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January 2010 NewsletterGreetings, Kia Ora koutou katoa we hope this finds you all well.
Your Voices: I would just like to thank you and your wonderful trust for all your help and the information that is always forwarded on to me. It helps me to stay focused on my grandchildren’s needs and well being when times get tough for me. I never thought for one moment in my life would I have to be a mother to my grandchildren. I don’t know whether raising a 3yr and 7yr old is keeping me youthful or assisting with aging, but they are both wonderful children that light up mine and my husband’s life. Both I and my husband have been involved in various organizations to gain as much information and knowledge of how to cope with my daughters drug addiction of “P” and found this very encouraging and helpful. I only wish that my daughter and others that are in the same situation could only understand the emotional torture that grandparents like myself and others have to go through in watching their own flesh and blood destroy their lives, families and their children’s. As each day goes by I remain to stay hopeful that one day I will have my baby girl back and my grandchildren have their mummy back. I wish you and everyone out there a Happy New Year. Nanny M Thank you: Thank you for the excellent newsletter. Our grandson has moved to a rehab centre for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. He has FASD, ADHD, Conduct disorder and a whole lot of other labels dished out by CYFS and the mental health system, in short an addictive personality. We had him with us for 9 years and benefited greatly from the wisdom contained in the newsletter. We are not involved with GRG in our area any more (having helped get the branch going) but appreciated the networking and support available. Thank you. Gran
Note from My Grand-daughter: She said she got the idea from a song, but added bits and said it applied to me J For all the times you stood up for me For all the truth you made me see For all the joy you bought to my life For all the wrong you made right For every dream you made come true For all the love I found in you, I’ll be forever thankful You’re the one that held me up and never let me fall You’re the one who saw me through, through it all You were my strength when I was weak You were my voice when I could not speak You were my eyes when I could not see You saw the best there was in me, and lifted me up when I could not reach You gave me faith because you believed in me I am everything I am because of you. Nan D*
Respite Camps Free for GRG Children April 2010. (Next round) Again there is an application date close off: 26 February 2010. Ages 5-12 years.The April 2010 Programme dates are: A four day camp from 6 April to 9 April (excludes Easter Monday) A five day camp from 12 April to 16 April. You can get an application form by contacting us directly with your email or postal address on: Email: kidzacool@healthcamps.org.nz Phone: 0800 kidzacool (0800 543 922) or 04 472 0101 Address: PO Box 12 547, Wellington Fax: 04 472 0166 Or download forms from www.healthcamps.org.nz Different forms for 1-2-3 children going Maunu Children’s Health Camp, Whangarei Pakuranga Children’s Health Camp, Auckland Princess of Wales Children’s Health Camp, Rotorua Te Kainga Whaiora Children’s Village, Gisborne Otaki Children’s Health Camp,Otaki Wellington, Glenelg Childrens Health Camp, Christchurch Roxburgh Children’s Health Camp, Roxburgh (Dunedin). oooOOOooo Dear KinCarer from CYF (only applies if your kin children are under CYF) Changes to the payment of invoices for doctor’s visits and prescriptions New payment process – what this means for you
The social worker will then send the doctor or chemist (by fax) a “purchase order”. In an emergency: Ask us if you have any questions: oooOOOooo Free: Eye Patches. oooOOOooo Problems with In Work Tax Credits: What you're entitled to if you receive a foster care allowance, orphan's benefit or unsupported child's benefit, for one or more children What it is
The unsupported child's benefit helps a person who raises someone else's child to support the child when their parents can't support them because of a family breakdown. What you're entitled to If you receive a foster care allowance, orphan's benefit or unsupported child's benefit, for one or more children, and this is the only benefit you receive from Work and Income, you may be entitled to in-work tax credit (previously called in-work payment). You are not entitled to any other Working for Families Tax Credits for these children. How much you can get How much you can get depends on:
The table below shows how much in-work tax credit (previously called in-work payment) you can get depending on the number of dependent children in your care.
Who can get it 30 hours each week as a couple, or 20 hours each week as a sole parent. As long as you work the minimum hour requirement as an employee or in self-employment you are still eligible if your income includes:
oooOOOooo Mental Health Crisis TeamMost regions have a mental health crisis team. These teams are called different things in different areas - Some are called Crisis Assessment and Treatment Teams (CATT), Psychiatric Emergency Teams/Services (PET/PES). These teams are made up of Community Mental Health Nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and administration staff. These teams:
* These numbers may take you to the main switchboard, if so, ask to be put through to the Mental Health Crisis Team. Note: Some of these 0800 numbers will only work in the specific region. If you are concerned about a person in another region and you can not get through to the Mental Health Crisis Team in their area, call the team nearest you for advice. For much more information go to www.webhealth.co.nz
Disability Allowance: Work & Income When a client applies for a Disability Allowance, a registered medical practitioner must complete a medical certificate. Registered medical practitioners include general practitioners and specialists such as paediatricians, psychiatrists, and oncologists. The medical certificate confirms:
The practitioner will indicate if the expected duration of the condition is less than 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 1 to 2 years, 2 to 3 years, or permanent. Where the registered medical practitioner or specialist indicates the duration is less than 6 months, the person is not eligible for Disability Allowance.
Annual Review of Disability Allowance
Note that when the medical certificate confirms a client or a family member has a permanent disability, no medical certificate will be issued through the annual review process. Annual Circumstances Letter Some clients receiving New Zealand Superannuation or Invalid’s Benefit, (who never need to be reassessed for Invalid’s Benefit) may have their annual review replaced by an ‘annual circumstances’ letter: This outlines their current circumstances and advises they are required to tell Work and Income if their circumstances change. The client is required to confirm their ongoing additional costs arising from that disability and to provide proof of any particular cost that:
If a client has a new cost to be included in their Disability Allowance, the client must provide a new medical certificate completed by their registered medical practitioner or specialist that confirms the new cost is a result of the client's disability, is ongoing and of therapeutic value. No verification of a disability cost is required if the client states a particular cost already included in their Disability Allowance is unchanged or has reduced. If the cost has reduced, Work and Income accepts this and reviews the client's (or family members’) Disability Allowance using this reduced cost from the beginning of the next pay-period. Child Disability Allowance Serious illness or disability includes: physical, sensory, neurological, mental health, intellectual or developmental disability, or chronic medical condition. The Child Disability Allowance is not paid to cover cost associated with the child or young person’s disability. The extra costs associated with a child or young person’s disability are not in themselves a qualification for the Child Disability Allowance.
Reassessment of Medical Condition There is an option for the medical practitioner to indicate on the medical certificate that the condition does not need to be reassessed for entitlement. If the doctor ticks “never” this is noted on the computer record and the medical review form will not be issued to the client.
Other Reviews Nutrition Column on Acne in Teens: written by Fiona Boyle Reg Dietitian, Reg Nutritionist We all want clear skin which is blemish free. Unfortunately for teenagers it is not that easy, and they commonly struggle with acne. Acne can affect self-confidence and negatively impact on how a person rates their body image. For a long time it was believed that diet did not have a role to play in acne, but the studies carried out were not robust enough to give clear scientific support to that argument. The role of diet was unclear. The prevalence of acne varies widely between populations. It is generally low in non-Westernised societies where people continue to eat traditional foods. Eskimos, for instance, have no history of acne until they adopt a western diet. A recent study in Australia helped to show the possible link between diet and acne. While further research is needed this study has positively shown how diet can affect acne. The study looked at how the glycaemic load of a meal may affect acne. Traditional diets made up of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and less processed foods have a much lower glycaemic load than diets made up of highly refined foods. The lower glycaemic eating pattern resulted in a reduction of acne. Meals based around choices of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins have a lower glycaemic load. This means that lower insulin levels are needed after eating. If you eat a meal where food choices lead to a higher blood sugar level after eating, then you need more insulin to help maintain a normal blood sugar level. Eating patterns that can place a higher demand on insulin levels include choices such as white breads, breakfast cereals with a lower fibre level and high-sugar foods such as biscuits, soft drinks or fruit juices. By eating a diet with a lower glycaemic load insulin levels can be reduced. The reduction in insulin levels could help control hormonal imbalances associated with acne. Choosing foods which help to lower the glycaemic load are highly recommended as they tend to be good for us. Sometimes, as we all know, it can be hard to get teenagers to eat the ‘healthy foods’. However, if you have a teenager troubled with acne, then this could be the motivating factor for improving their diet.
By following a diet with a lower glycaemic load this can also help with appetite control. We all know that many teenagers seem to have "hollow legs" and constantly crave food. By including some lean protein at each of the meals this will help to lower the glycaemic load and control appetite. Including foods such as lean meat, skinless chicken, fish (tinned or fresh) eggs, dried beans, nuts or low fat dairy products is recommended at each meal. These foods are all good sources of protein. The dietary recommendations above are made up of good healthy choices. Not only may it help the control of acne it will also give a good range of important antioxidants, vitamins and minerals needed by all of us. Fiona Boyle is a registered dietitian and nutritionist. She runs a private practice and gives nutrition advice to individuals and families to help meet their health needs and personal goals. Article Acne written by Fiona Boyle Check out www.kiwifamilies.co.nz for more info.
Taming the Potty mouth: Q: My three-year old has started to swear. Amazingly he uses all the words in their correct context. I have pulled the plug on many TV programs, where I believe he has learned this behaviour. What can I do to get him to stop using this "talent" he has already acquired?
A: Your three-year old is discovering the "power" of language. Amazingly, it doesn’t take kids long to figure out the really important words. At this age, your son is exploring and learning about lots of things. He is knowledgeable enough to know that he is no longer the biggest, most important thing in the world. He now knows that there are lots of things that exist that he can’t even see and doesn’t even know about. This is both exciting and discouraging for him. On the one hand there is so much for him to explore. On the other hand, he is not such a big fish in a little pond any more. Consequently, he is looking for all of the things that help him to feel a little more powerful. Swearing is one of the things he can access that has a really big effect on the people around him. As well as his fascination with power, he is equally fascinated with the magic of language. He wonders what about these words makes them so important. "Why do they have different significance depending on who you say them to and how you say them?" "Why can words that describe your body be 'bad' words?" Three-year-olds also love to experiment with language. They love to make up words and new word combinations. They love to play with words and to tell jokes. Swearing fits perfectly with the things that fascinate them at this age. Also, children don’t know the meanings of most of the swear words they use, but they are trying hard to figure them out. Running them by several people to get a reaction is one of the ways you can figure out what words mean. Lastly, three-year-olds are not yet fully proficient at expressing their feelings. They are moving away from physical expression like hitting, biting, throwing and kicking and now they are experimenting with expressing feelings using their words. Swearing is one of the methods they explore as they look for satisfying ways to express their feelings. There are several things you can do to help your child figure out answers for all the complex questions he has and to also help him learn socially acceptable language:
Ask him questions. Children use lots of words they only partially understand. Ask your child what he thinks that word means. This will give you an idea of what his level of comprehension is. Give him information. Once you have an idea of what his understanding is, you can give him some information which will help him learn both what the words mean and how people feel about their use. The definitions of most swear words are inappropriate for four year olds and would be difficult for them to understand. However, you can give him enough information so that he will understand the specialness of the words. The most important thing for him to know is how people might respond if they hear him swearing. "That is a word that means ‘poop’ and when people say it to each other, it can hurt feelings." "When you say that word, it is the same as calling someone ‘dummy’ or ‘stupid,’ and that hurts people’s feelings." "Saying that word means you want bad things to happen to that person." "People say that word when they are angry or frustrated and don’t know how else to express their feelings." The other confusing thing for kids is that different people have different reactions to swearing. His friends at school may think it is hilarious, but he isn’t likely to get giggles out of Grandma with his use of curse words. You can tell him that some people think it is funny, but that most people including Grandma, your neighbor, etc. don’t like to hear those words. Think about his sources. It seems you have already discovered that television is one of his sources for swear words and have limited his access to it. Often children will learn swear words from their young friends. Since they are so interested in peers right now, it is difficult to discourage your child from using the language his friends use, however, you can tell him that even though his friends sometimes like to use that language, it isn’t language you use in your family. The other common source is parents or other adults in your child’s life. If it is really important to you that your child doesn’t swear, parents may have to change their own language. Provide alternatives. Kids are more likely to abandon difficult behaviors if we give them viable alternatives. If your son is working on expressing his feelings, power and developing interesting language, you can offer him some alternative words. "If you are really angry, instead of swearing, you could say, ‘I’m furious,’ or ‘I’m irate.’ Both of those words mean you are very, very angry." "'Damn' is an interesting word, but it is a swear word. Let’s see if we can think of some other words. How about slim, slam, flam? Can you think of some other funny ones?" You can also provide him with alternative places to use his swear words. "Those are words I don’t like to hear. If you need to use them, please go into your room and close the door, so I don’t have to hear them."
Give him a little time. Because a three-year old is really invested in his own ideas, it is going to be hard for him to give up the language he has just discovered on his own. He may need to do some more experimenting before he can abandon it completely. You can gently remind him that you want him to find other words to use and even ignore it some of the time (after you have given him some information and told him how you feel about it.) Most children grow out of it and adopt the language used by their family. Parent of the year! Yeah right: Wendy Brown fakes her daughter’s identity to be a cheerleader Keep smiling, it is not that bad yet: Three old ladies are sitting in a diner, chatting about various things. One lady says, "You know, I'm getting really forgetful. This morning, I was standing at the top of the stairs, and I couldn't remember whether I had just come up or was about to go down." Di
Posted: Tue 26 Jan 2010 |
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