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K N O W L E D G E , I N V E S T I N G I N T H E H E A L T H O F O U R

C O M M U N I T Y F O R T H E F U T U R E ”

Issue 119 | FEBRUARY 2015

Welcome to yet another New Year!

I welcomed myself back to work from Monday the 2nd of Feb. It seems like forever since I have been at work and I thank everyone for the well wishes, visits and assistance whilst I was one legged. I would particularly like to thank Ann Vaughan in her Acting Centre Manager role and the Area Coordinators for ensuring the smooth running of the service over the December January period. Lauren Mason has also been one legged, also with an achilles injury, so please be patient with us as we are still a bit slow off the mark! It is with regret that I advise of the resignation of Karen Davis from her Respite Carer role. Karen has contributed much to the service and we wish her well for the future.

Capital Projects We leap into the year with two new capital projects. Our Men’s’ shed regeneration project will commence in February in partnership with the Angling Club due to a $30,000.00 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. The Commonwealth Department of Social Services has also allocated Wimmera Uniting Care $50,000.00 for the redevelopment of our childcare outdoor play area. We look forward to delivering both projects on time and on budget.

Medication Delivery There have been some recent changes to the delivery of medications from Reed’s pharmacy to the Bush Nursing Centre following the change of delivery of papers to the Balmoral Café. Reed’s pharmacy are committed to ensuring provision of regular and secure delivery of medications to the Balmoral district and are working towards a system that can deliver this. Our wish is that the service continues to be a 5 day a week delivery service. In the meantime, please be aware that when ordering medications from Reed’s pharmacy they may not be delivered the next day. It is essential to plan ahead when ordering medications. We hope that the delivery days will be confirmed by early February.

Early Learning Centre The Balmoral Early Learning Centre has returned to service following a Xmas break providing childcare for up to 12 preschool children on Monday’s and Wednesday’s. They have had a number of changes this year with 7 of their regular children moving onto commence Kindergarten. Hence they have some vacancies. We are keen to ensure that the service is running at full capacity. If any of you are aware of any families requiring childcare please encourage them to ring the Early Learning Centre or the Bush Nurse Centre to register their interest

GRANT ADVICE Like many not for profit agencies around the country, we were disappointed to be advised prior to Christmas that our Commonwealth Department of Social Services funding will cease. This program contributed $27,000 per year to our community services and administration areas. Funding has been removed from this program by the present Federal Government and will impact on our capacity to deliver health promotion activities, community and family support. Our present agreement is in place until the end of March .We will be monitoring budget performance and reviewing restructure opportunities if additional supplementary funding is unable to be secured. Please be assured we will be doing everything possible to ensure current service provision levels are maintained.

Lisa Hutchins Centre Manager

PO Box 20 BALMORAL, Vic 3407 Email: bbnc.admin@swarh.vic.gov.au Ph: (03) 5570 1304 Web: www.balmoralbnc.com.au Fax: (03) 5570 1482

President Mr. Neville Trotman

Vice President Mr. Bruce Laidlaw Mrs. Georgie Leeming

Members

Mr. Dan Pekin Mrs. Karen Rees Mrs. Di Austin Ms. Mardi Johns Mr. Geoff Barcham

Executive Administration Mrs. Sabrina Watt

Centre Manager Lisa Hutchins

Clinical Nurse Coordinator Ann Vaughan

Community Services Coordinator Lyn Iredell

Administration Coordinator Jodie Russell

Quality & Risk Coordinator Anita Weaver

Visit us online at

www.balmoralbnc.

com.au

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Centre Contacts...

Board Contacts...

After Hours Health Advice... National Nurse on Call

Is a phone service that provides immediate, expert health advice from registered nurses, 24 hours a

day, 7 days a week. Call 1300 60 60 24 for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Victoria

February

COLERAINE MEDICAL CENTRE

NON URGENT OUTPATIENTS will be seen by the

doctor on call Saturdays, Sundays & Public

Holidays at 9am. Clinic phone 5553 2045 will be

answered by a triage nurse after hours.

HAMILTON MEDICAL GROUP

After Hours Clinic Service 8pm weeknights

Clinic open 4pm Saturdays.

Sundays & Public Holidays 10am & 4pm

AH: 5572 2612

Visiting Services... Doctors:

Dr. Jan Slabbert (virtual consultation)

Alternate Wednesdays

Dr Brian Coulson & Dr. Kenny Yang (registrar)

Alternate Tuesdays

Dr. Greta Prozesky & Dr. Steve Yuan (registrar)

Alternate Tuesdays

Dr. Kate Graham: on maternity leave until further notice

WDHS Psychologist - Angela O’Brien: One Monday per month

M&CHN: 2nd and 4th Wednesday

Diabetes Educator - Megan McLeish: One Monday per month

Optometrist - Glenn Howell: May & October

Podiatry: Two visits per month.

Masseur - Darce Penrose: Available for appointments on

Thursdays. Ph: 5583 1502 or 0428 831 502

Continence Nurse - Annabelle Wilson: 3rd Thurs month

SERVICE CALENDAR

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Sat Sun

1

2

PAG > Lunch at Centre

3

Pathology 9—11am $4

Water Exercises

10—11am

Dr. Prozesky

2—4:45pm

4

Continence Nurse

5

Pathology

9—11am $4

Mens Shed

1:30pm

6

Community Bus >

Horsham Leave

Centre at 8:15am

Water Exercises

10—11am

7 8

9

PAG > Lunch at Centre

WDHS Psychologist

9am—3:30pm

10 Podiatrist

10:20am - 2:50pm

Pathology 9 - 11am $4

Water Exercises

10 - 11am

Dr. Coulson

10am—4:45pm SPOT CHECK CLINIC from 6pm

11

M & CHN

9:30—11:30am

12

Pathology

9—11am $4

Mens Shed

1:30pm

13

Water Exercises

10—11am

14 15

16

PAG > Lunch at Centre

17

Pathology 9—11am $4

Water Exercises

10—11am

Dr. Prozesky & Dr. Yuan

2—4:45pm

18 19

Pathology

9—11am $4

Mens Shed

1:30pm

20

Community Bus >

Hamilton Leave

Centre at 10am

Water Exercises

10—11am

21 22

23

PAG > Lunch at Centre

24

Pathology 9—11am $4

Water Exercises

10—11am

Dr. Yang 10am—4:45pm

25

Podiatrist

10:20am—2:50pm

M & CHN

9:30—11:30am

26

Pathology

9—11am $4

Mens Shed

1:30pm

27

Water Exercises

10—11am

28

news HEALTH PROMOTION

Di McLean & Kim Dufty Health Promotion

Vitamin D and UV Radiation Vitamin D The sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major cause of skin cancer and the best source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is a hormone that controls calcium levels in the blood. It is needed to develop and maintain healthy bones, muscles and teeth and is also important for general health.

Vitamin D is made through a series of biochemical processes starting when the skin is exposed to the sun’s UV rays. In Victoria, it is important to take a balanced UV approach to help with vitamin D levels, while minimizing the risk of skin cancer.

How do I take a balanced approach to sun exposure? The body can only absorb a certain amount of vitamin D at a time. Prolonged sun exposure does not result in increased vitamin D levels, but does increase the risk of skin cancer. Short periods of sun exposure may be more efficient at producing vitamin D. Daily exercise will also assist the body to produce vitamin D.

Solar Keratoses (Sunspots) What are sunspots? Sunspots (solar Keratoses, actinic keratoses) are premalignant skin lesions ie. may turn into skin cancer at a later time. They are caused by excessive long-term sun exposure. They are seen as relatively flat, scaly and often red areas on sun-exposed skin. The sun exposure causing your sunspots may have occurred many years prior to their appearance. You don’t need to have recent sun exposure to get sunspots!

Why do they need treatment? While sunspots are not cancerous they can turn into skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma). While the potential for a single sunspot to turn cancerous is low, the more you have the more likely you are to get skin cancer. Once skin cancer has arisen from a sunspot the lesion usually requires surgical exci-sion.

How are they treated? The treatment involves only superficial destructive procedures. The most common treatment is cryotherapy. This therapy involves liquid nitrogen freezing which results in destruction of the top layer of your skin—the epidermis. There are also some creams which are effective in removing sunspots.

SPOT CHECK CLINIC... Dr. Brian Coulson from the Coleraine Medical will

be conducting a sun spot clinic on

Tuesday 10th February 2015

from 6—7:30pm Please bring your Medicare card with you.

For further information or to make an appointment

please phone the Centre on 5570 1304

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin

cancer in the World. At least two in three Australians

will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.

Continence Nurse... The continence nurse continues one

morning a month at the Bush Nursing Centre and is due here on

WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBUARY. Please note that Western District

Health Service will now be charging for this service.

Prices are: $9.40 for concession card holders and $15 for non card holders.

The continence nurses, Megan and Annabelle consult people of all ages on a range of continence issues they can also

assist with access to free continence supplies.

Men's Shed…

Thursday 5th February

Thursday 12th February

Thursday19th February

Thursday 26th February

PLANNED ACTIVITY GROUP news

Welcome back to the New Year 2015, we look

forward to a great year with lots to do and

see together.

Our first day back for the year was filled with lots of talking as

everyone was interested in what everyone had been up to during

the Christmas break.

Australian Day Fact:

The two animals featured on the Australian coat of arms are the

Emu and Kangaroo - the reason for this being that neither animal can walk backwards, but instead can

always go forwards, symbolising Australia’s desire to do the same. (Just like our PAG)

Don’t let your unused items gather dust.

Donating is a great way to de-clutter, many household items

and things around the house, may have little use to you,

but somebody else would probably benefit from their use,

instead of lying idle in the back of cupboards or around the

house gathering dust. Think about gathering them up to

donate as it is a great way to de-clutter and you will have

more room to move or buy something else.

Until Next Month,

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

I WONDERED why the Frisbee was getting bigger, and then it hit me.

Lyn Iredell & Heather Smith Community Services

February Program…

Monday 2nd—Lunch at the Centre, movie afternoon

Monday 9th—Lunch at the Centre, craft afternoon

Monday 16th—Lunch at the Centre, Pancake Day

Monday 23rd—Lunch at the Centre, Chinese New Year

LIVE ACTIVE

news

Tallie Talay & Jannette Tinning Live Active Team

Balmoral Playgroup

Playgroup will be starting at the Bush Nursing Centre for

term one on Tuesday the 3rd of February in the child care

rooms. We meet every Tuesday from 9:30-11:30 (not

during school holidays). Open for all ages– just bring a

piece of fruit and a gold coin donation. This is a great way

to meet other mums around the area and a chance for

little ones to interact!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information please phone Anne at 0407990662

or check out Balmoral Playgroup on Facebook

Strength Training Mondays & Wednesdays 7pm – 8pm

Cost: $5 per session

Venue: Balmoral Bush Nursing Centre

For more information contact Tallie Talay at the Centre

Tai chi – an art embracing the mind, body and spirit Originating in ancient China, tai chi is one of the most effective exercises for health of mind and body. Although an art with great depth of knowledge and skill, it can be easy to learn and soon delivers its health benefits. For many, it continues as a lifetime jour-ney. The essential principles include mind integrated with the body; fluidity of the movements; control of breathing; and, mental concentration. The central focus is to enable the qi or life force to flow smoothly and powerfully throughout the body.

Just what is tai chi? There is much more to tai chi than one can see, and virtually no one can describe such a complex art in one simple sentence. Yes, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and most people practicing tai chi enjoy themselves. Certainly it’s a most effective martial art. It can also take credit as a meditation for tranquility, of fostering the Taoist spirit of living in harmony with nature (not in the religious sense of spirit), of contributing to the preservation of a youthful mind and body.

Aside from the health benefits, tai chi runs deep and strong because of its own depth and strength. It’s easy to learn and becomes a way of life for many practitioners. Yet, because of its depth, no one ever knows it all, and thereby lies the fascination and the never-ending challenge of the art. There will be times, no matter how brief, when a practitioner will enter a mental stage of tranquility, moving to a different world, time, and space, a world where there is no schedule, no hustle and bustle. Yet the person still feels very much a part of the world. In a non-religious sense, it’s a spiritual experience. Such an experience is so satisfying that it is beyond words. Being part of the world, being in harmony with the world and nature, thus is the paradox of tai chi, health and beyond.

ATTENTION - MEN ONLY

Self paced—swim as you please

Wednesday evenings from 7.30 - 8.30pm - $3 entry

At the Balmoral swimming pool

Simone Aitken Childcare Team Leader

news EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

The end of last year brought some very exciting news for the Balmoral early Learning

Centre. We were advised that we were successful in a grant application to conduct

Minor Capital works. This grant will give us a substantial amount of money to make

modifications to the outside yard and make other changes to enhance service

delivery. We are currently very busy working out the details putting forward a 6

month plan. Watch this space for updates.

With all the rain we had over the break , we found our

sandpit box full of water today. This was quite a

pleasant surprise for the children. They had lots of fun

working together to scoop out the water.

We find our bookings looking ok after so many children

heading off to school and kinder this year. However we

still have full day places on Mondays and afternoon

places on both Mondays and Wednesdays. If you are

interested in booking your child into care please give me

a call on 0448 980 027. We are very keen to fill these

places.

I’m writing this on our first day back at the Early Learning Centre. It was so lovely to see so many happy and excited faces come in today. I hope you all find yourselves refreshed and ready to start a new year. Last year we sadly said goodbye to a valued member of our team, Nikki. We wish her all the very best and hope to still see her occasionally when she relieves