Category Archives: Recreation

Alfred Health Carer Services eNews November 2025

Welcome to our November edition of eNews

This month you will find lots of useful information and activities available for carers.

Click on the headings below to jump to a section:

Alfred Health Carer Services News
Our Upcoming Events
Male Carers
Carer Stories
Around Our Region: Services & Programs
Library Spotlight
Carer Support Group Spotlight
Podcasts
Taking Care Of Yourself
Staff Q&A

Inner South Family and Friends Meetings and Events for 2026

Dates to Diarise for 2026

We are in the throes of planning our 2026 programme.

Monthly Meetings, second Tuesday of the month, commencing in February:

10 February

10 March

14 April

12 May

9 June

14 July

11 August

15 September

13 October

10 November

Social functions being considered are:

  • a day at Peninsula Hot Springs
  • lunches,
  • cinema,
  • day outing / special walk / regional gallery visit

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS – email isfaf@alfred.org.au

Inner South Family and Friends Walk n Chat

BEACH WALK N CHAT ON THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH  TUESDAY OF THE  MONTH

Walkers generally meet at 1pm, with non-walkers joining us at 2.15pm, for a drink provided by ISFAF.   Family members, including canines are very welcome.  Bookings by phone / text to Alexis on 0423 939 949 are essential, or by 10am on the day of the walk.  Please state your name when you book and ensure that you have provided a return phone number, that is, if your number does not show up when you call, please include it and your name in the message. Times and starting points may vary, as may the availability over the holiday season.

2024 Tuesday Walk n Chat dates to diarise:  December 2, 16 and 30,   January 6 and 20

Advance Notice for 2026 – Commencing in 2025, Penny has offered to organise a second regular walking group in the South Melbourne/Port Melbourne/Albert Park area. This will be in addition to our regular Elwood Walk n Chat. If you are interested, and to assist with planning, please advise Penny of your preferred choice of days by calling or messaging her on  0400 979 976 or sending an email either to pmal@catullus.com.au or to  isfaf@alfred.org.au.  The suggested venue is Albert Park starting and finishing at the coffee shop on the light rail at Armstrong Street Station. There is a car park alongside the café directly opposite the Middle Park Bowling Club. If leaving a message, please be sure to clearly leave your name and contact details.                                                                             

Inner South Family and Friends End of Year Christmas Dinner

2025  END-OF-YEAR CHRISTMAS DINNER 6PM TUESDAY 9 DECEMBER AT CUSINA 130 ERSKINE STREET MIDDLE PARK

Bookings close 5pm Wednesday 3 December

Free parking is available in Erskine Street

TO BOOK

  1. Deposit $5 for pensioners or $10 for non-pensioners to ISFAF Community Account,  BSB 033169   A/c No:  258307  to reach ISFAF account by Wednesday 3 December

Please ensure that your deposit shows your name and names of any others in your booking.

  1. Email confirmation to Penny Lewisohn pmal@catullus.com.au or isfaf@alfred.org.au

      In your email, include

  • Name, phone number and email of each individual attending (preferably mobile phone number)
  • Choice of main course for each person and their special dietary needs if any

Cusina is a gourmet restaurant with a highly regarded chef. We have held our end of year dinner here for the previous two years as members seem to enjoy the outdoor ambience, let’s hope it is fine! Food will be cooked specifically for us on the night. We are a big group. To assist the chef, we must advise the restaurant of our main courses by the previous Wednesday night. PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE YOUR MIND ON THE NIGHT It causes chaos for everyone!

Accordingly, please let us know in your email which ONE of the following main courses you wish to have:

 – any ONE pizza shown on the menu. The list of pizzas is on on the Cusina website:  https://www.opentable.com.au/r/cusina-middle-park

 – or one of the following pasta dishes:

  • beef ragu pappardelle (pappardelle pasta with slow cooked beef brisket in red wine and paprika sauce)
  • spaghetti with prawns in lobster bisque
  • gnocchi with pumpkin and gorgonzola
  • or chicken cacciatore : boned chicken thighs with roasted capsicum olives and onion with a touch of Napoli sauce served w roasted potatoes  (GF)
  • or fish of the day: wild caught barramundi fillet roasted tomatoes ,potatoes ,olives and caramelised red onion (GF)

If anyone in your booking has special dietary needs you MUST let us know the specific needs in your email.

All of the above pastas and pizzas can be made GF if you advise ahead.

Please note that the meal is highly subsidised by AMAH.  Drinks other than tap water are not included in the above cost. Any drinks other than tap water are to be ordered and paid for individually at the bar upon order.

Confirmation of booking will be emailed to individuals whose deposits show up in the above account AND who have emailed isfaf@alfred.org.au.  with their choice of main course (and any special dietary needs)

WE THANK THE VICTORIAN STATE GOVERNMENT, CARERS VIC AUSTRALIA AND AMAH FOR THEIR GENEROSITY IN SUBSIDISING THIS AMAZING DINNER FOR US TO ENJOY

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Alfred Health Carer Services News October 2025

 

National Carers Week 2025
12-18 October

National Carers Week is an opportunity to recognise and raise awareness about Australia’s 3 million carers.As we know, carers represent a diverse range of cultures, ages, experiences and responsibilities. All carers have to balance caring responsibilities with other responsibilities like work, study and their physical and mental health.Anyone can become a carer, at anytime.The Carer Wellbeing Survey found carers who had good access to support had healthier levels of wellbeing compared to those who had no or limited access to help.To learn more about National Carer’s Week and to search events being held, click below

National Carer’s Week

Click Here to view the Program

Inner South Family and Friends Meetings and Social Events September-December 2025

ISFAF MONTHLY MEETING 7pm for 7.30 pm TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2025 

VENUE: LEVEL 1, 607 ST KILDA ROAD, MELBOURNE 

The building is a little to the St Kilda side of Wesley College. Lots of free parking in the centre lanes of St Kilda Road, with many trams stopping at the door. If you are having trouble with transport, seek further information or just need a chat, about ISFAF, the ‘mental health world’ and/or issues you are facing please phone: Judi M: 0425 723 746 or Eleni M: 0412 018 722 

Please come early to chat and to enjoy delicious snacks which will be available from 7.05pm 

For security, we are required to pay a concierge at the door of the building. Latecomers may not be able to enter. 

GUEST SPEAKER: Hayden Fricke, psychologist, writer https://haydenfricke.com/ 

TOPIC: The Journey – Love, Loss and Understanding Mental Illness 

Hayden, son of one of our founders, Judy Carroll and step-son of our member Frank has written a book ‘Compassion’ – a journey of love, loss and understanding of mental illness. It is a very personal book about the four men in Hayden’s life that have suffered from mental illness. As a psychologist, Hayden shares his thoughts on how far society has come in the last 40 years and what we can still do to reduce the stigma, improve conversations about mental illness and to improve the mental system. 

The book is a wonderful read. It makes an excellent gift which may lead those around us to gaining greater understanding of the trials and tribulations that individuals with serious mental illness and their carers face. 

Hayden will bring some copies for sale, or if you already have a copy he will sign it for you. To buy at the meeting, please bring $25 exact change. (On Amazon, the book is on special with the price reduced from $39 to $33) 

A TRUE TREAT – TREAT SESSION WITH JO GIBBS – TUESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER
THERAPEUTIC RELAXATION AND HEALTH AWARENESS SESSION 

Catered Buffet Dinner, 5.30pm Treat Session commences 6.30pm 

Level 1, 607 St Kilda Road Melbourne 

https://www.treathealthcare.com.au/ 

The session held last year was so greatly appreciated that members have asked for another. Jo’s well researched TREAT sessions provide the self-care and therapeutic relaxation that we all need to be able to function. 

BOOKING BY NOON WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER ARE ESSENTIAL 

1. deposit donation ($8 / $16 ) to Westpac ISFAF Community One A/C BSB 033-169 A/c No: 258307, 

2. make sure your booking shows your name and the names of others in your booking 

3. email judi.burstyner@gmail.com and isfaf@alfred.org.au with proof of booking. Please do not send proof to phone or text or other form of communication. Simply follow the directions to email as requested to both the following email addresses: judi.burstyner@gmail.com and isfaf@alfred.org.au. 

4. Please double check that your email shows: the names of those for whom you have booked, 

  • any special dietary needs. We will try our best to cater to these. However we are not responsible for the contents of food provided and cannot guarantee that catering to all special needs is possible.
  • As always, we take no responsibility for the ingredients and it is up to individuals to ensure their own safety.

Confirmatory email will be sent by 5pm Saturday 13 September. If you do not receive the confirmatory email but have paid, email judi.burstyner@gmail.com urgently and by 5pm Sunday 14 September. 

If you have questions regarding the bookings, please do not hesitate to contact Judi directly on mobile 0425 723 746 or judi.burstyner@gmail.com 

ELWOOD BEACH WALK ‘N CHAT 

ON THE 1ST, 3RD AND 5th (WHERE APPLICABLE) TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 

PLEASE NOTE that by demand – it has been decided that Walk n Chats are so valuable that the 5th (and sometimes other) Tuesdays are included. Family members, including canines are very welcome. Walkers generally meet at 1pm, with non-walkers joining us at 2.15pm for a drink provided by ISFAF. Please book on the day prior to walk or by 10am on the day of the walk: Ph: Alexis 0423 939 949 

Meeting place will be advised when you book. Bookings essential – times and starting points may vary, 

Some 2025 Tuesday Walk ‘n Chat dates to diarise: September 16, 30 October 7, 21, 28 If you need help with transport or have other questions, please do not hesitate to contact Judi at judi.burstyner@gmail.com or phone 0425 723 746 

ISFAF Monthly Meetings October-December

Tuesday 14 October: Team members of Windana, an adult residential detox unit in St Kilda. https://windana.org.au/services/adult-detox-at-windana/ 

Tuesday 11 November: Dr. Simon Stafrace, Programme Director Alfred Mental and Addiction Health.  Dr Stafrace’s annual end-of-year talks are always of interest, updating us of innovations locally and generally in the world of mental health and wellbeing. 

Tuesday 9 December: End of Year Dinner 

https://ispaf.org/ 

Alfred Health Carer Services October-December 2025 Carer Events

Did you miss out on our events?

Have you missed out on a place for our events because you haven’t had a Carers Star conversation with us in the last 12 months?

REMEMBER:

  • You MUST be registered with us and have had a Carer Star conversation within the last 12 months to be able to attend our events.
  • Have you received an email advising you that you need to have a Carer Star conversation?
  • Please make sure to follow the instructions in the email to attend our events.

Key Contacts

Carer Gateway:

Alfred Health Carer Services:

  • Call us on 1800 51 21 21
  • Call our Carer Engagement Team on 03 9076 6644

Click on the link below to see the October-December carer events program
CarereventsOctober-December2025