Message from your Facility Manager

The Winter season means vaccinations. In the 'Care and Services' section of our newsletter you will find information regarding the vaccinations we recommend for our residents, and where to obtain them.

The New Aged Care Act has been deferred until November 1st, to allow more time for providers to ensure that their systems are well prepared for the changes. One change being implemented for Twilight is the introduction of our Quality Lifestyle Fee ( also known as HELF) for new residents only from July 1. This fee will allow us to continue to offer the rich and diverse lifestyle opportunities our residents deserve and enjoy. You can read the HELF fact sheet here.

We  continuously strive to create a home where residents feel safe, valued and comfortable, and can move through their days with enjoyment, meaning and purpose, as well as receiving the care that their individual needs dictate. Your feedback is important and always welcomed to enable us to improve our services and the quality of life for our residents. In this newsletter we explain how we have improved and streamlined your options for providing your feedback  to us, and hope you will find that this will make it a more accessible process.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any queries or concerns

 Until next time, kind regards,

Sara.

Sara Ahadizadeh

Appointment of New Twilight Chief Executive Officer

It is with pleasure that I inform our Twilight Family of the appointment of our new CEO for Twilight Aged Care, Niamh Mannion, who will commence her role on 21st July 2025.

Niamh's previous role has been Executive Director of Vinnies Services, one of the largest social services delivery agencies in NSW, supporting people experiencing disadvantage to have a better quality of life and shaping a more just and compassionate society, as well as part-time board director of Scalabrini Village and The End Street Sleeping Collaboration.

Niamh is a passionate leader with considerable experience of making a difference for community in the private, government and more recently not-for-profit sectors. She brings over 15 years’ experience developing and implementing strategy and leading cultural change, all with a focus on improving people’s lives. Her heart for service and her leadership skills align with Twilight's vision mission and values, and the legacy of our former CEO Neil Wendt for providing exceptional care to our residents with unwavering dedication.

Niamh said she was drawn to the mission of Twilight and our long history of caring for older Australians. She is attracted to sectors with a mission to care for people, which deeply aligns with her personal values.“I am inspired by Twilight’s rich history of responding to the needs of vulnerable people in community and its family model of care, which is special.”

“A focus on people having dignity, choice and control has always been central to my previous roles, and I look forward to building on that at Twilight as we create a home for our residents and families.”

On behalf of the Board and our whole Twilight family, we welcome Niamh's appointment.

We envision that under her leadership she will provide Twilight the means to continue delivering inspirational care and support that creates fulfilled and meaningful lives for our residents and furthering our ability to innovate and improve our responses to the changing needs of the aged care sector.

We would also like to thank James Carter for his support and contribution to Twilight as Acting CEO throughout the recruitment process.

Kind regards
Lorraine Lovitt
On behalf of Twilight Aged Care Board

When I am not running around after my little ones and spending quality time as a family, I am someone who enjoys being in nature, spending time with close friends over a delicious meal, and loves a good book recommendation. 

I have a passion for people, hearing their stories, connecting and learning from them.

In my first few weeks at Twilight, I’m going to be doing a lot of listening. I want to spend time with you and hear your stories, what you would like me to know about you and about Twilight. I am honoured to join the Twilight extended family and look forward to understanding more how I can support you to live your best lives.

See you very soon,

Niamh.

You're at Home, with Twilight

Around our Home

 Sharing celebrations.

At this surprise mini-party organised by the staff to celebrate one of our team members who is soon to welcome a baby girl, one of our residents even brought a thoughtful gift for the mother-to-be. Moments like these beautifully reflect the strong bond between residents and staff — a true example of Twilight’s family model of care in action.

There are always celebrations and happy times to share at Horton!

Sip 'n' Colour!

Our residents spent a relaxed and creative afternoon enjoying wine tasting and cheese platters while engaging in some light painting and colouring in. With soft music in the background and a cheerful atmosphere, everyone took their time to sip, snack, and express themselves artistically. It was a wonderful blend of creativity, conversation, and connection.  This activity was a hit and we got great feedback from our residents. We are planning to make it a monthly activity.

 Some days it's just nice to spend some time  with flowers and friends...

...or enjoy an afternoon treat.

A Horton Welcome

Welcoming the lovely Mallika as a permanent resident. Jan, from our thoughtful welcome committee, made the moment extra special by gifting her a beautiful rug to help make her new home feel warm and inviting.  

Easter

Anzac Day

Our residents came together for an early ANZAC Service on 24 April, led by Hornsby RSL Representative Phil White. The ceremony was a heartfelt tribute to the courage and sacrifice of our soldiers in the Armed Forces. A special moment was shared when our resident Pam helped lay the wreath in honour of those who served and continue to serve.

We thank Phil for his presence and for helping us reflect and remember.

Mothers Day.

29 residents attended a special Mother’s Day morning tea in our dining area . The space was beautifully decorated for the occasion, featuring vibrant posters and heartfelt Mother’s Day artwork created by the residents. Adding a personal touch, the tables were adorned with floral runners lovingly sewn by one of the residents at Horton House.

To mark the occasion, Earl Grey tea was served in elegant teapots, adding a sense of charm and tradition to the morning. Aris, the RAO, opened the event with a speech reflecting on the vital role of mothers and how motherhood is often considered the toughest job in the world. She shared her own personal story about being a mother, which resonated deeply with many in the room.

As residents enjoyed their beautifully presented cupcakes and fresh fruit, the atmosphere was filled with conversation and laughter. A special Mother's Day-themed bingo game followed, and with the assistance of staff, it ran smoothly and was enjoyed by all.

The morning concluded with a thoughtful gift presented to each resident—a lovely package containing a soft scarf and a pearl bracelet.

The event was a heartfelt and joyful celebration, and the ladies thoroughly enjoyed the warm sense of community and appreciation shared throughout the morning.

Our residents had a lovely outing to Ryde Library on May 12 to enjoy the Sydney Express Choir. Thanks to our Twilight bus and the support of our wonderful staff who drove in their own cars, everyone was able to attend and enjoy the music.
We also celebrated International Nurses Day with a special talk highlighting the amazing contributions of famous Australian nurses and Florence Nightingale.

We love a visit from the talented group, The Guitar Shed. Their energy, warmth, and familiar songs has everyone singing along, clapping, and fully engaged—always truly a joyful and memorable experience.

In May, we also celebrated Volunteers Week.

We are truly blessed to have such dedicated, compassionate individuals as part of our volunteer program here at Horton House. The special afternoon with dancing, laughter and tokens of appreciation was a gentle reminder of how much love and difference a single person can make. Here’s to our amazing volunteers! You inspire us every day! 

Our volunteers have some wonderful stories to share. Some of them have become volunteers because they have a family connection at Twilight.

In each upcoming issue of the newsletters we will share a story from a volunteer. This month, click HERE to read about Natalie from Grace Gardens.

Biggest Morning Tea

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make our Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea such a wonderful event!

To our incredible residents, staff, families, and especially our catering team – thank you for your support and for making the morning so special. A big shoutout to the catering team for preparing the delicious treats that everyone enjoyed – your hard work truly made the day!

It was a beautiful morning filled with connection, conversation, and community spirit, all in support of the Cancer Council.

Twilight News

Your Feedback is Important to us!

We have recently improved our process for accepting “Feedback and Complaints” from our residents, families and staff,  making it simpler for you to give us your feedback electronically.

“Your Feedback is Welcome” can now be submitted through a QR code and URL link.

However, if you prefer to continue using the hard copy available at every home, you are also more than welcome to continue that process.

Feedback entered through the QR code or URL, will be submitted directly into Twilights electronic database. You will receive immediate notification when you submit the feedback.

Your feedback is important and welcome; we encourage all feedback to assist us in improving the quality of care to our residents.

You will also find the feedback QR code and URL available on our Twilight Aged Care webpage "Contact us" 

Use the QR Code above to submit your feedback directly to us.

What's in a name?

At Hunters Hill Village, a specific survey was conducted, to allow residents to express their feelings and make their own choices.

We are happy to announce that "RESIDENT" has won the day, right across the board! This is a great result, aligning with Twilight's purpose to create a safe, welcoming and supportive home for each individual.  

Let us know what YOU think!

Welcoming New Residents

It's not always easy to transition into a new home, let alone living in a community environment. As part of our Twilight Family Model of Care, our wonderful residents have come together and formed a 'Welcome Committee' within each of our homes. 

The committee members are  residents who understand how it feels to be in a new place, and are happy to be asked anything  to support their fellow Twilight Family members during their 'settling in' process. 

Find out more about the Twilight Family Model of Care  here.

Twilight at the Dementia Australia Memory Walk in May

The Dining Experience

Overnight Menu 

All homes now have access to meals for those residents who are hungry and would like a hot meal overnight. Staff are being trained to prepare the  meals for our residents so that they have 24 hour choice of mealtimes.

One of the wonderful suggestions from the Glengarry Food Committee was to have a 'curry night'. This developed in a full-scale Sri-Lankan food celebration complete with music, with the input of one of our Sri-Lankan residents. It was a delightful occasion, enjoyed by  one and all! A great confirmation that Food Committees are a fantastic addition to our Twilight Family life.

Maggie Beer Foundation Update:
The Maggie Beer Foundation is dedicated to improving the nutrition and flavour of food for older people in aged care. Established in 2014, the foundation believes that access to food full of flavour and nutrients can bring about life-altering change to the well-being of older people.                                                                                                                   
 In our March newsletter we announced the exciting news of our acceptance to be part of the Maggie Beer Foundation Trainer Mentor Program .This program will pair our Glades Bay Gardens kitchen team with a qualified chef trainer to help us refine our catering services and enhance the dining experience for our residents.          
What This Means for Our Residents:
 Improved meal quality with dishes full of flavour and nutrients.
 A focus on continuously meeting and exceeding dining expectations.
 A commitment to enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents through
nutritious, enjoyable food.
About the Trainer Mentor Program:
The program is FREE, delivered in the Home, and is tailored to meet our specific needs.
Over the course of 12 months, our kitchen team will:
 Receive hands-on training and mentorship from an experienced chef.
 Have a review of 3 weeks of our menus by an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
 Use feedback from residents, families, and staff through Food Satisfaction
Questionnaires to continuously improve our dining services.
By participating in this program, we aim to:
 Build the skills and capabilities of our kitchen team.
 Support the health and well-being of our residents.
 Set a benchmark for food and dining excellence in aged care.                                          
We are excited to work alongside the Maggie Beer Foundation to bring positive changes to our dining program, creating a warm, welcoming dining experience for everyone at Glades Bay Gardens, as well as accessing the benefits that will flow through all of our homes as a result of our shared learning and development over the course of this program.

Annual Intake for Twilight Resident Advisory Committee

Resident Advisory bodies can give you a way to talk about care and service quality with others and share this with your provider's governing board, providing opportunities for improvement.

This is an annual invitation to participate in the Twilight Aged Care Resident Advisory Committee for 2025/6.

Members are appointed for a period of one year and can renominate for further periods if they choose.

The Committee will consist of residents or their representatives who represent the diversity of backgrounds and services applicable to Twilight Aged Care.

If you are interested in expressing you interest to participate, or want further information, please contact your Facility Manager. 

You can also find more information and a dowloadable fact sheet online at https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/older-australians/consumer-advisory-bodies

Your voice matters and we value your input!

Do You Need some Emotional Support? Emotional Wellbeing Space.

They will then call you for a casual intake call and answer any questions you may have.

Training Updates

Congratulations to all Twilight Staff who have recently completed training which improves our delivery of care to residents.

Congratulations to our RN's who completed the Foundations of Infection Prevention Control Course run by the Australian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), in April 2025.

• Nisha Gurung – RN Grace Gardens
• Jomy Joseph -RN Grace Gardens
• Miltha Lama- RN Glengarry
• Nilam Sharma – RN Hunters Hill Village
• Ashish Shrestha – RN Horton House

 The overall learning objectives of the course are:

·  Comprehensively understand the role of the infection prevention and control practitioner and apply this learning in their setting.

·  Understand the application of clinical indicators to their practice and apply this knowledge through audit and surveillance activities.

·  Develop and design an infection prevention and control program and a site-specific infection management plan relevant to their setting using a clinical governance framework.

·  Understand the rationale for and apply standard and transmission-based precautions in their setting.

·  Evaluate, review and develop site-specific tools and strategies to aid compliance with evidence-based infection control practice, policies, and guidelines.

·  Critique and apply site-appropriate strategies to support clinician-driven change in organisational behaviour.

·  Initiate and communicate effectively within the interdisciplinary team in the management of infection prevention and control.

Conferences

With a focus on reablement, mental health, nutrition, and advancements in business practices, the Summit equipped attendees with evidence-based tools and insights to make a real impact.

   Tamia says "Attending the 2025 Positive Aging Summit was an enriching experience that deepened my understanding of holistic approaches to aging through reablement and empowerment. As a Registered Music Therapist, I was particularly inspired by the growing recognition of creative therapies—like music—as essential tools in promoting emotional well-being, cognition, and social connection among older adults.

The summit highlighted innovative research, inclusive practices, and community-driven models that reaffirmed my commitment to person-centered care and the transformative role of music in supporting healthy aging. It is clear there is a growing demand for innovative and holistic approaches to health and well-being within the sector, and I feel proud to be practicing Music Therapy at Twilight. I look forward to utilising the knowledge gained from this event."

NSW Falls Prevention Forum 2025

 Our Board Chair Lorraine Lovitt gave her final farewell as Senior Improvement Lead for the Clinical Excellence Commission at the NSW Falls Prevention & Healthy Ageing Network Annual Forum, an opportunity for providers and practitioners to come together and learn about the latest on fall prevention and healthy ageing. Our Twilight teams attended the forum online.

Ageing Australia NSW ACT State Conference

 Care and Services Information Round-Up

 Vaccination Season 2025 Updates

Our homes have held vaccination clinics for Flu, Covid, RSV and Shingles, but if you have not yet received your vaccinations, please speak with the Facility Manager or Clinical Manager to arrange.

Our residents are recommended to have vaccinations as below:

These are free once they turn a certain age (or have certain health conditions). Vaccines can be given by their family doctor or a community pharmacist.

Our residents are also recommended to have the vaccines below. They have to pay for these vaccines. They can also get these vaccines from their family doctor or a community pharmacist.

All these vaccines can be given on the same day. We recommend a maximum of two vaccines on the same day so residents don’t get too many side effects

Measles outbreaks in Australia

There have been 21 cases of measles in NSW since the start of this year, more than the total for last year. Although most were infected while overseas (especially Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan), some cases caught their infection in NSW. There is also an ongoing measles outbreak in Melbourne.

Measles is very infectious. People who get the infection are often very unwell with fever, rash and cough, and can get serious complications such as a chest infection and inflammation of the brain. The best way to protect against measles is to get 2 doses of the measles vaccine. If you do not know whether you have received 2 doses of the measles vaccine, it is safe to get another one. The measles vaccine is recommended for adults born after 1965 Measles outbreaks in Australia

Ref: NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report – week ending 17 May 2025

Public Health update for Residential Aged care home Newsletter 5 May 2025

New Rights-Based Aged Care Act

New Aged Care Act to start from 1 November

The Australian Government has announced that the start date of the new Aged Care Act 2024 will be briefly deferred.

The deferral will allow aged care providers to better prepare clients, support workers, and ensure their systems are ready for the changes.

It will mean providers and workers will have more time to talk to older people about how aged care is changing to make sure:

• the rights of older people are protected

• decision-making support is their choice

• care assessment is easier

• aged care service information is transparent

• what older people should expect from providers and workers is clear

Meditrax News

 Downloadable information  booklet on Aged Care in Australia

Strengthened Standards.

Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect in aged care.

The Aged Care Quality Standards define what good care looks like in Australia. They apply to all aged care services that receive funding from the Australian Government.

The Aged Care Quality Standards have been strengthened as part of the proposed new Aged Care Act and regulatory model.

to find out more about the Aged Care Standards,  you can visit 

https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/quality-standards

Twilight Aged Care
Horton House

1A Ravenswood Ave

GORDON NSW 2072
02 8886 2100