In these strange times (I’m deliberately avoiding the word ‘unprecedented’ as while it might be true it’s been done to death!) all I can think of is that maybe we are all starring in some B grade disaster film and that Gerard Butler is about to emerge from behind a bush and save us all! Well actually, if that’s true, the plot of this saga is so cringe worthy its more likely to be Nicholas Cage (actually I like him though, desperate times call for embarrassing admissions!).
But I digress. In times like these we are told it’s important to try and keep spirits high and to find the good in the situation. The silver lining! Only every silver lining I seem to find gets tarnished!
For example, silver lining: Spending nights in at home I finally have an opportunity to start some sort of beauty regime. How about a face mask? It sounds blissful!
Tarnished: If only I knew how to read the Chinese instructions!!!
Silver lining: I’ve enjoyed tending to my tomato plants this summer and with limited visits to the shops at the moment it feels nice to be a little self-reliant.
Tarnished: Except this was the sum total of today’s harvest!
Silver lining: Since going out is not an option, plus the fact its a very very short commute from bed to the home office in the morning, its seems like the perfect time to get into all that wine and gin that we keep accumulating.
Tarnished: Except day drinking alone technically makes me an alcoholic and with no end date to this situation in sight as yet, perhaps heavy drinking is not one of the hobbies to get into right now.
Silver lining: We have a cat to keep us company.
Tarnished: With each passing day Jordan and I prefer to talk to the cat more and more rather than each other. Plus poor Olive now needs to take on all sorts of social roles that are usually fulfilled by others, for example Gym Buddy!
How, might you ask, do I always manage to find the negative in things? It’s a gift, it truly is! But no in all seriousness, I know I am very lucky. We have a spacious home, provisions and a beautiful view, and I am especially lucky that I can continue to work from home, or in fact continue to work at all., So we’ll just ride this out….
In the meantime, please comment some of the things you are doing or have noticed since being in iso.
A very good friend of mine plays this game when talking to people about recent happenings, such as holidays, events etc. It is a fantastic way to sum up your recent news without going off on a tangent and more importantly without wearing out the patience of those who only politely asked you ‘what’s been happening?’ expecting you to say ‘not much, just work, the usual’ but who have now got much more than they bargained for as you launch into a minute by minute recap of your weekend, or in my case my extra long weekend!
So, as I prefer to dish out the advice than strictly adhere to it myself, I’ve chosen to summarise my Vic visit in the spirit of ‘highlight lowlight’ BUT I’ve broken up the week into little snippets to give me a few extra words…a technicality I know but I’m taking it.
Melbourne City
Highlight was definitely catching up with the old work mates! I use ‘definitely’ here to emphasise how much I appreciate and value these friendships, but of course coming in a very close second was some Bambi snuggles.
~Bambi~
Lowlight was the long commutes to work! Eight years ago when I moved to Melbourne I thought the tram was romantic, hip, city chic…but to be honest it is a nightmare! I also don’t miss the office politics and going to endless meaningless meetings! I am glad to be back in WA with Olive as my assistant.
But visiting the office every now and then does help to stay connected to the agency and refuel a sense of purpose in the work I’m doing. So in that respect, not a low light really.
Long weekend in Queenscliff
Highlight is impossible to narrow down so maybe if I put them all in the same sentence does that still count as one? Highlight was walking on the beach, making pizzas, drinking champagne, patting dogs, building Duplo castles, picnicking in the park and spending such a special time with best friends…of all generations! It was so great to reminisce about the past but just as fun to look ahead to the future. How lucky I am to have friendships that have spanned decades and now with two little girls in tow the friendship will continue for much longer to come. #girlstrip
Lowlight was saying goodbye, but that’s a bit obvious. So maybe, the lowlight was realising that time moves on and that some friendships are now longer simply about having fun and over indulging (although that it still possible!) but there are now responsibilities like kids to bathe, kids to feed, kids that need a nap, kids that cry and not to mention the teddies that need to be played with, the dolls that need to be dressed and the stories that need to be read. Sometimes it can feel like the old times are gone but that’s what makes real friendships. When you can still enjoy yourselves, maybe even more so than you did before, even as life changes. So again, scratch that, no lowlight.
Queenscliff, Victoria
Last day at home
Lowlight was being woken up by a text to say my flight had been cancelled and spending the next hour and a bit sorting out new arrangements. A later flight meant a later arrival to Perth and started to put a dampener on the day before it had really begun.
But really this wasn’t a lowlight either…in fact it turned out to be a highlight! A later flight meant time for a run, before a lunch date, a very special film (The Biggest Little Farm – thoroughly recommend for the story, the cinematography, the hope for restoring the environment and the adorable piglets!) and a visit to the Geelong Cats store with two Cats sightings!
Plus, it doesn’t matter how late I arrive back in Perth, this one was still waiting up for me…sort of.
The Melbourne based Paws Animals Shelter first opened its
doors in 2019. Over the last decade we have successfully rehomed hundreds of
animals to loving families. But we have noticed that our older pets are often
the last to find their new homes.
At Paws, we believe that all pets deserve a second chance – especially our senior pets. That is why we started the PATCH Project.
PATCH ~ People and Animals Together Creating Happiness
PATCH first launched in 2018 with a mission to pair older pets with senior citizens living in aged care facilities. The initial local trial was a success with 30 PATCH matches achieved.
Living on my own, at my age, I didn’t see much point in getting to know other people here. But Rusty makes sure I talk to other people. We have to be sure we are not all feeding him! Being part of PATCH has given me a sense of real purpose in this place that I didn’t have before.
Brian Smith, 89 years old, Aged Care Resident, Melbourne
This year, we want to expand PATCH and match more elderly pets with senior citizens than ever before!
Why You Should Care
Pets are loving members of many families. However, an alarming number of animals are being surrendered to pounds and rescue shelters. According to RSPCA Australia, more than 40,200 dogs and 53,000 cats were surrendered to their shelters between 2017 and 2018 alone. That is a staggering number! While some are able to be rehomed, sadly many others are euthanised.
At the same time, the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare reports that there are more than
170,000 Australians living in residential aged care facilities. Did you know
that up to 50% of aged care residents are reported to suffer from depressive
symptoms? And in the last year alone, 40% of residents have received no
visitors?
With Australia’s ageing population continuing to rise, we need to develop strategies to improve the quality of life for our senior citizens.
This is where the PATCH Project comes in.
The PATCH Impact
PATCH provides benefits for both elderly pets and senior citizens. We’re not only giving our senior pets a second chance at a new home, but we are also helping to bring joy and companionship back into the lives of residents of aged care facilities.
We want to expand PATCH
and continue to help more people and animals find happiness together. But we
need your help!
So far, we’ve secured
a $50,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Dreams for Good Fund. However,
we need to raise another $50,000 through crowd funding initiatives to ensure
that we can meet our goals by June 2020:
Rescue 100 older pets from kill shelters across Victoria.
Increase Paws Shelter’s capacity to care for an additional 50 animals.
Establish PATCH partnerships with more pet-friendly aged care facilities across Victoria.
Rehome over 100 elderly pets though PATCH.
Fund medical treatments and behavioural assessments to ensure pets are ready for adoption.
Support our pets and their new owners with a Pet Care Basket filled with all the essentials they need.
Provide elderly pet owners with the assurance that their PATCH pet will be taken care of in the event they are no longer able to care for it.
Prevent more pets from being surrendered to animal shelters by working to improve policies at aged care facilities allowing animal companions to stay with their owners.
Risks and
Challenges
We recognise that while PATCH has significant benefits, it is not without its challenges. As a result, we have taken special steps to mitigate these factors.
Well-Mannered and Healthy Pets: We perform extensive behavioural assessments to evaluate if the pet is suitable for adoption. We also cover microchipping, desexing, vaccinations and other procedures to ensure that our pets are ready for their new homes.
Aged Care Partnerships: We have partnered with several aged care facilities who have agreed to support the PATCH Project and feel that their staffing environments and residents are a good fit for the program.
The PATCH Matching Process: Our partner aged care facilities provide residents with the opportunity to sign up to the PATCH Project. When a suitable match is found, we begin an initial introduction to see if they’re compatible. If both parties are happy, we then proceed with the adoption process.
The PATCH Promise: We consider everyone who comes through our program as part of our family. So if something happens, we’ll be there to support them no matter what!
Lifestyle Changes: If the pet owner is no longer capable of caring for the pet, the pet will be rehomed by the PATCH Project.
Veterinary Expenses: We understand that medical treatments for pets can be expensive, especially for older pet owners. That’s why we provide health insurance for all of our PATCH Pets.
Death and Loss: We recognise that instances of death and loss are likely to be higher compared to other adoption programs as we work closely with elderly people and pets. As a result, we provide owners with the assurance that Paws will take care of all pets in the event of their passing.
Support Us
We believe in the
PATCH’s potential to make a real difference in the lives of pets and people. In
recognition of your generosity, backers of our campaign will be offered:
Become a PetPal for
$20: You will be matched
with an elderly resident of an aged care facility and receive updates from them
and their new PATCH match.
Gift a PATCH Pet
Care Basket for $50: You will have your
name written in the card that will be received by the new pet owner and your
name will appear in the Paws Newsletter.
Rescue a Pet for
$100: Join Paws and the
rescue culture and save a senior pet from an uncertain future. Paws does not euthanise.
You will be named on the pet’s adoption certificate and receive updates on
their adoption process as well as become a member of our PetPals program.
Provide a Better Life for $200: Help fund the general but sometimes life changing medical treatment of our senior pets. You’ll also receive all the aforementioned rewards listed.
Make a difference by supporting PATCH today!
*The PATCH Project is a fictional crowd funding campaign. It is all part of making media for Deakin University – ALC701. Thank you for reading.*
The PURRth Life 