Millvale House Levin
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Stay up to date with what is going on at Millvale House Levin via our facebook page and articles from our newsletter below.
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Magic moments from our home
While I was walking with one of our residents, she put her hand in her pocket and gave me a small piece of folded newspaper. She said, “Do you want to watch a concert?” I opened the little piece of paper. It was advertising for an event at the Cossie Club on Friday at 8pm. I asked her if she wanted to go and watch. “YES ABSOLUTELY, what a wonderful idea!” she said.
We had musicians playing in our home. One of our residents who usually stays in his room, was invited to come out and listen to the Irish music. This was a rare moment for him, and he eagerly stepped into the vibrant atmosphere. His smile said it all - he was truly enjoying the music and the energy brought by the entertainers. With heartfelt gratitude, he turned to us and said, "Thank you so much. I’m so happy you arranged this. It’s such a lovely experience." His words reflected the joy of the moment, and we were delighted to see him so engaged and uplifted by the sounds of Ireland.
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Greetings from Aimee and Maria - July newsletter
As winter gently settled in, we embraced the seasonal shift with open arms and warm hearts. We have changed to our new winter menu which includes comforting soups and hearty meals.
With the cooler weather, our residents have been liking indoor activities. They have recently enjoyed some painting sessions, and we have discovered that we have some artistic talents hidden within our home. We have held baking days that have filled our home with the sweet, nostalgic scent of peanut butter cookies. These activities have been fun, but they are also deeply beneficial for our residents. Painting fosters self-expression, creativity, and focus. Baking allows residents to reminisce while engaging in a purposeful task.
Music continues to be a powerful source of joy and connection. We’re grateful for our roster of entertainers and Jammers. Jammers consist of people in smaller musical ensembles, offering an exciting mix of instruments, which keep each performance unique from different genres with songs from fifties, sixties and seventies. Music has a special role in dementia care. It helps with mood regulation, memory recall, and social interaction. Residents respond beautifully, often tapping or singing along, and smiling with recognition.
Furry friends have played an important part in brightening our days. Every month, Canine Friends bring in a new group of lovely dogs, each has their own personality. Whether big or small, shy or playful, these four-legged visitors are adored by residents and staff alike, offering companionship and sensory stimulation in a way only animals can. Our residents continue to enjoy the calming and comforting experience of weighted dog therapy.
We’re proud of our team and their ongoing commitment to excellence in care. Several staff members have reached important milestones: Charl, Fe, and Andy have completed their Dementia Unit Standards. Irene has successfully completed her Level 4 Health and Wellbeing qualification. These achievements reflect the dedication of our team to continuously improving the support they provide. In addition to our annual education plan, we recently held an education session on airway obstruction management — a critical area of training that can help respond to serious emergencies and ensure swift, effective responses.
We are already looking forward to our Mid-Winter Family Gathering on the 29th of July at 2pm. It promises to be a wonderful time of connection, laughter, and shared warmth. We hope to see families and friends joining us for this special celebration.
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Thank you for your feedback
At each of our rest homes around the country we have a regular family focus group. These groups are facilitated by Peter Hume who works for Dementia Care NZ from Christchurch. Sessions are aimed at getting some feedback from family members who visit often about how we can improve.
We ask questions like: How can we make life better for your loved one here? How can we make life easier for you? How can we support you more? At these meetings we often receive a gem of an idea that we take forward and put into action.
This year we had a session at Millvale House Levin. The family members were very complementary about the care we provide, commenting that they always leave feeling grateful for the care. There were also complements about the six-monthly MDT meetings and the communication following the fire last year.
They also raised several issues which we are following up:
• Investigate noise mitigation options for fire repair construction work.
• Resolve maintenance and garden issues.
We would like to thank everyone who was able to come to the family focus group. We really appreciate your time providing us with this feedback. We will continue to update you as we make progress with the issues raised in the focus groups.
If you have some feedback for us please do get in touch, and we also appreciate hearing your thoughts through the EPOA survey.