Moving thousands of kilometres across the world to be closer to their daughters ushered a new life chapter for ECH residents Tacito and his wife Glacy. Originally from Brazil, the couple moved to Australia in March 2012, following their daughters who had settled in Adelaide some years before. “When we started planning our move to Australia, our eldest daughter, who at the time worked with ECH, told us about independent living in retirement villages. We saw it as a great opportunity to meet people and to live our retirement years to the full, and with less worry. And so, while still in Brazil we put our name down with ECH to buy a unit in one of their villages, and by December 2013 we had moved into our unit.” “My wife and I were both retired when we came to Australia, and after learning that around a third of the Australian population did some volunteering work, I really wanted to become a volunteer in some capacity. My personal drive for this was to contribute, and to turn my gratitude for the good life we were building in Australia into action.” As soon as they arrived in Adelaide, Tacito started volunteering in a Nursing Home, which was then part of ECH. More than a decade later, he continues as a volunteer in the same home, as well as in many others. He found great joy in visiting and supporting the elderly. “I started helping with the card game group and…

Every season there is something special to see at the Adelaide Botanic Garden – your very own natural wonderland in the heart of the city. In summer, the lush green surrounds, shady lawns, colourful blooms and botanic scents provide a cool haven on a hot day. There are 50 hectares of pristine plants to enjoy, here are some must see summer delights: LOVELY LOTUS FLOWERS The Nelumbo Pond springs to life with its sacred lotus flowers (Nelumbo nucifera) stopping crowds in their tracks. In beautiful shades of pink, these flowers are sacred to Hindus and Buddhists, and are seen as an example of divine beauty. Not only are they pleasing to the eye, but they are also used for medicine in some cultures, and their leaves, stalks and flowers can be eaten as vegetables. They will be in bloom until the end of February. DECORATIVE DAHLIAS The Dahlia Garden hits its peak in February, when these decorative flowers are in full bloom. These much-loved perennials originally came from Central and South America where the Dahlia imperialis species was an important food and medicinal crop to the Aztec people. Today, Dahlias are grown for their decorative flowers. Over the past three centuries hybridisation (combining different varieties) has given rise to a range of fascinating flower types. They will bloom until late March so there is plenty of time to visit. INTERNATIONAL ROSE GARDEN The International Rose Garden won a Garden of Global Excellence award in 2022 and takes visitors on…

When the summer sun blazes overhead, staying active and maintaining your fitness routine can be a challenge. However, with the right strategies, you can exercise and keep cool during scorching hot weather. ECH Exercise Physiologist Bridget shares her tips for staying cool and fit this summer. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIME Opt to exercise earlier in the morning or later at night when it’s cooler and the sun is not at its peak. You can also break your exercise into smaller chunks throughout the day to avoid overexertion and overheating. TAKE IT INDOORS Exercise indoors in air conditioning when possible and use a cooling neck towel or handheld fan to stay cool during exercise sessions. SLIP SLOP SLAP Remember to stay sun smart with a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and appropriate clothing when doing activity outside. STAY HYDRATED Maintain water intake throughout the day not just after exercise, aiming for at least 1.5L (6 cups) per day. If you struggle to drink enough water, try: having a drink with each meal and snack, whether you feel thirsty or not. keeping a drink bottle with you and sip from it regularly throughout the putting a glass of water nearby where it is in view BE WARY OF INDOOR POOLS Indoor pools carry increased risks in hot weather including dehydration because of the humid environment. Hydrotherapy programs should be discussed with a GP or Exercise Physiologist on an individual basis before beginning. MEET BRIDGET Bridget is an accredited Exercise Physiologist by Exercise and…

For ECH resident Annie, writing has been her constant companion for as long as she can remember. Over the decades, their relationship has taken different forms – from competitive when she was a speech writer, creative when she was writing short stories, nurturing when crafting inspirational quotes for a daily calendar, and professional when compiling pamphlets when working as a counsellor in Sydney. To Annie, a pivotal point in her relationship with writing came when she was awarded a mentoring grant in poetry from Arts SA. She was inspired to write and publish in 2017 her first book, A Slide into the Invisible – a collection of poetry and photography. “When you’re meant to be visible as an artist you do it. That is what art is – showing up for ourselves,” Annie explains. A recent opportunity to hear from and meet one of Adelaide’s most successful contemporary authors at an ECH Book Club event was ideal for Annie. The evening at Dymocks, Rundle Mall, was hosted by Jane Doyle, who interviewed Pip Williams, whose first novel, the global best seller The Dictionary of Lost Words, was recently adapted to the stage by the State Theatre Company South Australia. “It was a joy to meet the author Pip, she was humble yet truthful, she’s inspiring and the whole evening was a delight,” Annie says. “For ECH to be involved with arts and culture really shows what is important to the organisation. “The arts help us understand each other as people…

According to a study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, increasing numbers of older migrants tend to revert to their birth language as they age. This is known as language attrition. The study found, for example, that 73% of migrants aged 65-74 spoke their birth language at home, increasing to 82% among migrants aged 85 and over. ECH client Joanna, who migrated to South Australia from her native Greece more than 50 years ago, has benefitted greatly in the past year since she has been connected with a Greek-speaking Home Support Team Member. When Joanna started receiving some extra support including cleaning, gardening and social outings through her Level 2 Home Care Package last year, she felt self- conscious about her limited English skills. While Joanna learnt and spoke enough English to get by in her jobs throughout her early years in Australia, her daughter Litsa says she had noticed her mum’s English skills dwindling. “As mum has gotten older, and more isolated, she doesn’t really use English – if you don’t use it, you lose it,” Litsa says. For the past 20 – 30 years that mum and dad haven’t worked, they’ve lost a lot of English and as a result, lost that confidence. Litsa, while happy with the services her mum was receiving, wondered if more could be done to put her mum at ease. “The ladies who came out to help mum were lovely, but mum felt self-conscious not being able to speak English…

ECH client Joanna shares her kourambiethes recipe, a traditional Greek holiday biscuit. Serves approx. 12-15 biscuits Prep time 15 minutes INGREDIENTS Approximately 400g self- raising flour 250g unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 1/3 cup icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla sugar (although you cannot have too much) Optional: a small handful of slivered almonds Optional: dry anise – flavoured aperitif Ouzo METHOD In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the egg yolk, icing sugar and vanilla Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon or electric mixer. Add the self-raising flour slowly (as much as will be needed) to form a soft pliable. If choosing to include almonds, add after all ingredients are folded. Allow to rest. Take the rested dough and roll it out to about an inch in thickness and cut into shapes of your choice. Place on a baking tray and bake at 160 – 170°C (depending on oven) for 15 – 20 minutes. Leave the baked kourambiethes to cool on a tray (they will crumble if too hot to transfer). Optional: sprinkle them with a dry anise – flavoured aperitif Ouzo when warm. Dust them with plenty of icing sugar. Enjoy!  …

You may have noticed that over this past year, while establishing our new long-term plan for our nearly 60-year-old South Australian organisation, we have welcomed more and more people to the ECH community. We look forward to celebrating our 60 year milestone with you all next year! In the meantime, we have also celebrated our residents who hold a long-standing commitment to ECH. Held annually, our 20 Plus luncheon is a celebration and our way of simply saying thanks. The 20 Plus Club now has 106 members with our longest member of 41 years being Patricia, who lives with us in Bowden Towers (Adelaide). On the day, we celebrated other milestones as follows: 20 years – 15 residents 25 years – 10 residents 30 years – 2 residents See below for more photos from the lunch. To help foster connections, we have provided our community with exclusive theatre experiences, interactive workshops, discounted theatre tickets and free footy tickets in collaboration with our partners Adelaide Festival, State Theatre Company and SANFL. Next year we will have more events, which will once again be a wonderful opportunity to meet other clients and residents. If you would like to keep up to date with future events and activities, please provide your email and contact details to us by emailing ask@ech.asn.au. At this time of year, it is our time to reflect and rejoice in the moments we have shared with you. The smiles and support we have been able to…

Ingredients 1 large eggplant cut lengthways into 1cm thick slices 1/4 cup plain flour or gluten free flour 1 egg, lightly beaten or 1/4 cup aquafaba (water or brine you find in canned chickpeas or beans) 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or gluten free breadcrumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped Lemon zest Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper halved and thinly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil Lemon wedges to serve Method Preheat oven 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking Place flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Place beaten egg in a shallow In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs with Parmesan, parsley and zest, tossing to combine. Take each eggplant slice and dip it in the flour on both sides until evenly coated, followed by the beaten egg and then the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium- high heat and cook eggplant schnitzels in batches for three to four minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Place on prepared baking tray and keep warm in Repeat process until all the schnitzels are cooked.

Being socially active is essential to your wellbeing and having the best life possible. That’s why the ECH Living Well Program was developed to connect our clients to a range of social activities to meet like-minded people, learn new skills and re-engage with their community. ECH Living Well Consultants work with our clients to link them with an activity that helps improve wellbeing and their physical and mental health. This is how Living Well Consultant Jenny met ECH client Maureen in January this year. Maureen, who receives cleaning and gardening support, nursing and social services, has faced a challenging few years, and after a stay at Modbury Hospital last year was referred to the program. Knowing Maureen worked at ECH for 10 years and loved cooking in the past, Jenny found a baking group nearby at the Wandana Community Centre. While Maureen didn’t initially feel up to taking part, with a little encouragement from Jenny, she has now visited the baking group a few times and has the confidence to continue. Jenny says: “Maureen said to me on the way home one day, how grateful she was that I’d supported her to go along, and she can’t wait to go again to the next group in two weeks, independently, because she now has the confidence to do so.” Diana and ECH client “I did enjoy it. It’s a different atmosphere when you get there. I’m thankful for Jenny’s help and encouraging me to take part” says Maureen Maureen’s…

ARE YOU READY? Heatwaves can be a difficult time, especially when the heat never seems to end. If we look back, Australia’s Indigenous peoples developed a deep connection with ‘Country’ – the land, sea, sky, rivers, sites, seasons, plants, and animals that surrounded them; Australia demanded it. With South Australian summers getting hotter with an increase in record hot days, we encourage you to: BE SUPPORTIVE Firstly, if you ever need additional support from ECH, please ask. During the summer season you could also form a friendship or support network you can rely on and check in on each other, friends, or family as part of your daily routine. Red Cross South Australia has Telecross Redi Service (1800 188 071) and helps people cope during extreme weather events. BE AWARE You may consider that your mobility may not be what it once was and while your house can be the best defence against heat, you could head to places that have cooling systems, such as a shopping centre, the cinema, a community centre or a friend or family’s house. Mild heat-related issues can be dealt with at home and with friends, however heatstroke is considered an emergency and you should contact your GP, hospital or ambulance service immediately. If you are unable to access your usual GP call Healthdirect 24 hours a day seven days a week (1800 022 222) to speak to a health professional. BE READY If you need to evacuate on extreme days, it’s good to be…

Wherever Ngaire goes, her cuddly and fashionable cavoodle Bella goes too. And the four-legged bundle of fur has brought loads of joy and melted hearts since she first started accompanying Ngaire to work 18 months ago, becoming a regular – and welcome – sight ever since. Ngaire is the ECH Rental Property Officer managing our rental unit portfolio and she says when she is out at inspections and client interviews, Bella tags along in her latest outfit – anything from puffer jackets, overalls and t-shirts.   ECH Rental Property Officer Ngaire “People love to see the different outfits she wears everyday – it’s a topic of conversation,” Ngaire laughs. “Bella likes to be around people, but it needs to be on her terms, but with clients, she senses they need a cuddle and that people need a bit of love – they get so much from her. “Even if someone in the office is having a challenging day, they make a beeline for Bella, give her a cuddle and a bit of a play and they feel calmer. Bella brings people together.” Ngaire, who has been with ECH for 31 years, says she is grateful her workplace has been welcoming of her seven-year-old “baby”. “I appreciate the fact that I can bring her to work, it means the world to me. She’s a good little dog who brings joy and those around just love her,” Ngaire says. If you would like to learn more about ECH Independent Retirement…

Small changes made to ECH client Michael’s house and circumstances have had the biggest, positive impact on his life. A stairlift installed at his back door, grab rails on walls throughout his house, a shower mat to ensure he doesn’t slip, an electric adjustable bed and a recliner chair, are the safety and comfort features that have been added to his Goolwa unit. ECH client Michael  Then there are his two scooters – a standard size for his daily travel needs and a smaller one capable of fitting into a taxi when he wants to go further afield. Both keep him active in the community and enable him to attend appointments on his own. Lastly, there’s the three days a week of domestic assistance, such as hanging out laundry or vacuuming floors, he receives from ECH. All combined ensure that Michael feels safe, secure and able to continue living independently. “The modifications are very necessary, and I’m absolutely delighted to be able to be independent. I had this fear of being housebound, but I can get out and about,” Michael says. ECH Occupational Therapist Chelsea And it’s all thanks to his ECH Occupational Therapist Chelsea, who has been the driving force especially in securing the modifications to his unit. Chelsea first started working with Michael five years ago, and while her visits have been intermittent – only when he needs new equipment – she has seen the joy added to Michael’s life. “Every time there is…