RSCC residents pampered during Women’s Week

 

Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre (RSCC) turned Women’s Day into a week-long event, transforming its recreation centre into a day spa – complete with low lighting, candles and tranquil music.

Starting on 8 August, three spa afternoons were held for residents from all six RSCC residential wings to relax, unwind and enjoy manicures and much-needed massages.

“They really appreciated this bit of relaxation time and loved being pampered,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s manager of recreational programmes.

Residents then enjoyed a lovely high tea, with singer Roy Edwards, sponsored by AVBOB, on 12 August.

The tables were brightly decorated in red and yellow and small buckets of flowers added to the ambience, creating a warm and happy atmosphere. A variety of delicious sweet and savoury treats was provided, including cocktail sausage rolls, savoury tarts, chicken and meat pies, quiches, milk tarts, koeksisters, custard slices, lamingtons and carrot cake. 

“Roy entertained the large crowd with golden oldie music, which brought back many fond memories for the residents. Recognising many of the songs, they were inspired to dance or move to the music, which brought fun and joy to all. Many commented how wonderful it was to have live entertainment after a long dry spell as a result of Covid-19,” says Debbie.

“It was a wonderful Women’s Week and a lovely way to honour, celebrate and spoil the fabulous women at RSCC,” she adds.

Maria da Silva.

Pascaline Kamela & Mary Johnstone.

Tilly Bryant & Josephine Kew.

Women's Week high tea.

Argentina Smith.

Germinah Baloyi & Romano Ceretto-Giannone.

Pascaline Kamela & Stella Murray.

Singer, Roy Edwards.

Argentina Smith & Tshepo Malatjie.

Carol Beadle & Hope Siboto.

Carol Beadle.

Caroline Mucheka & Paddy Lowe.

Dancing staff.

Doreen Woodward.

Ellen Quinn & Germinah Baloyi.

Evelyn Shilubane & Esme Joubert.

Flo Ramsay, Germinah Baloyi, & Ellen Quinn.

Front: Lorraine Lowden & Evelyn Shilubane. Back: Irene Watson & Marlé Eloff.

Heidi du Plessis (AVBOB) offers Joan Boulle & Berenice Jawitz a tasty treat.

Irene Watson who turns 101 on 8th September & Prudence Sengoeneng.

Joyce Royal, Lucia Nkuna & Lee Morawitz.

Lucia Nkuna & Marie Roberts who turned 100 on 27th August.

Mariana Duvenage.

Mariana Duvenage.

Marlé Eloff & Ellen Quinn.

Marlé Eloff & Irene Watson who is turning 101 in September!

Marlé Eloff & Sannie Wucherpfennig.

Mary Johnstone.

Mary Johnstone.

Mike Papageorgiou, Clem Lilley, Arthur Nortjie, Florah Tshonisa, Mosima Mojela & MirandaMakana.

Mike Papageorgiou.

Miranda Makana & Johanna Jennings.

Olive Jew & Isabel Peddie.

Ron Smith Care Centre newsletter: September 2022

 To read Ron Smith Care Centre's latest news, click here.

Marie celebrates her centenary

 

Rand Aid Ron Smith Care Centre (RSCC) resident Marie Roberts celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends on 27 August.

Born in De Putten, near Zeerust, in 1922, Marie grew up with six sisters and two brothers, and attended a farm school for the first ten years of her life.

“That’s where I learnt to speak Tswana. We used to go to school on a donkey cart,” says Marie.

During the depression in 1932, the family moved to Johannesburg where Marie attended Commercial High School. “My first job was working for Roistone Motors,” she says.

Marie met her husband Lawrence at the local roller rink in Malvern. “When he came swooping up behind me and whisked me around the rink a few times, I was smitten. We married shortly afterwards, when I was 19, and were married for almost 72 wonderful years. He passed away in November 2013 and Marie still misses him.

Marie and Lawrence had two sons, William and John, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She worked for an oil company for 25 years and then raised a second family – including her two young grandchildren who lived with her and Lawrence for 15 years.

“Lawrence and I shared a love of music. I used to play classical and jazz on our baby grand piano, and he used to play the drums in a band. I can sit and listen to music for hours,” says Marie.

“My faith is very important to me. I have been very blessed to be part of a big, loving family and to have always had sisters to be my friends,” she adds.

 

Volunteer your time to bring joy to the elderly

 

Ron Smith Care Centre residents making gingerbread men. 

Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre (RSCC) is in need of volunteers who enjoy spending time with older people and can spare a few hours a week to spread some love and joy amongst the residents.

RSCC offers loving and quality care to 160 elderly and frail residents in pleasant surroundings, enhanced by flowers, trees, gardens and a dam with birdlife. There is also a specialised dementia unit for people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The care centre is the second home in South Africa to qualify as a registered Eden Alternative home. As a member of the Eden register, RSCC is committed to an approach which puts the person benefitting from the care, first. The caregivers aim to create a warm, vibrant, life-affirming care environment, where each person matters and everyone has an opportunity for personal growth and to participate in activities which bring meaning, joy and fun to their lives, regardless of their age or abilities.

The care centre’s volunteers play a huge role in helping to create this life-affirming, caring environment and add significantly to the quality of life and general well-being of residents. 

“RSCC’s volunteer programme had to be put on hold as a result of Covid-19, but the recreation team has now regrouped and redesigned activities for our residents,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s manager of recreational programmes.

“Our walking programme, chair exercises, painting, arts and crafts, and music and dance groups are some of the activities that our residents really enjoy. Our baking activity, in which residents are given the opportunity to perform some of the steps in the recipe, with assistance, also brings much joy to our residents who love being able to bake again and taste something they have made. These are some of the activities in which volunteers can lend a hand,” she adds.

Sadly, due to a shortage of volunteers, RSCC has not been able to resume some of the activities that residents enjoyed in the past.

“At the moment, we are especially looking for musicians, singers and dancers who can come and perform for our residents, or lead sing-a-longs or musical groups.  Gardening, one-on-one friendly visits and sensory stimulation work with our residents living with dementia, are also activities in which volunteers can get involved,” says Debbie.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer at RSCC and freely giving of their love and time to RSCC’s residents is urged to contact Debbie Christen preferably by email: dchristen@randaid.co.za or phone (011) 882 6296.  Ron Smith Care Centre is located at 222 Modderfontein Road, Lyndhurst.

Edenvale Care Centre Hospice on the receiving end of goodwill

 

The Edenvale Care Centre Hospice, which has been helping people in their darkest hour since 2002, was recently on the receiving end of community goodwill.

As the hospice has not received its small grant from the Department of Health for a year, it has been relying on fundraising and donations from the public to assist its patients.

Residents and staff from Rand Aid’s Elphin Lodge retirement village and Ron Smith Care Centre (RSCC) thus joined forces to bring in much-needed donations for the hospice and its patients, as its Mandela Month project.

Everyone went all out to assist, donating 20 boxes of groceries, four boxes of clothes, 40 comfort bears and 47 blankets for the patients, and four dozen cupcakes for the patients, staff and helpers.

“Edenvale Care Centre Hospice’s manager Marlene Hooper said she didn’t expect such a large donation of groceries or the lovely handmade blankets, teddy bears and cupcakes. She was amazed and delighted with the donation,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s manager of recreational programmes.

“The care centre’s chef Maureen Khumalo was over the moon as we unloaded box after box of groceries. When we started to unpack, she said the hospice would now not have to buy groceries for several months,” she adds.

All the donations were received with deep gratitude and appreciation. “Thank you to everyone at Elphin Lodge and RSCC for your kind and generous giving. You certainly made a big difference for Edenvale Care Centre Hospice and its patients,” says Debbie. 

Beautifully decorated cupcakes made by Rhona Burnham, Joan Mullan and Ria Milburn. Ria says she was tempted to sample the treats before they were donated!

Neeri Stroebel (Elphin admin), Samantha Atrash (Edenvale Community Care Hospice), Maureen Khumalo (Edenvale Community Care Hospice chef), Marlene Hooper (Edenvale Community Care Hospice manager) and Debbie Christen (Rand Aid recreation manager).

Rhona Burnham, Joan Mullan and Ria Milburn with some of the cupcakes they made and decorated for Edenvale Care Centre Hospice.

Some of the goods donated by Elphin Lodge and RSCC residents and staff to Edenvale Care Centre Hospice – crocheted blankets, knitted comfort bears and cupcakes. The boxes contained a large number of groceries, pyjamas and slippers.

Rand Aid driver Frans Mpete kindly assisted to deliver the goods to the hospice. He is pictured with Samantha Atrash (Edenvale Community Care Hospice), Maureen Khumalo (Edenvale Community Care Hospice chef), Marlene Hooper (Edenvale Community Care Hospice manager) and Debbie Christen (Rand Aid recreation manager).