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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The Age AM News 30 October 2025

Extract from Mental Health Australia CEO Update 30 October 2025

 

  • Media release: Access Denied report paints alarming picture of NDIS access A new report shows the alarming impacts of hidden changes at the NDIS, which are creating invisible barriers and growing inequity for some of Australia’s most vulnerable people. The Access Denied: Psychosocial Disability and the NDIS report comes from the Australian Psychosocial Alliance (APA) – a national alliance of leading mental health support organisations including Mind Australia and One Door Mental Health, drawing on first-hand insights from consumers, participants, carers and others involved in the system, as well as NDIS statistics and APA organisational data.

Turning Point Webinar 18November 2025

Connect & Learn
online from 1pm to 1:45pm AEDT

The role of dual diagnosis in AOD rehabilitation
presented by Dr Lea Foo & David Hill

click here to register

The presentation will aim to improve knowledge about the prevalence of comorbid mental health and substance use disorders, their relationship and impact on recovery. Dr Lea Foo and David Hill will provide tools and strategies to support addressing comorbid mental health conditions in the AOD space.

Dr Lea Foo is an Addiction Psychiatrist at Western Health Drug Health Services. She works with people who use drugs (PWUD) and supports other clinicians working with PWUD through the Hamilton Centre Victoria Statewide service for people living with mental illness and substance use or addiction, and in general hospital settings through the Addiction Medicine consultation service.  Lea also coordinates the training program for doctors specialising in Addiction Medicine and Addiction Psychiatry at Western Health.

David Hill is an AOD Peer Support Worker with the MHAOD Connect team that works out of the Sunshine Hospital Emergency Department. He also works at Westside Lodge, which is a dual diagnosis residential rehabilitation program.

Connect & Learn webinar series address a wide range of practice-relevant topics presented by local expert clinicians. The webinars aim to enhance the capabilities of Victorian AOD and MH workers in responding to substance use and addiction issues among their clients and consumers.

Note: Connect & Learn webinars are funded by the Victorian Department of Health and only available for Victorians to register, thank you.

Date: Tuesday 18th November 2025,
time:1pm to 1:45pm AEDT
Venue: online
Register: click here

Mental Health Australia Weekly Update 16 October 2025

 

  • Media release: Funding boost to improve headspace services The Albanese Labor Government is investing an extra $72.7 million to boost headspace services across the nation, giving young Australians quicker access to the free mental health support they need. This investment will support initiatives to reduce wait times and improve access to free mental health care for young people across 85 headspace services, including additional staff to meet high demand for services, and activities to provide more inclusive support for young people from First Nations communities, LGBTIQA+ individuals, and those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.

  • Media release: Data shows more private mental health hospital beds are being added to the system Data on private hospital licenses and expansions shows Australia’s private mental health sector is continuing to expand. The publicly available data shows more mental health beds have opened in new private mental health hospitals over the past five years than were lost in standalone mental health hospital closures. Several hospitals have also been redeveloped to include extra private mental health beds, and two new mental health hospitals are currently under construction.

  • Media release: New YouTube mental health and wellbeing tools – built just for teens For more than a decade, YouTube has built specific age-appropriate experiences for younger users. Today, we are announcing our newest offering which will start rolling out for teens in Australia in the coming weeks: mental health and wellbeing content in a dedicated surface built just for teens. We are proud to partner with leading mental health organisations Black Dog Institute and ReachOut, to provide this local, teen-centric content.