Making Memories with Ron Smith Care Centre: September 2018

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

Young and old united through song

The sweet voices of young children filled Ron Smith Care Centre residents’ souls with joy on Wednesday, September 12. The Rand Aid-run care centre held its monthly Lotto Concert on the morning and the junior choir from the Holy Rosary School in Edenvale provided the entertainment, much to the delight of the audience.

Care centre celebrates everyday heroes

Caring is their super power

Ron Smith Care Centre staff members were eager participants in Casual Day on Friday, September 7, 2018.

The Rand Aid care centre in Lyndhurst has a wing dedicated to caring for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and with Alzheimer’s South Africa one of the fundraising day’s official beneficiaries, they were more than happy to show their support of the work being done by the non-profit company.

The Gauteng office of Alzheimer’s South Africa is based at Elphin Lodge Complex, which includes the Ron Smith Care Centre.

This year’s Casual Day theme was ‘Be an everyday hero for people with disabilities’

Ron Smith Care Centre’s team members dressed up as super heroes and everyday heroes. “The fund-raising initiative created awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and gave recognition to the everyday heroes who give loving care to the elderly frail and to those living with the disease,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s manager: recreational programmes.

Ron Smith Care Centre’s staff members dressed up as super heroes and everyday heroes on Casual Day.

Thursday, 6 September 2018

Children shoot arrow through elders’ hearts

The children from Arrows Home School with their mothers and a few of the elders who enjoyed the show. Front row, left to right, are residents: Ria Standing, Jill Jones, Colleen Blowe and Eleanor Motsepe.

On September 4, 2018, the residents and staff of Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre welcomed spring with a lovely tea and delicious sweet treats.

There was a wonderful selection of red velvet cake, banana loaf, Bar One cake and donuts. Also on offer were the muffins which the residents had made in the OT Activity Centre, as their contribution to the tea.

The highlight of the morning, however, was the very special entertainment provided by the children from the Arrows Home School: Amber, Benjamin and Jasmine Banks; Shayna Berry; Ruth and Thomas Hicken; Aryc Holgate; Isabella and Jayden Strauss; and Nathan and Samuel Vrey.

They recited poetry, sang songs, told jokes, did some dancing and performed in a musical play entitled, ‘A World is Washed’, which was based on the story of Noah’s Ark as found in Genesis 6-9 in the Holy Bible.

The residents and staff were delighted by the young children, who ranged in age from three to nine years, and everyone remarked how cute, happy and joyful they were.

All at the care centre would like to thank each and everyone one of them, their mothers who coached them and brought them along and the dads who worked behind the scenes, for the joy they brought to all. And special thanks to Susanna Banks –the ‘head mom’ and creator and director of the entertainment programme. Bravo! Well done!

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Women’s Month Happy Hour celebration

Great women celebrated at Ron Smith Care Centre

Women’s Month was joyously celebrated at Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre on 30 August at a Happy Hour event, with the theme of honouring inspirational women from the past and present. The hosts of the evening were the residents and staff who live and work on the Cedar Park wing of the care centre.

Wine, sherry, fruit punch and an assortment of delicious sweet and savoury snacks, including the cheese straws that the residents and staff had made earlier in the afternoon, were enjoyed by all and then it was time for the quiz contest.

Earlier in the month, residents and staff were asked to make a list of women whom they admired and whom inspired them. Fifteen of these women were selected to have their pictures displayed on each team’s table at Happy Hour. The residents and staff were divided into teams and then participated in a quiz contest where they had to recognize and identify each of the inspirational women. Team Lisa’s 18-member group were the winners as they speedily came up with all the correct answers, although ‘Anne Frank’ and ‘Helen Suzman’ gave them a bit of a challenge!

The Cedar Park hosts then announced that they were going to present a little skit and dance. Although there are many women, past and present, who have made a contribution to society, the woman they wished to honour and celebrate was, Florence Nightingale, as most of the staff are involved in nursing care. Florence was known for saving the lives of thousands of people and for being the founder of modern nursing.

In 1854, the Crimean War broke out and Florence rounded up a team of 38 nurses to work in the field hospital in Crimea, to look after the soldiers who were dying from battle wounds, cold, hunger and disease. She improved the filthy hospital conditions and provided clean water, fresh food and quality care. She was committed to the principle that ‘Every patient deserves a good nurse’. More than 100 years later, her birthday is still celebrated around the world as International Nurses Day.

This Women’s Day event was enjoyed by the whole care centre and had meaning for all. It gave everyone the opportunity to think about the strengths, abilities, and determination of women who have taken on leadership roles in society because of their compassion and caring for other people.

The Cedar Park staff cast of the Florence Nightingale skit with Debbie Christen (Rand Aid’s recreation manager): Angie Morrison, Penny Mthembu, Lisa Mtshali (Florence Nightingale), Hilda Mabaso, Lucy Kgafela, Noma Malevu, Christina Maluka and Cleo Makhanya.

A delighted resident, Irene Droste, is congratulated by Noma Malevu, Lucy Kgafela and Penny Mthembu for winning the Most Elegantly Dressed prize as voted by staff.