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MSWA Bulletin Magazine Autumn 17

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ALBANY OUTREACH NEWS

ALBANY OUTREACH NEWS CAROLINE CLARKE-SMITH, MSWA RESOURCE COORDINATOR After a busy year, we were all grateful for a Christmas break but now we are back into it again! We have welcomed some new staff joining our small team, including a part-time occupational therapist (OT), Anne, who is now working out of our Albany office. Anne has been kept busy with assessments and equipment queries as well as answering many other questions. This is new and very exciting for our Albany Members, our own local OT! We also welcome Billie to the team as our new MSWA Physiotherapist. Billie also has been busy with assessments as well as exercise programs. If you are in need of some physio or exercise advice please give her a call at the office on 9841 6651 and we can pass on the message. Another new face in the Outreach is Rita Underwood who is filling two roles – Community Coordinator and Support Worker. Come along and welcome our new staff and check out the growing range of services we can provide. Outreach has been busy preparing for the annual MSWA Albany Swim in March. A big thank you to all those who have volunteered to help raise money and awareness as it would not happen without your help. We have also now realised that we have some ‘puzzle nuts’ in our group so if you love Scrabble, we have a game every Friday along with number and picture puzzles, and the occasional quiz to strain (or exercise), your brain. We look forward to having MSWA staff visit from Perth and the South West, to speak on a variety of topics such as counselling, welfare and speech pathology. If there is something else you would like covered, please let us know. Additionally, we are hoping to organise a few outings for Members so if you have an idea for a place to visit, give us a call. We will be hosting an update on MS research and current and imminent therapies so stay tuned for more details. FIRST ALBANY STAFF CHRISTMAS FUNCTION HELD IN DECEMBER 2016! GAIL PALMER, MSWA MANAGER INDIVIDUAL OPTIONS Our staff in the Great Southern area has been slowly but surely growing over the last three years which is great news for our local Members. We felt Christmas was a real opportunity to have the staff come together and as you can see, they are a happy looking crew! If you live in the Great Southern area and would like to speak with one of our staff, please ring the MSWA office at Lotteries House on 9841 6651 and leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible. 26 | MSWA BULLETIN AUTUMN 2017

BUSSELTON OUTREACH NEWS BUSSELTON OUTREACH NEWS NICOLA RYAN, MSWA SENIOR OUTREACH COORDINATOR The first meeting of the new Busselton Outreach Group was held at the Busselton Community Centre on 14 February. It was very well attended and a wonderful start for the group. The venue was perfect with a lovely bright sitting area, comfortable chairs, easy access for all amenities as well as a huge car park. Special thanks to Megan, the local MSWA Physiotherapist for sounding out this great venue! Dhyana, the MSWA South West Community MS Liaison Nurse had a small table set up where she could check on Members’ blood pressure as well as answer their questions. Support staff from the other departments were also on hand to give their support to Members. Some Members who said they had felt a little nervous about attending were soon laughing and mixing with others as everyone was very welcoming. Morning tea was enjoyed by withal, with lots of new ideas being discussed over a cup of tea. WILSON OUTREACH NEWS NICOLA RYAN, MSWA SENIOR OUTREACH COORDINATOR Wilson Outreach enjoyed a lovely 2016 that ended as usual with a lot of fun! As you may have read before, we often spend time virtually travelling around the world. November was filled with wonderful Hawaiian themed entertainment and activities. We made coconuts, painted hibiscuses, unscrambled word jumbles, tried the tongue twisting challenge and danced around in hula skirts! Our lovely friends at Duo 41, brought their ukulele playing friends to Wilson to serenade us with dulcet tunes. What a treat to have such talented players perform their unique talent WILSON live for us! We wrapped OUTREACH things up with a good NEWS old Luau; a traditional Hawaiian feast, where staff and Members enjoyed a beautiful outdoor BBQ lunch. December rolled on and our Christmas party was once again held in Como with a full house! Many staff were up on stage to entertain us throughout the day and their special efforts were greatly appreciated. Everyone really enjoyed the party and Santa paid us a visit too! Once again, the QBE staff volunteers helped with set up, serving and pack up. They are legends! We surveyed our Outreach Groups attendees regarding the length of closure over the Christmas period and based on the results, most centres shortened the holiday break period. Most re-opened this year a week earlier than usual. Attendance numbers were a little low, however, we are now well into the swing of things. As we carry on the ’travelling’ tradition into 2017, February has been about exploring Italy. The food (not to mention the wine!), the architecture, history and the fashion! What a rich culture! I’m not Plans for games, quizzes, educational talks as well as visiting guest artists soon had the Members buzzing with excitement as to what they could expect at their monthly meetings. The next one was held on 14 March. If you are reading this and live in Busselton or surrounding areas, please come and see us. If you have any questions about the group, you can call our Wilson Office on 9365 4888. We now have quite a team based in Busselton with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a masseuse, a counsellor and welfare officer based in Bunbury. Our MSWA staff are here to help and don’t forget the WA NDIS first trial site began in Busselton so if you are under 65 and haven’t registered with the scheme or don’t quite understand what it all means, contact our NDIS Team at NDIS@mswa.org.au and they will be happy to provide you with essential information and support. sure a month is long enough! We have made our own pasta and pizza, had a chocolate and cheese tasting day, planted basil and stimulated our senses with aromatic coffee beans! Much fun was had competing in the traditional pastime of Bocce in our beautiful outdoor area. Which brings me to mention our recent outdoor renovations! Using our raffle fundraising money, we installed café style blinds to enclose the patio, with the hope also of weatherproofing the area. Wall fans are now being sourced to help keep air circulating and providing greater comfort for Members whilst outside. Our long-time volunteer gardener, John, has rejuvenated our large raised garden beds, ready for new harvests this year. So far, we have planted a lovely range of herbs for our new cook, Justine, to work her magic with! We also have a new worm farm that has been donated from a staff member, to go with the one we have that was donated by Bunnings. Pretty soon we will have the healthiest veggie patch in all of Perth! We always welcome new Members to come visit us and participate in social interaction and activities. We have a wide variety of facilities, with something for everyone, even if it is just a cuppa! Please contact me, Nicola Ryan at Nicola.ryan@mswa.org.au, should you wish to pop in and see what it’s all about. MSWA BULLETIN AUTUMN 2017 | 27

Bulletin