Columbia Aged Care

Today we celebrate ANZAC Day to commemorate the brave soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the First World War.

ANZAC Day is held on the 25 April every year to mark the anniversary of Australia and New Zealand’s military involvement in the First World War.

The war began in 1914 in Europe and quickly involved other countries including Germany, Russia, Japan, Britain and the United States. Australia was a newly formed commonwealth and was eager to join the war to support Britain and establish our nation in the world.

Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and fought for eight months against the Turkish soldiers. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed along with many Turkish soldiers.

Australia’s involvement in the war left a huge impact on Australia as a nation and created the ANZAC Legend. The ANZAC Legend symbolises our identity and values and demonstrated our national culture to the world.

How can you commemorate ANZAC Day?
You can commemorate ANZAC Day by attending a Dawn Service in your local community. Many communities around Australia hold an ANZAC Day service at dawn and then again later in the day.

It’s a great idea to take your family to the service and pass down the history of the ANZAC Legend. You can educate your loved ones about the sacrifices and the hardships of the First World War and commemorate the memory of the soldiers who lost their lives.

Your local RSL will hold special events for ANZAC Day such as a fun game of two-up.

You can also attend the largest Dawn Service in Sydney, which will be held at The Cenotaph in Martin Place at 4:00am. If you missed the service there is another one at The Cenotaph in Martin Place at 5:00pm.

If you are unable to attend an event for ANZAC Day you can watch the Dawn Service on your television. The ABC will show the ANZAC Day march in Sydney at 9am until 12:30pm. At 12:30pm the ABC will show the Dawn service held in Gallipoli.

For more information about ANZAC Day click here.

 

Osteoporosis is a condition where human bones become fragile and brittle, which leads to a higher risk of breaks. This condition occurs when your bones can no longer replace their normal calcium levels, which results in a calcium deficiency. Bones become thinner and are susceptible to even minor accidents causing them to break.

The bones that commonly develop osteoporosis are the hips, spine, wrist, ribs, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis is a serious disease that affects many elderly people and can lead to chronic pain, disability and loss of independence.

Osteoporosis Australia has provided some tips on how to minimise your risk of developing osteoporosis.

• Ensure you receive enough calcium in your diet: Calcium is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones. Adults over the age of 50 should eat three serves of calcium a day. Foods that are high in calcium include milk, yoghurt and cheese.
  Other foods with lower levels of calcium include nuts, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Your Doctor can also recommend calcium supplements to help increase your daily intake of calcium.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important to maintain strong bones, increase the adsorption of calcium and to regulate the amount of calcium in the blood. You can receive your daily dose of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.
  It is important to receive six to eight minutes of sunlight everyday for five days a week. However remember to wear sunscreen and be aware of the damaging effects of the sun. You can also take vitamin D supplements as recommended by your doctor.
• Exercise: Regular exercise can help to maintain and increase the strength of your bones and muscles. You should discuss with your Doctor or physiotherapist what exercises are suitable for you to do without injuring yourself. If you already suffer from osteoporosis then avoid exercises that include heavy lifting or sudden abrupt movements.

You can implement these three simple tips into your daily routine to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis. It’s never too early or too late to start taking care of your bones.

Read the full article here.

Are you worried about having your hearing tested? Would you like to know what all the technical language and scientific tests mean? The HearingCenterOnline.com has provided some easy to understand information so that you will know what will happen when you get your hearing tested.

The Audiologist
An audiologist is a healthcare professional who is trained to identify and measure hearing impairments and related disorders. The audiologist will test your hearing in a number of different ways to determine where the hearing problem is located. At the end of your hearing test they will explain and interpret the results for you.

Your History
The audiologist will ask you some questions about your medical history to help them determine the best way to assist you with your hearing loss. They may ask you if any physical damage has ever occurred to your ears, if you have had past illnesses or if you have been exposed to damaging levels of noise.

The pure tone tests
The pure tone test helps the audiologist determine the degree at which you can hear different frequencies. For this test you will be required to sit in a quiet room with a set of headphones over your ears or with earplugs inserted into your ears. The audiologist will play a series of “pure tones” that vary in tone and volume. You will then be asked to raise your hand or push a button if you hear the tone.

Speech tests
For the speech test you will be required to sit in a quiet room and listen to a series of words. The words should have two syllables and will become quieter during the test. You will be required to repeat each word. This test allows the audiologist to determine the level at which you can detect and understand speech.

The audiologist may need to perform other tests on your ears to help them determine the extent of your hearing loss. At the end of all the tests your results will be displayed on a chart. The audiologist should then explain your results and what the next steps will be in treating your hearing. Remember don’t be afraid to ask questions or have them explain something you don’t understand.

Read the full article here.

By giving your loved one a mobile, you are giving them a small, portable and light emergency link to you, reducing the stress and worry carers feel when separated. A mobile is something they can carry around with them when they go anywhere, whether it be from room to room or when they go on trips out of town.

However, mobiles have so much functionality it may prove difficult to stop your loved one from feeling intimidated and deflecting the suggestion that they need a mobile phone.

Boomers With Elderly Parents have written some great tips about how to look at, and talk about, using mobile phones without intimidating your loved one.

• Functionality: keep it simple, try to find an end of cycle or starter model that doesn’t have all the technological bells and whistles younger generations love.
• Cost: find a service provider that offers simple plans that can be customised for local use only or have a fixed price per month.
• Ease of use: take the time to teach your loved one how to use the device and limit the amount functions they have to accomplish to stay in contact.
• Speed-dialling: this function is especially useful for when caring for a loved one whose memory is becoming affected.

To read the full article, click here