Official publication of Age Concern Thames

Thames Community Centre

609 Mackay Street, Thames 3500

Winter2016

Thames

Office Phone: (07) 868 9790

OFFICE HOURS:Monday - Thursday 9.30am - 2.30pm

email: julia@ageconcern.gen.nz

A Pukeko Print & Design Ltd publication. For advertising phone Monique (07) 577 9092 or email monique@pukekoprint.co.nz x www.pukekoprint.co.nz x Please refer to website for disclaimer

Serving the needs of older peopleThames

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Age Concern Thames. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or Age Concern advocates or rejects its use.

Board Member Profile I’m Barbara Rothschild and have been on the board of Age Concern Thames for a couple of years.

For more years than I can remember I have worked with the disability sector and in rehabilitation working in some of the rural areas of Northland and Bay of Plenty.

I moved to the Thames coast from Auckland 11 years ago and love the great outdoors, with the beaches, rivers, native bush and the wildlife on my doorstep - paradise.

Currently I am employed by Health & Disability Advocacy Service based here in Thames and cover all of the Peninsula from Athenree to Colville and everywhere in between including the Hauraki Plains and Te Aroha.

The purpose of this service is to promote and protect the rights of health & disability consumers through empowerment advocacy.

If you are unhappy about the service you receive from a health or disability service provider you can take your concern directly to the person or organization that provided the service, get help from friends or family or seek the support of an advocate to assist you resolve the complaint.

We will listen to your complaint, provide you with information on your rights, assist you to clarify your issues, consider the options available to you, assist you in resolving the issues and provide support.

The service is free, confidential, and independent. Contact me on (07) 868 5318 for further information or assistance.

It is a privilege to be part of Age Concern Thames where older people are respected, and enjoy a sense of well-being, are part of the community and the service continues to grow.

Greetings from the Chair

Welcome to this issue - as you will see from the Manager’s report, we are progressing from strength to strength. I am most grateful for Julia and Robyn’s commitment to our communities. They are a great small team doing big things!

What a balmy start we had to Autumn! Many say this is as a result of global warming…nevertheless here’s hoping you all have winter warmth planned, including considering those annual flu vaccinations?

In the last issue I mentioned the national Age Concern Modernisation Project. The intent of modernising means that Age Concerns become consistently connected across the country - there are 33 of us! It does also mean that each Age Concern does not need to duplicate things like finances, payroll, etc. The important thing for Age Concern Thames is that we keep providing services and support to our communities - that will always remain. So, as much as this is all “behind the scenes” the front face of us providing services and supports will not change. In the meantime, there is plenty of discussion and planning to occur - at least for the next nine months before a vote determines next steps.

As for myself, I reside in Whitianga - There is a concern here about seniors requesting subsidised ferry travel - however the ferry is privately owned - and Whitianga also has no public transport. As a member of Mercury Bay Grey Power I am impressed with the fact they are taking up this issue. I’d like to acknowledge the good advocacy Grey Power does and also point out that there is a huge difference in what Grey Power and Age Concern does. Grey Power does amazing advocacy and Age Concern Thames provides supportive visits to the home, information and mobility classes. I believe we complement each other well in what we do for older people.

Until next time.Stay well, keep warm.

Jenny WolfChair

We are grateful to all our funders:

H A U R A K ID I S T R I C T C O U N C I L

98 Parry Palm Avenue, Waihi 3610Phone: (07) 863 8526 Fax: (07) 863 8524

Email: heth.house@xtra.co.nzwww.hetheringtonhouse.co.nz

Hetherington House is a community owned charity rest home. Started in the 1970’s, this home has continued to expand and now caters for up to 50 residents at 3 different levels of care. We have 12 Hospital beds, 32 rest home beds and a 6 bed secure dementia unit that opened in 2011.

Over the past 3 years the home has seen many improvements. With the support of the community we have upgraded our rest home rooms with new furniture and furnishings, built a pathway and Gazebo to allow the residents to enjoy the gardens, upgraded the happy hour lounge and completed several other projects including automatic opening doors, new medical grade carpets and general upgrades to various areas around the home.

Our goal is to continue to improve the home to provide a homely and friendly environment that promotes independence and choice for all who live here.

www.pukekoprint.co.nz

Phone (07) 577 9092sharyn@pukekoprint.co.nz

Pukeko Print & DesignWe can provide you with a range of

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Serving the needs of older peopleThames

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Welcome to the fourth issue of the Age Concern Thames newsletter. This issue, we have put the spotlight on volunteering.

Volunteers are the core of Age Concern Thames. Without volunteers, Age Concern Thames and our services could not function. Age Concern Thames is governed by a team of volunteers who generously donate their time, in the background supporting the day to day running of Age Concern Thames. Board members travel from as far was Waihi and Whitianga to attend board meetings and regularly assist with events and support the Thames office. This is all done on a volunteer basis.

Volunteer Visitors who are a part of the Age Concern Accredited Visiting Service regularly visit older people in their homes who would like a little more company. We have volunteer visitors based in Thames, Coromandel, Whitianga, Ngatea, Paeroa and Waihi. This is all done on a volunteer basis.

Steady As You Go© classes are held by volunteer peer leaders, bringing falls prevention classes and community together in Thames, Waihi and Paeroa. Without these volunteers we could not effectively or sustainably provide this service. Again, this is all done on a volunteer basis.

National Volunteer Week runs from 19 to 25 June 2016. During this time, Age Concern Thames will be recognising our volunteers. Firstly, we have nominated the volunteers of the Accredited Visiting Service for a Team Excellence Award from Volunteering Waikato. We are allowed to only nominate one team, so this year felt it was right to nominate our volunteer visitors, with some who have been with us from the beginning of our long journey starting out in 2012 as a small branch of Age Concern Hamilton.

We are planning an event where we will invite our volunteers to acknowledge the individual and collective contribution. Finally, Age Concern Thames

Manager’s Memo will be attending the Volunteer Expo to be held at the Thames Civic Centre on 10 June 2016. See the advertisement for the expo on page 9 of the newsletter. Please come along and see Robyn and myself at the Age Concern Thames stand.

Why Volunteer? There are over one million New Zealanders who volunteer. You can use your expertise and knowledge, put your hobby to good use, develop some new skills or try something completely different. Did you know, that volunteering enhances physical and mental health wellbeing? Volunteering is a great way to be a part of your local community and to meet more people while making a difference.

Are you a friend of Age Concern Thames?We hope you enjoy this newsletter. Should you wish to become a friend of Age Concern Thames, either as a volunteer or a member, please contact Age Concern Thames on (07) 868 9790 or julia@ageconcern.gen.nz or complete and send in the enclosed membership form.

Office Hours: Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 2.30pm based at the Thames Community Centre, 609 Mackay Street, Thames.

Kind regards,

Julia Monrad

No act of kindness, no matter how small,

is ever wasted ~ Aesop

Introducing Robyn Sinclair - Accredited Visitor Services Co-ordinator

It’s with great pleasure that I am introducing myself as the new visitor services co-ordinator at Age Concern. I come from a science background, although more recently have been teaching (university level), and working at a rest home. My other job for the last 3 years has been raising my son.

We moved to Thames in 2014 after a couple of years in the sleepy hamlet of Kaiaua (famous for the fish and chip shop). Prior to that we lived in Auckland, before that Sydney but are ultimately from Wellington. Thames was the first place we’ve moved to because we wanted to live there and so far it has not disappointed. We often spend time at our local beach, but having the east coast beaches so close means we’ll probably never leave.

More than anything else, I have been enjoying the people I meet through Age Concern. Everyone has a story, and I have been privileged enough to have some of them shared with me. I am happy knowing that the work I do makes a positive contribution in other people’s lives. Having volunteered in various places over the years it’s a pleasure to be able to connect keen visitors to our clients. I’m looking forward to being able to grow the service to reach more people for the benefit of both visitee and volunteer.

Kind regards,

Robyn Sinclair

You too can be a volunteer for

Age Concern ThamesA growing number of elderly people in NZ are at risk from becoming socially isolated. Living or being alone is more than just not having someone to talk to in the evenings; loneliness’s impacts can include increased blood pressure and risk of depression. Other real health risks of loneliness are equivalent to becoming an alcoholic or a 15 cigarette a day smoker. But happily, by joining us as an Age Concern Thames volunteer visitor, you can make a difference in real lives.

Our visiting service covers Coromandel, Whitianga, Waihi, Paeroa, Ngatea and Thames. We provide our volunteers with full training, and are here to support you through your volunteering journey.

Commitment is one hour per week to share time with an elderly person, plus time for support meetings twice a year. We also offer professional development opportunities; we have a mental health and wellbeing workshop coming up on the 6th of July, followed by a session on dementia and delirium.

Numbers are limited so if you are interested in attending or to become a visitor, please email robyn@ageconcern.gen.nz or phone (07) 868 9790.

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The Gift of VolunteeringI’d like to begin by telling you a little about my Grandmother, Connie Tulloch. Connie lived in Putaruru for much of her life and was somewhat of a trailblazer. Along with two others she founded the Putaruru branch of Red Cross, helped establish scouting in the town (acting as treasurer for a while), was an active Plunket member and a long-time supporter of the Rotary Club. She helped establish Putaruru’s library and was the first woman school committee member of Putaruru High School. In her spare time Connie played golf (serving as secretary for some time) and was elected a member of the first Putaruru Borough council. She served on the Waikato Hospital Board for 20 years and was chairman for 6 whilst also giving many years’ service to the Ex-Prisoners-of-War Association. Connie received many awards for her community service over the years and I think she was very proud of her achievements and contribution especially given the challenges she would have faced as a woman and solo mother in

the 1930s, 40s and 50s. If you could ask her now though, what was the most rewarding part of all of this volunteering and community service she would say the people she met and friends she made along the way.

Volunteering brings so many benefits to individuals. It gives a sense of purpose and structure to our days and keeps us engaging in a positive way with our community. There is plenty of evidence around to show that people who volunteer live happier and healthier lives. When you are volunteering you are also learning new skills and using existing ones to benefit others. When I look at volunteer teams that I’ve been involved with I see the richness that it can bring into people’s lives through expanded networks and personal connections.

Some people say they volunteer for “selfish” reasons - one example would be the person who is feeling isolated after retiring from a busy job or someone who enjoys the warmth and comfort of

an organisation’s office rather than their own cold home in the middle of winter. Others will comment that volunteering gives them a reason to get up in the morning and “put their lipstick on” and offers the perfect way to integrate into a new town or city.

Everyone has a different motivation to volunteer but each is a legitimate reason to contribute and make a difference in your community. Volunteering Waikato is an organisation that encourages and supports volunteering throughout the Waikato region. It would be great if everyone who wanted to volunteer could find a role they enjoyed and every organisation could find the right kind and number of volunteers they needed. If you are reading this and want to volunteer or even do more volunteering then please contact us or go to our website and see if you can find a role that

WIN a double pass to Tribute to the Rat Pack show by simply filling in the details below and posting to Pukeko Print & Design, 927 Cameron Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga 3112, by the 8th July 2016 to go into the drawName: __________________________Phone Number: __________________Alternatively email your details to: monique@pukekoprint.co.nz and quote ACTHA 2/16

Complete with our brass ensemble, we present to you our tribute to the Rat Pack. Maybe we should be calling ours the Brat Pack as Bonaventure Allan-Moetaua, Rutene Spooner and Robert Enari croon and clown their way through songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy

Davis Jnr, complete with the famous trio’s antics - plus a few of their own!

Concert in Hamilton18th July 2016, 11am

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would interest you.

We can’t all be trailblazers like Connie but most of us can find time to build some volunteering into our days either by being involved in a special project or event, or on an ongoing basis. Your gift of time will reward you immeasurably. The satisfaction, camaraderie, and sense of having made a difference that you receive will be more than enough thanks for the time and efforts you give.

Chris AtkinsonRegional Co-ordinatorVolunteering Waikatowww.volunteeringwaikato.org.nzPhone: (07) 839 3191

Fun Facts1. People say “Bless you” when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart stops for a millisecond.

2. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.

3. More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.

4. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib.

5. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.

6. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

7. Most lipstick contains fish scales.

8. Snails can sleep for 3 years without eating

Serving the needs of older peopleThames

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IS YOUR COMPUTER RUNNINGSLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWW?

It might be time to GET YOUR GEEK ON!!

COMPUTER GEEKS | REPAIRS | SALESwww.thegeeks.co.nz

Open 9am - 5pm Week Days

...and you’ll find the cheapest ink and Fuji paper around.Check out our deals at the big lime green store.

209 Mary St, Thames (with parking at the rear) (07) 868 7912

TAIRUA RESIDENTIAL CARE

7 Tui Tce, Tairua | (07) 864 8720care@tairuaresidentialcare.co.nz

NINA ROWEDirector/Nursing Manager

10th June Civic Centre Thames

TO EXHIBIT AT THIS EVENT PLEASE PHONE 027 703 0263marlene.perry@tcdc.govt.nz

THAMES

BUSINESS EXPO

VOLUNTEER EXPO

Website just for New Zealand’s seniorsOn Wednesday 20th of April, Age Concern Thames had the privilege of meeting with the director of the Office for Senior Citizens, Sarah Clark, and our local MP Scott Simpson. Recently, the Ministry for Senior Citizens launched a new website called “Superseniors”.

The SuperSeniors website (www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz) pulls together the wealth of information available to older New Zealanders, including superannuation entitlements, finances, health and SuperGold discounts. It is run by the Office for Seniors and has a growing pool of information on relevant events, groups and activities in regions throughout New Zealand.

Minister for Seniors, Maggie Barry says the website celebrates the valuable contribution our seniors make to New Zealand: “Older New Zealanders do extraordinary things in their communities. I want this website to showcase their achievements and tell a powerful story about positive ageing.”

You can visit the SuperSeniors website for a regular stream of original stories and articles from a seniors’ perspective as well as national and international news relevant to seniors and our ageing population.

The Office for Seniors runs a popular Facebook page with 6,000 plus followers (and counting). The page hosts a regular stream of information and links that recognise the important role of seniors in our communities. You can LIKE the Facebook page for

daily updates on seniors’ news, events and issues www.facebook.com/OfficeforSeniors

The website and Facebook page encourage a society that empowers seniors to live active, connected and healthy lives. If you know of great things happening for and with seniors in your neighbourhood and community, we’d love to hear about them: osc@msd.govt.nz

If you do not have access to the internet to view the website you can drop into your local library.

The Thames Library has four computers available for public use (free half hour). Phone: (07) 868 6616

The Library’s in Paeroa, Ngatea and Waihi also have computers available free for public use and free Wi-Fi (bring your own device) Phone: (07) 862 7194

The Mercury Bay Library has computers available free for public use and free Wi-Fi (bring your own device) Phone: (07) 866 4776

2015/2016 Rates Rebate - Don’t Miss Out!The financial year is nearly over and with it the opportunity to apply for the 2016/2016 rates rebate.This year council staff have seen a decrease in the number of rate rebate applications received, this suggests there are people out there who are still eligible for up to $610.00 towards their 2015/2016 rates.If you haven’t applied yet and you are a named ratepayer on the rate account and were a resident at your home at 1 July 2015, then don’t miss out, call into any of the Thames-Coromandel District Council offices and confirm your eligibility. Alternatively, you can check your entitlement by going to www.dia.govt.nz/ratesrebates and entering your details into the calculator.If the rates have already been paid in full any rebate received can be paid out to the ratepayer or left against the account to offset the 2016/2017 rates.

For more information please phone Thames-Coromandel District Council Customer Services (07) 868 0200.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

10 TIPS to promote respect and prevent abuse

1 Love and cherish your older relatives/whanau.

2 Speak respectfully to older people/kaumatua.

3 Include older people/kaumatua in your social activities.

4 Phone or visit your older relatives/whanau.

5 Support older people/kaumatua to spend their money how they wish.

6 Encourage and support older people/kaumatua to make their own decisions.

7 Honour older people’s/kaumatua’s wisdom.

8 Enable older people/kaumatua to set their own pace.

9 Respect older people’s/kaumatua’s stories.

10 Seek advice from an Elder Abuse and Neglect Prevention Service when you think an older person/kaumatua is being abused or neglected.

Always respected, never abused.

World Elder AbuseAwareness Day

15 June

ageconcern.org.nz© Copyright Age Concern New Zealand May 2015

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) 15th June 2016

Serving the needs of older peopleThames

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713 Pollen Street, ThamesHrs: 9am -12noon Monday-Thursday

Ph: (07) 868 6719www.salvationarmy.org.nz

The Salvation Army Thames Corps

Church Services weekly Sunday 10.30amWomen’s Group weekly Wednesday 1.30pmIndoor Bowls - Winter Months weekly Thursday 7.00pmMen’s Fellowship monthly every 3rd Thurs 6.15pm

Tauranga Yacht Club, Sulphur Point,TAURANGA

Contact Details: Faye Philp | 07 544 8581 / 027 241 6871 or email glp@clear.net.nz

Fresh Horizons is a Christian Ministry designed to raise awareness of the value of people in life’s “second half”. With international and local speakers to help inspire, educate and resource them for community involvement.It’s about making the second half of life the best half of life.

Intergenerational Ministry

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FRESH HORIZONS visit www.freshhorizons.org.au

Fresh Horizons Conference - NZministryhor zonsiFRESH

One approach doesn’t fit all

August 17/18th 2016

The Thames Community Centre and Age Concern Thames host the Chin-Wag Café on Monday mornings (excluding public holidays).

Enjoy a cup of tea, or coffee, a bite to eat and a bit of a Chin-wag.

The Chin-wag is a social group which meets once a week for conversation and company. See the photos to see what antics and laughs we have had at the Chin-wag! We promise that no snails were harmed in the snail race and were kindly and humanely released into Ron’s garden.

Congratulations to snail number four who won the race. Sadly, snail number seven bailed (climbed out of the box), snail number three chose to sleep, and snail number two hitched a ride on top of snail number 5.

Thank you Ron for bringing the snails!

Where: Thames Community Centre and Age Concern Thames, 609 Mackay Street, ThamesWhen: Monday’s 10am to 12 noonPhone: (07) 868 9790

Chin-wag Café Steady As You Go© Falls PreventionSteady As You Go© is a unique, Otago developed community-based falls prevention programme using peer leaders and a central co-ordinator. A sixty minute class is held each week for 65 + year olds. The exercises are designed to improve balance, leg strength, general fitness and well-being. Participants warm up in a chair, followed by standing exercises, walking exercises and warm downs in a chair. A range of light ankle weights is used for the leg strengthening exercises and all participants are encouraged to work at their own pace and stop if they feel dizzy or light-headed.

Age Concern Thames holds three Steady As You Go© classes, one in Thames, Waihi and Paeroa. People that attend the classes have reported they have had no falls or have had a reduction in falls since starting the class, an improvement in everyday balance, improved awareness of how they walk in particular lifting their feet when they used to trip. The Thames class finishes with a morning tea kindly supplied by BUPA (The Booms Rest Home and Hospital) and the class really enjoys this time to get to know one another and of course have good conversation and a giggle.

Steady As You Go© was featured in the Listener magazine in April 2016 in the editorial “The road to “supergran”. You can read this editorial from the

Listener website: http://www.listener.co.nz/lifestyle/health/the-road-to-supergran/#print

Where are the classes held?Thames: Tuesday’s at 10am at the Conference Room of the Booms Rest Home and Hospital (peer led class). Transport available.Waihi: Wednesday’s at 10am at the St John Building (peer led class).Paeroa: Wednesday’s at 1.30pm at the St John Hall, Belmont Road (Main Road) Paeroa (independent class).

For further information or if you wish to attend you must register by contacting Age Concern Thames on (07) 868 9790 or julia@ageconcern.gen.nz

Serving the needs of older peopleThames

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82 Richmond Street, Thames | www.richmondvillas.co.nz | Ph: 0800 868 5484 | E: richmond-villas@xtra.co.nz

A unique and welcoming lifestyle village.Our beautiful gardens in a picturesque location provides a natural relaxed lifestyle. Adjacent to cafes, shops, amenities and healthcare facilities we focus on active residents having fun.

Wednesdays Open DayCome experience the difference!

One and two bedroom apartmentscommencing soon.

Living the lifestyle,loving the choice

Our region has a proud heritage. Now we have a new opportunity to celebrate and support our most important heritage: the older people at the heart of our community.Age Concern Thames has opened its doors as an independent affiliate of Age Concern NZ dedicated to serving the Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki region. Until recently, a local extension of the Hamilton office has provided some services to our area. Now we have an organization dedicated solely to our older people. This vital organisation needs our support.Become a friend of Age Concern Thames by joining up as a member. Together, we can ensure that the Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki region is a place where older people enjoy a sense of well-being and belonging at the heart of our community.Please see page 14 of this newsletter for the membership form.

Be a Friend of Age Concern Thames

Our population is ageing as people live longer and have fewer children. This will mean as a country we will need to plan for changes which will occur in the next 20–40 years

This may mean

Services will need to adapt to an

older population

Increase in demand for smaller, more

accessible homes for older people

Projected population increases over the next 40 years

Increase in home support or aged residential care

facilities, mainly for those aged 80+

5,600

160,000

670,000

1.23m 1.27m

1.4m

614,000

45,000

More demand for carers and skilled

health workers

What an ageing population means for New Zealand

Under 20 3% increase2015 2055

95+ 700% increase

80+ 283% increase

65+ 108% increase

For more information visit www.osc.govt.nz

Source: Statistics New Zealand population projections

I am a Seenager(Senior teenager)

I have everything I wanted as a teenager, only 60 years later.

I don’t have to go to school or work.

I get an allowance every fortnight.

I have my own pad.

I don’t have a curfew.

I have a driver’s licence and my own car.

I have ID that gets me into bars and the bottle store.

The people I hang around with are not scared of getting pregnant.

And I don’t have acne.

Life is Good!

Page 12

Serving the needs of older peopleThames

Page 14

AGE CONCERN THAMES MEMBERSHIP

What will it cost?$15 annual subscription (per household) OR $50 annual group/ corporate / subscription

How long will it last?01 October 2015 to 31 December 2016 (Bonus three months!) Future membership will be on an annual basis.

What will it include?• A quarterly issue of the Age Concern Thames Newsletter• Invitations to gatherings, seminars and events• A complimentary Don’t Wait Till Your Eighty Matey calendar• Access to information available at Age Concern Thames • The opportunity to be part of an organization working together to promote the well being and quality of life for older people

Why?Membership subscriptions are a vital funding base for Age Concern Thames. Subscriptions and donations help Age Concern Thames to continue our work serving the needs of older people.

Name: ______________________________________Address: ________________________________________________________________________________Post Code: _____________ Phone: _______________Email: ______________________________________

Please tick if you would like to receive our newsletter by email q

Membership Fee Paid: Single / Household $15 qCorporate $50 qDonation- $5 / $10 / $15 / $20 / other $______ q

Please forward your subscription with this form to: Age Concern Thames - PO Box 288, Thames 3500

or pay by internet banking 03-0458-0655711-000 Please enter your name as a reference and specify if membership or donation. Thank you!

Office Use Only:Cash/Cheque/Internet Banking: _____________________Subscription: ____________________________________Group Subscription: _______________________________Donation: _______________________________________Receipt No.: _____________________________________Card Issued/Member Number: ______________________Entered: ________________________________________

Page 15

HOT SPRINGS100% NATURAL MINERAL POOLS

Front Miranda Road, Miranda, ThamesPhone: 07 867 3055 | Freephone: 0800 132 077

Email: info@mirandahotsprings.co.nzwww.mirandahotsprings.co.nz

100% Natural Mineral PoolsCome and relax with us at Miranda Hot Springs in our thermally heated fresh mineral water. Centrally located, we have three pools to suit all swimmers.

Our largest pool is 47m by 17m of hot thermal mineral water at a temperature of between 36°C and 38°C depending on the season. This pool has accessible entry by an aqua-lift. The children’s pool is maintained at a cooler temperature while the adult-only sauna pool sits at around 40°C - 41°C. In addition, we have four private spa pools.

Miranda Hot Springs have been used since pre-European times, with the present pool being built in 1959-60.

Nestled in 2 acres of picturesque grounds, we are perfect for a day out.

We have coin-operated electric BBQ’s and a separate shop operating on site supplying hot food, ice-cream confectionery, as well as hot and cold food.

Curried Pumpkin and Coconut Soup

Recipe kindly supplied by: Grahamstown Coffee Shack.

This soup serves 2-3 people generously! Ingredients:2 cups pumpkin peeled and diced1 can coconut cream1 tsp curry powder1 tsp garlic1 tsp ginger2 cups chicken stock1 tbsp oil1 tsp thyme leavessalt to taste2 tbsp sour cream to garnish

Method: 1. Heat the oil in a heavy based pot on a low heat, fry onion till soft, add garlic and ginger, fry lightly, add curry powder and fry for a few seconds.

2. Add pumpkin and fry lightly till it is coated well with curry mix.

3. Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.

4. Add coconut cream and thyme leaves

5. Check seasoning

6. Blend the soup, garnish with sour cream and serve!

Cool Tips for winter wellbeingWinter weather inevitably brings with it some extra challenges. Here are some suggestions to help you keep warm, well and worry-free during the colder months.

Money• Consider budgeting during summer months for extra heating costs during the colder months• Energy companies can help customers to manage their costs by spreading out payments over the year • Community Energy Network can connect you to organisations offering information and advice on household energy efficiency• Family Budgeting Services can advise about managing power bills• The Disability Allowance, administered by Work and Income, can include a regular amount for power, gas and heating • You may be able to get an advance on your New Zealand Super for one-off heating costs• Through Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart, the Government offers subsidies for insulation and heating on all homes built before 2000. Community Service Card holders get higher subsidies

Keep the heat in• Rooms need to be adequately heated for good health. Consider buying a simple room thermometer and keep your day-time living rooms at 21°C, and bedrooms at 16°C• A dry home is a healthy home so reduce the causes of humidity if possible• Unflued gas heaters should be avoided as they increase condensation and mould• Adequate draught-proofing is important.• Explore whether the insulation or heating in your home could be improved• Having good heavy curtains and closing them at dusk can make a big difference • Some communities have curtain banks that recycle used curtains and provide them free of charge to members of the community who couldn’t otherwise afford them

TOTAL HEARING CARECall Us (07) 868 8454 | Visit Us 102 Sealey Street, Thames

Now visiting Waihi Hospital, Toomey Street, Waihi

Television up too loud? Missing conversation? Can’t hear the car indicators?

It’s time you had a hearing test

HOW GOOD IS YOUR HEARING?

Contact us now for a free hearing check

Free hearing aid trials availableBefore buying a hearing aid...Shop around and compare our prices

You may be eligible for ACC funding or Government subsidy