REDLAND DISTRICT COMMITTEE ON THE AGEING INC

REDLAND COTA MAIL

June 2019

Vol. 17—issue 2

Age Friendly Cities – What does it mean?

There has been a lot of discussion about age friendly Cities and most people do not know what it

means. This was a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative several years ago.

Age friendly does not mean friendly just for “Aged people” it is much bigger. It means having a

community come together to ensure that people of all age groups and abilities can enjoy their

community they live in while removing barriers that prevent its people having an active life and join

in community activities. There are 8 areas or domains that are considered to form an age friendly

City.

Outdoor space and buildings – this is making your outdoor areas accessible to all and ensuring

buildings are also accessible e.g. parks with seating, Shady areas, walkways, Building easily accessible

for all ages and disability

Transport – providing safe and low cost transport to allow people to have access to the city

Housing – ensuring housing is appropriate, affordable, close to transport, shopping etc.

Social Participation – having the community involved in their community, that is doing things that

they enjoy.

Respect and social isolation – respect other members of the community regardless of race, culture,

geography, gender, abilities etc.

Civil participation and employment – allowing persons to seek employment or volunteer, get involved

in training and education

Communication and information – enable people, their family and friends to obtain information

easily from a variety of information resources. Community support and health services – ensure that

there are community resources are available to ensure quick response an support for those that need

assistance eg spouse abuse, elder abuse, exploitation, fraud.

I believe that the Redlands has a great foundation to make the Redlands the first Age Friendly City in

Queensland. Its people are friendly, there is an abundance of parks and wildlife. We are involved in

volunteering and work actively in the community through the many support groups, social and

sporting organisations, schools one can see we are an active bunch.

A quick read of our Redland City Bulletin community notices shows Redlander’s are out there

actively involved in the community.

Paul Barnes—Redland District Committee on the Ageing.

Printed at 57 Wynyard Street, Cleveland

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019 Page 2

SENIORS WEEK—Redlands

17 TO 31 AUGUST 2019

As you will have noticed, Seniors Week

this year runs for a FORTNIGHT. This is

due to the ongoing popularity of the

events held during this time.

The very popular SENIORS WALK begins

at 7.00am on Sunday 18 Aug. from

RDCOTA, 57 Wynyard Street and finishing

at the Donald Simpson Centre with a

muffin breakfast and raffles.

Volunteers are needed for Marshalling

duties, for the walk and also for kitchen

duties preparing for the breakfast.

U3A will hold their excellent Back to

School day on Friday 23 August and the

RPAC Variety Concert will occur on

20 August.

Many more wonderful events have been

organised to bring the community

together. Redlands City Bands will

present their annual concert. Donald

Simpson Community Centre will produce

their musical comedy show, Seniors

Week Golf Day at Carbrook Golf Club,

Inspiring Seniors Awards will be

presented at the Variety Concert.

Entertainment at the Redland Sporting

Club will be presented throughout the

period

AND much, much more.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU

DURING THE WONDERFUL FORTNIGHT

Seniors Week Walkers from 2018

At the water stop

Paul and Jeanette drawing the raffle

prizes after the walk

BREAKFAST!

REDLAND COTA MAIL— JUNE 2019 Page 3

Russell Island and Macleay

Island residents can now access

technical assistance for their devices,

such as laptops, smart phones and

tablets. It’s just a phone call away.

Don’t hesitate, phone RDCOTA on

3488 0680 for an appointment. Our

volunteers are available on Mondays

and Tuesdays for the Islands. Tutorial

times printed above are subject to

change as they are by arrangement

only. It does not matter if you are a

beginner or have some expertise,

there’s always more to learn. Take the

first step and contact RDCOTA

CLEVELAND

57 Wynyard Street

Week Days

9.30am—2.30pm

Phone 3488 0680

RUSSELL ISLAND

Monday’s

11am—1.30pm

Phone 3488 0680

For an appointment

A $2 coin

Donation would

be appreciated

Would you like to become involved

in Community affairs? Perhaps

update your administration skills;

become a Technology Tutor; Take

part in fund raising ventures. If so

we need you. RDCOTA has

vacancies for active volunteers.

For further information contact the

RDCOTA office on

3488 0680

Or call in to

57 Wynyard Street, Cleveland

MACLEAY ISLAND

Tuesday’s

9am-10.30am

Phone 3488 0680

For an appointment

Page 4 REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019

2019 Residential Aged Care and Retirement Village accommodation booklet

Now available. Call in or

receive a PDF copy by email

Redlands 2019

This handy little guide booklet has

been put together by RDCOTA

Volunteers.

The booklet is aimed at simplifying the

search for Residential Care Facilities,

in the Redlands, either for yourself or

a relative.

Information contained in the booklet

is updated each year and is obtained

by collaborating directly with

personnel from individual Facilities.

The booklet is free of charge, however

a small donation would help us cover

paper and copying costs.

Hospital quality commode

Shower Chair electric M2

Multi Tip XL—unused. Perfect

Order

$3250 ONO (new $9000)

Transportable mobility

scooter Liteway 4 Plus.

Fits in car for shopping

trips if required. New

condition still in original

plastic, ready to go.

$2150 ONO

Electric power chair CTM HS

1000. Just serviced with good

batters and in perfect order.

$2250 ONO

MOBILITY ITEMS FOR SALE

CONTACT MICHAEL

PHONE 0422 153 960 CLEVELAND

Page 5

.

Grocery Collection (please remember those of us who are less fortunate)

RDCOTA collects packaged groceries on behalf of the REDLAND COMMUNITY CENTRE in line with their

emergency relief assistance program. A list of suggested items is available on the Redland Community Centre

website at

www.redlandcommunitycentre.org

Please help, if you can, by dropping items off at our office,

57 Wynyard St, Cleveland

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019

.

RDCOTA, WEEKLY FRIDAY MEN’S MORNING

TEAS 9.30AM—12NOON

RDCOTA OFFICE

57 Wynyard Street, Cleveland

Come and join us for a very pleasant morning. There’s no formality and no agenda. We are just a bunch of blokes

enjoying a bit of light hearted company. We read somewhere that socializing is good for you, so no excuse come along and join in,

there’s no charge.

CHIT CHAT

COFFEE TEA REFRESHMENT

GOOD COMPANY

Meeting at

CAPALABA LIBRARY

the first and third Thursdays of the month

VICTORIA POINT LIBRARY

The second and fourth Fridays of the month

DONALD SIMPSON COMMUNITY

CENTRE

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019 Page 6

VOLUNTEERS, we need you……..

for various interesting specific projects. If you have a bit of free time to spare you can take part in community

events, which don’t require you to sign on for very

lengthy periods.

2019 is going to be a busy year for RDCOTA, projects

such as Seniors Week 17 to 31 August.

The Senior Citizens Week Planning Committee meets monthly at the RDCOTA office. Phone 3488 0680 for details of the next meeting, if you are interested in

attending.

The Seniors Walk is being be held on Sunday 18th August commencing at 7.00am from the park beside the RDCOTA office. Marshalls will be required to assist. Registration for the walk will be open at the

office from July 2019.

The RDCOTA office is in need of staff with administration skills. This includes computer. If you are a little rusty, there’s always help available on the spot. Apply in writing to RDCOTA, P.O. Box 1051,

Cleveland.

Make your smart phone a

wise phone

If you regularly have trouble with managing your medicines and health info, then the MedicineWise app can help.

With this app you can easily keep track of medicines and access important health info any time and anywhere, especially in emergencies.

Perfect for those with multiple medicines, busy lifestyles, or carer responsibilities, the MedicineWise app allows you to do the following, plus much more:

Create a list of medicines by scanning

your medicine barcodes or searching our comprehensive Australian medicines database

Record important health info such as medical conditions, allergies and health professional contact details

Set reminders for when to take medicines

and attend doctor’s appointments

Access Consumer Medicines Information

(CMI) to learn more about your medicines

Generate and share your medicine lists and usage reports with healthcare professionals via email

Store, graph and share your test results

(eg, blood pressure, weight)

Create separate profiles for those in your

care to manage medicines and health info for others

Store notes and questions to ask your doctor Download the app from Google Play or the App Store. It’s free.

For more information visit the NPS website www.nps.org.au

Published COTA Qld—March 2019

SLEEP TIGHT

Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross

pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of

the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing

the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the

ropes to get a better night’s sleep

SENIORS INFORMATION PLUS

Here at the RDCOTA office in Wynyard Street you can call in to

access our free face to face service set up to help seniors find

information they may require on issues such as legal matters,

in home services, respite care, counselling, elder abuse,

financial matters, care facilities. We can also assist with filling

out forms in relation to the above services.

There is information available also regarding transport, the

Seniors Card, resources for grandparents and the Seniors

Enquiry Line.

We have a have an extensive lending library if you with to

browse when you call in.

And, if you would like to call in for a chat, you are always

welcome to have a cuppa with us as well.

RDCOTA

57 Wynyard Street, Cleveland

Phone 3488 0680

Email—seniors @rdcota.org.au

2019 RDCOTA

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Redland District Committee on the Ageing Inc.

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REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019

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for/renew financial membership for 2019

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COTA MEDIA RELEASE - 26 May 2019

COTA congratulates new Ministers and urges them to take

an all of government approach to an Ageing Australia.

Australia’s leading senior’s advocacy body, representing

the interests of all older Australians, today congratulated

incoming Ministers announced today by Prime Minister

Scott Morrison and urged them to make planning for an

ageing population a national priority.

COTA Australia Chief Executive Ian Yates said the new

Morrison Government must implement and build on the

achievements of its ‘More Choices for a Longer Life

Package’ announced last year to ensure better outcomes

for older Australians in aged care, health, employment,

income security and housing through good portfolio

policies and better co-ordination across government.

COTA has written to the Prime Minister outlining whole of

government priorities for older Australians, including the

need for a comprehensive Retirement Incomes Review

and the urgent reform of aged care to deliver more and

more effective home care so we don’t have over 100,000

people waiting for approved care, many for 18 months or

more, and great inequity in aged care service delivery.

“The numbers of older Australians grow every year and will

do so for decades, which must be seen as an opportunity

to harness the skills, wisdom and experience of older

Australians through better employment strategies, a real

attack on age discrimination, and health policies that

support active ageing,” Mr Yates said.

“Our ageing population also presents challenges for our

aged care, health care and retirement incomes systems

that can and must be planned for in a coordinated manner

across all portfolios. COTA looks forward to working with

the new Ministerial team to take up those challenges,

seize the opportunities and plan properly for this term and

the decades ahead.

“This weekend’s announcement by the Treasurer that he

will proceed with a Retirement Incomes Review looking at

the interaction of superannuation, pensions and taxation

is excellent and a very encouraging beginning,” Mr Yates

said, noting that: ”COTA has long called for this Review,

supported more recently by the Productivity Commission

and the Grattan Institute.

Mr Yates said COTA particularly looked forward to working

collaboratively with:

The Hon. Josh Frydenberg - Treasurer

• Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck - Minister for Aged

Care and Senior Australians

• Senator Jane Hume - Assistant Minister for

Superannuation and Financial Services

• Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston - Family and Social

Services Minister (Continued Page 8)

Page 7

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019 Page 8

Mr Yates said supporting independence and social and mental well-being as Australians age is also economic good sense – whether that is:

ensuring Australians can continue to work for as long as they choose to do so, in the face of continued age discrimination, and with an often rapidly changing economy

helping them plan financially for their retirement, enabling them to set realistic goals and know where to

get good advice

maintaining their health for much longer, by having regular health checks and making lifestyle changes to maximise their chances of good health

assisting planning for later life options to achieve improved access to home support services and

greater choice in residential aged care.

Life Checks is a vital component in a comprehensive approach to positive ageing and a really important and welcome social innovation for Australia,’ Mr Yates said.

“The version of the quiz and support resources launched today is the first step – they won’t be perfect, but this is a big, bold step forward that must now be monitored, evaluated, improved and extended as we learn what works well and what can be improved.

“Importantly, Life Checks must be properly and widely promoted so that it is not just a one-off, tick a box election promise or Budget measure, but is taken up and used by all Australians as they move through life,

in every part of the country.”

Media contact: Ian Yates 0418 835 439, Bronte Kerr 0411 676 269

Published COTA Qld—22 January 2019

Page 9 REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019

History of RDCOTA—21

Space inside the tiny demountable building RDCOTA had purchased and occupied for

several years was located in the grounds of the Redland hospital . It soon became clear the

building was not big enough to cope with the extra number of volunteers coming and going from the

building on their various duties. Pres. Pauline Oliver successfully negotiated with Hospital

Management for an exchange of premises to suit. The deal was, RDCOTA’s small demountable for

a double in size Hospital demountable. Up to 50 extra volunteers had been recruited to assist staff

at the newly constructed “Redlands Residential Care” Aged Care Facility located within the Redland

Hospital Precinct. The changeover to the new facility was to take place in August of 2005. Once

the facility was made ready for residents to be transferred from Wynnum Blue Care’s aged care

facility had closed. The transfer took place over a weekend. Padma Bishop Director of Nursing took

charge of the transfer. RDCOTA’s ready volunteers started duties in Redlands Residential Care

within the next few days of operation to assist staff with various duties.

The 20th Anniversary of RDCOTA’s involvement, with organising Senior Citizens Week in the

Redlands was also looming. Convenor Susan Russell was keen to celebrate with invited guests.

August/September 2005 President Pauline Oliver submitted her resignation from the

Management Committee. This left an opening for a new President. Ross Wiseman having taken

the role of Vice President stepped forward to take on the challenge. President Wiseman, a very

busy man’s day job was as an educator at Alexandra Hills TAFE College. He taught students the

many and varied sides to caring for our ageing seniors. Many of these students went on to be

Carers, Managers and Educators within the Aged Care Field. - Fay Dougall/Sec RDCOTA

New online resource Life Checks recognises we need to

plan well to achieve the best possible ageing

Australia’s leading senior’s advocacy organisation COTA Australia has congratulated the government on the launch of its new Life Checks campaign, website and resources, which may potentially provide life checks and information for more than 9 million mid-life and older Australians.

COTA Australia CEO, Ian Yates, said the Life Checks questionnaire and supporting resources are recognition that we need to plan as a nation for a population that is living longer than ever before.

The new Life Checks website includes an online quiz for Australians aged 45-64 and another for Australians 65 and older – with resources and information on financial planning, health, finance, work and being involved in the community.

“As a nation we’re getting older, and we need to make sure that we don’t just live longer, we live well,” Mr Yates said.

“We can expect two key milestones in later life – in our mid-40s when most people are still working and supporting a family, but needing to think more about their future; and then in our mid 60s when planning for less work, potential retirement and maintaining health and wellbeing are more dominant.

“However, 1 in 4 Australians over 55 do not have a financial plan for the next five years – let alone beyond that. Too often, we don’t plan for things such as aged care until we’re in crisis,” said Mr Yates.

The State of the Older Nation report released by the Councils on the Ageing in December last year found that 1 in 4 (27%) Australians over 50 were most worried about finances and the cost of living, highlighting the need for additional support and financial advice amongst mid-life and older Australians.

The report also found health to be a key cause for concern amongst older Australians, with 1 in 3 (32%) of them most concerned or worried about health issues.

“Our research identified health and finances as two of the major concerns for older Australians, so it is great to see the Life Checks campaign providing timely and useful advice and resources in these two key areas.

“This is the first time we have had a government supported campaign that takes a life cycle approach to ageing, that acknowledges the need to prepare properly for an ageing population and to provide a comprehensive range of supports that all Australians can have access to as they move through later phases of life.”

The Life Checks program is part of the More Choices for a Longer Life ageing and aged care package announced in the 2018–19 Federal Budget, to which COTA made major contributions, including arguing for this initiative.

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019 Page 10

REDLAND COTA MAIL—JUNE 2019 Page 11

RDCOTA would like to acknowledge its supporters and sponsors:

Without our sponsors, Redland District Committee on the Ageing Inc.

would not be able to reach out into the community as much as it does.

RDCOTA welcomes all contributions to this newsletter.

DISCLAIMER Whilst every care is taken by RDCOTA in the compilation and publication of this newsletter, RDCOTA does not warrant or represent that the

newsletter is free from error nor accept responsibility for any listings, entries, or articles published therein.

In particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, RDCOTA expressly denies any responsibility regarding qualifications, expertise and/or experience claimed on behalf of a person or entity referred to in the newsletter, including any product or service offered by any such person or entity. Should any concerns exist, then RDCOTA recommends that independent inquiries should be undertaken by the reader.

RDCOTA shall not be legally responsible for any misrepresentation, loss, damages, cost or expense as a result of any reliance, act, or omission, referred to herein or undertaken by any person or entity howsoever arising.

Mail: P.O. Box 1051, Cleveland. 4163 Phone: 3488 0680

Office: 57 Wynyard St, Cleveland 4163 Email: seniors@rdcota.org.au

Website: http://www.rdcota.org.au

Office Hours: 9.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Friday Check our Facebook page (RDCOTA Community)

USEFUL phone numbers

Cleveland Meals on Wheels—3286 2626

Elder Abuse hotline—1300 651 192

Donald Simpson Community Centre,3821 1089

Star Community Services—3821 6699

National Dementia Helpline—1800 100 500

Public Trustee—1300 360 044

My Aged Care—1800 200 422

Seniors Information Plus—3488 0680

Energy Made Easy 1300 585 165

Maridale Bakery

Uncle Bob’s Bakery, Vic. Pt.

Redlands RSL

Alex Gow Funerals

Grill’d Victoria Point

Seaton Park Retire Australia

The Flour Mill Bakery

Great Southern Garden

Redlands Foundation

Redland City Council

Star Community Services

Bendigo Bank

Donald Simpson Community Centre

Stockland Cleveland

Page 12 Redland COTA Mail—June 2019

RDCOTA

EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE