Celebrating community, capturing stories and keeping connected
The Holmwood Happenings
Autumn Celebrating community, capturing stories and keeping connected.
Contents
A message from Brenda Community Happenings Autumn Highlights A message from Suleman Meet the Team Chefs Corner Meet the Resident Quality Corner Noticeboard Games Corner Games Corner answers
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Greetings Holmwood Aged Care Community, Message from Brenda Fáilte roimh eagrán an Fhómhair de Holmwood Happenings. I am delighted to introduce our first Newsletter of the Year highlighting the many exciting events we have at Holmwood.
June events will include the monthly evening activity, Movie night with popcorn and ice cream, Trivia nights with wine and cheese, Casino night, takeaway night and much more. We commenced our Annual Consumer Advisory meeting in June. Our CEO Andrew Meek met with residents and family members on site to discuss Aged Care updates and feedback. Thank you to those who participated. Your feedback was well received. Our recent upgrade to our WI-FI has been a great success and soon we will see the introduction of a new communication system and nurse call system. Watch this space. Thank you for your continued support and positivity. I look forward to more wonderful moments ahead. Happy Reading!
An Fómhar, mo thréimhse is fearr, taobh le hEarrach
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Autumn, my favourite time next to Spring
Community Happenings Autumn As the leaves turned and cooler days crept in, autumn at Holmwood Aged Care was anything but quiet. From new beginnings to cherished traditions, this season brought residents, staff and families together in joyful, meaningful ways. Here’s a look back at the highlights from March, April and May.
Dining and Delight Autumn appetites were well looked after, starting with the grand opening of our beautiful new Coranderrk Dining Room in March — now a vibrant hub for good food and even better conversation. Residents continued to enjoy weekly favourites like Fish and Chips and BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, served with classic desserts such as blueberry pudding and citrus jelly. In May, we welcomed our new Head Chef, Peter, who brought fresh energy and expertise to our kitchen. Our dining rooms remained a hive of warmth and chatter, with comforting dishes like Chicken and Veg Stir-fry, and almond cake with warm custard proving that dessert knows no season! Special Celebrations We shared so many wonderful reasons to smile this autumn. St Patrick’s Day brought green cheer and BBQ fun on the Townsend Patio, while Mother’s Day was celebrated in style with a luxurious High Tea, spa pampering, and even a bakery run into Healesville! International Nurses Day in May saw our incredible nursing team honoured with decorated cupcakes, a special afternoon tea, and touching video messages from residents. Our Employee of the Month awards continued, recognising team members like Bec and Gurpreet for their kindness and dedication.
Community Happenings Autumn
Out and About The crisp autumn air set the scene for some lovely adventures. Residents enjoyed scenic picnics at Maroondah Reservoir Park, Sugarloaf Reservoir, and through the Yarra Valley, soaking up the sunshine and colours of the season. In April and May, we also took a delightful trip to the Healesville RSL for a hearty lunch and good company, reminding us of the simple joys of being out and about together.
Creative Fun and Furry Friends Our community spirit came to life with unique, events; including the return of Happy Hour with live music and snacks, and a surprise highlight: a dog fashion show, where visiting pups strutted their stuff in colourful costumes, much to the delight of residents.
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Community Happenings Autumn
Staying Active and Engaged Autumn was also a time to move! Our gym and fitness programs hit their stride, with residents taking part in weight lifting, balance classes, coordination games, and even boxing sessions. These activities, led by the wonderful Lifestyle Team, brought laughter and energy to every session. Behind the scenes, staff were also busy preparing for the upcoming Strengthened Quality Aged Care Standards. With chocolate-fuelled quizzes, fact-filled noticeboards, and some friendly competition, the team showed their commitment to not just meeting, but exceeding the new standards. Moments of Joy We celebrated the birthdays of many beloved residents across the season — including Robin, Jean, Joan, Brigitte (Gitty), Norbert, Pauline, Bev, Jan and Bill. Singing, dancing and lots of laughter was had at each celebration. It was also a chance to share in stories, cake, and community. Our Easter festivities included a popular hamper raffle, with funds raised going towards our new café in Sedgwick — a small act of giving that will continue to bring joy in the seasons ahead.
Autumn Highlights
March 2025
We proudly opened our beautiful new Coranderrk Dining Room , quickly embraced as a lively space for shared meals and conversation. Residents looked forward to their Friday lunches, choosing between favourites like Fish and Chips or BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, followed by comforting desserts. Happy Hour made a popular return with live music and bar snacks , while St Patrick’s Day filled the home with green cheer, bingo prizes, and a sizzling BBQ . A sunny outing to Maroondah Reservoir Park gave residents a chance to relax with sweet treats under the trees. We celebrated staff excellence, with Bec from Catering named Employee of the Month . The month ended on a generous note with a kind donation from Seville Community House to support our Memory Support Unit — a reminder of the strong community connections that enrich our home.
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Autumn Highlights We began with a scenic picnic at Sugarloaf Reservoir Park , where we enjoyed sunshine, sweet treats, and time together in nature. Easter brought excitement with our popular hamper raffle, raising funds for the future Sedgwick café and ending with a big congratulations to Annie S, our lucky winner. We celebrated the birthdays of Robin, Joan and Ellen, each made special with warm wishes and cheerful moments. ANZAC Day was commemorated with a meaningful service led by the RSL Healesville , honouring those who have served. Meanwhile, indoors, we embraced movement through a variety of gym activities; from weight lifting and balance sessions to ball games and even boxing with thanks to our ever-energetic Lifestyle Team for keeping spirits high and bodies moving. April 2025
Autumn Highlights We embraced the autumn sunshine with two scenic outings — a delicious lunch at Healesville RSL and a picturesque picnic in the Yarra Valley . Good food, laughter, and the golden hues of the season made both days extra special. Mother’s Day was celebrated with a lavish High Tea and pampering spa sessions . We also marked special birthdays and celebrated International Nurses Day with heartfelt messages and afternoon tea. Our team dove into educational sessions to prepare for the upcoming Strengthened Quality Aged Care Standards, with a touch of friendly competition along the way. May also brought a doggy fashion show and plenty of delicious meals , from comforting stir-fries to sweet almond cake with warm custard. May 2025
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As we settle into winter, it’s a lovely time to reflect on the season just passed. Autumn brought with it crisp mornings, warm colours, and many meaningful moments shared across Holmwood. Message from Suleman This season has brought wonderful changes and new beginnings, from exciting upgrades in our clinical systems to
welcoming new faces into our team. These improvements are part of our commitment to ensuring the best possible care and comfort for all our residents. We continue to focus on holistic, person-centred care - ensuring that every resident feels seen, heard, and valued. Our dedicated team is always working closely with residents and families to adapt care plans and support individual needs with dignity and empathy. One recent initiative we are especially proud of is the introduction of afternoon movie nights and afternoon activities, which have been met with great enthusiasm. These gatherings offer more than entertainment- they bring warmth, connection, and a sense of routine and enjoyment to our residents’ days. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Lifestyle Team for their continued creativity, enthusiasm, and dedication to enriching the daily lives of our residents. From themed events to scenic outings and new initiatives like afternoon movie nights, your efforts bring joy, connection, and a sense of purpose to our residents. A big thank you also goes to our Kitchen Team, led by our new Head Chef Peter. Your commitment to providing delicious, nourishing meals has been warmly received by both residents and families. The introduction of new menu options, fresh fruit offerings, and comforting soups at lunch has truly made mealtimes something to look forward to. I would also like to thank our families and friends for their ongoing support and collaboration. Your involvement makes a world of difference and strengthens the fabric of our community. Here’s a season of comfort, connection, and continued excellence in care. Warm regards, Suleman Clinical Care Co-Ordinator (CCC)
Meet the Team
Ben
What do you enjoy most about working at Holmwood Aged Care? So many things- firstly the residents- they are the reason I have been here so long. They make me laugh. They inspire me. They give me a hard time. I have known so many and I appreciate the time I
have had with them. I love the camaraderie of the team. I work with great people who are great at their jobs and keep the residents well cared for and loved. Even though I am not on the floor as much these days I still get to see the residents each day, and I come in early Tuesdays to spend the morning serving breakfast at the weekly buffet breakfast and it’s nice that I still have the relationships with the residents I built with them. What is the most special nursing/aged care memory? When you work somewhere as long as me you get a long history of memories and moments. A few highlights would be our ANZAC Day services which the residents cherish. Another would be a from a few years back, I started a book club with a small group of residents late in the afternoons- and I read the entire Harry Potter series to them over 12 months. They loved it. They laughed and asked questions, and it was special to bring something from my interests and from modern culture and have them so involved. Sometimes I would think they were sleeping instead of listening, but then they’d burst into laughter or smirk or sit up and ask me something. That was special.
I should probably also say that my “most special” memory was that I met the woman who is now my wife while working here. Any chance you can we edit this and put that first? That should probably be my first answer, yes?
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Chef's Corner Peter We understand the joy that comes from
preparing, cooking and eating great food with those around us. Food is nourishment, not only for the body but also for the soul. We never lose sight of happiness that food can bring to both those who cook it and those that enjoy eating it. As we say goodbye to autumn, I wanted to share a few updates from the kitchen. This season, we’ve really focused on bringing warmth, comfort and variety to the menu – because food isn’t just fuel, it’s something that brings people together. It nourishes both body and soul, and it’s a joy to see the smiles a good meal can bring. We’ve had some lovely feedback lately from both residents and families, which means a lot to the whole kitchen team. Our homemade soups at lunchtime have been especially popular during the cooler days – they’ve been a real hit! We’ve also introduced fresh fruit bowls in the café, served alongside morning and afternoon tea, which many of you have been enjoying. There’s been great feedback about the variety of vegetables with our main meals, and we’ll continue to keep things fresh and seasonal as we head into winter. My team and I are always working hard to make sure you’re happy with your meals. If you ever have any suggestions or would like to share your thoughts, I’m always happy to have a chat. Warm regards, Peter Head Chef
Chef's Corner Shepherd's Pie
INGREDIENTS 750g potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters 50g butter 80m milk 1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped ½ large carrot, finely chopped 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato paste 500g lamb mince 250ml chicken stock 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Salt and pepper METHOD:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Allow to boil until very soft (about 20 mins). Drain, mash well then stir through butter and milk. Season to taste. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and fry until soft. Add mince, using a fork to break up any lumps, and fry until browned. Drain off (and discard) any excess fat. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken stock, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 mins until sauce has reduced. Stir through Worcestershire sauce and season to taste. Spread potato mash mixture over the top of the mince then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 mins until mash is golden on top. Serve immediately. Or, allow to cool, portion into freezer safe containers, label it with the contents and date. Consume within 3 months.
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Meet the Resident
Ellen
Ellen was born and raised in Nar Nar Goon, Victoria. She grew up with several brothers and a sister to a loving mum, Violet, for whom Ellen is named. Ellen worked at Scotch college when she was younger and later moved to Healesville with her husband Ralph, building their own house and making a home in the town. They had a pet sheep with her family in Healesville- named Lacey- and told her favourite Together with Ralph, they have three daughters- Cheryl, Joan and Kathy, 4 grandchildren and 1 great- grandchild (and another on the way) and when retirement was ripe Ellen and Ralph did some caravanning- visiting family in Darwin and the like. stories about the sheep getting into and eating chicken food.
Ellen worked as a carer here at Holmwood Aged Care years ago, as well as in the laundry and kitchen, and her husband was the maintenance man for a while at the same time. This was in the time when Holmwood Aged care was only a 25 bed facility and she remembers having many laughs and fun times in her working days. This was the start of a family legacy that would see her daughters work here and later her granddaughter, and her now grand-son in law. Will there be another generation in these halls?… time will tell. continued...
Meet the Resident - continued Ellen Ellen and Ralph have lived in Healesville for over 50 years grandson been involved in many local community groups and fundraising efforts and Ellen even has awards for her church fundraising, something she has always been very proud of. A few years before moving into Holmwood Aged care Ellen visited with her granddaughter, who would later come to work here. Ellen was fascinated with the changes that had been made- the size of the kitchen, in particular, had her blown away! She was also very proud that a few wooden trolleys, made by her husband in his employment, were still in use by the lifestyle team.
Memories from Ellen’s family
I loved working when mum was on. We had so Many fun times and laughs. I remember one time, we put a shawl around mum, and we sat her in a wheelchair and wheeled her outside because she did not want to see someone. Got a feeling it may have been a relative? 😂 I remember another time we put an artificial leg in the laundry skip; we had it sticking up looking like a resident had fallen in! 😂
Happy fun times.
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Quality Corner Upcoming Changes to the Aged Care Standards; What you need to know – and what it means for you. The government is introducing new Aged Care Quality Standards as part of a refreshed Aged Care Act . These changes are all about making sure that aged care services continue to provide safe , high-quality and respectful care - with your dignity , choices and well-being front and centre.
What’s changing? The updated Quality Standards go into more detail about what good care looks like. They’re designed to make sure you stay at the heart of your care, with stronger guidance for things like clinical care, food and nutrition, and making sure your personal preferences are always respected. Here are the seven updated standards : 1. The person focuses on your rights, dignity, choices and individuality across all the standards 2. The organisation how providers support and deliver care 3. Care and services your care is focussed on who you are and what’s important to you 4. The environment you feel safe, comfortable & supported where you live 5. Clinical care you get the clinical care that is right for you 6. Food and nutrition prioritising enjoyable, tasty and nourishing meals 7. The residential community fostering connection, inclusion and community life The new Aged Care Act brings with it a clear Statement of Rights , setting out the rights everyone has when accessing aged care services. These rights are designed to make sure your care is respectful, fair & centred around you. The Statement of Rights include the right to: independence, autonomy, empowerment and freedom of choice equitable access quality and safe funded aged care services respect for privacy and information person-centred communication & ability to raise issues without reprisal advocates, significant persons and social connections. We’ll continue to share more updates as the changes get closer, and of course, we’re here to answer any questions or talk through what this means for you.
Noticeboard
In Memoriam We offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of our late residents. Every cherished member of our community who leaves us, is sadly missed and fondly remembered. Library Service A very warm welcome to our new residents
We have a mobile library service that picks up and delivers library books to residents’ rooms. We also have our fully stocked library. If you would like to use this service, please speak to one of our friendly team.
March Jean S John F Keith Y April Merlin C Rosemary C May Robert P Lilian M
Physiotherapy We have an excellent
Entertainers Fortnightly entertainment
physiotherapy team on site. If you would like to book in to see one of the lovely physios, please ask a friendly staff member at reception. We are planning Casino nights, Trivia night , Disco night, Take away nights, etc., Watch this space.
Daily Health and fitness Join us each daily for a dose of gentle exercise and seated games.
We are here for you If you’d like more information on the above services, please contact the lifestyle team: lifestyle@holmwood.com.au
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Games corner
Games corner
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Games corner
Games corner answer 1
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Games corner answer 2
Games corner answer 3
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Stay tuned for Winter
Thank you We would like to issue a heartfelt thank you to relatives and volunteers who support us day in and day out. You make such a difference and we very much appreciate your time and energy. Can you contribute? Contributions to our newsletter are encouraged and appreciated. Articles, photos, reports on community outings, staff news, trivia, poems and amusing stories relating to residents and staff are most welcome. Please hand in your submission to reception.
17-23 Lalors Road, Healesville VIC 3777 03 5962 4321 holmwood.com.au
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