From sponsoring the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, to simply pulling weeds… ECH is a garden lover, and we are thrilled to support clients to get MORE out of theirs! The ‘lucky plants’ or those plants that bring a ‘feng shui’ and happy vibe to a garden, or positivity into the home, include Lucky bamboo, Snake plants, Rubber plants, String of Hearts and Jade plants. Jade leaves are round like coins, and are sometimes referred to as friendship plants, money plants, or silver dollar plants. Dean says to place a Jade near the front door so that when you walk past, you can think of the money flowing into the house. Under the right conditions, some Jades can be expected to live up to 100 years. In their native region, Jades thrive in dry, sunny areas and so don’t enjoy being overwatered. Their propagation is easy via stem or leaf cuttings, which when pushed into the soil, will root within a couple of weeks. They are a common houseplant worldwide. Jade Botanical name: Crassula ovata Sun exposure: indirect sun outside to full sun indoors Soil requirements: well-draining, acidic succulent soil MEET DEAN ECH Social and Therapeutic Horticulturist Born with a green thumb and a lifelong fondness for gardening, ECH Social and Therapeutic Horticulturist Dean was destined to become a horticulturist. He works to assist clients and residents with their gardening and outdoor needs while incorporating the therapeutic benefits. If you have a passion for plants, check out our upcoming…

Discover this flavourful, easy and nutritious recipe.

Discover what's on South Australia this autumn.

Discover what's been happening recently in the ECH community.

Our Keep Connected magazine has been put together to help clients, residents and volunteers stay connected to ECH and the broader community. It is packed full of useful community stories, information and advice on how people can stay connected, exercise and nutrition tips and much more!   If you would like to share your story with us, please email keepconnected@ech.asn.au…

Enjoy an easy, summer treat with this cheat’s mango mousse recipe from the Adelaide Central Market. Serves – 3 Prep time – 15mins Ingredients 1 ½ mangoes 150 mL Pure pouring cream 1/2 cup Greek style yoghurt 2 tbsp cup icing sugar ½ tspn vanilla bean paste Method Remove mango cheeks and scoop out flesh. Place two mango cheeks (1 mango) in a food processor and puree until smooth. Set half cup of puree aside to serve and place remaining in a bowl until required for the mousse. Finely dice the remaining mango cheek, place in a bowl and set aside for later. To make the mousse, place cream in a medium mixing bowl and using electric beaters, whisk to soft peaks. Add yoghurt, sugar and vanilla, whisking to stiff peaks. Add reserved mango puree, folding gently until combined. To serve, place two tablespoons of mango puree in the base of three serving glasses. Evenly divide the mango mousse between the glasses and top with diced mango. Place in refrigerator and chill for at least an hour.  …

Discover what's been happening recently in the ECH community.

The holiday season is synonymous with indulgence, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health goals. With a few smart swaps, you can enjoy the festivities guilt-free. ECH Dietitian Deepti shares some delicious healthy food alternatives to savour the holiday spirit without compromising your wellbeing. SNACKS ENTRÉE MAINS DESSERT Wholegrain rice crackers and vegetable sticks with low fat dips (tzatziki, capsicum, beetroot and hummus). Greek garden salad with low fat feta or roasted vegetable salad dressing with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. Lean turkey breast with cranberry sauce or small amounts of gravy (reduced salt preferred). Summer pudding with low fat custard. Reduced fat cheese (low fat feta, ricotta, cottage or low fat tasty). Fresh seafood (prawns, mussels, scallops). Baked fish with herbs of choice. Pavlova with reduced fat cream and fruit or Eton mess with yoghurt and berries. Lean cold cut meats (turkey, chicken or ham). Roast vegetables, lightly coated with olive oil spray and cooked in a separate dish to the roasting meat. Fresh fruit platter. Unsalted nuts and dried fruit. Antipasto (sundried tomatoes, capsicum, olives, artichoke – drain oil well – opt for vinegar if available).   MEET DEEPTI Deepti is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist (AN) with a Masters in Food Nutrition and Dietetics. She is committed to evidenced based practice and helps her client to achieve realistic goals. She works effectively with people of all cultural backgrounds. She has a passion for assisting people to achieve optimal health…

Discover what's on South Australia this summer.

Over two school terms, a group of students from Mitcham Primary designed and created video games based on real-world settings with a group of ECH clients in mind. The students then introduced ECH volunteers and participants at the Cumberland Park Community Centre – known fondly as The Cumby Crew – to their digital creations. Augmented Reality games are based in real-world settings which users can control. The games the students designed involved getting people to use parts of their bodies to move characters on the screen. Mitcham Primary School principal Scott Greenshields says the Years 5 & 6 students gained valuable learnings from the experience of designing activities with a much-older end-user in mind. “The benefit for our students is engaging with senior people to showcase their projects and to give feedback that will allow them to look at their programs and adjust them accordingly,” Mr Greenshields says. Cumby Crew participant Marie says she has learned so much in her journey with technology. “Today was absolutely fantastic. Five years ago, I couldn’t turn a computer on, but now I can do a lot more on it. For older people, I think they should get more involved, and it will encourage them.” ECH Chief Executive Claire Scapinello says collaborations such as this between Mitcham Primary and the Cumberland Park Community Centre created meaningful community connections which were essential to overall health and wellbeing. “Each week, the ECH Community Connections Team ensures bonds are built and friendships are formed to encourage participants…

With hot summer days just around the corner, it pays to be prepared for the impact the fire danger ratings and extreme heat may have on your health and the services you receive from ECH. BE BUSHFIRE SMART If you live in, visit, or drive through bushfire prone areas make sure you know the Fire Danger Rating each day throughout the fire danger season by checking the CFS website cfs.sa.gov.au or listening to ABC Adelaide. If you live in a bushfire area, ensure you have a bushfire plan. On days where a Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating has been forecast in your local area, you may be contacted by ECH to reschedule your services to another suitable day. For further information regarding bushfire safety, call the CFS information hotline 1800 362 361. SAFETY DURING HEATWAVES Summer weather brings a higher risk of heat-related illness, especially if you have medical conditions or if you take certain medicines so it is important to watch for signs of being affected by hot weather. During extreme heat, ECH may reschedule services to your home or village. ECH will always contact you in advance to advise of any changes before they happen. The Australian Red Cross offers free daily telephone checks to people who are vulnerable and isolated, to see if they are safe and if they need any help coping with extreme weather events. To register for the Telecross REDi service call 1800 188 071. KNOW WHERE TO GET HEALTH ADVICE Summer can…

Loyalty points programs have become an integral part of our shopping experience as we eagerly collect points with every purchase. However, it is important to remain vigilant with any program that collects our personal information. The National Anti-Scam Centre has detected a new scam targeting customers of loyalty points programs with large, well-known Australian companies. The National Anti-Scam Centre is warning consumers about a new text message scam currently targeting Qantas Frequent Flyer, Telstra and Coles loyalty programs’ customers, following 209 reports to Scamwatch in the past several months.  HOW THE SCAM WORKS Consumers receive a text message or email stating their loyalty points are The text or email includes a link to a fake website, which prompts customers to Customers may also be prompted to provide credit card details to use loyalty points. Scammers steal customers’ Scammers also steal customers’ login details and personal information to use on other platforms and commit identity fraud. PROTECT YOURSELF Don’t ever click on a link included in a text Access the app or website independently to check on the status of your points While the National Anti-Scam Centre has contacted the companies that have been impersonated by scammers and is working with web host providers to have the fake websites taken down, to minimise harm to the community, there are steps you can take to avoid being scammed. TOP TIPS FOR AVOIDING SCAMS STOP – take your time before providing any personal information. THINK – ask yourself if the message could be…