Headlines—January 2017
Headlines—January 2017
2
Headlines is produced quarterly
by Headway ADP Inc.
Postal Address:
PO BOX 894, Bankstown, NSW
1885
Telephone Numbers:
9790 0046 / 9790 0344
Fax Number:
9796 2523
Email:
HE
AD
LIN
ES
Website:
www.headwayadp.org.au
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/
pages/Headway-
ADP/225475250822022
MA
NA
GE
RS
CO
LU
MN
In just over a week’s time I will celebrate my 3rd month at Headway ADP. In that time I have learned a great deal, but have so much more to learn. It is a privilege to work with and lead a team that never accept second best for you, as a participant, and always values your voice and feedback.
Highlights for me so far include our social events, the diversity of activi-ties that we provide on a group or 1:1 basis, and of course, the amazing staff who never forget a birthday or a visit when someone needs support or companionship. Best of all has been meeting most of our service users and carers. There is an old say-ing….”that it takes a village to raise a child”. In terms of Headway ADP, “it takes its people to create a great ser-
vice” … and the service is not just about staff, it is about the community that has been created and shared tears and great happiness over the past three decades. Let’s make sure that 2017 brings even greater things to all of you.
On a lighter note Headway ADP held an internal competition with all the staff regarding marketing. The winner of the Events movie tickets (double pass) for the best marketing idea slo-gan is Gabrielle Celeste who contribut-ed that participants choose Headway because……..staff are passionate, car-ing and give us bucket loads of fun. More competitions coming soon.
Headlines—January 2017
3
Robert Smith
FRONT PAGE Christmas 2016
PAGE 3 Birthday List
PAGE 4& 5 NDIS Update
Vale—Gyorgy Markus
Memory after a brain injury
PAGE 6 & 7 Social Development
PAGE 8 Staff Profiles Manager &
Community Access Worker
PAGE 9 What’s On Page
PAGE 10 Service Provider—Brain Injury Australia
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marc
h
january
february
‘IN
SID
E T
HIS
ED
ITIO
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JOHN S 2
TONI EL A 6
VINCE VO 15
LISA X 19
VAN MINH L 20
LEE C 1
RAY W 17
IVA S 21
Headlines—January 2017
4
It is with great sadness that we
report on the passing of long time
Headway ADP participant Gyorgy
Markus. Gyorgy was a central part
of Headway ADP for many years.
He enjoyed a range of activities and
groups that were offered in
particular yoga, music therapy,
cooking and games days. Gyorgy
knew the yoga routines off by heart
and would delight in leading the
class through the exercises.
Music and a game of cards were al-
ways expected upon Gyorgy’s
A s the NDIS rollout im-pacts on participants and service providers it is im-
portant to acknowledge that big reforms and change can be more than a little unnerving for all of us. Where families and individuals have been relying on services from a range of providers, many obvious questions come up but the most obvious one is about continuity of existing essential services. At present Headway ADP has seen about 10 participants receive plans. Not only do the funded sup-ports and types of support vary (as they should because we are all differ-ent), but the monies available and role of Headway ADP will vary, depending on whether we are your main service provider, or just deliver some selected programs as part of your plan. If we are your chosen Service Coordinator and this is funded we will certainly help engage with a range of services
arrival at Headway House. Gyorgy
was unusually lucky at cards
frequently winning hands of Uno and
21 against other participants and
staff. But whether winning or losing
(or cheating) Gyorgy was always a
gentleman with impeccable manners
and a quiet dignity.
Gyorgy will be greatly missed by his
family and friends. We offer them
our deepest sympathies at this time
of sorrow.
Fiona Curtis
and providers to support your plan im-plementation. If you do not have Support Coordination in your plan but feel you need additional support, don’t be too concerned. If you are a current Headway participant we will certainly liaise with providers or NDIA representatives to clarify your situation and promote support needs that are reasonable and necessary. The important thing is that you do not lose services that you depend on, and that (if you choose Headway ADP) we can look to enrich your quality of life once the plan is activated. At the end of the day it is about your informed choice, but we regard it as a privilege when we are chosen to walk beside you. I do believe we are a unique service because of our level of care and interest in our participants and carers.
Bill Sayers
Headlines—January 2017
5
Mem
ory
afte
r a b
rain
inju
ry M emory problems are very
common after a brain injury, especially issues with short-term memory.
Typical situations include forgetting peo-
ple's names, losing a train of thought, get-
ting lost at the shops, repeating or forget-
ting past conversations, misplacing objects
and difficulty learning new skills. Common
everyday experiences become a night-
mare of confusion without strategies to
manage or compensate for the effects of
memory impairment.
Lifestyle changes to improve memory
There is no "wonder treatment" for
memory problems, however there are
many effective strategies that compensate
for short-term memory impairments. As
with any cognitive issues, your memory
will work better if you:
Avoid fatigue from pushing yourself too
hard
Sleep well
Manage stress and anxiety
Avoid alcohol, eat a healthy diet and
exercise regularly.
Organize your environment
The aim is to arrange surroundings so that
less reliance or demand is placed upon a
person's memory. Strategies for organiz-
ing the environment include the following:
Keep a notepad and pen beside the
phone
Using a large notice board on the wall
Having a special place to keep objects
which go missing
Label cupboards as a reminder of
where things are kept
Tie objects to places e.g. a pen to the
phone or a key to a belt.
Short-term memory strategies
Reduce distractions as an inability to pay
attention makes memory problems
worse. Simply telling yourself to pay
attention when you need to focus and
memorize something can make a big
difference.
Learn in small repeated chunks in a
similar way to how we teach children.
Breaking it down into repetitive man-
ageable bits makes it much easier to
remember things.
Mnemonics are techniques used for
memorizing information through acro-
nyms, short poems, stories, images or
memorable phrases. A typical example
is the acronym KISS for 'keep it sim-
ple, stupid'.
External memory aids are extremely
effective compensatory strategies -
they aim to compensate for memory
loss. Try all of the following to see
which ones work best for you:
A diary for storing and planning
Notebooks of all sizes for various
places
Lists and checklists
Alarm clock, wristwatch alarm and
timer on your mobile phone
Calendar or wall chart
Voice recorder
Electronic organizer
Pill reminder box
Post-it notes
A memory book for big events, per-
sonal experiences and names.
It is important to realize that not every-
one will benefit in the same way from
the same tips after a traumatic brain
injury. The best thing to do is to experi-
ment with different aids until you find
the one that works for you
Information taken from synapse.org.au
Headlines—January 2017
6
Soci
al D
evel
opm
ent
At Club Condell Park 01.11.2016
At Bankstown Sports Club 05.12.2016
Headlines—January 2017
7
Social Developm
ent
At Bankstown Sports Club 05.12.2016
Held once a month at Centennial Park
Held during last term 2016
Headlines—January 2017
8
STA
FF P
RO
FIL
ES
What were your
first impressions
of Headway ADP?
Great. I had my interview on a day
when B.E.AT was running. You could
see that Headway ADP was like home
for participants and the staff really
cared about them.
What brought you to this field?
Wanted to give something back. After
working in senior management jobs
that were not “hands on” over the past
decade I wanted to get back to front
line servicing. It is the people that
matter, not the process.
What goals do you have for the
future? Two
That this service is a provider of
choice for people with an ABI and
continues to give them a real voice.
That we manage the transition to
NDIS successfully.
What things are you interested
in? ? Social Justice and social reform,
as well as music (rock is my preferred
genre) travel and sports.
Pick a sentence that best de-
scribes you? Soft on the outside,
but tough on issues that matter.
If you were the Headway Man-
ager for the day, what would
you change? Not a great deal but I
do believe we can always do better and
that is what we need to strive for.
What were your
first impressions of
Headway ADP? When I first walked
into Headway ADP office during my in-
terview, I felt that I have just walked in
someone else’s home. I didn't see an of-
fice, I saw a place where people can re-
lax be themselves, a place where they
can belong.
What brought you to this field?
I just like to help people in my small in-
dividual way. I’ve seen so many neglect,
imbalance, inequalities and injustice
towards the most vulnerable and disad-
vantage sector in our society. I think its
time for me to make a difference and
correct the wrong things happening in
our society.
What good things can you say
about Headway ADP? Headway
ADP is a chamion in advocating for peo-
ple with ABI. It should be commended
for the difference it makes in the life of
the participants.
What goals do you have for the
future? To settle in quickly at Head-
way ADP so I can make a difference.
What things are you interested
in? Volunteering, meeting new people,
travel and astronomy.
Pick a sentence that best de-
scribes you? Friendly, approachable
but a little crazy at times.
If you were the Headway Manag-
er for the day, what would you
change? I would change everyone's
surname just to confuse everyone else.
Headlines—January 2017
9
WHA
TS O
N PA
GE
TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP - ROUND 1
THURSDAY 2ND MARCH 2017
AUSTRALIA DAY- THURSDAY 26TH JANUARY
On 26 January each year, Australians come together to celebrate their national day. The date commemorates the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet from Great Brit-ain, reflecting the nation's diversity and achievements, its past and its future.
The Australia Day celebrations in Sydney are fit for Australia's oldest and biggest city with events and activities spread far and wide. There's nothing quite like Australia Day on Sydney Harbour, the city's crowning jewel.
Chinese New Year 2017 - Year of the Rooster
Saturday, January 28
THE AUSTRALIAN INXS & DIVI-NYLS SHOW
Saturday 28th January 2017 | The Theatre |
8:00pm (Doors open 7.15pm) at Bankstown
Sports Club—Cost $15.00 ring to book for
tickets The Australian INXS Show celebrates
and honours the memory of Michael Hutchence
and his band, bringing to life their unique style
of funk-rock fused with dance elements. The
Australian Divinyls Show will brilliantly capture
the outrageous stage antics of the original
band, performing hits like Boys in Town and I
Touch Myself. Don’t miss out on this incredible
double header!
For more information: www.australiaday.com.au
Imagine a night out under the stars (be it in a snazzy convertible or a grunty pick-up truck) watching a blockbuster, having a beverage and enjoying a tasty treat from the diner menu. Sounds like a perfect night out. Blacktown Drive In has seen a revival, be-coming Skyline Drive In, and offers a nostal-gic yet new experience with the latest Holly-wood blockbusters, 'Happy Days' style retro diner and a truly unique night of fun.
BLACKTOWN SKYLINE DRIVE IN - BLACKTOWN
(02) 9622 4170
Headlines—January 2017
PLEASE
PLACE
STAMP
HERE
If undeliverable
Return to
HEADWAY
ADULT DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM INC.
PO BOX 894
BANKSTOWN NSW 1885
Brain Injury Australia’s roles
Advocacy for government program allocations and policies that reflect the needs and priorities of people with an ABI and their families;
Provision of effective and timely input into policy, legislation and program development through active contact with Federal Government ministers, parliamentary representatives, Federal Government departments and agencies, and national disability organisations;
Initiation and coordination of national projects;
Increasing national public awareness of ABI through the implementation of public information programs;
Monitoring Federal Government consumer consultation processes to ensure that these are of a quality that is meaningful and inclusive of people with ABI and their families; and
Brain Injury Australia (BIA) is the central clearinghouse of information and gateway to nationwide referral for optimising the social and economic participation of all Australians living with brain injury.BIA was formed at the first national community-based conference on ABI in 1986. The
Federal Government began funding BIA in 1991.
DEVELOPING A RANGE OF STRATEGIC ALLIANCES THAT SUPPORT AND ENHANCE
THE ACHIEVEMENT OF BIA’S STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES.
BRAIN INJURY AUSTRALIA’S OPERATING PRINCIPLES
A professional and responsible approach in representing people with an ABI;
Decision-making processes that include consultation with people with an ABI and their families and its member organisations;
A balanced recognition of the needs of all people with a disability and other disadvan-taged groups;
An effective, democratic and participative ap-
proach to governance
This information was taken from the Brain
Injury Australia website.