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newsHealthy eating helps AmaliaBorstelj stay 100 years youngLalor resident, Amalia Borstelj, celebratedher 100th birthday with friends fromNorthern Health’s Planned ActivityGroup on Tuesday, 18 June at BundooraExtended Care Centre.With the support of her family, Amaliais able to continue enjoying theindependence of living at home, cookingbalanced homemade meals and caringfor her pet cat. Her enthusiasm anddedication to a healthy lifestyle makes hera great ambassador for positive ageing.For the past four years Amalia has beena member of our Planned Activity Group,taking part in a range of therapeuticand social activities including gentleexercise, communication groups whichreminisce and discuss news events,arts and crafts, and outdoor activities toBundoora Homestead, Legends Farm, MillPark Library and most recently, PrestonMarket.“I thought a few years ago that I was tooold to make new friends. Now I wish Istarted coming to the Planned ActivityGroup sooner,” said Amalia.“How to reach 100 years? Make the rightfood, don’t drink too much – perhaps justone glass of wine once in awhile, eat lotsof fruit and veggies, don’t smoke and keepbusy with the activities you love best.”To satisfy her affection for healthy eating,Amalia cultivates her own organic gardenand encourages her two children, fiveBaby boom!grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildrento also garden. As it was part of theenvironment they grew up in, gardeningfresh fruits and vegetables comesnaturally to her family.Born on 17 June, 1913, Mrs Borstelj hasled an amazing life which includes fluencyin several languages; including her nativeSlovenian, English and Italian, her latehusband’s native language and whereshe called Trieste in northern Italy homefor 12 years. She also speaks German, alanguage she learned from the Germanoccupation in World War II.During the war she lost all herpossessions but not her strong sense offamily, and even though she lived a simplelife in Europe, was still dedicated to takingholidays in Slovenia and Austria whenpossible.Mrs Borstelj’s passion for handmade artssaw her excel in sewing, knitting, crochetand embroidery; useful skills she was ableto rely on when her family immigratedto Australia in 1955. She takes pride inhaving used her talents in a clothingfactory, specialising in making children’sclothes and pyjamas.Bundoora Extended Care Centre’sPlanned Activity Group meets Tuesdaysand Thursdays. Referrals to the PlannedActivity Group can be made to NorthernHealth’s ACETS Program on telephonenumber 94953443.Happy 100th Birthday Amalia!Celebrating her special day with Planned ActivityGroup’s Lisa James, Johanna Hayes, OperationsDirector Community Services and Lisa Evans, SiteManager Bundoora Extended Care Centre.On Tuesday, 25 June Northern Healthwelcomed its 3,000 birth, Baby JoshuaHarding, who was born at 9.50 pm.In 2012-13, 3031 babies were delivered atThe Northern Hospital. This is a staggering337 more babies than in the 2011-12financial year!The Northern Health maternity serviceprovides expert maternity care to adynamic, multicultural population, and itscaring staff assist with over fifty births eachweek. As each woman’s needs are unique,we aim to support our patients in all aspectsof their pregnancy and the birth of theirbaby.Congratulations to the hardworkingmidwives, doctors and other staff whoeveryday play an important role indelivering a large number of newborns!Baby Joshua and proud mum Lidiacelebrate this significant milestone.Playing games are some of the activities PlannedActivity Group members enjoy.Community CONNECT JULY 2013 3

newsVolunteers are patients’ cupof tea – or coffeeVolunteers at The Northern Hospital have been serving up tea and coffee inOutpatients, ICU and Theatre for the past year and a half.Lisa and Bill from Turi Foods, one of Northern Health’s most generoussupporters, have also recently volunteered their time again on the tea andcoffee trolley in Outpatients.For our newest volunteers Tania and Samara, Year 11 students fromAntonine College in Pascoe Vale South, their experience communityvolunteering at the hospital has been fantastic. After their first busymorning making tea and coffee for people waiting in Outpatients, thefeedback was wonderful and they appreciated patients’ smiles andgratitude at having a free cuppa.If you are interested in volunteering at Northern Health, please contact theVolunteer Coordinators at The Northern Hospital, Bundoora Extended CareCentre, Broadmeadows Health Service and Craigieburn Health ServiceProviding tea and coffee is just one of the many greatactivities volunteers do to help patients and visitors.Volunteers work hard to help make visitors and patients’ stay inhospital as comfortable as possible, whether waiting for an Outpatientappointment or gathering with friends and family for support in the ICU orTheatre wait rooms. Comments received include:• This is fantastic!• I have never had this before.• Oh thank you very much!• Much appreciated, never experienced this at another hospital.Gift packs of careThe Northside Christian Church inBundoora has given a very generousdonation of toiletries to BundooraExtended Care Centre.The gift packs contain a varietyof items, including toothbrushes,toothpaste, shampoo and combs.One of the roles of dedicatedvolunteer Dorothy is to assist clientsand patients when they arrive atBundoora Extended Care Centre andhave no toiletries. These charitablegifts from Northside will go a longway in supporting our patients.BECC Volunteer Dorothy with Marie and Katherine of Northside Christian Church.Subscribe to Community ConnectNorthern Health is always proud and excited to share news and updates with the northern community we serve.You can subscribe to receive Community Connect via e-mail, simply send us an e-mail requesting to subscribe and we’ll keep in touch.For more information e-mail: corporatecommunications@nh.org.au or phone 8405 8026.4 Community CONNECT JULY 2013