This month saw the beginning of our Student Placement Collaboration with the University of Limerick. This involves undergraduate General Nursing Degree Students coming and gaining experience in our Day Centre as part of their degree programme. This is a first for the University and we are delighted to be working with them in such a proactive manner in the training of nursing students and providing them with an opportunity to understand how Day Centres positively impact on peoples lives within their communities.

We celebrated St. Bridgets Day, Valentines Days, The festival of Our Lady of Lourdes and had several Health Promotion segments. We are delighted to announce that we will be opening our services on Mondays from March 31st and look forward to seeing new and familiar faces on that additional day. We welcome volunteers to come join us and also to spread the word in your communities that we now have this 4 day service. We are actively funding raising again this year so all help is appreciated. This can be in the form of supporting events, coming up with fundraising ideas or just spreading the word in your local communities and to family members and neighbors about what is coming up.

We have changed our format slightly for 2014 in that we will now focus on specific areas of interest each week of each month. We propose to focus on health promotion one week, exercise and activity another, baking and arts & crafts another and finally entertainment and music another week. Having reviewed the past 12 months we feel that having a week devoted to these areas of interest will give you more time to get involved and enjoy them for longer periods of time each month.

 HEALTH PROMOTION

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Sergeant Downey came to speak with each of our groups as to how we can be vigilant in our communities and to raise awareness regarding crime prevention.

 PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE / INFORMED CHOICES

Gwen Bowen, solicitor, came and spoke with us regarding planning for our future. She focus in particular this month around some common concerns regarding Making Wills and Property Succession.

 ENTERTAINMENT

Brian Flynn entertained us once again with great song and guitar playing. We are so appreciative to Brian to make time to come and visit with us as he has done on so many occasions. 

Rebecca Griffin has been with us all this month meeting with each group from our catchment areas. During these sessions she has engaged in chat and song as per what people wanted to hear and join in with. Rebecca has a huge repertoire to choose from and we were delighted to have her with us for the month of February.

Mary & Michael Mullins celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this month and we celebrated several birthdays during February.

Rose King (Fetac Student) worked with us this month and made some beautiful floral arrangement to celebrate Valentines Day

UP COMING IN MARCH

Transition Year students from St. Caimin’s and The Comprehensive Schools in Shannon will be involved in projects here in the Day Centre and we look forward to the enthusiasm this will bring and also for our clients to show case their vast knowledge and skills that can be transferred to our younger generation.

ST. PATRICKS FUN CEILI BREAKFAST

Wear the green and join us for this fun fundraising event being held in our Day Centre on Sunday March 16th, 12 noon to 3pm. Tickets are €15, €7 for children with raffles and fun prizes on the day

 TABLE QUIZ IN SHANNON

On March 27th we will be holding a Table Quiz to fund raise for our Day Services in the OakWood Arms in Shannon at 8pm, Teams of 4, costing €40 per team. All are welcome!!!

1st BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS   

It is difficult to believe that is was 1 year ago this month that we opened our doors to our local areas of Shannon, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Cratloe, Sixmilebridge and Kilkishen. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful clients and their families, volunteers and staff that have made this first year so enjoyable for everyone. The Day Centre Service is going from strength to strength and is proving to be such a needed service in our local communities that we have had to commence a waiting lists system for Wednesdays and Thursdays. A huge effort has gone into fundraising to support keeping this service as vibriant as it is and this will be going ahead with as much vigor and commitment as seen last year. Thank you to all who help us with our fundraising events. We erected a display showing a sample of some of the key events that we celebrated each month last year while also displaying the art, crafts and achievements of the past 12 months for all to enjoy

GRADUATION / ACHIEVEMENTS  DAY

There was a marvellous sense of achievement when clients from each area who had participated in Mobile Phone Tuition, Introduction to IT and Ageing with Confidence Courses received recognition of their achievements this month. We also recognised clients who since started using this service had full attendence

 EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY

A variety of activities including indoor bowls were enjoyed this month. The focus of these are to keep us as activity as possible in a fun way at a level that suits each individual. Outdoor activities using our exercise equipment and walkways were also being enjoyed when weather would allow.

Reminescence

Theresa from the Clare County Library Archives came in to us again with some wonderful newspapers and articles of local interest from times past.

Larry Brennan (Geneologiest) held everyone’s interest with his sessions on ‘Tracing’ and Family Histories.

Community Services

Blue Bird Care came and spoke with us to raise awareness of what services are available to people in our local communities regarding care.

R Crimmins came and spoke with our group as to ‘Living Wills’ and what this entails for those who were interested.

Research and Health Promotion

Joanne Shanahan, MSc Research Student, physiotherapist and dance tutor based in the University of Limerick came and ran our first Set Dancing Session to our group on Tuesday from Shannon. Everyone had great fun and got lots of exercise.