LASA Fusion Summer 2018 by Adbourne Publishing

The voice of aged care Summer 2018 | www.lasa.asn.au

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE in age services Excellence in Age Services National Award Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Claire Abbott Peninsula Villages NSW

Outstanding Team Award

Merri Health, Carer Health and Wellbeing Coaching Team, CarerLinks North VIC

Outstanding Organisation Award The Whiddon Group NSW & QLD

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¡ Australia’s Aged Care Workforce Strategy a lighthouse document ¡ Get ready now for the Aged Care Quality Standards

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CONTENTS The voice of aged care Summer 2018 | www.lasa.asn.au

OPINION 5 Chair’s Column 7

CEO’s Column

Minister’s Column

NATIONAL UPDATE 10 LASA National Congress 2018 Innovative and thought provoking

13 EDITOR

he benefits of home sharing: A T pilot project that could expand the boundaries of retirement living

elf-management in home care: S New toolkits to guide the way forward

Property refurbishment: What are the benefits?

hich way to home care sales W growth?

Inaugural excellence in age services award winners

17 R oyal Commission must drive real change

Linda Baraciolli Leading Age Services Australia Ltd T: 02 6230 1676 E: editor@lasa.asn.au

MEMBER STORIES 62 B enetas expands on its state-ofthe-art care model In two more facilities

18 A ustralia’s aged care workforce strategy

21 A ged care quality standards are about enhancing consumer experiences

MANAGER CORPORATE AFFAIRS Gerard Delaney Leading Age Services Australia Ltd T: 02 6230 1676 E: gerardd@lasa.asn.au

22 O utcome evaluation for the aged

66 S haring spaces: A new program in Ipswich is helping bridge the intergenerational gap

69 A ccommodating couples in comfort and style: The Craster story

care quality standards

25 N ew Accreditation Scheme

70 D iversifying lifestyle programs to unearth hidden talents

27 i nnovAGEING: What’s next is more

ADDRESS

important than what we’ve done

First Floor Andrew Arcade 42 Giles Street Kingston ACT 2604

72 C hurches of Christ in Queensland launches the Virtual Dementia Tour

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AGE SERVICES 30 P reparing for a Royal Commission

OUT AND ABOUT 75 Raising the issue of aged care as an election priority

into aged care

ADBOURNE PUBLISHING PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160

33 Are you ready to innovate?

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35 The kids are coming: The importance of understanding different generations

37 Retirement living: An alternative to a lump sum contract

Age Services Outstanding Organisational Award winner The Whiddon Group’s Laurieton residential care facility in

40 Triple m governance: Linking INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY 45 W hy is it so hard to select the best candidate?

New South Wales. The dog is Chappy.

DISCLAIMER Fusion is the regular publication of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA). Unsolicited contributions are welcome but LASA reserves the right to edit, abridge, alter or reject material. Opinions expressed in Fusion are not necessarily those of LASA and no responsibility is accepted by the Association for statements of fact or opinions expressed in signed contributions. Fusion may be copied in whole for distributed amongst an organisation’s staff. No part of Fusion may be reproduced in any other form without written permission from the article’s author.

unding and finance forums well F received

Congratulations Hall & Prior

75 M inister Wyatt meets with LASA in Shepparton

76 A ged Services Industry Reference Committee Chair and Deputy Chair announced

39 A n incontinence case study quality to governance

Cover shot: Deb and Gloria are from LASA Excellence in

Probably not. Here’s why.

onsolidate your superannuation C in just a few clicks

I dentify your focus areas for achieving excellence

The use of cctv in aged care: What the legislation says

ASA regional forums keep our L members up-to-date, informed and connected

77 M eeting with ministers to discuss next steps

77 H ousing legislation information session keeps members informed

77 W e welcome new members to LASA

79 2 018 bush nursing centres and hospitals in Victoria forum

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OPINION

LASA NATIONAL CONGRESS 2018 POINTS TO EXCELLENCE HELPING TO TRANSFORM THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY

Our inaugural Excellence in Age Services Award winners and strengthening Membership are evidence of industry commitment to excellence in age services.

Dr Graeme Blackman AO FTSE FAICD, Chair, Leading Age Services Australia

eading Age Services Australia (LASA) National Congress 2018 has provided a springboard for our industry to lead the way to transform ageing in Australia for the better.

But where there are challenges, equally there are opportunities for the industry to lead the way to transform ageing in Australia for the better. LASA will be part of this change and drive this change.

With around 1,200 delegates in attendance, this was a very important Congress at a critical time for our industry. We saw outstanding examples of innovation and best practice exemplified in the inaugural Excellence in Age Service Award winners, and there was a lot of energy and commitment around addressing the big issues that our industry faces.

At times like this we must be true to our core values and be clear and resolute in our purpose: to enable a high performing, respected and sustainable age services industry delivering accessible, affordable, quality care and services for older Australians.

Events like Congress are the ideal platform for delegates to explore and discuss how our industry has been responding to systemic change and more importantly how it will transform the future. We are on the cusp of a new series of demanding challenges when it comes to the number of older Australians in our society. This signifies our nation’s success in enabling people to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Our focus now is on ageing well, where older Australians are able to continue to do the things that are meaningful to them, to have their spiritual needs supported, and to maintain their connections with the community. The increasing number of older Australians means more demand for consumer-centric age service delivery models. These must be delivered within a dynamic regulatory environment influenced by Australia’s aged care reforms process. Without doubt it is a challenging time for the industry with a Royal Commission about to get underway and unprecedented public attention on the aged care system. In my view the Royal Commission will lead to industry-changing outcomes. This is not just a simple change of regulatory, financial or legislative matters but a deep and penetrating investigation into the practice of aged care. Providers will do well to be prepared for this investigation and LASA is here to assist our Members in whatever way we reasonably can.

We represent our Members by advocating their views on issues of importance, and influencing public policy for the benefit of our industry and older Australians. We support our Members by providing information, services, training and events that enhance their performance and sustainability. Our industry-experienced and dedicated staff have strong relationships with our Members, providing practical and timely support – available on the ground or just a phone call away. We are dedicated to delivering leadership and support to our Members at a time of unprecedented change in our industry. We represent providers of all types and sizes across Australia’s metropolitan, regional and rural areas. Consistent with the overall industry profile, 57 per cent of our Members are not-for-profit providers, 33 per cent are for-profit providers and 10 per cent are government providers. I am delighted to advise that LASA’s voice has been considerably strengthened this year with an influx of new Members. It is the diversity of our Memberships that gives LASA the ability to speak with credibility and authority on issues of importance to older Australians and the age services industry generally. We are all privileged indeed to be able to participate in the aged care industry in all its facets. Let’s not be daunted by the challenges but inspired and empowered by our personal and corporate commitments to the care, support and empowerment of those we serve. ■

OPINION

TRAVELLING TO MARS IS A ONE-WAY TICKET

BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE A NEW NORMAL OF AGEING WELL Today’s challenges are opportunities to achieve excellence in Australia’s aged care system.

n my address to National Congress this year I used keynote speaker Dianne McGrath’s metaphor of travelling to Mars on a one-way ticket to describe the re-imagining of our industry from simply providing aged care, to supporting older Australians to age well. We know where we’re going and we know there’s no going back. Our industry has already started on this journey and the challenge now is to keep moving forward—working together to make the changes to the system that are necessary to get us there, to deal with challenges and obstacles along the way, and never lose sight of the goal, which is to make ageing well the new normal. Only through this transformation will we be able to support older Australians to live the lives they choose, by continuing to do the things that are meaningful to them, to have their spiritual, emotional and physical needs supported, and to maintain their connectedness to others and their communities. The first step is to acknowledge as an industry that there have been faults and failures. These have been brought to light in recent times and will continue to be identified and scrutinised over the course of the Royal Commission into aged care quality and safety. Even though these failures do not reflect the overwhelmingly high standard of care and services provided by the industry as a whole, they do undermine public confidence in the system and the industry. Data released by Insights agency Faster Horses in its Inside Aged Care report show that only 18 per cent of Australians trust the industry and only 13 per cent think it is open and transparent. Perceptions of care levels are also low with around one third agreeing that aged care organisations show empathy, offer high service levels, and take the time to understand the individual needs of those in their care. Significantly, two in three Australians believe the industry is under-funded. This increases to three quarters of those aged over 60 and seven in 10 of those with a family member receiving aged care services.

Sean Rooney Chief Executive Officer Leading Age Services Australia

an aged care system that delivers accessible, affordable, quality care and services for all older Australians. In the meantime we must press on with addressing key industry issues—such as access, quality, funding and workforce—and not lose sight of making Australia’s aged care system better right now. This sees LASA’s focus on issues in four key areas: • Access: addressing the unacceptable level of older Australians waiting in the national queue for care in the homes. • Quality: moving forward with the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the new quality standards, while addressing ongoing issues with the current quality regulatory system. • Funding: addressing the urgent need to provide relief to the growing numbers of residential care facilities experiencing significant financial pressure, and the growing financial pressures on many home care providers. • Workforce: translating the intent of the recently released aged care workforce strategy into action and outcomes. As we stand on the cusp of a new era for age services in Australia, I urge everyone in our industry to work together to make Australia’s aged care system better. We need to boldly move beyond the limited thinking that presently constrains us and see the challenges of the day as opportunities to look at things differently. We must find new and better ways for our industry to support older Australians to age well and achieve excellence. This is what older Australians need—and older Australians deserve nothing less. ■ LASA CEO Sean Rooney presenting at LASA National Congress 2018 in Adelaide.

This information, unpalatable as it may be, will help the industry deliver better services and care to older Australians. It also underscores the need to get on with making the system better right now by addressing funding and workforce issues, while the Royal Commission is underway. The Royal Commission offers our nation and our industry the opportunity to make the aged care system better. Specifically,

OPINION

BUILDING A NATIONAL CULTURE OF RESPECT FOR AGEING AND SENIOR AUSTRALIANS

THE CRITICAL WORK OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION The golden age of ageing means making the most of the opportunities, while also embracing the challenges it brings.

have visited more than 100 aged care homes during the past two years and have been impressed by the first-class care.

Each home has been different but at the same time, each has been a celebration of excellence in its own way—with quality care I would be happy for my family members or me to receive in our later years.

The Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, MP, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care

As the Prime Minister has said, there are thousands of aged care operators, carers, nursing and clinical staff, volunteers, cleaners, cooks and therapists across the nation improving the lives of senior Australians every day. But there have been unacceptable cases where the right thing has not been done and, after intensified compliance— and careful consideration of the critical importance of public confidence in a sustainable and strong aged care sector—the case for a Royal Commission was compelling. Our Government subsequently undertook extensive consultations on the Royal Commission’s terms of reference. More than 5,000 submissions were received and four national roundtables were conducted bringing together consumers, families, and community members including the medical and aged care professions.

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Topics include: Aged care services, admissions, government spending, and care needs and pathways.

To access GEN and explore the data go to: https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/ 8

The Royal Commission will primarily look at the quality of care provided in residential and home aged care to senior Australians, but also include young Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care settings. The Royal Commission is not a witch-hunt, nor should it be seen as a deficit. It will inquire into the structural issues in aged care, the requirements for quality, safety and sustainability, and the level of reform we need as demand grows strongly in coming years, to guarantee that our loved ones continue receiving the best possible care. The two Royal Commissioners, the Honourable Justice Joseph McGrath and Lynelle Briggs AO, will inquire into all forms of Commonwealth-supported aged care services, wherever they are delivered. A key task of the Royal Commission will be to help build a national culture of respect for ageing and senior Australians. The Commissioners will make findings on the evidence, and as the Prime Minister has also said, it will then be up to the Government and Parliament to act on these findings together.

OPINION

The importance of all Australians—and especially the aged care sector—working together with the Royal Commission was highlighted for me during a recent aged care home visit. I was honoured to meet three residents aged over 100—with a combined life experience of more than 307 years. It was a joy to talk to them and hear about their fascinating lives and how they share their knowledge with both younger and older people in the community around them. We need to remind ourselves that by the turn of the century there will be 40,000 Australians just like those three wise and delightful women, living to 100 or more. We are entering the golden age of ageing and we need to make the most of the opportunities, while also embracing the challenges it brings. That is why our Government’s unprecedented aged care reform program will continue at full pace, as the Royal Commission goes about its critical work. We are investing record amounts in aged care—an additional $5 billion over four years—and implementing a sweeping agenda to continue improving the quality of services and the confidence in care provided to senior Australians. We are supporting more options in both home and residential care, through the More Choices for a Longer Life package.

This includes increasing the number of home care packages from 87,000 to 151,000 by 2022, extra capacity in the Commonwealth Home Support Program and a record allocation of more than 14,000 residential places in 2018. There will be extensive new re-ablement, senior sports, mental health and social connection programs, to support active ageing and longer, better lives. Our reforms include the creation of a new, independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to accredit, assess and monitor the compliance of aged care services, which will be up and running from 1 January 2019. We have legislated for strong new Aged Care Quality Standards—the first upgrade in 20 years—and have just released Australia’s first aged care workforce strategy, to rapidly grow the professional care workforce. Crucial to this strategy will be building capacity, with a strong focus on staff retention and the development of new, professional career paths, as we look to almost triple the aged care workforce by 2050. Our seniors are among Australia’s greatest living treasures. After contributing so much to creating the nation we enjoy today, they deserve nothing less than an aged care system that we can all be proud of—one that celebrates excellence every day. ■

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NATIONAL UPDATE

LASA NATIONAL CONGRESS 2018 INNOVATIVE AND THOUGHT PROVOKING

It gets bigger and better every year.

his year’s Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) National Congress held in Adelaide celebrated innovation, exciting announcements and well-deserved awards.

Welcoming around 1,200 attendees, 100 guest speakers and 150 exhibitors, it was the largest aged care gathering in Australia to date. There was ample opportunity to discuss all things aged care, including the upcoming Royal Commission, workforce and regulatory issues, governance and innovation. The theme of this year’s Congress, ‘Ageing Transformed… The Dawning of a New Era’ was explored within LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney’s address. “We are witnessing the dawning of a new era where longevity of life is celebrated, consumers are empowered to choose, and Australia’s aged care industry re-imagines age services,” he said.

LASA was delighted to welcome Assistant Shadow Minister for Ageing Senator Helen Polley and Greens Spokesperson on Ageing Senator Rachel Siewert to LASA National Congress 2018.. The Senators participated in a panel discussion on workforce issues.

“Our industry seeks to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities that come with the growing numbers of older Australians and their changing needs and expectations.” The address also highlighted the important role the new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will make from 1 January 2019, with the world-class regulatory framework to deliver on risk identification, management consistency and transparency, alongside timely and fair complaints management services and processes. Mr Rooney made a number of announcements at this year’s Congress, launching LASA’s online Communities of Practice—a platform for LASA Members to communicate on key issues, pose questions, share stories, discuss challenges and find everyday support— and a national Nurse Advisor/Administrator Panel to ensure greater safety and quality of care within the aged care industry. Another key announcement revealed LASA has partnered with Universal Care Training (UCT) to expand the suite of training courses offered to its Members. Additionally, LASA will join the Whiddon Group in leading and coordinating the nation’s ‘Aged Care Employee Day’ next year, a national day dedicated to recognising and celebrating the wonderful people who work in Australia’s aged care industry.

CEO Sean Rooney catches up with Complaints Commissioner Rae Lamb and Chair of the Aged Care Quality Advisory Council Andrea Cootes at LASA National Congress 2018.

This year’s Congress featured a two-day Innovation Hub program, fishbowl conversations on specific industry issues, and its first Town Hall session, where all delegates were given the chance to have their say on the issues that affect them. Standout issues included the Home Care queue and unspent funds, ACFI indexation, needs based funding, the usability of

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My Aged Care, consumer experience and clinical indicators, workforce training and remuneration and staffing levels. The key takeaway message for LASA was the importance of a broader campaign to educate and change attitudes. A highlight of Congress was the inaugural Excellence in Age Services Awards at the Gala Dinner. Winners of the awards were:

• Outstanding Team Award Carer Health and Wellbeing Coaching Team, from Merri Health’s CarerLinks North in Melbourne, Victoria. • Outstanding Organisation Award The Whiddon Group, operating in New South Wales and Queensland. ■ David O’Sullivan is Senior Media and Communications Adviser, Leading Age Services Australia.

• Outstanding Individual Award Claire Abbott, nurse practitioner at Peninsula Villages on the New South Wales Central Coast.

Which generation are you? There was a fantastic forum discussion about the next generation of industry leaders at LASA National Congress 2018.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

INAUGURAL EXCELLENCE IN AGE SERVICES AWARD WINNERS It’s time to recognise the outstanding achievements of our age services industry.

nurse practitioner, a health and wellbeing team, and a provider serving older Australians in two states, including remote areas, have been recognised for excellence at the aged care industry’s biggest event of the year. The inaugural Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Excellence in Age Services Awards for outstanding individual, team and organisation were presented at our National Congress in Adelaide on 30 October 2018. The Awards promote and recognise excellence across the diverse and dynamic fields of endeavour in the age services industry and celebrate the passion and achievements of individuals, teams and organisations in the service of older Australians. Outstanding Individual Award winner Claire Abbott, a nurse practitioner at Peninsula Villages on the New South Wales central coast, collaborates with local visiting GPs in providing care, services and treatment plans to residents. Claire Abbott chats with a resident.

L-R: HESTA Manager Client Partnerships Kylie Whicher, Peninsular Villages Nurse Practitioner Claire Abbott, LASA CEO Sean Rooney.

between 80 and 100 per cent complete. This has resulted in a 42 per cent reduction in transfers to hospital over the past three years. Carer Health and Wellbeing Coaching Team, from Merri Health’s CarerLinks North in Melbourne, took out the Outstanding Team Award for their coaching program to enhance the caring relationship by focusing on the health and wellbeing of the carer, which may include nutrition, physical

Claire’s role is integral as it allows the organisation to assist residents who require ongoing or one-off care, giving them peace of mind. With the Peninsula region currently experiencing a shortage of GPs, Claire’s support of GPs on clinical treatment plans, medical reviews and administration is helping to lessen the impact of the shortage on older locals, not only at Peninsular Villages, but throughout the community. On average, Claire reviews 50 residents per week for chronic, palliative care and gerontological assessment. As a result of her diligence, advance care plans across the site remain

L-R: HESTA Manager Client Partnerships Kylie Whicher, Margie Tzanakos and Collette Arnheim from CarerLinks North, LASA CEO Sean Rooney. Continued on page 14

NATIONAL UPDATE Continued from page 13 L-R: The winning Carer Health and Wellbeing Coaching Team Margie Tzanakos, Kim Coyne, Collette Arnheim and Anna Lawler.

Whiddon—a not-for-profit organisation that has been providing care and support services to older people for over 70 years—operates in 20 locations across New South Wales and Queensland, including remote areas. Prior to launching its MyLife wellbeing-focused model of care, Whiddon identified a gap around consistent evaluation, goal setting and structures in the wellbeing area and introduced the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT)—an internationally recognised, robust tool that measures socialcare-related quality of life. It links closely to the seven outcomes in MyLife by measuring quality of life against eight wellbeing domains.

activity, stress/mood, fatigue/sleep and chronic disease management or prevention. Through individual coaching sessions, either face-to-face or by phone, health and wellbeing coaches foster carer health literacy, goal setting, resilience, self-management, decision making and sustained behaviour change. The program evaluates its impact by collecting qualitative and quantitative health data at milestones in the coaching journey to generate a health profile for each participating carer. The Outstanding Organisation Award was secured by The Whiddon Group, an age services provider that has made an outstanding contribution to care and services development; provides high level support to the aged; and demonstrates leadership, innovation and excellence.

After a 15-month trial to test the value of using ASCOT in care planning, Whiddon has fully integrated the tool in its care planning processes and systems, homes and community care services. In congratulating the winners LASA Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said they represented the best care and services being delivered to older Australians by LASA Members. “These awards show just how much great work is being done by our Members right around the country, including isolated and remote parts of Australia,” he said. “Committed and devoted people like Claire, the CarerLinks North team and the staff at Whiddon exemplify the best of what our industry has to offer to older Australians everywhere. “I’m delighted to see the industry get behind these inaugural awards by entering such a strong field of contenders and I’m certain that the bar will be raised even higher next year.” LASA would like to thank HESTA for sponsoring the Excellence in Age Services Awards. ■ David O’Sullivan is Senior Media and Communications Adviser, Leading Age Services Australia.

Ron, Bethany, Reg and co in the jeep on a Whiddon outing.

L-R: HESTA Manager Client Partnerships Kylie Whicher, The Whiddon Group CEO Chris Mamarelis CEO, LASA CEO Sean Rooney.

NATIONAL UPDATE

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NATIONAL UPDATE

ROYAL COMMISSION MUST DRIVE REAL CHANGE Older Australians deserve high quality care in a safe environment that protects their wellbeing and dignity.

he Royal Commission will undoubtedly be an everpresent consideration for those of us already committed to providing high quality care to older Australians. Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) believes an early and organised approach will be enable us to give the Commission the attention it deserves so that we can help inform the future—but not be so distracted that we divert ourselves from doing what we can to make the system better now.

As we go to print, the Royal Commission has written to the top 100 providers to ask for information about where it might focus its attention, and particularly information about what areas need to be changed and how they might be changed. Alongside this information they are seeking details on complaints and events of substandard care between 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018, to be cross-referenced to the sub-points in the Terms of Reference i) – the ‘with regard to’ quality areas. These providers are required to submit this information by 7 January. Sometime after smaller providers will be asked for information to be submitted in February. A preliminary hearing will likely be held in December. The Terms of Reference strongly reflect the position for which LASA has been advocating—a high performing, respected and sustainable age services industry: a) The quality of aged care services provided to Australians, the extent to which those services meet the needs of the people accessing them, the extent of substandard care being provided, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse, the causes of any systemic failures, and any actions that should be taken in response. b) How best to deliver aged care services to: (i) People with disabilities residing in aged care facilities, including younger people; and (ii) The increasing number of Australians living with dementia, having regard to the importance of dementia care for the future of aged care services. c) The future challenges and opportunities for delivering accessible, affordable and high quality aged care services in Australian, including: (i) In the context of changing demographics and preferences, in particular people’s desire to remain living at home as they age; and (ii) In remote, rural and regional Australia. d) What the Australian Government, aged care industry, Australian families and the wider community can do to strengthen the system of aged care services to ensure that the services provided are of high quality and safe.

e) How to ensure that aged care services are person-centred, including through allowing people to exercise greater choice, control and independence in relation to their care, and improving engagement with families and carers on care-related matters. f) How best to deliver aged care services in a sustainable way, including through innovative models of care, increased use of technology, and investment in the aged care workforce and capital infrastructure. g) Any matter reasonably incidental to a matter referred to in paragraphs (a) to (f) or that you believe is reasonably relevant to the inquiry. In my opening address to our National Congress I encouraged the industry to recognise the likelihood that the experience of a Royal Commission will be a “forensic and at times painful investigation and there will be examples of unacceptable care brought to light”. But alongside the considerable work we are doing to make the system better now, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acknowledge where the system has failed, understand the causes of these failures and also describe and advocate for system-wide improvement that will meet the needs of older Australians for the next 20 years. Our priorities, are to: • B e proactive—make a submission early before we are possibly called upon to give evidence so that we can identify all the issues and be prepared. Collect information on the terms of reference (and the ‘with regard to’ elements) honestly and comprehensively, so that we prepare a matrix of information including case studies and examples of issues; information that describes the current situation (including innovation and best practice); and advocacy that describes our preferred future state of the industry. • I dentify who our information assets and holders of corporate knowledge are—who knows what. • P repare for the likelihood that we will be called to give evidence in writing and at a hearing. • Continue to advocate on behalf of our Members. Our Royal Commission webpage will provide examples of the templates that we will be developing to help us through this process and give updates on the support we can offer our Members through this time. ■ Sean Rooney is Chief Executive Officer, Leading Age Services Australia.

NATIONAL UPDATE

AUSTRALIA’S AGED CARE WORKFORCE STRATEGY

A LIGHTHOUSE DOCUMENT AND A BIG STEP TOWARDS THE FUTURE Renewed focus on the aged care workforce offers practical solutions for the industry.

he Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce’s report A matter of Care is an inspiring, future-directed document. The report proposes practical workforce solutions for the industry as a whole, as well as for every aged care provider. LASA is pleased that the Taskforce included in its report many of the recommendations our Members made during the Taskforce’s consultation process. Industry already recognises some of the key workforce issues the report identifies, such as problems with recruitment and retention, and gaps in work skills. However, A matter of Care uncovers other significant issues such as poor workforce engagement and enablement, ineffective job design and work organisation, and the undervaluing of the Personal Care Worker’s role. While the report card does not give the best score, the report recommends many practical, hands-on solutions for providers to draw on to make improvements. At an industry-wide level, implementation of the strategy will be driven by:

L-R: Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce Chair Professor John Pollaers, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt and LASA CEO Sean Rooney at the launch of the report A Matter of Care.

• A newly instituted industry Code of Conduct, uniting the industry under its values. • A n Aged Services Industry Reference Committee to address training and education (the Australian Government instituted this Committee in October 2018). • An Aged Services Industry Council to drive the industry to deliver against the strategy. A matter of care proposes 14 strategic actions designed to address aged care workforce related problems in a systematic way. While the bulk of the strategic actions deal with issues relating to training and education, workforce planning and improved recruitment and retention, external and internal social and operating environments also receive attention. Each strategic action is solution focused, will deliver tangible results and, in the main, can be implemented within organisations’ existing funding envelope.

NATIONAL UPDATE

Strategic actions 1 and 2 seek to address the external and internal social environment for aged care services. Strategic action 1 proposes a social change campaign to reframe Australians’ perceptions of caring for older Australians and promote the aged care workforce. Strategic action 2 proposes a voluntary Industry Code of Practice that expresses the industry’s central values and beliefs. A matter of care also seeks to enhance aged care providers’ external operating environment. Proposed are actions to strengthen the interface with primary and acute care (strategic action 9), improved training and recruitment practices for the Australian Government aged care workforce (strategic action 10) and establishment of an Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research (strategic action 12). Strategic action 13 specifically focuses on the current funding and related innovation challenges. With this action the Taskforce recognises that a conversation on sustainable longterm funding is required to support the industry, recognise the skilled workforce and meet community expectations. Strategic action 3 seeks to remedy existing skills gaps by proposing a reframing of the qualification and skills framework. Strategic action 4 includes a design for new career pathways in aged care and a suggestion for a worker registration scheme. Strategic action 5 addresses the importance of feedback,

including employee feedback, to inform organisations’ continuous improvement activities. A standard approach to workforce planning and skills mix modelling is presented in strategic action 6. Strategic action 7 deals solely with attraction and retention strategies, focusing mainly on improving employee engagement and enablement. A revised workforce relations framework is proposed with strategic action 8. Strategic action 11 proposes establishing a remote accord group to lead efforts to support and expand the aged care workforce in remote communities. In November this year the Australian Government announced the establishment of this group. Finally, with strategic action 14 the report formulates an approach by which industry can lead the execution of the strategy. The Aged Services Industry Council will lead the execution of the strategic actions in a coordinated, sequenced and systematic manner. The Taskforce is of the view that the Aged Care Workforce Strategy can be executed in one to three years and position the industry for the next four to seven years. It certainly will constitute a big step towards the future of aged care. ■ Marlene Eggert is Senior Policy Officer, Leading Age Services Australia.

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The Aged Care Quality Standards are coming!

LASA is supporting Members to transition successfully From 1 July 2019, a new single set of standards called the Aged Care Quality Standards, developed as part of the Single Quality Framework, will replace the: Accreditation Standards Home Care Standards National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program Quality Framework Standards Transition Care Standards The Aged Care Quality Standards will apply to all aged care services including residential care, home care, flexible care and services under the Commonwealth Home Support Program.

LASA has been building expertise in the new standards to support our Members to transition effectively. LASA will: Deliver webinar opportunities for Members Provide overview presentations at regional forums, other Member engagements, and on request Offer Masterclasses Following the release of more details by the Government over the coming months, LASA will offer Members: A Policy and Procedures Manual Members can buy with confidence a set of Policy and Procedures aligned to the quality standards and focus on achieving high quality outcomes for consumers. Quality audits and continuous improvement planning to align with the new standards LASA can conduct a quality audit and continuous improvement planning that will mimic the process a Member may encounter from the Agency, with a view to identifying areas for continuous improvement. A ‘friendly’ unannounced visit for compliance auditing Don’t get caught out by the unannounced visit regime. Have your systems, processes, policies and people ‘audited’ by LASA on a scheduled basis to improve quality outcomes for your consumers. Organisation transition consulting

For more information or to register your interest in our webinars, masterclasses, or governance workshops please contact 1300 111 636 or events@lasa.asn.au For more information or to register your interest in our policy and procedures manual, quality audits and continuous improvement planning, friendly unannounced visits and/or organisation transition consulting please contact 1300 111 636 or quality@lasa.asn.au

LASA consultants can support you to understand the gaps in your current approaches, create a plan for transformation and help you implement the necessary changes from a whole-of-organisation perspective. Governance workshops LASA in partnership with the Governance Institute of Australia can provide governance in aged care training to support you to not only meet but surpass the quality standard requirements.

NATIONAL UPDATE

AGED CARE QUALITY STANDARDS ARE ABOUT ENHANCING CONSUMER EXPERIENCES

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE A whole-of-staff approach will ensure your organisation stays ahead of the rest.

obody ever said that working in the aged care sector would be dull! We now have a Royal Commission to prepare for, and we must also continue with BAU (business as usual) which includes preparing for the Aged Care Quality Standards, as well as remaining compliant with the current standards.

the time with consumers, staff and other stakeholders. This indicates that the involvement of all staff is critical. Ongoing compliance cannot be managed from an office and the expectation will be that the staff providing the care—be it personal care, hotel services, or health care— will need to have a thorough understanding of the standards and how they work.

On 1 July 2019 the Aged Care Quality Standards will come into effect and the current set of four program specific standards for Residential Care, Home Care, Transition Care and the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Programs will be retired.

Staff will need to understand some new concepts, such as:

While the current standards focus primarily on assessing organisational performance against practices and processes for care delivery, the new standards will also assess organisational performance against outcomes achieved for consumers. This fundamental shift in approach from process to outcome evaluation by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA) brings quality review processes into alignment with commercial care and service industries and raises the bar in aged care service evaluation—the future of consumer directed care. So how do we prepare for this transition? It will be a different process for all providers, dependent upon many variables— size of service, location of service, staff resources available, and so on. The AACQA is very clear on the fact that it will not be prescriptive and tell you how to run your service. The process you embrace will be outlined in your Action Plan, but whatever path you take, you will need to have: • Aligned your systems, policies and practices with the new standards. • Supported your staff to understand the requirements of the new standards. • Supported consumers to understand what the changes mean to them. My suggestion to you would be to involve all of your staff in the transition process—remembering that accreditation is now unannounced and the focus is on the consumer (Consumer Experience Report) and staff. I heard from a Member recently who had unannounced Accreditation that the assessors on site spent approximately two hours with the Clinical Care Manager and the rest of

• Dignity of Risk. Embraces the idea that self-determination and the right to take reasonable risks are essential for dignity and self-esteem. • Cultural Safety. An environment that is safe for people where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity, of who they are and what they need. It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience, of learning, living and working together with dignity and truly listening. • Diversity. To embrace and understand the differences that make our lived experiences unique. • Communication. Conversation, actually knowing the consumer and their needs/wants/requirements. • I nclusion. To be involved in decision making that impacts the consumer. • Choice. To continue to make choices about care and services. If you as a provider have not yet accessed the resource materials provided on the AACQA website, now is the time to do it! AACQA have on their website a template for selfassessment on the current standards, which could be a good baseline document for direct care staff to consider while ensuring ongoing compliance with the current standards. Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) has done some work around mapping the current standards to the new standards which we can make available to our Members, to assist with aligning your systems and ensuring that you have a solid starting point. Remember as you move forward that everything in the new standards is the current standards—it is about the how, not the what. The focus is on enhancing the consumer experience while providing optimum care. The new standards are a minimum, innovators will thrive! ■ Sharyn McIlwain is Principal Advisor, Residential Aged Care, Leading Age Services Australia.

NATIONAL UPDATE

OUTCOME EVALUATION FOR THE AGED CARE QUALITY STANDARDS COMPREHENSIVE SELF-ASSESSMENT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONING

An approach based on public health program evaluation methodology.

July 2019 is fast approaching. In less than seven months, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency (AACQA) expects you to be well on the way to transitioning to the Aged Care Quality Standards.

• A statement of expectation for the organisation. Quality review processes focus on the systems and processes that organisations have in place to support the realisation of this statement.

There are eight Quality Standards that you will need to comply with: 1. Consumer dignity and choice 2. Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers

Organisations can use the Guidance Materials as a measuring stick to self-assess their own performance against the organisational requirements. Organisations do need to look carefully at each of the three expressions of each Standards to account for consumer outcomes in navigating the current period of transition.

3. Personal care and clinical care 4. Services and supports for daily living 5. Organisation’s service environment 6. Feedback and complaints 7. Human resources 8. Organisational governance Each of these eight Quality Standards is expressed in three ways: • A statement of outcome for the consumer. Quality review processes focus on consumer outcomes and the examination of evidence of consumer experience.

Data quality is built over time

• Organisational requirements. The Aged Care Standards Guidance Materials provide an outline of each requirement, reflective questions and examples of evidence that demonstrate how elements of the organisational requirements are met.

Organisations will find it helpful to initially map existing evidence, comprising current practices and processes, against the organisational requirements listed for each Standard, with consideration given to the reflective questions and examples of actions and evidence listed in the Guidance Materials. This mapping exercise should seek to determine whether an organisation’s current scope of available evidence is satisfactory, in need of revision, or has identified gaps that need to be addressed in the lead up to 1 July 2019.

Impact Evaluation

Outcome Evaluation

Process Evaluation Continued on page 24

NATIONAL UPDATE

NATIONAL UPDATE Continued from page 22

Organisations can then leverage well-established service evaluation frameworks to extend this mapping process as they transition from old to new accounting for outcome evaluation. Program evaluation applied in public health settings specifies three different levels of evaluation: • P rocess Evaluation. This service evaluation method aims to capture and demonstrate evidence concerning the process of implementing and delivering aged care services. Organisations have traditionally been accredited through the review of this level of evidence with regard to having policies, procedures and operational systems; and demonstrating their application in delivering aged care services. • Outcome Evaluation. This service evaluation method aims to capture and demonstrate evidence concerning the effectiveness of aged care services in producing desired outcomes. Organisations may already capture some evidence at this level, but there may be considerable opportunity to expand this through customer satisfaction/ experience surveys in demonstrating outcomes for consumers. • I mpact Evaluation. This service evaluation method aims to capture and demonstrate how effectively aged care services are achieving sustainability in their desired

outcomes. The focus of impact evaluation is on long-term, sustained goal attainment that results from the consistent delivery of an organisation’s aged care services to multiple consumers. It may include the same goals as described in outcome evaluation, although it is an evaluation method used to determine the lasting effect of delivering aged care services on the broader consumer population over time. By mapping their practices and processes to the organisational requirements listed for each Standard, consistent with process evaluation evidence, organisations can effectively demonstrate consumer outcomes against each Standard. Should gaps be identified, consideration can then be given to what may be appropriate additional outcome evaluation evidence that can be easily collected to build a robust evidence base. The upshot of this is not just a more accountable industry. Organisations that pursue comprehensive self-assessment also have an opportunity to demonstrate their unique point of difference and value proposition in a competitive open market, as well as build brand awareness, through effective communication of their achievements—making it worth the effort. ■ Troy Speirs is Principal Advisor, Home Care, Leading Age Services Australia.

NATIONAL UPDATE

NEW ACCREDITATION SCHEME A GIANT LEAP FORWARD FOR THE RETIREMENT LIVING INDUSTRY

he Australian Retirement Village Accreditation Scheme (ARVAS)—a joint initiative between Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) and the Property Council of Australia—is well underway.

With the successful Audit partner(s) for ARVAS currently being selected (an announcement is scheduled for December 2018), the scheme is due to commence in March 2019. ARVAS will deliver a renewed professional quality assurance framework for retirement villages, using the most rigorous standards—meaning consumers can expect enhanced living environments and quality of life. Commencing the project in October 2017, LASA has been fortunate to have been supported by industry professionals who have volunteered their time and contributed their skills and knowledge in bringing the key components of the scheme together.

In developing the standards for accreditation, our industry partners and Members wanted to see recognition for retirement living providers who offer care and services to their community to enable residents to live in their apartments longer, with dignity and independence. For that reason an optional ‘care module’ has been included in the standards. There are now six key standards with a sub-set of criteria plus the additional care module, if applicable. They are: 1. Village Management 2. Human Resource Management 3. Resident Entry & Exit 4. Resident Engagement & Feedback 5. Village Environment, Services and Facilities 6. Safety & Security 7. Care Module (if applicable) Continued on page 26

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NATIONAL UPDATE Continued from page 25

The standards have a three-level hierarchy comprising: standards, criteria and indicators. Each standard is comprised of criteria; each criteria is comprised of indicators; and there are clear explanatory notes to guide operators and auditors on how the standards should be applied.

Housing, Paul Murphy, is part of that consultative group representing Members’ interests and is keen to hear your feedback as stages two and three open up for feedback in 2019. LASA will call for feedback at the time through its usual Member communication channels.

For villages already accredited under the International Retirement Communities Accreditation Scheme (IRCAS), your accreditation will continue until its expiry date.

Progress in New South Wales

LASA will continue to provide updated information on ARVAS through the usual Member channels, as it comes to hand.

Progress in Queensland In Queensland, stage 1 amendments to the Housing Legislation (Building Better Futures) Amendment Act 2017 (HLA Act) and amendments to the Retirement Villages Act 1999 (RV Act) have now been proclaimed and will commence on 1 February 2019. This is a significant shift from the original timetable published by the Department of Housing & Public Works that had stage 1 amendments commencing in August 2018. Qld RV operators now need to prepare. For new residents entering a village from 1 February 2019, the current public information document (PID) will be replaced with approved forms (yet to be released by the department as we go to press) which include:

Paul Murphy also represents members on the NSW Stakeholder consultative committee as the Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2018 prepares to go through NSW Parliament. The Bill will give effect to some of the recommendations from the enquiry led by Kathryn Greiner in late 2017. It will amend the Retirement Villages Act 1999 and will affect operators in the following key areas: • Emergency plans and safety inspections for retirement villages. • A nnual emergency evacuation exercises and the display of key safety information for retirement villages. • Operators of retirement villages explaining certain village contract information to residents if requested. • Rules of conduct for operators of retirement villages. • Asset management plans for retirement villages. • Consent from residents of retirement villages to the appointment of auditors of accounts.

• Village comparison document

• Provision, sharing and publication of certain information about retirement villages.

• Prospective costs document

• Mediation of disputes under the principal Act.

• Condition reports (before and after occupation)

Visit the NSW Government website for full details of the Bill and what operators will be required to do if it passes: www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills

• Additional mandatory content to be included in the contract due to the abolition of the PID A Housing Legislation Amendment Act (HLAA) stakeholder consultative group has been formed by the Minister’s office. LASA Principal Advisor for Retirement Living & Seniors

Paul Murphy is Principal Advisor for Retirement Living and Seniors Housing, Leading Age Services Australia.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

innovAGEING: WHAT’S NEXT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE’VE DONE

“It’s the presence of others who are smarter, kinder, wiser, and different from you that enables you to evolve. Those are the people to surround yourself with at all times.”—Adam Braun, The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change.

nnovAGEING (iA) has just marked its first year anniversary as Australia’s national innovation network for the age services industry—a good time to remind ourselves that great innovation does not occur in a vacuum, and true innovation rarely ever happens by chance. Combine this with urgent industry pressures such as the need to respond to reform challenges, capture new market opportunities, meet changing consumer preferences, and invest in technologies that allow providers to be wired to care—

the innovation imperative in our industry is unequivocal, and the need for a true aged care innovation network is undeniable. In this regard, iA has consistently focused on the following objectives: • Reinterpret the concept of ageing in relation to the design and delivery of services. • Foster the development of new business models through innovation. Continued on page 28

Marketing Manager at Alive Co (part of the Mirus Group) Anthony Carroll kicking off innovAGEING’s Aged Care Nudgeathon at the University of Technology Sydney.

EST. 1995

Commonwealth Bank Industry Solutions Director Daniel Royal speaking on CBA’s collaboration with Data61 on their blockchain prototype app to facilitate smart payments in the Innovation Hub at LASA National Congress.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP and LASA CEO Sean Rooney at the innovAGEING Chat Lounge during the Care and Ageing Expo in Perth.

Continued from page 27

• Enable the industry to be more consumer-centric in its service delivery. As an innovation network, iA has stewardship and curation responsibilities; addressing organisational challenges in aged care is in our DNA. In essence, we are a community of practice, sharing ideas and working together to solve complex industry problems. To date, our work has emphasised that: • Being empathetic is good for business. • Disruption is not just about technology changing, but also organisations changing the logic of their business. • Sales is an important innovation element equal to developing services and products. • I nnovation is not a lottery, and needs to be grounded in the ‘how’ as much as the ‘wow’. • D isruption is a commercial endeavour of incumbent organisations, not just start-ups. • Adoption of technology is a tool to design an ageing trajectory that improves well-being and opportunities for older Australians. In support of this, a few milestone initiatives have included: • The first aged care nudgeathon in Australia, co-hosted with iA Gold Partner, Alive Co (part of the Mirus Group). • L aunching the country’s first aged care open innovation lab in collaboration with iA Gold Partner, KontentLabs. • A meetup bringing together up to 159 people from the aged care industry and start-ups community co-hosted by Peak15 HealthTech and iA Knowledge Alliance Member, RMIT University. • Delivering a future of aged care design thinking workshop with iA network participant and social impact design agency Ellis Jones.

• Co-hosting an innovation and diversity forum focusing on bridging the divide between research, policy and practice with the University of Western Australia, MYVISTA, Local Government Professionals, and Fortis Consulting. • Bringing aged care innovation directly to approximately 2,000 older Australians at LASA’s 2018 Care and Ageing Expo, through sponsorship and curation of the Expo’s innovation chat lounge. It really is incredible what a difference a year makes, and to get a sense of the rich exchange of ideas currently underway in our industry, a quick review of the Innovation Hub speaker’s program at the Leading Age Services Australia National Congress shows the panoply of impressive ideas and initiatives underway in aged care. Likewise, a headcount of the attendees at the Innovation Hub presentation sessions and panel discussions showed it proved popular with National Congress attendees keen to learn more about innovating the industry. Moving ahead, iA is collaborating with its Foundation Partners—the Commonwealth Bank and KPMG—to deliver a national aged care innovation awards program, and the innovAGEING Olympics in 2019. We will continue to work with our network participants, listen to their wants and needs, promote their hard work, and celebrate their wins. Looking to the future, as we move beyond the one-year mark, iA is acutely aware that what we do next matters far more than what we have already done. ■ Merlin Kong is Principal Advisor Innovation, Leading Age Services Australia. For more information email info@innovageing.org.au or visit www.innovageing.org.au

NATIONAL UPDATE

STRATEGIES FOR THE LEADERS OF AGED CARE ORGANISATIONS

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PREPARING FOR A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO AGED CARE

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW

he Royal Commission, intensifying public scrutiny and negative media coverage about the sector will impact the reputation of every provider, not just those who are named in media reporting, or those addressing quality issues. But how should you prepare and what should you to make this a positive experience for your business?

Prepare immediately Aged care is rich in challenges. Every provider has dealt with issues in the past: disgruntled employees, violent residents, dissatisfied family members, action groups. Although providers may not know if issues will surface, preparations can be made. Even if the organisation has never experienced significant issues, questions can be expected from stakeholders, families, and staff seeking employment. What will staff say? How can the organisation be consistent in its response, underlining the integrity of its care? To protect its business, and the care it provides, every provider should be prepared.

Have a well-articulated position on the Commission and its intent Best-practice teaches crisis communication as a dialogue— public concerns must be appreciated even if they seem unfounded. Despite your professional experience or personal opinion on whether aged care is in crisis, the public feels it is. This publicly held view needs to be acknowledged, not ignored. All providers, particularly those operating in residential aged care, should have a well-articulated position on the Commission and its intent. This position needs to be communicated and understood by all employees.

Remember that people deliver care Employees, residents and family members share a bond of trust that is the foundation of aged care. Management naturally focuses on a range of other tasks but must ensure that employees feel supported and know what to do and say. Every provider needs a system, process and communication collateral to share its intent. Communication must be noticed and understood. Messages should be simple and repeated. Employees should be visibly supported in company communication with residents.

Employees must also understand the limits of their role as communicators. It is part of their role, but there are experienced and informed colleagues to continue consultation requested by families. Employees should not feel exposed.

Communicate with internal stakeholders Proactively and consistently communicating with internal stakeholders, employees and family members ensures the organisation has a strong reputation and supporter base before the Royal Commission occurs. Communications to family members, who will have increased feelings of concern and guilt in the wake of the ongoing negative media, should be reviewed. It is important that all family members—whether your organisation is currently affected or not—are given information on who to call for support. This will afford people a sense of control over the health and safety of their loved ones, which allows them to react with reasoned responses.

Define the integrity of your operations to date Strengthening trust requires consistent and genuine consultation. Now is the time for aged care providers to work with stakeholders to define the integrity of the organisation’s operations to date by:

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• Positioning the organisation’s well-managed services and positive community outcomes across owned channels and media • Engaging with influential community organisations to welcome dialogue and build relationships • Maintaining communications with stakeholders to communicate risk before issues arise

Develop or revisit your issues management strategy Comprehensive issues management will prevent the escalation of issues to a level of crisis. It manages media interest and ensures leaders are equipped to support emergency response and operational processes with confident communication. It also protects important relationships with key stakeholder groups. Every provider should have a strategic plan in place for responding in the event of serious complaint or incident. This should be reviewed to ensure it: • Maps likely issues • Defines scenarios • Establishes tactical response processes • Outlines a recovery strategy

Analyse past issues and monitor complaints

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Ongoing sector scrutiny provides anyone with a grievance the platform to come forward. Most aged care providers will have dealt with a complaint or issue. This is the time to go back over, summarise how you responded and the safeguards or improvements you put in place. In the event of new complaints, be transparent and clear about how you are acting to remedy concerns or mistakes.

Establish a structured and confidential process for voicing concerns As the Royal Commission approaches, some staff and managers may feel they need to hide problems to protect their role. Management needs to hear the voices of employees, but this should be via a structured and confidential process. Providers should consider contracting an external organisation to hear confidential employee concerns so these can be adequately addressed. Despite the concerns a Royal Commission and associated media coverage will raise in Australia, and the effects it will have on perceptions for many years to come, aged care is a highly regulated and well-established sector that plays an important role in the health and wellbeing of our community. Families who receive great care, know it. This is an opportunity for providers to lead, clarifying the positive impact they have through care—and well beyond it. ■ Janine Yeates is Associate Director, Ellis Jones.

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ARE YOU READY TO INNOVATE? PROBABLY NOT. HERE’S WHY.

Many organisations are not successful when it comes to transformation or innovation because they are intervening at the wrong place—they have not understood their customer.

eing a successful leader of any business relies on three things: being clear on what you want to achieve, ensuring your people are working well together, and having effective business processes in place. It seems so simple. Yet for some aged care providers, this is difficult to accomplish. One the biggest obstacles to innovation, transformation, strategy execution and major digital projects is that your people are just not working well together. Imagine your aged care business is an aeroplane. Innovation would be like upgrading one of the engines while the plane is in flight. I have seen CEOs hire an exceptional team of agile millennials to drive company-wide innovation; to change the flight path of the jumbo jet. A difficult thing to do while your long-standing management team is trying to navigate the plane, watching the millennials fly beside in a zippy Cessna doing a loop-the-loop. Innovation is a word for doing something new, or something different, compared with something already established. There are many examples of aged care organisations trying to do

something different: develop new models of service, implement new information systems, transition to individualised funding models, or establish continuous improvement teams. The trouble is most innovation initiatives are not successful. In the last five years, I have witnessed many organisations spend lots of money and disrupt their teams for little benefit and lost opportunities. So what is the meaningful ‘something different’ you can do? How can you succeed where others have failed? I believe there are two fundamentals shifts that are needed in aged care.

1. Develop your purpose and strategy around your customer Coming back to your aeroplane, the problem is innovation efforts are focused in the wrong place. People like to refresh the carpet, change the seat configuration, spice up with a new menu or even retrain the Flight Attendants to be friendlier. These are good but not enough in a competitive market. The environment has changed. If this is all you do, your aeroplane will look very lovely sitting empty on the tarmac.

Continued on page 34

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AGE SERVICES Continued from page 33

Today you need to entirely and unequivocally redefine your purpose and your strategy around your customer. The goal here is comprised of two things: the products and services that satisfy your customer needs; and delivering those in a way that provides a sensible profit margin. Without them, you do not have a business. Everything you design and build is driven from this starting point—people, culture, processes, systems, measures, structure, facilities, and so on. Everything.

2. Understand your customer flow Customer flow enables you to visualise the purchasing and delivery of your intangible services. Customer flow is usually divided into several progressive stages, reflecting the movement of a customer through the buying process. Your goal is to progress the customer through each stage. Without it, how else do you fill the seats on your aeroplane? Ask yourself, what does the customer need at each stage? Answering this question means your team can understand their services from the customer perspective, and identifying strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for innovation becomes clearer. From there you can develop an action plan that can usually be implemented with minimal investment or disruption. When you

use the right lens—the customer viewpoint—effective changes become a reality.

Where to from here By aligning your purpose and strategy around your customer, you can be clearer on what you are trying to achieve. By understanding customer flow, your people can be working well together and with the customer in mind at every touch point. Your business processes will be much more effective and aligned to your goals. You will be ready to innovate. That innovation might be how your customers view your organisation, a new service design or even a more effective operating model. There is no magic potion. The key to meaningful change is about being more business-like to stay true to your purpose. The fruit of your labour will be in the implementation of your innovation opportunities to keep your aeroplane in the air—at full capacity. You may be travelling to destinations you might never have imagined! ■ Bruce Mullan is Chief Executive Officer, The Purpose Drive Group. For more information visit www.purposedriven.com.au

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THE KIDS ARE COMING

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENT GENERATIONS The home care market shifted dramatically in February 2017 when government funding became consumer-directed. But who are the consumers making the decisions? And how does this affect home care providers?

t Catalyst Research, we track consumer attitudes and behaviour via The Catalyst Report, an annual study of more than 4,000 adults divided in groups we call The Kids (45-65 year olds) and The Parents (over 65s).

We overlayed the results of our research with an examination of historical factors that characterise differences between these groups who I will represent with members of my family—Conor (82) and Kath (52). But we should not forget Dan (22). The Dans of the world are a group of emerging importance. First consider Conor’s history. He is part of a post-war generation. He reads newspapers and listens to the radio. Conor went ‘cap in hand’ to get a mortgage. He met girls at church functions and local dances. There was a strong degree of trust in church and state. He used paper versions of the Yellow Pages and classified advertisements as part of his shopping. Simpler times. Kath saw the explosion of media options and an exponential increase of advertising—more than 3,000 advertisements will hit her eyes and ears in a single day. She was courted by a mortgage broker and banks were throwing money at her. Her peers went to bars and discos. The 24-hour news cycle brought multiple stories disgracing church and governments around the world, eroding her trust in institutions. Google became the standard way to find anything that appealed to her time-poor life, busy with raising children and working.

Dan is a digital native. He may ‘snack’ off information via 280-character Twitter summaries, but he has never bought a newspaper. Dan is looking into peer-to-peer lending and cutting out banks altogether to get a loan. He can find a date in a minute via Tinder and has very little interest in church and politics. He leverages crowdsourced information as a short cut to purchase behaviour by looking at review sites, product comparison services and Google ratings. To a degree he is ‘outsourcing’ decision making.

The Catalyst Report revealed differences in how Kath and Conor view home care services. Conor’s perspective will be thrifty and abstemious while Kath is more convenienceoriented. There is also the potential that home care providers will (consciously or unconsciously) relieve Kath of the burden of parental support she has been carrying. Kath is far more likely to see the relevance of personal care, clinical care, meal preparation and in-home nursing than Conor. There is also the perspective that Kath can give Conor ‘permission’ to consider these services rather than ‘tough it out’ as was the post-war tradition. Home care providers can potentially partner with Kath in conversations that help Conor allow himself to use an expanded range of services. There is the potential for guilt for Kath ‘outsourcing’ care to a support service. Providers should prepare team members to assuage Kath’s concerns with talk of ‘sharing the load’. Face-to-face engagement will be most effective with Conor as will case studies reflecting his story-telling tradition. Strong branding will be important appealing to Kath. Brand awareness has become a surrogate for trust in a world where purchase options have been vastly multiplied. Coming back to Dan. It tends to be this younger generation who are called upon to assist family members with technology challenges. Inevitably, home care providers will turn to technology solutions to lower the cost of support and improve service provision. For Dan, organisations also need to be easy to find, so search engine optimisation (SEO) is critical. And it will be increasingly important for providers to demonstrate large scale endorsement of their quality. ■ Kevin McCreton is Managing Director, Catalyst Research. For more information visit www.catalystresearchaustralia.com

DAWNING OF A NEW ERA

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AGE SERVICES

RETIREMENT LIVING

AN ALTERNATIVE TO A LUMP SUM CONTRACT Four years ago this aged care provider made a radical decision to offer rental contracts—a stroke of genius.

ale Elderly Citizens Village Incorporated (SECV) is a community-based not-for-profit organisation established in 1972 by local Rotarians and the Catholic Church. It offers aged care accommodation services in Sale, Victoria, with 75 beds in its residential aged care facility (including a 15-bed secure dementia wing) and 88 independent living units (ILUs) across two sites. Four years ago, the Board of Management made a decision to offer a portion of its ILUs for rental contracts rather than the industry standard lump sum contract. The decision was based on a lack of affordable housing for aged persons who did not have the means or desire to pay a lump sum amount and who wished to live in a retirement village. This was made available to self-funded retirees over 55 years of age or persons on an aged pension.

“From a resident perspective it provides more options for retirement living in a consumer-directed care environment and if a resident wishes to change from a rental contract into a lump sum contract they also have that option, which means essentially they get to try before they buy.” ■ Michelle Dowsett made a presentation ‘Retirement Living: Try before you buy’ at LASA National Congress 2018 in Adelaide. Several similar sized operators have made contact with Michelle as a result and are also considering a rental option for their retirement villages. If you would like to get in touch with Michelle please email admin@secvinc.com.au Independent Living Unit at SECV.

The offering having been incredibly popular, rental residents now make up 30 per cent of the total residents in the village. The rental contracts fall under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and are outsourced to local real estate agent Graham Chalmer Pty Ltd—keeping everything in the community. The Board of Management closely monitors the bond liquidity to ensure that the replacement of vacating lump sum contracts with incoming rentals is well managed. Monthly inflow from rental contracts provides the organisation with regular cash to assist the adherence to the Board mandated bond liquidity and also ensures maintenance and upkeep of the ILUs is sustained. Chief Executive Officer of Sale Elderly Citizens Village, Michelle Dowsett says that the decision to offer rental contracts as an alternative has been a great success.

Enjoyable activities at SECV are helping residents to age well.

“The Board decision has proved valuable for SECV and the community alike. From an SECV perspective it meets a strategic vision to provide affordable housing for aged persons in a community setting. “It also assists with occupancy in our residential care hostel Ashleigh House, with approximately 50 percent of ILU residents moving across when the need for respite or permanent residential care arises. “We invite our ILU residents to regular activities at Ashleigh House—bingo, musical performances, happy hour and access to our library and fitness room. This has opened up social opportunities to a wider group of people.

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PARTNERING WITH A CORPORATE PROVIDER TO CREATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR RESIDENTS AND STAFF

AN INCONTINENCE CASE STUDY

In 2010 an estimated 4.8 million Australians were living with incontinence and the prevalence was expected to increase to 6.4 million people by 2030.1 Incontinence is a substantial challenge for the healthcare system and aged care, with debilitating consequences for individuals. A 2017 report listed continence and bowel management in the top five complaints to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner.2

elping Hand Aged Care recently took up a partnership with corporate provider Paul HARTMANN Pty Ltd— and things could not have worked out better. The partnership involved Helping Hand participate in an exploratory observational project of continence products at one of our five metropolitan residential aged care facilities.

As a result of the evaluation received from residents and staff throughout the project, the residential site continues to use the HARTMANN products, while HARTMANN have updated their aged care staff educational program including the online learning program, face-to-face education and available resources.

The aim of the project was to compare HARTMANN’s ‘MoliCare Skintegrity System’ continence aids and skin care products with products already contracted for use at Helping Hand. The project was conducted across one residential aged care facility and, in addition to the measurement of clinical outcomes for residents, staff perceptions were evaluated to gain an understanding of satisfaction with the new products.

Helping Hand have made a number of internal improvements since completion of the project based on feedback and recommendations from HARTMANN, including initiating a continence lead at each site and maintaining contact with community home care services (metropolitan and regional) offices who are providing an effective and enhanced level of communication with staff regarding optimal skin integrity. Further improvements have been made to the electronic care planning system in relation to continence management and skin integrity.

Seventy-eight consenting residents diagnosed with incontinence were included in the study. Residents and staff were provided with additional onsite clinical continence expertise throughout the project. Residents were provided with individualised education and assessment as required, while staff were provided with on-site education, which included product information, assessment, prevention of incontinence associated dermatitis, and skin integrity care. Outcomes were assessed against the number of continence products required and corresponding product performance in terms of leakage; and the reduction in the risk of perianal skin inflammation, using skin redness as the measurement. Resident and staff preferences and satisfaction with the products were assessed by means of surveys. A high satisfaction rating was reported by the residents who completed the surveys. Staff also reported a high product satisfaction with the continence aids and skin lotions, as well as the education provided.

Our partnership with HARTMANN ended up being more than a trial of continence products, it identified opportunities for continuous improvement activities across internal areas in the organisation in the clinical arena, and more rigor in the consumables procurement process. This has enhanced the quality program not just at a product level—it has benefited residents, staff and the organisation as a whole. ■ Michelle Hogan is Client Safety and Quality Consultant, Helping Hand Aged Care. For more information visit www.helpinghand.org.au

References: 1. Continence Foundation of Australia. The economic impact of incontinence in Australia. 2011. Available at: https://www.continence.org.au/pages/deloittereport.html Retrieved 16 October 2018 2. Francis, A, McGregor J & Scott S (2018), Case Studies from the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner’s Clinical Unit; Australian & New Zealand Continence Journal, Spring 2018 Volume 24 Number 3 page 75

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AGE SERVICES

TRIPLE M GOVERNANCE

LINKING QUALITY TO GOVERNANCE With the new Aged Care Quality Standards around the corner, clinical governance must be core and integrated into all governing body risk appetite and risk management plans.

tandard 8 of the Aged Care Quality Standards (ACQS) is a game changer for managers of residential and home care operators (providers), because it will “hold the governing body accountable for the organisation’s compliance with the Aged Care Quality Standards, 2018”. The Organisation Statement could not be clearer on the responsibilities of boards: “The governing body is accountable for the delivery of safe and quality care and services”. While providing oversight on the strategic plan, property developments and financial outcomes has been governance 101 for boards of providers, oversight on quality and compliance has usually been seen as the responsibility of management. From July 2019 that will change. Quality and compliance have always been mission critical issues to providers. Failure comes at huge reputational, personal and financial cost to the organisation, the care recipients and staff. I recently traced the financial performance of a provider who was sanctioned and the cost over a threeyear period was in the order of $4,000,000. There are multiple recent cases in New South Wales where providers have had to dispose of their sanctioned facilities. The failure tolerance continuum is a simple tool to help directors focus their attention on what matters.

Failure tolerance continuum

Measure. Just as there are key operational metrics such as occupancy, EBITDA per place, revenue per resident, so to there are some key metrics that can indicate quality and compliance red flags. As with all metrics the skill is to measure the right actions and outcomes and to combine both lead and lag measures. As a result of the recent media, you might consider measuring staff hours per resident or the distribution of staff length of service. Monitor. Deciding on what to measure is the first step, however, unless you monitor what you measure you will not see any change. Of course, you need to know when the measurement moves from acceptable to unacceptable and set triggers for action. As we have seen in the Royal Commission into banking, the CBA’s customer satisfaction rating was high and yet customers were being treated inappropriately. This teaches us that those charged with governance need to ask what the data might not be showing. Motivate. The third and critical M is to develop a culture of ‘If it’s not perfect improve it’. Under the existing standards all providers have a Plan for Continuous Improvement (PCI) but in a culture where negative outcomes are unacceptable, there is a risk that failures and mistakes are covered up. A culture that admits we are all human and despite our best intentions sometimes we get it wrong, encourages openness and honesty. If we treat imperfections as opportunities for improvement, we can address the issues, and build a stronger culture of quality and compliance. ■ Bruce Bailey is Managing Director, Pride Living Pty Ltd. For more information visit www.prideliving.com.au

At the extreme left are the unacceptable operational failures while at the extreme right are the acceptable, if unwelcome, operational failures. To understand your vulnerability as a provider simply place quality and compliance on this continuum. This will quickly show the risk your organisation faces. The further you are to the left, the more visibility of risks and negative events the board requires. Knowing the risk is informative, the real issue is understanding the risk and how to manage it. Regrettably this is where many boards fail. The Pride Living Triple M Model—Measure, Monitor and Motivate—can assist boards develop their risk response obligations. It consists of three key elements.

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“Staff replacement has always been difficult but since the introduction of Emprevo we spend less time on the phones and our staff have more time doing what they do best, caring for our residents.” Kerri Rivett, CEO, Shepparton Villages

“Our tech savvy, and not so tech savvy, staff embraced it with shifts being quickly snapped up. Coupled with some robust systems to ensure fairness, in particular around planned leave, Emprevo has been a great success.” Janet Moore , COO, Yallambee Aged Care

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By participating in the Realise benchmarking you will gain: Analysis of the typical pay and benefits packages provided across Aged Care and Community Services Information about the latest HR trends impacting providers Data indicating what positions pay at different levels across your organisation compared to the broader market Knowledge to inform your decisions about acceptable pay ranges for your people Retain your valuable people by ensuring that your salary and benefit packages remain cost effective and competitive.

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“A recognised leader in the field” Pam has worked within the aged care sector for many years. She has represented the industry on Commonwealth and State Advisory Boards, and Reference Groups. Pam has been re-appointed to the DSS Nurse Advisor and Administrator Panels for the next 3 years.

Contact Pam to find a solution! Pam Bridges Consulting ABN: 94 590 128 442 Ph. 0448 885 110 www.pambridgesconsulting.com

Services Include (but not limited to): • ACAR Applications • Accreditation Audits - Including Gap Audits • ACFI Reviews and Training • Advocacy • Complaint Investigation • Conflict Resolution • Montoring and Coaching • Risk Management • Service Reviews • Strategic Planning • Support during Interactions with Regulatory Bodies

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WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SELECT THE BEST CANDIDATE?

SOME TOP TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR PROCESS Successful candidate selection is imperative for all aged care providers, particularly in light of our current aged care climate, and the shortage of skilled professionals in the sector.

fter six weeks of executive search for a senior position, two candidates were presented, and one was invited for a second interview with the client. We will call the candidate ‘X’.

The client calls and says X is the preferred candidate. Music to a recruiter’s ears. Now to consider the reference and academic qualification checks. A conversation ensues with X about referees, which progresses well and appropriate referees are approached. Check. Then comes the academic qualifications certification conversation. After nearly 10 minutes of me explaining how we do the academic checks and prying into why the candidate cannot provide a certified copy of their Masters degree, it is evident X does not have a Masters degree at all—despite them listing it on their application. After relaying this to the Client, they decided X was not the one. But what would have happened if we had not done that check? How would that person have performed on-the-job? Following is a simple check list that can be embedded into your recruitment process to help you select the best person for the job and for your organisation. Job tenure. After analysing our placement data over the past three years, we found successful placements are candidates who have an average job tenure of more than 2.5 years, counting their jobs from when they qualified. Presentation of Resume. The candidates who have tidier and better formatted resumés are more successful placements.

Written content. Consideration should be given to the standard of written communication you receive from the candidate including emails, resumé and cover letter. Check to see if they are addressing the correct person, for correctness in grammar and spelling, and that the letter is pertinent to the job. Phone/pre-recruitment approach. Assess the candidate through phone conversation and screening and have some key points you wish to ask them on the phone. Listen to their level of enthusiasm, assess if they are ‘all about me’ and if they show some flexibility in getting information to you or making

themselves available to meet you. There is nothing worse than a candidate who is laisse faire in their pre-recruitment approach. Interview. Always set a run sheet so everyone knows the interview agenda. For executive positions make yourself available for a coffee with a candidate before the formal interview. This helps gauge ‘best fit’ and gives you an opportunity to sell the job as the hiring manager, even after HR screening. For the formal interview, competency-based and case scenario questioning is essential. Ask the candidate to arrive 15 minutes prior to interview. Provide them with three case scenarios they may face on-the-job, with questions spinning off from each scenario. Their responses will indicate how they would perform on the job. Good candidates can choose which aged care provider they will work for. How you make a candidate feel at interview is in your hands. Leave yourself open to questioning by the candidate. Our rule of thumb is to never let a candidate complete an interview feeling anything but good about themselves. Best fit. It is important a new team member fits into your organisational culture. Include questioning at interview around previous employers the candidate enjoyed and why they were happy there, or what they consider their top three professional and personal values. Appropriate attitude can be assessed at interview and can be interpreted from the case scenario responses and general questions such as ‘why are you attracted to the role’. Language used in the delivery of their responses can indicate whether they operate as a ‘me’ or ‘we’ at work. Presentation is another indicator of whether they are a good fit. Qualification and reference checking. Candidate X has happened only twice in 15 years of recruiting, but background checks are still necessary. Ensure your templates are robust, including case scenario questions. Timeliness of candidate responses/commitment to the recruitment process. It is essential for candidates to commit to your recruitment process with prompt responses and delivery of documentation when required. ■ Peta-Jane Maynard is Director, PJ Maynard Consulting Pty Ltd. For more information visit www.pjconsulting.com.au

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he value and significance of employee engagement has been known for decades. Less well known is employee experience, the new kid on the block.

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information on fees visit hesta.com.au/pds and read Fees and costs. 4. A history of strong, long-term returns. Our investment options have performed well over the long term. Visit hesta.com.au/returns to learn more. 5. Insurance. We are not an insurance company. But we know how important it is to protect your future. So we partner with experts to offer our members great value, low-cost insurance in case the unexpected happens. ■ For more details visit www.hesta.com.au/insurance.

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4. Click Find your other super—you’ll see every super account under your name, no matter which fund it’s currently sitting in. 5. Decide if you’re ready to roll your other super across to HESTA (there are a few things to check first—it’s all on the same page for your reading pleasure).

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objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. HESTA Superannuation Advisers and HESTA Associate Superannuation Advisers are representatives of H.E.S.T. Australia Limited. Before making a decision about HESTA products you should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy), and consider any relevant risks (hesta.com.au/understandingrisk).

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Have you had your annual governance evaluation yet?

xcellent aged care service providers understand that everything is constantly evolving and knowing where you are currently, and where you need to evolve to next, is extremely valuable.

Both Shepparton Villages and ECH are currently focusing on three critical governance areas: risk, clinical governance and organisational culture.

Annual governance evaluations not only highlight areas for opportunity and growth, they also give attention to areas that organisations have started to focus on, and those they have already greatly succeeded in.

Regarding clinical governance, both boards recognise the move towards consumer-directed care. Discussions are being held to determine how they can better bring the voice of consumers and carers to the table, and how they can further develop a work culture that is customer focused.

The growth areas, having had a light shone on them through the evaluation process, should then become the focus for actions that will see organisations rise to excellence.

Risk management will also be a focus through a high functioning Audit and Risk Committee and relevant dashboard reports for boards, identifying top risks both clinical and for the organisation.

A good evaluation ensures that the board, and all directors, stay on track and within their domain of governance. This is extremely important in small community organisations where board members can often get caught up in operations, and is equally important in large organisations where directors must focus on being strategic.

Additionally, strong board committee structures will help manage and report on culture and quality, including clinical governance strategy, risk and stewardship, while a Director Development Program aims to build the governance capabilities of each of their directors.

Governance evaluations are a way towards achieving excellence, and there can be a lot gleaned from others who are performing well. In order to celebrate excellence and share insights in the aged care sector, Governance Evaluator will be commencing a Celebrating Excellence in Aged Care webinar series in 2019. In this series there will be chats with CEOs, Chairs and Directors of aged care services who we have worked with in the past. These guests will discuss how they have built excellence in their services and share their tips for success.

Governance Evaluator is honoured to begin our Celebrating Excellence in Aged Care webinar series with Kerri and Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and we look forward to you joining the conversation. â&#x2013;

CEO Shepparton

CEO Enabling

Villages Kerri Rivett.

Confidence at Home David Panter.

Fi Mercer is Founder and CEO, Governance Evaluator. For more information visit www.governanceevaluator. com and to register for the webinar series visit http://bit.ly/ celebratingexcellence

In our first webinar, to be held in January 2019, we will be chatting with Kerri Rivett, CEO of Shepparton Villages, and David Panter, CEO of Enabling Confidence at Home (ECH), who will discuss their respective areas of focus in relation to their own organisation and services, and explain how they are now building them into areas of excellence. Kerri and David will share their tips for good governance evaluations as they both believe that formal evaluations offer great opportunities for directors to reflect on their individual input and behaviour at a board level.

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THE USE OF CCTV IN AGED CARE WHAT THE LEGISLATION SAYS

CCTV in aged care requires considered and thorough navigation.

ecent media reports, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Four Corner’s Program, have highlighted the issue of use of CCTV in aged care and the safety of aged care residents.

The new Aged Care Quality Standards address safety specifically in Standard 5, which deals with resident safety and requires the provider to ensure that residents feel safe.

Subject to parliamentary processes, the new Aged Care Quality Standards will soon come into law, with assessment and monitoring against these new standards commencing from 1 July 2019—meaning aged care providers need to be prepared to ensure they have adequate systems and processes in place to ensure the safety of residents. But what role can CCTV play or should it play? And what does the legislation say? There are a number of state and territory laws that restrict the use of listening, optical, data and tracking surveillance devices, some with criminal offences, including, for example, in New South Wales: privacy legislation; legislation that deals with workplace surveillance; legislation that deals with CCTV; laws protecting confidential information under common law or contract; laws regulation telecommunications and cybersecurity; and criminal laws prohibiting the taking or publishing of indecent images and indecent filming without consent.

In relation to privacy, the User Rights Principles 2014 (Cth) provides care recipients the right to have their privacy respected and the full and effective use of their personal, civil, legal and consumer rights. The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) applies to all Australian private sector health service providers that hold health information (other than in an employee record), irrespective of their annual turnover. However, generally, the Privacy Act does not apply to an individual acting in a personal capacity and currently it does not apply to employee records, which are dealt with separately under the laws of confidentiality and workplace surveillance laws. It is recommended that if you wish to photograph, video or take any other images or recordings of personal information of a resident and intend to use that image for business purposes, that the consent (preferably written) of the individual is obtained. If an organisation holds images of a person, including CCTV footage, that information is “personal information” and the individual has the right to access that information unless an exception applies. If access is provided, then images of other people will need to be pixilated to protect their privacy. The Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) applies to both the public sector and private sector in New South Wales and has similar provisions.

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Under the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (NSW) an employer commits an offence if it engages in the surveillance of an employee without providing written notice (in a specified form) at least 14 days before the surveillance commences. For camera surveillance of an employee (including voluntary workers), it is only permissible to use cameras for surveillance where: • the cameras are clearly visible in the place where the surveillance is taking place; and • there are signs notifying people that they may be under surveillance in that place, which are clearly visible at the entrance to that place. Covert surveillance is permissible in very limited circumstances, for example, for the purpose of establishing whether or not an employee is involved in any unlawful activity while at work for the employer. Law enforcement agencies are permitted to conduct such surveillance and usually only with authority of a warrant issued by a Judge or Magistrate. A covert surveillance authority is only to be used in relation to unlawful conduct and may not be used for performance or other matters concerning the employee-employer relationship, and covert surveillance must not be taken in any change room, toilet facility, or shower or other bathing facility.

Any employer (including a person contracting for services) conducting surveillance in breach of the Workplace Surveillance Act is liable to prosecution under the Workplace Surveillance Act. However, surveillance may be undertaken by agreement. If a provider wishes to restrict people (including residents, staff and visitors) from infringing the rights of other residents and staff by videoing or recording without their consent, an option that may be explored is the introduction of a reasonable policy or Code of Conduct, setting out rules as a condition of entry into their premises, similar to conditions of entry into shopping centres. In order to achieve this, reasonable notice of the conditions of entry must be provided. The common areas of an aged care facility or hospital may be ‘private property’, to which the Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 (NSW) and the laws of trespass to property might apply to restrict access to non-residents if the policy/Code is infringed. Laws around CCTV are complicated and protecting individuals’ privacy is paramount. We recommend providers who wish to install CCTV in their facility seek legal advice about their particular situation. If covert surveillance is required, it is best to contact the police to seek a court warrant. ■ Alison Choy Flannigan is Partner, Health, Aged Care, Life Sciences & Community, Hall & Wilcox.

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THE BENEFITS OF HOME SHARING A PILOT PROJECT THAT COULD EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES OF RETIREMENT LIVING

While the concept of home sharing has gained momentum within the aged care sector overseas, it is largely untapped in Australia.

ith the cost of living and the number of single-person households rising, home sharing is becoming an increasingly appealing option for older people. Recognising the potential financial and social benefits, leading South Australian provider Enabling Confidence at Home (ECH) is exploring the possibility of starting a Home Share program.

Home Share programs allow a householder with a spare room to rent the space to a home sharer in return for affordable rent or an agreed amount of help around the house. ECH Chief Executive David Panter says it can be a win-win outcome. “From our initial research and insight from providers that have embarked on home share programs overseas, it is becoming clear that there is a range of benefits including combating social isolation, providing more affordable housing options, and fostering intergenerational connections,” Dr Panter said.

Home Share program. The not-for-profit organisation is talking to a range of homeowners aged 55 years and over, canvassing them about how the model could work for them. ECH Research and Evaluation Manager (Home Share) Victoria Cornell is overseeing the discussions with participants. Dr Cornell is also a Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide focusing on subject areas including alternative models of housing for older people. “We are really encouraging people to get involved in this important research. It is a simple process where people will be asked their thoughts and opinions on a number of topics around how a potential Home Share program could work for them and their specific situation,” Dr Cornell said.

“Through this research we need to find out, for example, what the participants would like in relation to gender and age, and whether they would prefer money or some much needed help around the house, or both. All of these findings will help us then make an informed decision on the viability of the program moving forward.” ECH will use the findings to guide the implementation of a pilot project with a view to roll out the program across South Australia. The research will also be used to highlight the resources needed to run a sustainable Home Share pilot program. ■ Vicky Brett is Marketing Manager, Enabling Confidence at Home. For more information visit www.ech.asn.au

“The beauty of these types of programs is that they operate on a principle of mutuality where both parties are valued and respected for their contribution, and can enter the arrangement with dignity and enthusiasm.” ECH—one of the largest integrated providers of retirement living accommodation and aged care services in South Australia—is currently conducting research to better understand interest levels for a potential

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SELF-MANAGEMENT IN HOME CARE NEW TOOLKITS TO GUIDE THE WAY FORWARD

Toolkits developed for providers and consumers to implement high level self-management.

he Department of Health has funded COTA Australia to conduct a two-year project designed to strengthen the capacity of the aged care sector to better respond to the existing and emerging challenges of the aged care reforms.

One such challenge is how to cater for the next generation of consumers as they begin to consider receiving care at home for themselves or a loved one, as well as those who are already receiving care that have a keen interest in self-management in preference to provider-managed supports. Together with research partner RMIT University, COTA Australia has partnered with seven approved home care package providers nationally to test a new model of self-managed home care. The study participant demographics are:

• 102 people commenced the trial • C arers (58%); care recipients (26%); carer/care recipient working together (16%) • Educated to tertiary or university level (62%) • H ome Care Packages Levels 1 & 2 (45%); Levels 3 & 4 (55%)

What does our self-management model look like? The model, which was co-designed with over 400 consumers, carers and providers centres around five main pillars. 1. Partnership. Providers and participants are in this together. Neither can succeed at implementing self-management without the support and co-operation of the other. Mutual understanding and agreement about division of tasks and activities is paramount. 2. Care and support. Participants are supported to re-evaluate and prioritise their care needs and care goals. Participants receive formal guidance to source and contract care staff and suppliers if they wish to do so. 3. Financial control. Participants are supported to use a home care debit card loaded with an agreed amount of package subsidy to enable participants to purchase approved items and pay suppliers at the point of sale. Participants and providers share online access to their home care budget and financial statements, to enable efficient tracking of their spending and available balance. 4. Help, if and when it is needed. COTA Australia’s independent self-management consultant checks in regularly

with participants to formally evaluate how much support participants typically require at key intervals when learning about selfmanagement. 5. Quality and compliance. The model operates within the current legislative framework for home care Jean using her computer to help selfto ensure compliance manage her care and support. with quality standards is assured. Risk mitigation and capacity building for both providers and consumers is central to the model.

What have we learned so far? Current consumers of home care, together with people who are not yet receiving care but are thinking toward the future, are typically pragmatic about their desire and capacity to selfmanage. Consumers have told us they want: • to maintain their autonomy and self-determination; • information and tools to increase their knowledge and skills; • clear parameters around decision-making responsibilities and obligations; • t o make informed choices regarding suitable spending of their government subsidy; • a safety net to support them when they need help or if they want to revert to provider-managed care. These are fundamental features of how consumers want to engage with a system that is set up to support them. Consumers and carers are not looking for a one-size-fits-all approach to home care, rather they want options that enable them to tailor their package management to match their personal circumstances. All research evaluation and project resources will be made freely available at the conclusion of the project in mid-2019. ■ Anna Millicer is leading the Increasing Self-management in Home Care project at COTA Australia. Dr Carmel Laragy is the research consultant to the project through RMIT University. They can be contacted at selfmanagement@cota.org.au

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 Exhibition and Main Conference: 27-28 March 2019  AHW Excellence Awards and Dinner: 27 March 2019  Venue: International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney

9th Annual 2019

PART OF

Implementing the Eden Alternative in Aged or Home & Community Care February to June 2019 Melbourne - 20th to 22nd March Auckland, NZ - 13th - 15th March Brisbane - 10th -12th April Perth - 29th - 31st May

Improving Customer Experience, Workforce Management and Business Models to Succeed in a New Operating Environment

20 Expert speakers, including:

Dr Takanori Shibata Ph.D Chief Senior Research Scientist National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (Japan)

Dan Levitt MSc. CHE. Executive Director, Tabor Home Society (Canada)

Jim Nicolson Manager – Aged Care Reform, New Zealand Ministry of Health (NZ)

Wendy Waddell Group Executive - Care & Commercial Japara

Sarah Newman General Manager Home Services, BaptistCare

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PROPERTY REFURBISHMENT

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? LASA IS NOW OFFERING EXPERT PROPERTY REFURBISHMENT SERVICES

Significant property refurbishment can optimise profitability while improving quality of life for residents.

ndertaking a significant property refurbishment is a costly and disruptive exercise, but the benefits are well worth it.

There is no doubt that aged care is in transition and moving rapidly into a consumer-directed experience. One of the prime issues facing providers will be keeping pace with this shiftâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and modifications to buildings can play a major role. Significant refurbishments improve the quality, character and efficiency of a facility and are directly linked to improved occupancy, financial viability and sustainability. The right improvements will also ensure compliance with the new Aged Care Quality Standards. Refurbished facilities attract higher accommodation supplements as well as higher RADs and DAPs for nonconcessional residents. Improvements to building design can enhance operational efficiencies and better meet the needs of residents. There are also potential savings related to energy usage and other running costs. Increased accommodation supplements are currently $18.76 per concessional bed per day, which equates to $6,368 per bed per annum. For an existing facility to qualify for this higher accommodation supplement, it must spend at least $25,000 on 40 per cent of the rooms (places) in the facility. The data indicates that nearly 50 per cent of beds in Australia have not attracted the higher supplement from refurbishment or from being a new build. Estimates are that this comprises around $30 billion in capital investment that is needed. The case study below highlights how this investment is worth making.

Case study: Empathy Aged Care Merrylands Empathy Aged Careâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Merrylands facility was 23 years old and, despite providing excellent care, it was experiencing declining occupancies and profitability and its sustainability was under threat.

The building was old and many of the residents were in shared bedrooms. Each bathroom was shared by eight residents and the communal areas were gloomy. The design of the facility was obsolete and not dementia friendly, which resulted in inefficient provision of care. Management recognised the need to significantly refurbish the facility but did not have the experience or knowledge to undertake the refurbishment without professional assistance. They employed an experienced development consultant, Peter Hamilton, to oversee and manage the end-to-end project development and delivery process for the client. The bedrooms were reconfigured into individual rooms with shared ensuites, and old floor coverings and window furnishings were replaced. In the lounge rooms, dining rooms and corridors natural light was improved with skylights and curtains were replaced with plantation shutters. Some internal walls were removed to improve resident flow and resident toilets were added near the lounge room. Although the project cost was approximately $2 million, it was cash positive in the third year after completion and continues to have a positive cash flow of just under $300,000 per annum, most of it due to a significant increase in the accommodation supplement. Occupancy increased by 5 per cent and RADs increased by over $30,000 per bed.

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How LASA can help you with your refurbishment Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) is now offering the following services to assist and support providers: • Stage 1 Planning and assessment (including estimated project cost, feasibility report, cash flow analysis, risk analysis and return on investment analysis)

LASA can provide expert financial assistance and will work with a commercial and entrepreneurial mindset to make the most of your budget to achieve your goals. ■ Brendan Moore is General Manager, Business Support Services, Leading Age Services Australia. For more information please call 1300 111 636 or email Consulting@lasa.asn.au

• Stage 2 Pre-construction planning (including preparation and lodgement of pre-approval application, preparation of conceptual architectural drawings, preparation of tender documents, management of the tender process and negotiation with builders) • Stage 3 Construction phase (once pre-approval is received LASA will formalise a contract with the builder, appoint an architect to prepare detailed drawings, project manage, and hold regular meetings with operational staff) • Stage 4 Commissioning and handover (including inspection of the facility, identification of defects, obtaining a certificate of practical completion, arrange for final payment to the builder, and prepare and lodge the final application for increased subsidies)

INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY

WHICH WAY TO HOME CARE SALES GROWTH? YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE THE RIGHT ROAD

providers. Currently, no licence or government approval is required to operate a private home care business in Australia.

Know thy market: it’s a jungle out there Since deregulation in February 2017, the industry has been on a roller coaster ride, with new provider entrants now making up over a third of all providers. In the last two years, 373 new approved providers entered the market—a 75.2 per cent increase in providers compared to a 17.6 per cent increase in supply of home care funding (from 72,272 packages to 84,971 packages). With a client turnover estimated between 30 to 40 per cent annually,2 it is little wonder many legacy providers are reporting a drop in new clients, and new entrants are struggling to grow their client base. The ongoing investment in time, money and effort needed to acquire new home care package customers is relentless and the competition is strong.

Home Care Package Quick Facts2 uch like Alice chasing the white rabbit, many unsuspecting new entrants to the home care market are also chasing the rabbit down the hole.

On the face of it, the aged care market appears rich with opportunity. Australian population projections over the next two decades show the growth of those aged 65+ will be more than twice as fast as the total population. The fastest growth will be in the ‘old old’ 75+ age group, who are those with the highest level of demand for aged care.1 This is attracting many budding entrepreneurs and investors.

But is aged care ‘ripe for the picking’? It is critical for newbies to understand how the money flows in the aged care market in Australia. The Australian Government pays for the bulk of aged care through a tightly regulated supply of subsidises and supplements to approved providers. Consumers contribute towards the cost of their care, if they can afford to do so, but the government controls the purse strings. Nevertheless, many home care agencies are flourishing without becoming an approved provider by offering full fee paying services, or by brokering or subcontracting to large approved

Since deregulation in February 2017: • 81,971 people are in a home care package • 56,750 people waiting for a home care package • 17.57% increase in supply of home care packages • 869 approved providers • 373 new approved providers • 75.2% increase in number of providers • the average length of time in a package 1.9 years • average age of client 83

No sales plan is a plan to fail Getting back to the Cheshire Cat’s advice: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” It is clear that to succeed, you need a strategic plan. A sales plan is your roadmap and defines your client acquisition strategy: who is the target market; what are your

INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY

tactics; what investment is required; and when can you expect a return. By setting clear targets, you set the direction for your team and the goal posts. When developing the sales plan, you will need to know how this industry works, and what works. With so much at stake, you cannot afford not to invest in advice and guidance from experts in the industry with firsthand knowledge. In our tumultuous aged care market, a sales plan is not an option, it is essential. A sales plan offers a pathway to success that is mission driven, realistic, measured, monitored and strategic.

The best performers can pivot Becoming an approved provider of home care services will not automatically put you in a pipeline of government subsidised referrals. There are not enough home care packages to make all providers profitable. Despite more than 130,000 people in the queue for a home care package, the release of new packages is only a trickle. At the time of writing, there are 84,971 home care packages in the market and 896 providers. The normative bell curve would suggest that as in most industries there are some very poor performers and some exceptional performers. These are the two extremes of the curve. In the middle is the rump, where the majority lie.

per cent of profits in the marketplace. Stars are exceptional performers who tend to behave in different ways from those in the middle. The question is, do you want to be run of the mill or exceptional? A good sales plan is flexible and offers your business the ability to track and monitor the dollars spent to acquire customers. A good plan will identify sales channels that work and help you ‘fail fast’—a philosophy that values extensive testing and incremental changes to determine whether an idea has value. An important goal of this philosophy is to cut losses when testing reveals something is not working and quickly try something else, a concept known as pivoting.

Where to from here? Providing care and support to older, vulnerable people is an extremely complex and sensitive business. Even for legacy providers, profits are constrained by pressures of a highly fluctuating supply and demand market; unrealistic profit motives; and the high cost of regulatory and quality compliance, which are burdens for both small and large providers. The good news for new entrants into the home care market is that the deregulation of February 2017 was a paradigm shift that created a more level playing field for newbies—but a sales plan is essential and advice from industry experts will prove enormously helpful. Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) is a member-based organisation with a highly capable team of industry experts dedicated to minimising risk to your organisation, while reducing your costs, increasing your revenue, and improving your business performance and sustainability—where you want to be. The transition to a new era in aged care is an opportunity to set a higher benchmark for our industry. ■ Jane Floyd is Principal Consultant, Home Care, Leading Age Services Australia.

References Credit: http://robert-craven.com.

1. The demographic facts of ageing in Australia, Australian Government

It is fair to say most businesses in the aged care market look virtually identical. They employ the same sort of people to use similar software and hardware to sell the same services to the same types of customers, using similar websites and similar techniques, at similar prices. It is all so similar.

aged-care-reform-aged-care-financing-authority/the-demographic-facts-of-

Department of Health https://agedcare.health.gov.au/ageing-and-aged-careageing-in-australia (17/10/2018) 2. Aged Care Financial Performance Survey Sector Report (FY18) Stewart Brown http://www.stewartbrown.com.au/news-articles/26-aged-care/166-june-2018aged-care-sector-reports-released (17/10/2018)

More interesting is the distribution of profits. The stars will be disproportionately more profitable. More often than not, the top 20 per cent of performers will account for the top 80

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odern technology and electronics allows the BAXX to achieve the aim of eliminating airborne pathogens by using cold plasma to strip a hydrogen atom from some of the natural water molecules (H20) contained in the air around us, leaving them as unbalanced hydroxyl clusters (-OH). These clusters seek and attach to airborne bacteria and virus cells and recover their missing hydrogen atom from the cells wall to return to a natural water molecule again (H2O). Hydrogen Peroxide was the most effective airocell spray in dealing with the spread of the SARS outbreak on the turn of the century. It was in fact this finding that prompted Dr Allan Chua to investigate further and invent the cold plasma method of producing natures hydroxyls.

facilities, retail outlets, and any other moist environments where a germ free environment is paramount. • The only moving part is a resin-packed motor attached to a fan. These type motors can cope with dry & dusty conditions to wet and clammy environments and so the Baxx can be employed in steamy kitchens or cold wet chillers just as easily as dry powder mixing rooms and anything in-between. Brackets on the Baxx unit also facilitate wall or ceiling mounting. It’s usual to hard wire the Baxx unit to a continuous power circuit as the Baxx unit should never be turned off. Not overnight, not for weekends, not for holidays – it’s always working for you to eliminate pathogen contamination in that room.

Hydroxyl knowledge had already been advanced earlier out of investigating methods of combating germ warfare by the British Ministry of Defence who had a remit to assess the risk of bacterial attack on the British Isles in the 60/70’s. This in turn had been initiated by observations over a hundred years prior by Louis Pasteur who had documented that the atmosphere in high altitudes and sunny days reduced the incidence of infection and effectively killed bacteria and viruses.

A single Baxx unit is capable of covering up to a 360 cubic metre room, although air losses such as exhaust fans, hoods, permanently open doorways etc may require additional units to compensate.

He found the answer lay in the natural occurrence of airborne Hydroxyl Clusters.

• Medical centres.

The use of stripping away hydrogen atoms from airborne water molecules to form hydroxyl clusters by a cold plasma field is unique to the BAXX which naturally kills all airborne pathogens including MRSA, C.Diff(Spore Form), Norovirus and Bacteria.

• Smallgoods manufacturing.

BAXX introduces several technological breakthroughs and advantages – • It doesn’t require any consumables other than electricity. No filters to clean, no chemicals or liquids to replenish, no service required allows the Baxx to be mounted high in the room for the most effective circulation and coverage. Install it and leave it to do its work. Electrical consumption is a mere 120watts – the equivalent of two 60watt light-globes. • The casing of the Baxx is in 316 stainless steel which makes it ideal for food manufacturing plants, health care

Applications encountered so far include – • Hospital kitchens. • Aged Care meal kitchens. • Backpackers accommodation to remove smoking odours. • Lettuce leaf washing & packing to remove Listeria. • Export Game meat facility boning room. • Yogurt cooking and rapid cooling rooms. • Meat wholesalers. • Chicken meat processing plants. • Flour mill storage rooms to eliminate flour moulds. • Seafood processing plants. • Cold storage rooms. Several large meat and other food industry users of BAXX have also noted a reduction in sick leave by staff working in the areas covered by the Baxx units. After all, BAXX is killing flu and cold virus just as efficiently and effectively as any other pathogen. ■

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Destroys Bacteria

Baxx is an environmental pathogen and air-borne pollutant removal system. The Baxx cold plasma technology kills Bacteria, Virus, Moulds & Fungus spores by disrupting the metabolism of their cell walls – no toxins, no chemicals, no radiation. There are neither filters to replace nor consumables – no servicing and requiring only an occasional clean. Install it and let it do the work. Ceiling or wall mounted. 220v -240v. 3 year 24/7 warranty - continuous running.

As used in UK and European hospitals, and now fast being adopted in stainless steel versions with resin fan motor for the food manufacturing industry as well.

Unique cold plasma technology to create Hydroxyl Clusters which naturally kill all airborne pathogens. These groups also react with odour causing chemicals such as ammonia and methane gas to produce neutral compounds such as Co2, Nitrogen and Water. The harmless way to create a safer and cleaner environment.

Protection for Residents & Staff.

Hydroxyls are the single most important cleansing agent in our environment. * 33% more effective at oxidizing pollutants than ozone. * 2.5 times more germicidal and fungicidal than liquid chlorine * Perfectly safe to breathe and use in occupied spaces In a room of 28m2 at 27ºC the Baxx reduced bacteria levels by 99.9% within 90 minutes, and viral traces were reduced by 88.96%. Ammonia levels reduced from 100% saturation down to zero in 30 minutes - without Baxx intervention the levels are 48%. Decomposition and ethylene gases are also effectively reduced/eliminated by Hydroxyls produced by Baxx. TESTS INDICATE EFFECTIVE ELIMINATION OF THE FOLLOWING ESCHERICHIA COLI (E COLI) STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES PSEUDOMONAS and ASPERGILLUS NIGER CAMPYLOBACTER BACILLUS SUBTILIS SPORE SALMONELLA SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE MRSA, C.DIFF(SPORE FORM) AND NOROVIRUS

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BENETAS EXPANDS ON ITS

STATE-OF-THE-ART CARE MODEL IN TWO MORE FACILITIES

A place to enjoy the sun and the views.

With an increasing ageing population, the needs of older Australians rapidly evolving, the aged care industry becoming increasingly competitive, and the traditional clinical approach to care no longer an acceptable model, providers are having to quickly adapt.

enetas—a leading not-for-profit aged care provider in Victoria—has developed a new, multi-layered approach to caring for older people, delivering choice and placing their rights and dignity at the centre of their care.

This had led to a significant change in how our services are delivered, providing true choice for our customers while continuing to support them in navigating the complexities of the aged care system. Benetas’ two latest developments—St George’s Peter Volk Apartments and The Views at Heidelberg—are the most recent examples of this new approach to aged care. The Views at Heidelberg is a purpose-built example of Benetas’ industry-leading new approach to aged care creating a genuine home-like environment for residents. At The Views there are 13 aged care apartments, occupied by only seven to nine residents. Each includes its own

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kitchen, lounge and living areas, with residents having their own private room and ensuite.

Kitty enjoying The Views, Heidelberg.

Within each apartment, the residents have a dedicated primary care team allowing for more personal and engaging care, and more self-determination and choice for residents. This naturally fosters relationships and more personal support. Earlier this year, Benetas redeveloped St George’s, in Altona Meadows, with stage two just completed. The Peter Volk Apartments at St George’s are premium aged care apartments with specialised aged care apartment-style living. St George’s resident Barbara Smith was very excited to move into her new room. “I’m loving my new home. It’s got a lovely cosy, home-like feel and the new design is really welcoming and full of light,” she said. “It’s great to have access to a kitchen and my neighbours and I enjoy eating together in our private dining room.”. Residents have choice and control over their environment, allowing them to make their own decisions about their daily routine. The focus of care shifts from being task oriented to providing care around the individual resident, their wants and needs. Continued on page 64

Culture Change

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Modern and stylish St George’s Peter Volk Apartments.

TECHNOLOGY |

Continued from page 63

The Benetas model of care is based on three key principles: Principle 1. The most appropriate model to support quality of life for older people are those models that reflect ‘normal’ living environments. Principle 2. The Benetas model is premised on primary carers who meet the needs of the residents within their apartment holistically and completely. A team of carers work together to meet the needs of the residents, forming part of the nucleus of client, family and carer.

Creating a home-like environment to give older Australians a better quality of life really is a no-brainer, and it is something Benetas is passionate about. ■ Sandra Hills OAM is Chief Executive Officer, Benetas. For more information visit www.benetas.com.au

Principle 3. All service elements must work interconnectedly, including systems and tools, staffing structures, roles and workflows, internal brand elements, quality processes, hotel services, community engagement, and built form and internal design. This approach focuses on a person’s whole life, considering how each aspect interacts with every area and function of an aged care home. Benetas is continuously evaluating our model of care, learning from every iteration and making adjustments where we see the opportunity to improve on our approach to aged care. Our focus on providing residents with a more homelike environment is backed by sound research. In June 2018, Flinders University released a study comparing the consumer-rated quality of care between standard models of residential care and those in a more home-like model of care. This was the first study to measure quality of life, medications, resource use and costs in a home-like, clustered domestic model of care, compared to a more standard model. Results showed that consumers preferred the more homelike approach to care, with residents and their family members rating quality of care as better in home-like models compared to standard models.

Anyone for a game of checkers?

Enter into new living at The Views, Heidelberg.

Our clients join us for many reasons:

Accounting solutions aged care providers rely on

✓ Real time reporting from their aged care financials ✓ A team that has industry experience, listens and provides useful, practical solutions ✓ Fully supported software with help desk support and product training ✓ Stable, cost effective aged care software ✓ Specialised financial management solutions for Residential & Home care applications ✓ Payroll Bureau or fully outsourced financial management services ✓ Data hosting and recovery services available

Our fully integrated suite of software is designed to help you navigate your way quickly and confidently through the aged care minefield.

These are only a few reasons, so give us a call, AIM may have a solution that’s just right for you

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SHARING SPACES

A NEW PROGRAM IN IPSWICH IS HELPING BRIDGE THE INTERGENERATIONAL GAP

Maureen plays dinosaurs with children during the EEC outing.

esidents from Bundaleer Lodge Nursing Home and Pre-Prep students from Ipswich Junior Grammar School have been participating in an intergenerational learning program—bridging the age gap and infusing a new richness into people’s lives.

The residents from Bundaleer eagerly look forward to these visits. Maureen from the dementia unit is waiting to visit hours before the bus departs and is always very happy afterwards. Maureen worked in childcare when she was younger and this experience brings back happy memories.

The Sharing Spaces partnership program between the school’s Early Education Centre (EEC) and Bundaleer involves five to eight residents and two carers travelling to the EEC once a week to enjoy a morning of activities and fun with the children. There are many opportunities for fun, including story time, craft activities, and cooking experiences.

Some of our residents’ families live far away and they do not see their grandchildren as often as they would like, while some of the children have grandparents who live far away or are no longer with them. This program allows the residents and children to experience happy interactions with those from a different generation.

This is an exciting outing for the residents, which gives them interesting stories to relay on their return. The time spent

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Tea time with Melinda and children from the EEC.

with the younger generations allows them to get in touch with their youthful side, stirring fond memories of children and grandchildren. They feel validated when they share the knowledge, experience and skills. The children get to make new friends, increase their awareness of the elderly, develop empathy and have fun enjoying meaningful activities. They also get to develop their social skills through the program while having fun.

carers of Bundaleer and the teachers of the EEC, who coordinate the program and make the activities possible.

â&#x2013;

Lynette Dresselhaus and Susan Dreyer are Directors, Bundaleer Lodge Nursing Home. For more information visit www.bundaleerlodge.com

The children eagerly await stories from the residents, who gladly share recounts of what the children call â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the olden daysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The opportunity for children to hear about the experiences of the residents who have grown up in a drastically different time is incredibly important, allowing for an enhanced sense of gratitude for traditions and cultures that often go underappreciated in an increasingly technology-dependent world. Intergenerational programs can benefit physical, emotional, social, cognitive and sensory aspects of the children and residents. This immensely positive experience would not be possible without the dedication and enthusiasm of both Continued on page 80

Delcia gets a hug at story time.

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National Care Solutions is a professional customer focused aged care specialist company focusing on management and training for aged and home care providers. NCS specialises in providing assistance for services of all sizes, including rural and regional stand alone services.

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ACCOMMODATING COUPLES IN COMFORT AND STYLE THE CRASTER STORY

For many couples, being together forever is paramount, ‘until death do us part’. But sometimes other factors intervene—unless someone steps in to help.

lfred and Hetty Craster, a beautiful couple who have been married for 68 years, were separated after Alfred suffered a fall at a facility in Armadale, Western Australia, where they had both been living.

He was moved to Fremantle Hospital, while his wife Hetty remained at the facility. This led to him being put on a waiting list for months to be placed in accommodation with his wife again. After a public campaign receiving nearly 8,000 signatures, their plight was featured on Channel 9 News.

When Glen and Karen Gillingham, a married couple themselves and owners of Berrington— a premium residential aged care provider which operates two facilities in Subiaco and Como—heard about their story, they just had to help. A generous offer from them saw the couple swiftly reunited. The Craster family was left speechless, incredibly grateful their parents were given the opportunity to live out their final years together. “It’s an incredible honor to offer accommodation for couples—after all, there’s nothing better than enjoying all the perks that Berrington has to offer with a life partner by your side,” said Glen, who is also Berrington’s Chief Executive Officer. Alfred and Hetty held hands during their reunion, taking every opportunity to hold onto each other. They were overjoyed to be sharing their first meal together in six months, still holding hands.

The Craster’s extended family were already on site when Alfred and Hetty arrived, wheeling in furniture and arranging beautiful family pictures. When we asked Alfred how he felt about seeing his wife again, he said, “I feel like I always feel seeing her, we’ve been married almost 70 years you know, and I’ve loved her since the day I met her.” Research has shown that people in long-term relationships are comforted by the presence of their partner. The Craster family couldn’t agree more. “Our visits when they were separated were always so hard, because when we would go, they’d be alone. Now that worry is gone,” they said. At Berrington, residents are not viewed as patients, they are family who deserve to live out their golden years with dignity and respect. “At Como, we now have 10 couples living out their final years together. It’s such a joy to watch them laughing, attending activities together, and meeting up with other couples in the café enjoying a coffee. We feel very privileged to be able to be part of their lives,” said Glen. ■ Zaran Oliver is Sales & Marketing Manager, Berrington Care Group. For more information visit www.berrington.com.au

The Crasters are happy to be together again.

Now they live in their new home at Como, where their rooms are located side-by-side. Like all residents, they were invited to truly make their rooms their own, with an exemplary canvas complete with custom-built electric beds, pristine linens, comfortable separate seating areas, 50inch Smart TVs, a private telephone with unlimited calls, individual airconditioning with temperature control, and a kitchenette with a fridge.

MEMBER STORIES

DIVERSIFYING LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS

TO UNEARTH HIDDEN TALENTS Delivering high-quality residential aged care is more than meeting the clinical needs of residents.

igh-quality residential aged care is about enabling individuals to maintain their independence and providing meaningful and stimulating opportunities for personal enjoyment, social interaction and community engagement. Not-for-profit provider Uniting AgeWell—an organisation of the Uniting Church providing quality aged care services throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria and Tasmania—is always looking at innovative ways it can capture the needs of individuals and groups through leisure and lifestyle programs that enhance their health and wellbeing. This is in keeping with the organisation’s key strategic priority to ensure the quality of life and experience of customers is at the heart of everything it does. Lifestyle Manager Sharon Levey said lifestyle programs had changed over the years from group events held at the same time each week, to flexible, tailored activities that meet the changing needs and expectations of individual residents, and their families. “A good quality residential aged care lifestyle program will enable people to try new things, make new connections and expand their knowledge base or connect with things they used to do before moving to aged care, because we know older people have the desire to keep learning and they have so much to contribute,” she said. “Uniting AgeWell’s diverse lifestyle program embraces the differences among our clients and enables them to participate in activities that interest them, while choosing not to participate in the activities that don’t.” Sharon said many activities were instigated or led by residents, which helped them feel valued, supported and in control, with activities reflecting the diversity of experiences, backgrounds and interests of the residents.

A computer education program at Noble Park Community is teaching residents how to use Internet search engines, play games and send emails. The content of the program, which can be delivered in a one-on-one setting, is driven by

Camberwell Community Condare Court resident Desmond with his daughter Catherine.

MEMBER STORIES

the residents and supports them to remain independent and connected with friends and family. The ‘meal for eight’ program at Sorrell Community, at Ningana in Tasmania’s south, is enabling residents to maintain their cooking skills and connect with peers just as they would at home. Each week a resident leads the program, inviting seven other residents to attend a dinner party. With support from the leisure and lifestyle team, the resident plans the menu, shops for the ingredients, cooks the meal on-site and hosts the dinner party. Residents at Manor Lakes Community near Werribee have learned how to make high-quality leather goods at a weekly leather craft program. Instigated by a small group of men, it now has about 25 attendees each week who create keyrings, coasters, wallets, handbags and other unique products under the guidance of a leather craft specialist. And at Camberwell Community, Condare Court, an art therapy program has not only uncovered some aspiring artists, but has had a profound effect on the residents. One woman who has dementia and rarely speaks was heard saying “it’s really amazing” when she admired her own colourful artwork, while other participants have reported increased confidence and reduced anxiety. Sharon said there was never a one-size-fits-all activity.

Inside Aged Care Report

Camberwell Community Condare Court Lifestyle Assistant Nusrat runs the art therapy program.

“A great lifestyle program captures the needs and preferences of every person, and that’s what we’re always striving to do at Uniting AgeWell,” she said. ■ Caitlin Pearson is Communications and Social Media Advisor, Uniting AgeWell. For more information visit www.unitingagewell.org

DATA DRIVEN HUMAN INSIGHTS The inaugural Inside Aged Care Report provides unparalled insights into your industry! Brought to you by industry experts, Faster Horses, this national syndicated research report delivers a detailed look at the state of the aged care industry.

What are levels of trust in the industry? What are views of government funding levels? What type of services will be in highest demand over the next 10 years? What are the imperatives for delivering to the needs of the future consumer? What does the journey to care look like for both families and those needing care?

“If you want a mine of information in a single, high value report, that helps you take your organisation to the next level in a post CDC world, this report is a must” VERONICA MAYNE – MANAGING DIRECTOR, FASTER HORSES T +61 412601797 | E Veronica@fasterhorses.consulting

MEMBER STORIES

CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN QUEENSLAND LAUNCHES THE VIRTUAL DEMENTIA TOUR

A new tool to help destigmatise dementia is now available in Australia.

ccording to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, the number of cases of people living with dementia increased by 40 per cent over a decade from an estimated 252,000 in 2006 to 354,000 in 2016. It is estimated that the number of dementia cases may increase to around 900,000 by 2050, reflecting Australia’s ageing population. Recognising the growing need for better understanding around dementia, Churches of Christ (CofC) in Queensland have secured the Australian licence for the Virtual Dementia Tour™ (VDT™) created by P.K. Beville, founder of Second Wind Dreams® (USA). The VDT™ is evidence-based experiential training that aims provide a new level of empathy and understanding, leading to better outcomes for people living with dementia. It uses patented sensory devices to alter participants’ senses as they try to complete common everyday tasks.

This enables people to experience for themselves the multisensory challenges faced by people living with dementia— making it an excellent tool for care givers and loved ones. Executive Director of Services at CofC Bryan Mason believes the new tool will be a game-changer for people living with dementia, helping to provide better person-centred care. “The Virtual Dementia Tour is an opportunity for us at Churches of Christ to help change mindsets and shifts paradigms about how we view people living with dementia,” he said. Operations Manager at VDT™ Rebecca Hogan said there is a vision to deliver the program to as many people and organisations as possible. “We have delivered to primary health care sectors; aged care providers; the Department of Justice & Attorney General; architectural, building and design firms,” she said. “We are interested in delivering to any organisations engaging in customer service, who are willing to invest in their staff to provide the best outcomes for people living with dementia”. John Quinn, dementia advocate and a person living with younger onset dementia, says the VDT™ shows people dementia is about more than memory loss.

“To promote more awareness, alter peoples’ mind sets, and thereby reduce the stigma of dementia, we need to broaden the lens through which people with dementia are viewed. “The VDT™ highlights the fact that dementia can present as a number of multi-sensory challenges, and is not only about memory. “Participating in this program not only increases awareness, it also has the capacity to promote greater empathy and sensitivity towards people living with dementia. “Ultimately, the VDT has the potential to upskill people, and change the policies and practices of those who work in the area of dementia. “These changes will translate into enhanced well-being and a better quality of life for those living with dementia.” CofC officially launched VDT™ in November 2018 at its head office in Kenmore. There were over 200 people in attendance including a broad range of allied health professionals, family members, carers and CofC staff. ■ Garth Brigden is Marketing Officer Virtual Dementia Tour™, Churches of Christ, Queensland. For more information: Email virtualdementiatour@cofcqld.com.au Phone 1300 970 733.

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OUT AND ABOUT

RAISING THE ISSUE FUNDING AND OF AGED CARE FINANCE FORUMS AS AN ELECTION PRIORITY

LASA State Manager QLD Kerri Lanchester (right) was in Mackay as a guest of Resthaven on Quarry to meet Prime Minister Scott Morrison and raise the issue of aged care as an election priority. Also pictured (from left) are Member for Dawson George Christensen MP, Resthaven on Quarry CEO Mary Anne Edwards and CEO of Good Shepherd Lodge and Kerrisdale Gardens Raelene Phillips. ■

CONGRATULATIONS HALL & PRIOR Congratulations to LASA member Hall & Prior on being the first aged care organisation in Western Australia to receive a Rainbow Tick accreditation. Jayne Cummings of Hall & Prior is pictured with her certificate at the GRAI (Gay Rights in Ageing) Community of Practice meeting at LASA’s Perth office. ■

WELL RECEIVED

Our Funding and Finance Forums, held in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, addressed the key financial issues currently facing aged care providers. They were well received, with Members finding them comprehensive and very informative. Thanks to our valued Affiliate Grant Thornton. ■

MINISTER WYATT MEETS WITH LASA IN SHEPPARTON LASA Vic/Tas State Manager Veronica Jamison, along with LASA members in Northern Victoria, met with Minister Hon Ken Wyatt MP and Damian Drum MP, Federal Member for Murray, to discuss their concerns and issues in November. Thanks to LASA Member Shepparton Villages for hosting this important meeting. ■

OUT AND ABOUT

AGED SERVICES INDUSTRY REFERENCE COMMITTEE

CHAIR AND DEPUTY CHAIR ANNOUNCED

The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) confirmed on 30 October 2018 that the Aged Services Industry Reference Committee (IRC) will be chaired by Mr Ian Hardy AM, Chief Executive, Helping Hand Aged Care. Mr Hardy will be supported by Mr Robert Bonner, Director, Operations and Strategy, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation as Deputy Chair. LASA CEO Sean Rooney is pictured with Ian Hardy at LASA Congress 2018 on the day of the announcement. ■

LASA REGIONAL FORUMS KEEP OUR MEMBERS

UP-TO-DATE, INFORMED AND CONNECTED Port Broughton, South Australia

Northam, Western Australia

Our State Manager SA Rosetta Rosa welcomed a huge turnout for the LASA Regional Forum discussing key issues in Port Broughton. Special thanks to our sponsor Prime Super and also Stewart Brown for assisting us to host these information forums in regional areas. ■

In Western Australia, State Manager WA Christine Allen and the LASA WA team—along with our valued friends and Affiliates Dementia Australia, Prime Super and TADWA—went on the road for a great LASA Regional Forum with Members in Northam. ■

Townsville, Queensland

Newcastle, New South Wales

At the LASA Regional Forum in Townsville, State Manager QLD Kerri Lanchester and Members discussed local issues. Special thanks to Steve Stacey and his team at The Good Shepherd Home for your wonderful hospitality. ■

Jenna Field, LASA Senior Advisor - Employee Relations, presented at a LASA Regional Forum in Newcastle. Thanks to The Whiddon Group for hosting the event. ■

OUT AND ABOUT

MEETING WITH MINISTERS

HOUSING LEGISLATION INFORMATION SESSION

TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS KEEPS MEMBERS INFORMED LASA CEO Sean Rooney met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt AM and other members of the Aged Care Sector Committee to discuss next steps for the Royal Commission. ■

Our State Manager QLD Kerri Lanchester and the LASA QLD team hosted an information session with Damian Sammon from the Department of Housing and Public Works. The Q&A session gave 30 participants a deeper insight into retirement living changes under the QLD Housing Legislation Amendment Act, commencing on 1 February 2019. ■

WE WELCOME NEW MEMBERS TO LASA LASA membership has experienced a significant increase as we continue to extend our Member services. LASA congratulates our new Members and hopes you will feel warmly supported as part of our LASA family. Some of our new Members are pictured here. ■

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OUT AND ABOUT

2018 BUSH NURSING CENTRES AND HOSPITALS IN VICTORIA FORUM

eading Age Services Australia (LASA) was proud to deliver the 2018 Victorian Bush Nursing Centres and Hospitals Forum in Melbourne 18-19 October. This annual event was well attended by many of our Bush Nursing Members who travelled from across the state.

Something for everyone”

Six months in the making, the program was developed by the sector in conjuction with the LASA team. Guest speaker at the dinner was the Hon Emma Kealy, Member for Lowan. Emma delighted the audience with her post dinner speech, which clearly indicated her passion for rural and remote health and her understanding of the particular needs of the Bush Nursing Sector.

LASA (and its predecessor organisations) has had an association with the Bush Nursing Sector in Victoria spanning over 100 years, with the roots of LASA stemming from the Victorian Bush Nursing Association. Bush Nursing was established in Victoria in 1910, with the first centre opening in Beech Forest in the Otway Ranges in 1911. According to the State Government’s 1987 Review of Bush Nursing in Victoria, bush nurses are almost unique to this state.

Emma made a funding commitment on behalf of the Liberal National Coalition, that if elected to Government in Victoria, they would give the centres a funding boost and would also undertake a long-overdue sustainability study of the Victorian Bush Nursing Centres. The forum program had a range of interesting and knowledgeable speakers from both not-for-profit and health and aged care industries, with topics covering governance, compliance, voluntary assisted dying, advanced care directives, emergency management, marketing, home care and wellness, and time management and resilience for rural and remote nurses. Speakers included Paul Ostrowski from Care Connect, Terri Seymour from People and Culture Solutions, Troy Speirs from LASA, Dr Joy Humphries from the Humphreys Group, Alison McMillian and Jackie Kearney from the Department of Human Services, Leonie Rooney from Cobden Health, Jane Odgers from Grampians Palliative Care and Dr Gary Johns from the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission.

“This forum was very informative and helpful to our organisation” “Very engaging and interesting”

Today in Victoria there are 15 Bush Nursing Centres, including six in East Gippsland, with nine in Western Victoria, as well as seven bush nursing hospitals in towns Ballan, Cobden, Euroa, Nerrim South, Nagambie, Violet Town and Heyfield. Going forward LASA will continue to support Victoria’s Bush Nursing Sector to do what it has always done—that is, putting first the health and wellbeing of people living in rural and remote Victoria. ■ Veronica Jamison is VIC/TAS State Manager and General Manager, Member Support, Leading Age Services Australia. 2018 Victorian Bush Nursing Centres and Hospitals Forum.

This well credentialed group of speakers put a lot of effort into ensuring participants went away with improved knowledge and practical information that they can put into practice. Feedback received from the event was overall very positive, with attendees saying things like: “The venue was excellent, great program, good opportunity for networking”

WHAT’S NEW

The 2018 HLAC Awards Category Winners

SoupedUp Hospitality & Lifestyle Aged Care (HLAC) Awards

Hospitality Manager Lindy Twyford Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution, NSW

Laundry Services Individual

2018 National Winners announced

Lifestyle Activities Individual

Paulette Millgate RFBI Dubbo Masonic Village, NSW Facility Cleaner

Left to right: Peter Kenny, Chair Maggie Beer Foundation, Belinda Adams, CEO & Founder, SoupedUp, Lynn James, CEO Maggie Beer Foundation and Tommy Little, Master of Ceremonies at the 2018 HLAC Awards

What a night! The National Winners of the Hospitality & Lifestyle Aged Care (HLAC) Awards were announced at a Gala Dinner on Friday, 2 November from a high calibre of finalists. National winners were chosen by a panel of independent judges from the aged care industry, including Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, the Maggie Beer Foundation, Care Support Network, Diver Foods and the industry’s peak body, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA). With the sector taking a battering following the announcement of a Royal Commission into aged care and reports of elderly abuse, the HLAC Awards are a timely reminder of the hard-working and caring people who make up the majority of the sector. SoupedUp CEO & Founder, Belinda Adams, said: “We are extremely proud to give these outstanding professionals the acknowledgement they deserve. Those working in aged care are empathetic, passionate, caring people and most go the extra mile for their residents.

Catherine Doyle Cranbrook Care Lansdowne Gardens, NSW

Food Service Assistant

Whiddon Laurieton, NSW Katherine Muscat Estia Health Werribee, VIC Chef/Cook

Read the Winner’s stories at www.soupedup.com/hlaca

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Through the HLAC Awards program, we get an opportunity to spread the word that every minute, every day, people are doing little things that count!” Adams concluded. The HLAC Awards were proudly supported by key industry suppliers, Fildes Food Safety, Comcater Food Service Equipment, Leading Nutrition, Nutritious Cuisine Health Kitchen, Riviana Food Service, Robot Coupe Australia and SoupedUp Catering Care Software.

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Dee Richardson BlueCross Baradine, VIC

Bolton Clarke, QLD Gerda Poalses Uniting Ronald Coleman Lodge, NSW

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Chef Manager Lorin Jacobs Australian Unity Rathdowne Place, VIC Lifeview Residential Care, VIC

WHAT’S NEW

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Adapting your app to pre-existing systems A large concerning issue for businesses is transitioning from preexisting management arrangements to an updated mobile system. TegralMed is a customizable app that accommodates for businesses wanting to keep any formatting to allow for a seamless transition. We specialise as a service made to tailor for the needs and requirements of each individual customer.

Capturing accurate data from the field Cloud-based software by now, have been successfully integrated within most business operations. However there is still a disjointed transition of data between Technicians recordings in the field, and Operation Managers. Considering the piles of work orders affiliated for a single project alone- duplicate entries, missing entries or other errors are bound to compile up. TegralMed enables Technicians to capture data in the field, with all entries synching immediately and directly to a cloud-based system. This feature in turn enables hospitals to also report faulty equipment on their side, sending immediate notifications to the involved Management Team.

Knowing your business performances, and where to improve. Capturing effective analytics is the key to ensure your time and efforts are invested in the right places. Small issues such as the missing assets, inaccessible rooms, or falling behind on project deadlines may inherently cause a trickle-down effect. Whether it’s upon the efficiency of your Technicians performances or potentially dissatisfying your Customers. TegralMed will act as the eyes of your project. Whether it’s the current status of project progression, or time-tracking features of your Technician activities. All analytics are presented for clear interpretation. Allowing you to identify your business services that are running efficiently, as well as those areas requiring reviewal.

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WHAT’S NEW

Health and wellness for all ages Research in health and ageing is bringing light to the importance of exercise in slowing down ageing and keeping up quality of life. With many benefits of exercise in older age; prevention of falls, improvements in cognition, management of chronic diseases and reduced mortality, exercise really is the “magical pill” suitable for all. Seniors are looking for places and services where health is maintained and improved with a strong emphasis on wellness and knowledgeable staff. An example of this health boom is Duke’s Health & Fitness Club for over 50’s in Hampton East, Victoria, providing a safe and fun place to keep strong and stay fit, to enjoy life to its fullest. Every part of the facility is tailored to this age group. With the air-resistance (pneumatic) based technology of HUR fitness equipment together with fitness classes, personal service and wellness therapies such as nutrition and massage, this club has quickly gained the support of the local community. The client testimonials tell the story: “My doctor said to continue doing whatever I’m doing as my blood sugar, cholesterol etc were all great... Joining your gym really is the best thing we’ve done.

Care Systems & Emprevo build an industry changing partnership Are you tired of Aged Care management software that is not connected and seems to make your lifer harder, not easier? Care Systems came to the conclusion that there had to be a better way. After scoping possible solutions, Care Systems management system has been turbocharged through an integration of its Rostering function with the Emprevo shift-filling platform. Emprevo takes the time, agency costs and frustration out of filling shifts and has developed a simple but powerful mobile solution. The integration to Care Systems

means that Aged Care providers can now manage just-in-time shift filling centrally without the frustration of manually engaging staff by SMS or phone at short notice.

• All staff can set their availability in the Emprevo app, allowing managers to see

This ensures a seamless rostering & shiftfilling experience for management and staff.

• All staff will be able to view their standard rostered shifts, and new Emprevo shifts in the Emprevo work calendar on their mobile phone.

Care Systems users can now have Emprevo seamlessly integrated into the existing platform, delivering numerous benefits: • Publishing the working roster in Care Systems automatically makes unfilled shifts available to advertise to staff in Emprevo;   • All shifts accepted on Emprevo automatically populate the Care Systems Roster, requiring NO data entry;

who may be able to accept a shift vacancy; and

For managers and staff wanting more time in their day and less frustration, Care Systems now has an end-to-end solution that ensures much better outcomes and significant cost savings.

Contact Paul Johnston at Care Systems on 0432 396 399 or paul.johnston@ caresystems.com.au to find out more.

National Care Solutions A South East Queensland provider is thinking ‘outside the box’ in an effort to bring their management team with them on the reform agenda. The team from De Paul Villa at Southport on the Gold Coast linked with aged care consultant, Lyn Turner from National Care Solutions to attend the LASA Congress in Adelaide recently. After the congress the group stayed in South Australia and treated themselves to some off-site training where they were able to combine a reflection of the new knowledge gained at the Congress as well as reviewing their strategic direction once this new knowledge could be added to the mix. High on the priorities canvassed during this time was the transition plan to meet compliance with the new Standards as well as taking note of all the information given in relation to the Royal Commission next year.

Lyn Turner is happy work with her clients flexibily wherever it is going to be most beneficial to them.

L to R: Lyn Turner, National Care Solutions, Kath Lawrie, Julie Madden, Anette Mitchell, Jess Madden, De Paul Villa

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Contact Robert Teoh National PR & Marketing P: (03) 9388 5300 M: 0421 716 888 Coverage Australia wide

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