Slices of smiles

NetFlorist let the goodwill bloom on Mandela Day when it donated five scrumptious cakes to Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre. Pictured are Rand Aid’s Matron Avril Maltman, NetFlorist’s Andrea Hicks, and Rand Aid’s Debbie Christen and Bianca Richards. The residents enjoyed yummy slices of cake with their afternoon tea.

Busy hands and caring hearts on Mandela Day

The hand imprints which convey the purpose of the 2018 Knit-a-thon.

Knit-a-thon held in honour of Madiba's legacy

In the weeks leading up to Mandela Day, the residents from Rand Aid-run Ron Smith Care Centre were busy making the decorations that would be used for the Mandela Day Knit-a-thon on July 18.

On that day, the residents from both Elphin Lodge and the Ron Smith Care Centre would be challenged to knit or crochet a square in 67 minutes. The decorations reflected the theme and purpose of the knit-a-thon: knitting squares to make blankets to donate to the residents at Jordan House Old Age Home. 

Jordan House is home to about 70 residents, mostly male, who are underprivileged and needy. They rely heavily on, and are extremely grateful for, donations of any kind.  Elphin Lodge resident Marlene Gordon made a request for donations to assist the residents of Jordon House, and it was then decided to use the Mandela Day Knit-a-thon for that purpose.

About 80 residents, staff and volunteers gathered together in the hall on Mandela Day and were invited to fortify themselves with tea, sandwiches and a delicious surprise of vanilla and chocolate cake donated by Avbob.

Then it was onto the business at hand: knitting as quickly as possible, in order to contribute to the blanket donation to Jordan House.  Exactly 67 minutes later, the highest number of squares and rows knitted and crocheted were tallied up.

The results were as follows:

Knitting:

1^st place:  Barbara Malan – Elphin Lodge

2^nd place:  Jean Johnson – Elphin Lodge

3^rd place:  Avril Maltman – RSCC, Matron.

Crochet:

1^st place: Denise Stewart – RSCC, Volunteer

2^nd place:  Irene Nyadzane – RSCC Careworker

3^rd place:  Aletta de Klerk – RSCC, Day Care.

The squares will be stitched together to make blankets and will be added to the blankets already completed.

A group of residents, staff and volunteers are planning to visit the residents at Jordan House and present them with the blankets, in honour of the great man, Nelson Mandela.

Ron Smith Care Centre residents proudly display the colourful Mandela Day Hands that they made in the OT Activity Centre.

Matron Avril Maltman.

The knitting supplies on each table.

Jane Hart-Davis and Irene Nyadzane (2nd prize Crochet).

Jill Jones (right) stitching squares together to make a blanket.

Shirley Blieden and Winnie Ziegler couldn’t resist doing the Madiba Jive at the knit-a-thon.

Salina Mtshali presents Barbara Malan with her prize for placing first in the knitting section of the competition.

Winnie Ziegler, Shirley Blieden, Aletta de Klerk (3rd place Crochet), Queen Ralarale and Denise Stewart (1st place Crochet).

Gardening group brightens care centre for Mother’s Day

Ron Smith Care Centre residents, staff and volunteers are full of smiles after having planted violas and pansies for Mother’s Day. 

Rand Aid Association’s Ron Smith Care Centre’s gardening group meets every other week in one of the wings at the care centre. At their last gathering, the group enjoyed planting violas and pansies for Mother’s Day.

The gardening group is run by volunteers Leung and Elaine Ho. Leung, a horticulturalist, has a Baccalaureus Technologiae in Horticulture from UNISA and a special interest in using gardening activities for therapeutic purposes.

 

He adheres to the belief that plants, gardening activities and the innate closeness we all feel towards nature can be used as a vehicle to bring certain therapeutic benefits to participants.

Over time, simple gardening tasks practiced in a group can provide sensory and memory stimulation, increase movement, improve orientation to reality, increase a sense of community and decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation. 

Ron Smith Care Centre residents spent an enjoyable morning planting colourful flowers into lovely ceramic shopping bag pots, which were designed and made by Leung.   

The Ron Smith Care Centre has plants for sale and the proceeds are used for operating the gardening programme.

For more information about Ron Smith Care Centre, visit www.randaid.co.za.

Ron Smith Care Centre celebrates its new Woodlands Garden

Enjoying the beautiful new garden area surrounding the lapa are John Robinson, Chairman of the Rand Aid Board, Anthony Schaffler from Schaffler’s Nurseries, Zabeth Zuhlsdorff, General Manager, Advanced Division and Rae Brown, Rand Aid’s CEO.

Rand Aid Association’s Ron Smith Care Centre celebrated the opening of its Woodlands Garden and its facilities on 20 April.

Board members, employees, residents and village committees celebrated the opening of the lovely landscaped area -  which was designed by Anthony Schaffler from Schaffler Nurseries - and includes a beautiful new lapa, with braai facilities; a pavilion overlooking the new Astroturf croquet lawn; mini golf (putt-putt); and a jungle gym for children who visit their loved ones.

“The opening of Woodlands Gardens is another great occasion in the ongoing redevelopment, renovation and expansion of the Ron Smith Care Centre,” said John Robinson, Rand Aid’s chairman of the board.

Over the past five years the care centre has been transformed to offer even better care for elders and its redesign ensures that it is able to care for their special needs.

Robinson acknowledged that the introduction of the Eden Alternative has ensured this transformation.

“The enthusiasm, training and dedication of management and staff has contributed to making this one of the best care establishments of its type in Africa. The Ron Smith Care Centre has been recognised for its exemplary provision of care, facilities and services for the aged by the United Nations World Health Organisation,” he confirmed.

Part of the opening celebration involved the unveiling of a plaque, which acknowledges a heartfelt donation from Barry and Theresa Dubb, in honour of Barry’s mother Joyce Dubb, a resident at Ron Smith. When the Dubbs got married, they requested that donations be made to the care centre in lieu of wedding gifts and it is this funding which kick-started the garden project.

The croquet lawn and putt-putt course were officially opened when residents Sylvia Laserow hit a croquet ball through a wicket and Christine Kincaid-Smith attempted a putt-putt hole-in-one!  A champagne toast, in honour of the new garden and facilities, followed.

The care centre’s employees concluded the event in traditional dress, singing a beautiful blessing for the garden.

Robinson is sure that Woodlands Garden is a welcome addition to the care centre and will bring much enjoyment and to residents and their families and friends.

Ron Smith Care Centre’s complex manager Helen Petrie invited guests to view the new widened bridge over the Jukskei River (the old one was destroyed by severe storms and flooding in November 2016) and said that it can now accommodate golf carts and wheelchairs. This increased accessibility will hopefully encourage more interaction between all of Rand Aid’s retirement villages.

Care centre’s grand dame turns 102

When Betty Haughton was born, World War I was raging, and stainless steel had just been invented as a way of improving the quality of gun barrels. Movies were to remain silent for another 11 years, when the first ‘talkie’, The Jazz Singer, was screened.

On April 19, 2018, this well-loved resident of Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre turned 102, just two weeks after fellow resident Kitty Venn turned 101.

 

The management and staff of the care centre presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a special card.

Born in Britain, Betty lived in South Africa for most of her adult life. She was a keen bowls and bridge player and worked for many years as secretary of Linksfield Primary School.

Volunteers needed to walk with elders

Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre is set in the beautiful, expansive grounds of the Elphin Lodge Complex.

With a dam, prolific birdlife and stunning gardens, it is the perfect place to revive your soul, and what better way to do that, than by taking a walk through the village.

Walking as a recreational activity has numerous health benefits and can increase a sense of wellbeing as one experiences the joys of being outdoors. Walking can also lessen the symptoms of arthritis, decrease anxiety and depression and improve overall heart health.

With these benefits in mind, a walking group was started for the care centre residents a few years ago and is highly dependent on the help of volunteers as some participants are in wheelchairs and need to be pushed, while others need someone to walk by their side.

Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s Manager:  Recreational Programmes says, “The Eden Alternative philosophy which we follow is based on the core belief that ageing should be a continuous stage of development, growth and pursuit of meaningful and joyful activities.  To this end, we so value our volunteers, who help our elders to keep their bodies, minds and spirits engaged and active.”

The Walking Programme takes place on Mondays from 11:00am and Thursdays from 10:30am. If you are able to volunteer your time, please contact Debbie on 011 882 6296 or email dchristen@randaid.co.za

101 years of bright smiles

Ron Smith Care Centre resident Kitty Venn turned 101 on April 5, 2018.  

The ever-smiling birthday girl was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, birthday greetings and special wishes from fellow residents and staff of the Rand Aid Association-run care centre.

A tennis player until shortly before she turned 80, Kitty lived independently until she was 98 when a fall and subsequent hip replacement necessitated her move to the care centre.

Born Doreen Ruby Mole in 1917 in Swakopmund, South West Africa, she was the fourth child in a family of 12 children.

She and husband Oliver had four children, 18 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren.

Kitty still enjoys frequent walks – albeit it with a walker.

“She is an amazing lady with a smile that just lights up and encompasses all those in her presence,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s Manager: Recreational Programmes.

Kitty Venn with Staff Nurse Tondani Mudau and Matron Avril Maltman.