Raglan Road to see the Windfarms, to Temple View and Collins Road and then around the Hamilton Lake and also for some coffee trips.

Happy Hour was on Friday 30^th. This month we were entertained by a new entertainer, Colin McClure, who did a sing-a-long which residents enjoyed.

The July weekend entertainers were George, Peter, Louise and Charlie and Marlene.

On Wednesday afternoons, Lisa comes in with her dog, Boomer, and Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions. This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks. We thank David for doing our quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings, crafts and walks outside to take in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and warm, stay safe, until next month,

Regards

Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

June 2021

Hello everyone,

We hope you enjoyed the long weekend, Queen’s Birthday and managed to get away for a break. We have had some wonderful winter days in between those bad weather ones, but that is winter!

Birthdays in June were all for the ladies - Clarice Best on the 12^th, Janet Walker on the 24^th and Zena Carr on the 25^th and a Happy Birthday to the three of you.

Our surprise lunch was on Friday 18^th when residents had a KFC Snack Lunch followed by a chocolate pudding made by Chef, Anna. The take-away is enjoyed and appreciated by our residents.

The Bus trip on 4^th went to Chartwell for coffee and a muffin and on 11^th went to St Andrews Golf Course to enjoy the view while having a cup of coffee and something to eat. The bus trip on the 24^th also went to St Andrews Golf course for a snack and then to feed the birds.

On Friday 25^th we celebrated Matariki with star biscuits for morning tea. The special lunch was cooked by Anna and enjoyed by all. Happy Hour followed with Charlie and Marlene.

We are up to date with both Covid vaccinations - it is good to have completed this.

The weekend entertainers this month were Gail, George, Charlie & Marlene, Peter and Louise.

On Wednesday afternoons, Lisa comes in with her dog, Boomer, and Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions. This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks. We thank David for doing our quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings, crafts and walks outside to take in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.

Feedback is always welcomed.

Keep well and keep warm, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

May 2021

Hello everyone,

We hope this newsletter finds you all well and keeping warm.

Our birthdays this month were for Reginald Reihana on 1st, Raymond Park on 20^th and Thomas Wilkins on 28th. Happy Birthday to all.

We celebrated Mother’s Day on Friday 7^th wearing something red or pink and starting in the morning with a lady from the Orchid Society, Diane Wilson, who came in to talk about orchid growing. Diane also let the residents touch and feel the plants which they enjoyed while she answered any questions they had. The dining room and tables were decorated with lots of pink, there were pink cupcakes for tea and pink pudding. After lunch the residents were entertained by Charlie and Marlene after which there was a special Mother’s Day cake for afternoon tea and each lady received a gift of a beautiful sun hat. It was a lovely day for all.

Our surprise lunch was on Wednesday 19^th when the residents had Nando’s Chicken Tender Pieces with Chips and a pudding made by Lin, our chef, which was a Cranberry Pudding with a Sauce.

The Bus trip on 7th went to the Classic Car Museum, the Arboretum and to Temple View and on the 14^th and 21^st to the Classic Car Museum. Residents loved seeing the old products and cars bringing back old memories and a start of many discussions. The bus trip on the 28^th went out for coffee at Chartwell.

Kent, was our new entertainer this month for Happy Hour on Friday 28^th when residents enjoyed having their nibbles and drinks.

The weekend entertainers this month were Christophe, George, Charlie & Marlene, Peter and Louise.

On Wednesday afternoons, Lisa comes in with her dog, Boomer. Boomer has become popular with our residents and staff and one can see his excitement when he comes in waiting to be made a fuss of. He celebrated his birthday this month with small cupcakes iced and with a ‘paw print’ on them, made by Lisa which she brought in for staff and residents to enjoy!

Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions and Cookie is welcomed too.

This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks. We thank David for doing our quizzes and thank David too as he very kindly donated a new whiteboard. We have daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings, crafts and walks outside to take in the fresh air and sunshine days.

Keep well everyone, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

April 2021

Hello everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the lovely autumn weather we are having and that some of you have managed to get a break away before winter sets in.

Our birthdays this month and were for Christine West on the 11^th, Mark Matthews on the 16^th and Nina Taua on the 24^th.

Our surprise lunch on the 15^th was a McDonalds burger with chips and a drink and chocolate brownies for dessert from the kitchen made by Lin, our chef.

We have now organised a bus trip every week to enable each resident to get a turn to go on an outing. We will try to make the weekly trips to the same place for the month, weather allowing of course and if it is wheelchair friendly. This month’s trips went out to Hamilton Gardens, to Morrinsville and to the Taitua Farm then a countryside drive along Mason and Howden Roads, the Whatawhata Road and through Perrin Park in Te Kowhai.

We had Charlie and Marlene to entertain residents on 16^th while some of the residents went on their bus trip.

Roy Sledger and Ian came in on the 23^rd to talk about model trains. He brought in a model train display of a scene in Italy which was beautifully done to scale by himself and this and his talk was enjoyed by the residents.

A craft was done for Anzac Day where residents cut out and made poppies from felt, some poppies were painted and one of our residents sewed buttons on for some of the poppy centres. We then placed them on a board which was displayed on the dining room notice board which looked wonderful!

Reg came in on Sunday 25^th and held an Anzac Service for our residents which followed with Anzac biscuits for afternoon tea.

Happy Hour was on the 30^th with a new entertainer, Christophe, who played the guitar and sang and got the residents to join in on occasions.

The weekend entertainers this month were Louise, Gail, Charlie, Peter and George.

On Wednesday afternoons Lisa comes in with her dog, Boomer, who is very popular with our residents and staff, and Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions. This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks. We thank David for doing our quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings and walks outside to take in the fresh air and sunshine.

Thank you to Mahi, Vidhi and staff for the wonderful photos that they take of all the events in our facility. Well done to you all - we love the photos.

Keep well everyone, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

March 2021

Autumn is here and we are out of daylight saving; enjoy the months we have left of good weather before winter sets in.

The birthdays this month were for three of our gentlemen; Brian Dunkin on 12^th, David Shrimpton on 27^th and Snow Brown on 29^th with cakes from the kitchen to be shared with everyone. Happy Birthday to you.

We had a cake for Floss and Brian to celebrate their 68^th wedding anniversary. Mahi arranged a special romantic lunch set out under the gazebo for them. Well done to the staff and Mahi.

On the 3^rd we had another summer BBQ lunch but unfortunately the weather let us down in the morning so our residents had to eat in the dining room but still enjoyed the occasion.

Our surprise lunch on the 16^th was a good occasion too; with fish and chips in individual boxes from the Seafood Bazaar (the fresh fish shop) and this was followed by homemade Banoffee Pie for dessert.

On St Patricks Day, staff and residents wore something green and we celebrated with Charlie and Marlene entertaining us. Staff got some of the residents up and dancing - it was a lovely happy event. Drinks were served at lunchtime with the meal followed with a green pudding.

The bus trip was out to Ngaroto Lake, Te Awamutu, on the 12^th where the residents enjoyed sitting out in the sunshine by the water.

On the 26^th we had Charlie from the Waikato Astrological Society who came in to do a talk on Rocket Engineering with visuals on the TV. This was followed by Happy Hour at 2pm with Gail, a country and western singer, who got the residents singing along with her.

There was an Easter craft morning with Mahi, where some of the residents painted and decorated eggs and the results were wonderful.

Lisa comes in with her dog, Boomer, on Wednesday afternoons and Christine brings her dog, Cookie, in on other occasions - both for dog therapy with our residents. This service from the Canine Friends Pet Therapy is much appreciated.

The weekend entertainers this month were Louise, Gail, Charlie, and George.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks. Thanks go to

David for doing the quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings and walks outside to take in the fresh air and sunshine.

Keep well everyone, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

February 2021

It is the end of another month and we are well into the new year. We have had wonderful long, hot summer days which we must make the most of with Autumn not far away.

The Birthdays that we celebrated this month with a cake from our kitchen were for Bruce Scott on the 14^th and Pat Smith on the 18^th where we all sang Happy Birthday to them. Our staff do a wonderful job of decorating the cakes too.

Valentine’s day was also a happy occasion in the facility and there was more cake!

We have resumed the foot spa treat for our residents as requested and which is appreciated and enjoyed by them.

Our three bus trips this month went to Hamilton Lake on 12th, 19th and on the 26th. Residents enjoyed getting out and about and were also treated to a McDonald’s ice cream.

Our surprise meal on the 17^th was from KFC. Residents had a snack box each of chicken tenders and chips and a pudding made from our kitchen which was all enjoyed by all.

Peter Whalley entertained residents playing his guitar and singing at the Happy hour on Friday afternoon on the 26^th. It is wonderful to hear everyone singing along and enjoying themselves.

Lisa comes in with her dog Boomer and Christine brings Cookie in, both for dog therapy with our residents -this service is much appreciated.

We always say a big thank you to our weekend entertainers who were Louise, Gail, Charlie, George and Peter.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks.

David voluntarily comes in weekly to do quizzes for which we are most grateful.

There are daily exercises and Bingo twice a week with games mornings and walks outside to take in the fresh air and sunshine.

Keep well everyone, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

January 2021

We are well into the new year and hopefully all enjoying the summer weather. We can be grateful for being able to move around New Zealand, to have holidays within and to be able to be with our families.

Welcome to our new resident Marie Johansen, who we hope will be happy here with us at Brylyn.

We had three birthdays this month, Raymond Matson on 6^th, Adrian Ngamotu on the 21^st and Ian Birse on the 26^th, Happy Birthday to our three gentlemen. Our chef provided a cake from the kitchen for morning tea to share with all the residents.

Raymond and Joyce celebrated their 69^th wedding anniversary on the 12^th where they shared a cake from our kitchen with everyone. Happy Anniversary to them!

Peter Whalley was in on the 9^th to entertain in the morning getting everyone to sing along with him and Happy Hour with snacks and drinks on the 29^th with Charlie and Marlene entertaining and again there was good participation from our residents. A good time had by all.

Thank you to our weekend entertainers, Louise, George and Peter.

The bus trip this month was to Lake Karapiro – this was enjoyed by those who went there.

Religious services are held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks.

David voluntarily comes in weekly to do quizzes for which we are most grateful.

There are daily exercises and Bingo sessions twice a week, always popular with Ian Birse calling. Thanks again to Ian who is one of our residents.

We have games mornings and walks outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Keep well everyone, stay safe, until next month,

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

December 2020

We hope you have had a wonderful festive season and here’s wishing you all the very best for 2021.

Birthdays for the month of December were for Robert Brough on the 12^th, Lindsey Jordan on the 20^th and Glenys Alexander on the 21^st. A cake was provided from our kitchen for morning tea with all the residents.

Sadly, two of our residents passed away, our condolences go out to the families of Bruce Ogilvie and Lindsey Jordan.

We welcome Lena ‘Billy’ Phillips for a short stay with us.

Christmas decorations went up and on the 4^th we took photos of our residents by our new Christmas tree with a copy given out to both residents and family. They are beautiful photos and well done to our caregiver, Vidhi, who did a splendid job!

Peter Whalley was in on the 9^th to entertain in the morning getting everyone to sing along with him.

A morning tea was held on the 10^th where we thanked our Volunteers and handed out gifts, not forgetting the two doggies that visit our residents, Boomer and Cookie. Some of our residents stood up to say their thanks including one of our Registered Nurses, Thelma. There as a delicious spread afterwards which turned out to be a good social event.

Entertainment with Charlie and Marlene went well on the 11^th where they also got residents to join in and sing along. Charlie sang the favourites with some wonderful news songs, ending with a medley of well-known Christmas carols.

The bus trip on the 11^th residents went to Palmers Garden Centre Café for coffee and cake and then a walk in the plants garden.

Our new vinyl was installed in the lounge and dining areas on the weekend of the 12^th and 13^th. This went well. We thank our residents and staff for their patience and understanding with this major disruption. The staff were amazing with serving meals in the rooms and taking extra care of our residents.

Residents went out in the evening on the 17^th in two buses to see the Christmas lights. It is wonderful to see the effort that people make to decorate their houses and gardens.

We invited family to come in and join our residents for a shared family lunch. Staff put on a show, dancing to ‘Jingle Bells’ and then showed a video they had made of all the residents doing dance movements to the same song; an occasion enjoyed by all. Well done staff!

On the 24^th we had our Christmas Happy Hour with Glen Carley entertaining. Residents were given their Christmas presents and photos from Brylyn by Santa with staff dressing up in ‘mufti.’

We had a special Christmas menu for lunch on Christmas day:

Starter: Italian Antipasto Platter: Prosciutto, Salami, Ham, Blue Cheese, Aged Cheddar Cheese, Brie Cheese, Grapes, Olives and Crackers. Prawn Twisters & Lemon Pepper Squid.

Mains: Roast Lamb with Mint Sauce & Gravy. Roast Turkey with Cranberry Jam. Roasted Vegetables -Baby Potatoes, Golden Kumara and Carrots. Fresh Mini Bread Rolls.

Green Salad – Mesclun, Rocket, Tomato, Capsicum, Alfalfa served with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.

Dessert: Christmas Pudding and Custard. Mini Lemon Curd Tart. Mini Peach & Passion Fruit Tart.

L & P came in on the 31^st to entertain our residents for the last day of the year with some wonderful music and singing.

Our religious service is held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks.

David comes in weekly to do quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo sessions twice a week which draws a big crowd. There are games mornings and walks in the fresh air and sunshine. Thank you to our weekend entertainer, Louise.

Keep well everyone, until next month

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

November 2020

We are well into spring with summer just around the corner and on the countdown to Christmas!

Our Christmas decorations are up making the facility look very festive.

We welcome our new resident from Christchurch, Ashley Connor, and hope he will be happy here with us. Ashley celebrated his birthday on the 10^th with a cake from our kitchen to share with all our residents. Happy Birthday Ashley!

On Friday 13^th we had Peter Mudie and his wife in to talk about Bonsai growing where they also displayed some bonsai trees and in the evening the staff celebrated Diwali. We provided Indian food and some staff brought in Indian desserts. There was dancing and the occasion was enjoyed by both residents and staff.

Our surprise lunch on 25^th was Kentucky Fried Chicken (Chicken and Chips in individual boxes) and served with rolls, followed by Brandy Snap and Toffee Sauce pudding.

Happy Hour on the 27^th was a joyous ‘singalong’ occasion with Tipene while he sang and played his guitar with a good variety of songs.

Some of the residents went for a van drive on 30^th to the Jukebox Diner Cafe for coffee and a scone.

Our religious service is held twice a month and a religious discussion in the alternate weeks.

David comes in weekly to do quizzes. We have daily exercises and Bingo sessions twice a week which draws a big crowd now. There are games mornings and walks in the fresh air and sunshine. Our weekend entertainers were Charlie, George, Wendy, Peter and Roy.

Just a friendly note that if you are visiting on the weekend of the 12^th and 13^th of December, we are having new floor vinyl fitted in the lounge and dining room. There will be major disruptions and noise and no entry around that area. Thank you for understanding while this is being done.

Every year we cook a special Christmas lunch here for our Residents and just a friendly reminder that we will be unable to accommodate any family to join us as the facility is full. Good news though that we are full!

Please can you let us know, once you have made your arrangements, if Mum or Dad will be in or out for lunch on the 25^th and what time you will pick them up. Thank you.

Keep well everyone, until next month

Regards from Jennifr Slement and all at Brylyn.

October 2020

We are having such lovely warm spring days, it is certainly good to be out of winter and almost into summer!

This month we celebrated birthdays with a cake from our kitchen for morning tea for Ross Roulston on the 4^th and Wayne Rolton on the 23^rd – Happy Birthday to both gentlemen.

We say thanks to Len who plays the piano for the hymns in the religious services with Reg and Jan and thanks to David who takes religious service and does a quiz with the residents on alternative weeks.

To make it easier for our residents to vote, the ‘special voting box’ was organised here at the facility during the month which proved to be a success.

Residents loved the bus drive on the 9th out to Woodlands and then to Jasen Park. Our second drive of the month on Friday 30^th was out to the Punnet café in Tamahere for coffee.

On the 14^th was our surprise meal and this time it was ‘take out’ pizza followed by a delicious fresh fruit salad and cream. This monthly event proves to be popular with our residents and keeps them guessing as to what the meal could be!

Neil Curgenven came in on the 16^th and gave an interesting talk about the styles of housing in Hamilton going right back in time to the present day. We will certainly get Neil back at a later stage as he has much more to share on various subjects.

Happy hour was on Friday 30^th when we were entertained by Charlie and Marlene – a fun time was had by all.

Bingo remains popular as does the games mornings. Residents are taken outside to enjoy the warm weather days as much as possible. They did a little bit of gardening using the New World miniature potting of the vegetable seeds, had an exercise session outside and went for walks too.

Keep well everyone, until next month

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

September 2020

It is just wonderful to be back at level 1.

We are well into the second half of the year and spring is in the air with some wonderful warm days.

This month we celebrated birthdays for Olive Begley on the 14^th, Joyce Park on the 18^th and Ian Stewart on the 21^st with a cake baked in our kitchen - a happy birthday to you all.

On the 1^st we had our spring day celebration with everything yellow. For morning tea we had yellow cupcakes, afternoon tea a yellow cake, at lunch there was a yellow dessert, cold drinks, serviettes and placemats! It turned out to be a lovely sunny day too which was a bonus.

We had a Father’s Day event a little earlier on the 3^rd where we purchased a special morning tea cake, gave out gift bags with a shower and a shaving gel in each and then for all the residents, a small chocolate. The men all sat together at one table. “Parkie” (Raymond Park) cut the cake. After lunch we had the ‘Father’s Day’ Happy Hour. In all it was a special day.

We have had the religious services resumed with Reg and Jan and with David too, who also does a quiz with the residents.

Tipene entertained at our Happy Hour with his wonderful array of songs. Residents are very happy too to have our weekend entertainers back. On the weekend after lockdown we had George and Roy in to entertain.

The monthly surprise lunch meal was held on the 17^th with a meal of pies, chips, peas and gravy. The pies were from Jesters, followed by a new dessert, Banoffee pie. This occasion always goes down well with our ‘family.’

We have introduced a small ‘shopping’ cabinet in the reception area for residents to view and purchase any toiletry items they may need or cold drinks and snacks.

We are getting a good turnout for the Bingo and games mornings, and with some of the lovely winter days we have had the staff have taken residents outside to enjoy the sunshine - there is nothing like fresh air and feeling the sun on our bodies.

Keep well everyone, until next month

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.

August 2020

It was so wonderful to have life back to normal even if it was for a short time and to be out of the Covid-19 lockdown. Unfortunately, we are experiencing another lockdown and being a rest home, we have your family and loved ones in our best interest and have therefore stopped all visitors coming in for the present.

We are well into the second half of the year and spring is in the air with some wonderful warm days.

Birthdays this month were for Susan Harvey on the 2nd, Colin Brewer on the 28^th and Annette Coombs on the 30^th. Happy Birthday to you.

Before the lockdown we had:

Jan and her dog, Macey, from the SPCA, come in for a visit. Residents always love the interaction with the dogs.

We had our religious services and the quizzes with David.

There was entertainment on the weekends by George, Peter and Wendy.

Some of our residents went on the bus outing to Morrinsville on the 7th to spot all the ‘cow’ icons in the streets and to take photos.

The trainee Occupational Therapists were doing well and enjoyed being with our residents, hopefully we can get them back soon.

The surprise lunch meal was on Friday 21^st when we had a movie morning to watch “Young at Heart” followed by Fish, Chips and Salad packed as a ‘take out’ meal in take-away containers followed by an ice cream sundae. Residents were pleasantly surprised and extremely happy not to miss their Friday ‘fish and chips.’

We are getting a good turnout for the Bingo and games mornings, and with some of the lovely winter days we have managed to take some of our residents outside to enjoy the sunshine - well done Mahi.

Keep well and stay safe, until next month

Regards from Jennifer Slement and all at Brylyn.