Columbia Aged Care

Are you interested in your family history and want to discover all of the branches in your family tree?

Then you can use the internet and family history websites to research your family tree and discover past family members you never knew existed.

There are many family history websites that have collected an enormous database of records on birth, death and marriages, Australian censuses, military records, electoral roles and more. These websites allow you to find the missing links in your family tree by conducting automated searches through these records.

These websites are a great way to organise and preserve your family history to pass along to the next generation and keep your history alive.

Researching your family history also provides the perfect opportunity to connect with your loved ones over a discussion about your family tree. 

Ancestry.com.au is the world’s largest online family history resource with billions of genealogical records in their database.

How to use Ancestry.com.au:

1. Enter your details: Type in your name, birth date, where you were born and the same details for your parents. Your family tree will then be created and displayed on your computer screen.
2. Ask your family members: Have a conversation with your loved ones to discover the details of previous members of your family. You can then enter their details into your family tree.
3. The website will help you find family members: When your tree is created you will see a leaf symbol next to a person’s name. This symbol provides a hint to a possible family member discovered by the website database. You can click on the hint and add the person if they belong to your family.
4. Decorate your tree: You can upload photos to your tree, attach historical records and record audio.
5. Involve your family: You can send email invitations to your family members asking them to view your tree. Your family members can add any missing information, which will help you to grow your tree faster.

Here is a list of other family history websites you could use:

My Heritage Family Tree Builder 
National Library of Australia 
Family Search

Once you start researching your family tree you never know what you might discover. Maybe your family member was a convict or a military hero?

Whoever your family members are, you can keep their memory alive for future generations with a family tree.

Easter is this Sunday. Are you struggling for gift ideas or activities to do with your loved one?

The best gift you can give your loved one is to spend time with them.

Holidays can be a lonely time for elderly people if they are unable to spend it with family. By visiting your loved one over Easter it will show them how much you care about them.

There are many activities you can do together to celebrate Easter. Many families attend church together or share a meal for lunch or dinner.

Here is a list of things you can do at home or at your loved one’s nursing home:

• Baking Easter treats: making biscuits or your own chocolate Easter eggs.
• Easter parade: Family or nursing home members can create their own Easter hats and parade them for everyone else to see.
• Sing Easter songs: Hold a sing-a-long with your loved one or attend a local Easter concert.
• Games: Play board games or cards with your loved one.
• Craft activities: Create cards, Easter baskets, paint Easter eggs or sew Easter bunnies with your loved one. Here is a link to make your own simple Easter bunny.

Buying Easter gifts for your loved one can be difficult because not all elderly people can eat chocolate. It’s a good idea to find out what foods they enjoy and buy them instead.

Here is a list of Easter gift ideas for your loved one:

• Books with large font
• Cross stitch kit
• Knitting set
• Painting set
• Clothing
• Crossword books
• Puzzles
• Plants for their garden

Great gifts are ones from the heart, so think about making your loved one something special for Easter.

Have a happy Easter!

This week is NSW Seniors Week, which is the largest celebration for people aged over 60 in the southern hemisphere. This year’s theme is ‘Live Life!’ which aims to encourage seniors to actively participate in the community.

The purpose of NSW Seniors Week is to provide seniors with the opportunity to remain active and independent, to continue to learn, to expand their social networks and to share their wisdom with younger generations.

NSW Seniors week runs from 18 – 25 March 2012 and is presented by Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC).

You can help celebrate NSW Seniors Week by participating in one of the 900 free or discounted events throughout NSW.

Here is a list of events you might like to attend:

Retro Swing at Darling Harbour
Bring a touch of vintage glamour to Darling Harbour and swing to the tunes of the Kings of Swing. See vintage fashion parades, learn how to jive with Jennifer and Adam Stone and win prizes for best dressed.
Fri 23 March and Sat 24 March 2012 – Darling Harbour, Sydney 

The Glamma Rays and Maria Venuti: Live at Riverside
See the timeless acapella quartet, the Glamma Rays, perform live at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. Maria Venuti will also perform popular cabaret songs.
Wed 21 March – Riverside Theatre, Parramatta

Ode to Joy – Beethoven’s Ninth by Strathfield Symphony Orchestra
The Strathfield Orchestra joined by the Wesley Institute Choir perform Beethoven’s Ode to Joy at the Strathfield Town Hall.
Sun 25 March 2012 – Strathfield Town Hall, Strathfield

Step Out & Get Active
Get active with a day of outdoor activities such as guided bush walks and water sports on the Port Hacking River.
Fri 23 March – The Royal National Park, Audley

Twilight Croquet
Learn how to play the English lawn game, croquet. Participate in a fun game with other seniors at the Strathfield Croquet Club.
Thu 22 March – Strathfield Croquet Club, Strathfield

Celebrate NSW Seniors Week and participate in a fun social event in your area.

To find an event in your area click here.

 

Your loved one can derive many benefits from children and young people visiting them. Whether it is their own grandchildren or children from a local school, your loved one will enjoy the companionship and it will help them to develop a feeling of purpose in life.

eHow has provided a few benefits your loved one may gain from having children pay them a visit from time to time.

Companionship:
Whether it is a day trip to the park, shops or library, playing board games or cards, these activities allow the children and your loved one to bond as well as breaking your loved one out of their daily routine.

Your loved one may also have the chance to tutor or share a bit of their knowledge with a child on a particular school project. This will not only help with bonding but it will also provide your loved one with a sense of purpose and self worth.

Bringing gifts:
Having a child bring your loved one a gift – whether it be slippers, a book, a blanket etc. allows your loved one to not only feel the joy of receiving a surprise gift but it also provides them with the feeling of being loved, valued and remembered.

Making sure your loved one feels valued and remembered is important, especially if they live alone, in a nursing home or live far away.

Sharing experiences:
Your loved one will have so many experiences and stories to tell children. Having your loved one sit with a child or a group of children and share their knowledge or a story about something they experienced (e.g. historical events) is a fantastic way to not only teach the children or child something new but also give your loved one a sense of pride and importance.

Having a child or group of children visit your loved one is a great opportunity to break up your loved one’s daily routine – especially if they do not get regular visitors. If your loved one lives alone, creating a sense of self worth and making sure your loved one knows you care is extremely important.

Read the full article here.

Your loved one can attend a concert, a swing night, a Senior International Fiesta Day or even a bush tucker cooking class during 2011 NSW Seniors Week, taking place next week.

This is the 53rd annual event and has a great variety of activities, many of them taking place in locations around Sydney. The theme for the week is ‘Live Life!’ encouraging seniors to remain active, social and part of the community.

2011 NSW Seniors Week, which will run from 20 to 27 March, will feature more than 900 events around regional and metropolitan NSW. Activities include:

• The Premier’s Gala Concert Series and the Seniors Week Achievement Awards.
• Bush Tucker Cooking Classes – NSW Seniors Week Ambassador Beryl Van-Oploo shows how to add a touch of bush tucker to favourite dishes on Tuesday 22 March at Yaama Dhiyaan Hospitality Training in Darlington.
• Step Out and Get Active – a range of outdoor activities for all ages and fitness levels at the Royal National Park on Friday 25 March.
• Twilight Hot Swing Night at Darling Harbour with the Kings of Swing and NSW Seniors Week Ambassadors Mary Schneider and Jenny Kee on Friday 25 March.
• The Senior International Fiesta Day – a cultural tour to all corners of the globe on Saturday 26 March.

This is the largest program of events for older people in the Southern Hemisphere and is a great opportunity for your loved one to celebrate with friends and family.

Find out more information here.

Dating at any age is nerve-wracking, but seniors can have additional concerns if they decide to start dating for the first time in a few years or even a few decades. Not only may dating etiquette have changed, but being unsure about where to go and what to talk about can be very daunting.

Sharon O’Brien has provided some tips on About.com which will help your loved one overcome the anxieties associated with meeting and dating new people.

• When deciding where to go, think about an activity that encourages conversation. Your loved one won’t get to know their date by sitting silently in a film or play.
• Your loved one should tailor a first date to include a common interest so that it has meaning for both parties and helps establish a connection.
• If the first date is to be a meal, plan for lunch rather than dinner. Making conversation over dinner can create a lot of pressure, while lunch can be more casual.
• If the first date doesn’t go well, focus on the positives. Your loved one may not want a second date, but they have still practised their dating skills and learned more about what they want from a new partner.

For young and older alike, the best way to enjoy a first date is to keep an open mind and have a good time. If your loved one wants to date again, be supportive and positive, and try to alleviate their concerns.

Read the full article HERE.

As your loved one grows older it is important that they maintain contact with friends or make new ones to avoid them becoming lonely. Group activities can be a way to see and learn new things, laugh with people and stay happy and healthy.

Your loved one can easily join in with an existing group activity, or organise their own. Group activities can ease loneliness and depression, bringing physical and psychological benefits. Old Age Health Tips have provided some great ideas:

• Meeting friends. Your loved one will feel cheerful after even a short chat with a friend. Maintain old friendships by meeting regularly for a cup of tea or a walk.
• Explore the world – or just the city. Join an organised tour with a friend or by yourself. Your loved one might find pleasure in exploring a new country, or even just a nearby town or garden.
• Senior dancing. Your loved one may like to learn a few dance steps – and they will be sure to share many more laughs.
• Clubs. Encourage your loved one to join a hobby group that matches their interest. There are endless types, like golf, church, singing, exercise, craft and book clubs.

Group activities will help your loved one surround themself with old friends and new ones, and maybe even find a new interest or skill.

Read the full article HERE.

It can be hard to find activities that are not too physically demanding, yet are entertaining and engaging for the elderly. Consider art and craft activities for your loved one, which come in a range of skill levels to suit all ages and abilities.

Love To Know have provided a great selection of creative activities for the elderly, but don’t stop here – the possibilities are endless!

• Scrapbooking is a great way to enjoy photographs and stimulate memories. With common equipment like scissors, glue, art paper, stickers, and  items like photographs and letters, your loved one will be on their way to creating a masterpiece. Scrapbooks make thoughtful gifts for friends or family members, as a memento of a holiday or special occasion.
• Beading. Craft stores stock a large range of beautiful beads with which your loved one can create necklaces, bracelets or earrings that make unique gifts. They may even like to take a jewellery-making class.
• Photography is an activity that can be carried out anywhere, because there are so many potential subjects. It can be as simple or professional as your loved one is capable of. Some interesting subjects might be people, plants, animals or buildings.

Creative activities are continually engaging because as your loved one refines their skills, they will learn new techniques that provide new challenges. If none of the above activities are possible, try to think of other activities – maybe painting or card making. There’s sure to be something that your loved one will enjoy.

Read the full article HERE.

Memory loss is a natural part of aging and affects many elderly people. However, there are ways to reduce the likelihood and severity of memory loss.

Newsweek have written a great article that points out six ways you can sharpen your mind – they call it a ‘brain-fitness program’. The steps are:

1. Exercise in order to bring more blood and oxygen to your brain. A study in 2006 even found a link between moderate exercise and a reduced risk of dementia.
2. Games and software that are aimed at sharpening your brain are used for people who need to regain mental abilities, but they are beneficial for everyone. Games like Sudoku are lots of fun and will help to keep your mind in shape.
3. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as walnuts, wild salmon and cooked soy beans can boost moods and concentration levels.
4. Folic acid is also great brain food, found in leafy vegetables or fortified cereal or bread.
5. Alcohol in moderation (one glass a day) has been found to slow the progression of dementia for those with mild memory loss.
6. Relax. Seniors with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood have been found to fare worse on memory tests.

These diet, exercise and activity tips will be a great help for seniors who suffer mild memory loss, and they are simple actions that anyone can do.

Read the full article here.

Christmas is a great time to get together with extended family and catch up with old friends. However, the elderly can find these times stressful, confusing or depressing if their needs are not considered.

Health issues and general symptoms of aging mean that older friends and family members have mental and physical requirements during family gatherings, trips and other holiday activities. Sharon O’Brien at About.com has provided some useful tips to help seniors enjoy Christmas.

• Stroll down memory lane. Encourage older people to share stories from their younger life, which are great for children too. Picture albums or old music can help stimulate memories.
• Schedule quiet time. When planning holiday activities, remember that older people can tire easily, particularly at large, loud gatherings. Reduce the chance of irritability by allowing for naps and quiet time.
• Eliminate obstacles. If a gathering is held in a place that is familiar to an older person who has memory impairment, avoid moving furniture. If it is in an unfamiliar place, remove slippery rugs and items that present a tripping hazard.
• Avoid embarrassing moments. If an elderly family member or friend has memory problems, be considerate when they forget events, and don’t embarrass them by saying ‘Don’t you remember?’
• Create new memories by adding something new to the traditional family activities, such as going for a drive to look at Christmas lights.
• Be inclusive. When everyone is helping to prepare a meal, find an easy, helpful task for the older person so that they are useful and part of the group.
• Reach out. Make contact with family members and old friends. Christmas can be particularly lonely for older people. If you notice that your elderly family member or friend is showing signs of depression, don’t ignore it. Take steps to help.
• Monitor medications and alcohol. Help seniors adhere to their medication schedule during the holidays and ask whether alcohol can interfere with their medication or illness.

Christmas is a great time to catch up with loved ones that you don’t see regularly. As long as you take their needs into consideration, older people usually love seeing their family and friends at Christmas.

Read the full article HERE.