Mid-Winter Family Gathering

Winter is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a heartwarming gathering! There will be delicious treats, fun activities and a chance to create lasting memories with loved ones.

Wednesday the 23^rd of July 2025, 2pm-4pm

at Leighton House

 Bring your family, bundle up in your favorite winter attire, and let's embrace the season together!

See Analyn and Dianne

We can't wait to see you! 

As the temperatures dropped, Gisborne revealed a quieter, more peaceful beauty. The crisp air, stunning coastal vistas, and golden winter sun make this season a special time to experience the East Coast’s magic. Whether it’s cosying up at a local café, exploring breathtaking coastal walks, or witnessing the first sunrise in the world, winter in Gisborne is nothing short of enchanting. Bundle up, embrace the season, and enjoy the serene charm of winter in our slice of paradise!

Over the cooler months our residents have enjoyed live music as well as baking, van outings, indoor bowls, brain games, flower arranging and other crafts. Last week our Activities Team even hosted a karaoke afternoon – where Rodney, our Operations Manager was invited to sing!

Over the last couple of months, we have enjoyed some fantastic celebrations as Leighton House continues its commitment to supporting individuals within our home and the wider community.

Our dedicated Activities Team put together a delightful Easter trolley, beautifully decorated and brimming with colourful Easter eggs. This thoughtful gesture brought joy and festive cheer to everyone, creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere for the occasion.

Our residents celebrated Mother’s Day with a high tea. It was a truly delightful occasion for our wonderful mothers to connect, share stories, and celebrate motherhood together. Some of their family members also came to join in the celebration.

Residents created beautiful stars in celebration of Matariki, which we displayed at the entrance and throughout the facility. Our Activities Coordinator shared the meaning behind the Matariki stars and their significance. In the afternoon, our residents also enjoyed a lively happy hour, complete with a sausage sizzle.

To prepare for winter respiratory illnesses, our staff and residents received flu vaccinations in April and May. Additionally, some residents received COVID-19 vaccines on April 5. For those who had a COVID infection in the past six months, a second batch of COVID vaccinations is scheduled for July.

Our new Operations Coordinator, Rodney started working at Leighton House. He says, “The staff are warm, friendly and supportive. No two days are ever the same. I always look forward to starting my day, eager to see what activities are planned for our lovely residents. They stay busy with engaging routines, making each day lively. It’s wonderful to be back in healthcare”. We are very fortunate to have had Rodney join our team.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome other new team members too. They are Simranjeet who joins us as a Caregiver; Poonam who joins us as a Caregiver, Home Assistant and Kitchenhand; Alfonso who joins us as a Home Assistant, Kitchenhand and Relief Cook; Di who joins us as a casual Home Assistant and Kitchenhand; and Melanie who joins us as a Home Assistant and Kitchen Hand. A warm welcome to everyone. Please feel free to say hello when you see them around our home.

Recently, we also bid a heartfelt farewell to Preet. Her commitment, empathy, and professionalism have impacted our team and enriched the lives of our residents. We wish her all the very best as she starts a new chapter in her nursing journey.

It is that time of year again and we invite you to join us for our Mid-Winter Family Gathering on Wednesday the 23^rd of July, from 2-4pm. Come and enjoy a wonderful afternoon filled with laughter, connection, and seasonal festivities. There will be delicious treats, fun activities and a chance to create lasting memories with loved ones. We would love to see you there! 

Ka Mahuta a Matariki i te pae, Ka Mahuta o tatou tumanako ki te tau.

When Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead.

Greetings everyone

It feels like we are now well into the winter months and we are needing to keep everyone rugged up around our homes. Our winter menu helps to keep everyone warm too with lots of hearty food and warm soups. I always enjoy the smell of these wafting through our homes when I visit.

We had some disappointing news recently, that the pay equity claims were stopped by the Government. Caregiver pay has effectively been paused since 2022 and we had been working as part of an employer group to help progress these claims. This has a large impact on our team. It is hard to see the wonderful work our care team do not rewarded in the way it should be.

I am reminded of the quote “work is love made visible”, and this is never more true than for our care staff. Whether it be sharing a funny story, enjoying some music or just having a cup of tea together in the sun, our team work to ensure our residents enjoy some magic moments each day. These actions flow through to all of our lives.

We have been writing to MPs and Government ministers about this and we would encourage you to as well if you feel strongly about this cause.

On another note, as you will see in this newsletter we have a lot on the go to improve and extend our aged care services. It is really pleasing to see this happening.

Andrew Sheard, Managing Director

Rhea Abordonado has taken up a new role as the National Operational Support Leader around our homes.

This is a new role which includes travelling to our homes and working with the operations managers and coordinators to assist them in various aspects of their roles. Rhea will be helping them to grow and develop, looking for areas for improvement and facilitating learning from each other within the operations side of our homes.

The operations role is a varied one which is crucial to the running of our homes. It involves:

• Looking after our staff teams
• Overseeing our food service
• Quality requirements
• Overseeing the laundry service
• Managing building maintenance and contractors
• Marketing our home

Rhea knows our organisation inside out and has already been taking a leadership role around our homes in the wider Wellington area. It is great to have her expanding this role and helping our operations team to build on the great work that they do.

Resident Long Term Care Plan

A long-term care plan for residents in aged care is a structured process used to assess, document, and meet a resident’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It ensures that each person receives personalised and consistent care based on their preferences, health conditions, and overall wellbeing. Developing a care plan is crucial to the care of a person.

Its importance:

• It promotes holistic, person-centred care.  We think of the four dimensions of the Māori health model Te Whare Tapa Whā and consider physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and family/social wellbeing.
• With family involvement we learn more about the person being cared for and we hear family thoughts on care.  Often family/EPOA are sharing the journey with their loved one.
• It helps staff provide safe and appropriate support.
• It guides day-to-day decisions and helps manage changing health needs.
• It ensures continuity of care across shifts and disciplines.

Family Involvement

Families are a valuable part of the care planning process. Your insights into your loved one’s preferences, routines, history, and values help us create a plan that truly reflects who they are.

We encourage you to:

• Participate in initial and regular care plan meetings.
• Share any changes or concerns you notice.
• Ask questions and provide feedback at any time.  This also can give us an opportunity to support you too.

Our Role

The facility’s care team, including registered nurses, caregivers, allied health professionals, and diversional therapists and activity coordinators take responsibility for a care plan.  

To begin with, we bring the person into our mind and our hearts and together we ask questions to help us work out what is required to meet the holistic needs of each resident.  This team is responsible for:

• Assessing your loved one’s needs.
• Developing and reviewing the care plan regularly or when needs change.
• Communicating with families and the resident about changes in care.
• Ensuring all staff follow the care plan to provide consistent support.

A Living Document

The care plan is not a one-time document – it is living and evolving. It changes as your loved one’s needs, preferences, or health status change. Regular reviews ensure it stays relevant and responsive.

By working together, families and the care team can ensure your loved one receives the most respectful, dignified, and compassionate care possible. Your voice matters and you are always welcome on this journey alongside your loved one.  You are part of the team.

Dementia Care NZ Clinical Team

Magic Moments

Yesterday when I came to work, I heard the residents shouting my name. A resident was asking the other staff why he did not see me for a few days. I was sick last week. I went over to see him and he asked where I had been. I noticed his face light up and both of us had a laugh. I felt glad, it’s nice to know I was missed.

While I was doing my rounds of the residents' rooms, one of our residents smiled at me and asked me to sit with her. She held my hands and told me “Oh your hands are cold; I will get you some woolen gloves to wear and make you warm. I will take care of you now because you always take care of us.  How are you?"  I told her that I am fine and that I usually have cold hands. She told me, 'You’ve got cold hands, but a warm heart remembers that". In her small gestures and simple sentence, I felt seen - not just for what I do but for how I care.