AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2022

From the CEO

On Sunday 7 August, the community was asked ‘to think about the quiet achievers and the superheroes who provide care with professionalism, compassion and dedication for our loved ones and give them the recognition they deserve’ (ACCPA Aged Care Employee Day).

We believe the spiritual care of older people — especially over these past couple of years — is the work of pure dedication and true compassion. You have provided, and continue to provide, the much-needed connection for vulnerable older Australians.

The work of spiritual care is an essential service and makes a difference every day to lives. What you do is extraordinary and you are all superheroes to us here at Meaningful Ageing Australia.

Have you been watching the ABC’s new series Old People's Home for Teenagers?

It’s another wonderful exploration of the very real human experiences and emotions that cross all generations. This time we see how older people and teens can both experience loneliness and isolation and the effect this can have on their health and wellbeing. After all, we are all human together, right!

In kindness,
Rachael Wass

What is ARIIA?

Flinder University’s Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research will now be known as ARIIA (Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia).

Meaningful Ageing Australia is proud to be a supporting partner with ARIIA and we encourage you to consider applying for grants or to be involved in the Innovation Training Programs. You can find out more information here.

This Month’s Spotlight

Spirituality In Aged Care Professional Development Program

The Leader’s Manual

This program will help you and your staff to integrate spiritual care strategies into everyday practice.

It will enable staff to build both confidence and capability to take responsibility for their part in attending to the spiritual needs and emotional wellbeing of each resident and client.

This resource includes the information and PDFs and PPT you need to facilitate the program — whether as a full workshop or as micro learning sessions.

Members, log into the website and order your free copy (+ postage).

Not a member? Purchase your copy here.

Not a member? Learn more here

World Alzheimer’s Day Special Event!

Pictured are Jason and Hendrika van Genderen (photo used with permission)

This year, on World Alzheimer’s Day — Wednesday 21 September — the team behind Everybody’s Oma want to celebrate the carers of those people living with dementia with a special Australia-wide carer’s screening of the film.

Everybody’s Oma follows Jason van Genderen, who makes home videos about his family. When Jason creates a supermarket at home so his elderly Mother ‘Oma’ can continue her shopping routine during lockdown, he accidentally turns her into an internet celebrity seen by over 100 million people worldwide. The family cared for Oma in creative and whimsical ways while navigating her increasing dementia under the spotlight of social media. This is a story about a family coming together while beautifully falling apart.

This World Alzheimer’s Day you can watch the film in selected cinemas, organise a screening at your local cinema with friends or colleagues through Fanforce, watch the film online or gift a carer a ticket so they can watch the film.

Afterwards, there will be a live Q&A with Jason and Megan van Genderen talking about their journey caring for Oma.

For more details about this very special event, head to Fanforce.

Did you know that you can donate to Meaningful Ageing Australia and donations over $2 are tax deductible?

Making a financial contribution helps us not only produce the kind of evidence-based resources we are known for but also helps to support our advocacy efforts for the whole sector.

To make a contribution, or to learn more about our organisation, email: admin@meaningfulage.org.au

Welcome Susan Emerson to our Board

We extend a very warm welcome to Meaningful Ageing Australia’s new Board Director, Ms Susan Emerson.

Susan comes to us with extensive experience as a thought leader and an expert advisor to Government and the Department of Health, demonstrated by her policy advisory appointments.

Her skills, involvement and passion are real assets for us as we navigate and the changing landscape of the sector.

and Farewell to …

This past month we farewelled retiring Board Directors Raad Richards and Jennifer O’Connell.

We will miss Jennifer’s and Raad’s exceptional contributions to our Board and our organisation as a whole. They will always remain part of the Meaningful Ageing Australia extended family and we sincerely appreciate their ongoing enthusiasm for what we do.

This month’s
member-only event

Join us for a practical session you can take back to your teams when the directors of Everybody’s Oma, John Winter and Ros Walker, introduce and expound on The 100 Project.

Can we visit you … or share your news?

If you are a Meaningful Ageing Australia member, we’d love to come and visit you or share your news on our socials when you are recruiting or hosting a special event.

We’re always here if you’d like to chat about how we can support you as you do the important work of caring for our older people.

You can get in touch with Jacquie here or Rachael here.

WHAT OUR MEMBERS TELL US

“With the support of Meaningful Ageing Australia, there has been a greater sense of direction as to how to properly cater for residents’ spiritual needs as per national standards. This has led to greater staff confidence in their job and a renewed sense of hope and purpose for residents.”

Is your organisation ready to become a member?

ABOUT US

Meaningful Ageing Australia is a registered charity and the national peak body for championing the spiritual care and emotional wellbeing of older people receiving care in residential and community aged care settings.

Spiritual care ensures that each older person’s spirituality is supported.

Spirituality is about how we create meaning, hope, purpose and connection in our lives.

For some, that might include religion and expressions of cultural faith. For others, it might be the peace and emotional wellbeing they experience through a connection with nature, or creativity, or through meditation or of being of service to others.

Meaningful Ageing Australia creates practical resources and education events to support aged care providers to build staff confidence and capability so that they can integrate emotional support and spiritual care into their day-to-day work.

Meaningful Ageing Australia acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we conduct our work. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging.
We recognise their unique relationships to the land and waters and are grateful for their spiritual resilience and cultural wisdom.

Copyright (C) 2022 Meaningful Ageing Australia. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you have established an interest in the work of Meaningful Ageing Australia.

Our mailing address is:
Meaningful Ageing Australia
34 - 54 Poplar Road, (Gate 4, Building 8)
PO Box 2127 Royal Melbourne Hospital VIC 3050
Parkville, Victoria 3050
Australia

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