Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takatini – Success is not the work of one, but the work of many.
Welcome to Spring! Nature is blossoming and it’s feeling warmer. This month, we’ve been delighted to welcome tenants into our wonderful new building in Glen Eden which provides 41 brand new units for older people. By the end of September, we’ll have full occupancy - such has been the demand for these purpose-built affordable homes for seniors. On behalf of everyone at Haumaru Housing, I'd like to extend a very warm welcome to all our new tenants, and I look forward to meeting you in the coming weeks.
I’d like to share a wonderful idea that’s been put forward about compiling a Haumaru cookbook, with recipes to be supplied by our tenants. You’ll hear more about this soon, so do have a think about any recipes you might like to submit. As we’ll also be looking for images to include, if any tenants are keen artists and would like to help with this, please let your community manager know.
I need to raise a safety issue with everyone. When any prospective tenants are being shown around your village, they’ll always be accompanied by Haumaru staff in uniform. Therefore, if anyone knocks on your door saying they’d like to look around, please don’t let them into your unit unless there’s a staff member with them. Just to be on the safe side.
In keeping with this month’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori / Māori Language Week, our team has been continuing with our weekly lessons which we’re all very much enjoying. So far, we’ve learnt about Tikanga protocols when visiting the marae and how to introduce ourselves, and now we’re learning the present, past and future tense. We’ve also been practising our new skills through charades, which has prompted much fun and laughter! Our thanks, as ever, to our very inspiring and patient tutor, Te Awhina from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Ngā mihi maioha.
Gillian Schweizer,
GM Operations
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Discover all that your mobile library has to offer
Tenants of Massey’s Flagstaff Court and Jack Smyth Court recently enjoyed a most informative talk by Alola Robertson of Auckland Libraries’ Mobile and Access Services about the wide range of services available from the mobile library buses and vans that visit communities throughout Tāmaki Makaurau.
As well as helping tenants with general library services, the mobile library team can provide talks about local history and heritage, offer sessions on digital literacy and assist customers with accessing social media or using their smart phones (there’s free WiFi onboard). If you’re registered to use library services, you can order books online, and the library delivery service will deliver them in between the monthly visits. This is especially helpful for those who may find it difficult to visit their community library. You can also access eBooks and eMagazines, and staff can help get you started with eReading. For non-English speaking tenants, the mobile library can also provide books in various languages.
To find out when the mobile library is next in your area, visit aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/Pages/mobile-library-and-access-services.aspx
Auckland libraries no longer charge for overdue items, with all fees removed from customer accounts last year. The amnesty means everyone can return to use the library services without having to worry that they owe something, or are blocked from borrowing. Charges continue, however, for any lost and damaged items.
There’s so much to explore at the (mobile) library, so pop in, join up and discover something new.
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COVID-19 update
The COVID-19 Protection Framework (the traffic light system) ended on 12 September. Whilst protecting lives and livelihoods is still the objective, it’s now safe to move on, especially as cases and hospitalisations are low, there’s improved access to new medicines and vaccination rates are high.
To continue to slow the spread of the virus and protect others over the coming months, here’s what you need to do
- Isolate for 7 days if you test positive for COVID-19.
- Wear a mask when visiting healthcare facilities (hospitals, GPs, pharmacies and aged care homes).
- If you’re a household contact of someone with COVID, you no longer need to isolate but should take a daily RAT (rapid antigen test) every day for 5 days. If negative, you can go about your daily routine (but wearing a mask is encouraged particularly if visiting vulnerable people, using public transport or in a crowded indoor space).
Some locations may continue to require people to wear masks as a condition of entry, but this will no longer be a general Government requirement. However, masks are recommended in confined places such as on public transport or when visiting vulnerable people, because of the protection they offer against COVID-19.
Other means of protecting at-risk people and communities include free anti-viral medicines to everyone aged 65+ and Māori and Pacific peoples 50+ who need them, free boosters, free medical grade masks and ongoing isolation requirements for positive cases.
These changes mark a major milestone in New Zealand's journey through COVID-19 and mean everyone can now approach the coming summer with certainty.
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The passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
As a nation, New Zealand mourns the loss of our longest-reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully on 8 September 2022 at the age of 96. Her Majesty was New Zealand’s sixth British monarch since the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi and had a long history with the country. She was the first reigning British monarch to visit New Zealand, visiting ten times in all.
We give thanks for the life of Queen Elizabeth, for her dedication to all her Realms and for her unwavering commitment over her amazing 70 year reign.
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Haere rā, Faith
This month, we said farewell to our colleague Faith Hyland, who many of our tenants will know. Faith’s been a Haumaru Housing community manager for over five years – practically since Haumaru first started – and we’ll miss her professional, responsive and caring approach to supporting tenants. Faith leaves us to take up an exciting new leadership role with a community services trust in Mangere. To give her a fitting ‘send off’, her colleagues came together for waiata and karakia in celebration of her time at Haumaru, with team members taking the opportunity to use their newly acquired Māori language skills in expressing a few words of appreciation to her in Te Reo. Haere rā, Faith, all the best in your new role.
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Getting the most out of your heat pump
As part of our Warm Homes initiative, we’re continuing our programme of installing fixed heating (either panel heaters or heat pumps) in all units. If you have a new heat pump in your home, the following tips may help you get the most out of it.
- Set your heat pump temperature to 18 degrees or above, but below 21 degrees to save on power.
- It's much better to just run your heat pump when you're at home rather than constantly (people mistakenly believe that keeping it running 24/7 is an efficient, cost-effective way to heat the home).
- Having your heat pump filter cleaned will help it run more efficiently. This will be done by the Haumaru maintenance team at the appropriate time.
If you have any problems with your heat pump, please make sure you let us know as soon as possible.
