5 minute read
We are stronger together
With 25 years’ experience in the age services industry, LASA’s Kerri Lanchester explains the value of LASA Membership.
Kerri Lanchester has a unique perspective on aged care. She grew up in a close extended family, her grandparents living with great-grandparents. She was blessed to have her great-grandparents in her life until her late teens, and her grandparents until her early 40s.
“I learnt so much from these relationships with my older family members, about the importance of family and elder wisdom,” she said.
“Watching them get older and needing care, I witnessed outstanding care as well as instances that framed my desire to ensure quality elder care is available to anyone who needs it— regardless of their circumstances.
“As an informal carer to my grandfather, I gained insights that have guided me through 25 years of proudly serving older Australians.”
That experience included 15 years working for a long-term Member organisation of Leading Age Services Australia (LASA). Now in her role as LASA’s General Manager Member Relations, Kerri understands what Members want, and is still passionate about what older people need.
“I knew how important LASA Membership was to me in my role, and also for my teams. I knew I could get expert advice when I needed it, and if I had a concern, LASA could escalate it on my behalf,” said Kerri.
“A LASA Membership is a bit like health insurance. For some, it’s nice to know it’s there if you need it. For others, it’s about accessing as much as you can.
“But for every Member, being part of an organisation that is strongly connected with its Members, industry and government, that provides a united voice for the collective body of Members, is a big advantage.”
LASA offers Members a very attractive suite of support. With expert advice on residential care, home care, retirement living/ seniors’ housing and employment relations just a phone call or email away, Members get individualised advice when they need it.
The dedicated Member-support 1300-number and programspecific email contact inboxes provide Members an easy way to get Membership-inclusive support. Fielding thousands of requests for support each year, during the COVID-19 pandemic LASA has been responding to 50 Member enquiries per day.
LASA General Manager Member Relations Kerri Lanchester at Tri State 2020.
There are additional fee-for-service offerings that can give Members the extra support they need, with administrative matters like claims and billing, payroll processing, financial audits and more complex employment relations matters. Plus LASA’s Safety & Quality Management System, which is helping subscribers remain compliant with the new Standards, offers generous discounts for Members and rural and remote operators. “We helped one provider get over $700,000 per annum in increased revenue by helping them to claim correct ACFI subsidies. It’s very difficult to find the time to do these things on their own, especially for small to medium providers,” said Kerri.
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LASA’s responsive action to the COVID-19 pandemic has been very well received, with numerous messages of support flowing in.
“We really wanted to ramp up our support during COVID-19. We wanted to continue to be a strong voice and a helping hand, by distilling the information from health authorities and government, and providing very clear messaging to our Members, as well as guidance with media, document templates and other resources for them to use.
“We heard the difficulties our Members were facing in securing Personal Protective Equipment and we understand its importance, so we were able to ensure access by finding third party suppliers and connecting them to the industry through our PPE Portal.
“We’ve responded to over 1,500 unique enquiries through our dedicated health email address, we’ve provided over 63 health updates, we delivered numerous webinars and briefings, and we are engaging directly with health authorities and the government on a regular basis.” Keeping Members up-to-date with the Aged Care Royal Commission, with professional development opportunities, and through online webinar events remains important, along with strong advocacy through high level meetings and actively engaging with media.
“We’re also very keen to innovate and promote the industry to a new generation, to help sustain and retain our talented workforce, through LASA Next Gen, our new LASA Mentoring Program, innovAGEING and our new LASA Centre for Workforce Development & Innovation.
“What we’re really about, is supporting individual providers and the entire age services industry, so that we can provide quality care to older Australians, and it’s an absolute honour to do that.”
With the challenges we’ve been facing, it’s never been more important to stand together. ■ Linda Baraciolli is Communications Advisor & Fusion Editor, Leading Age Services Australia. For more information about a LASA Membership call 1300 111 636 or email members@lasa.asn.au
Join LASA The Voice of Aged Care
Add your voice to Australia’s largest age services industry association.
It’s never been more important to stand together. LASA is your strong voice and helping hand, working with you and for you to ensure our industry is high performing, respected and sustainable. Taking your needs direct to Government, we are passionate about getting our industry a fair deal. With Member-exclusive one-to-one support, we understand the challenges you face, and we have the industry expertise to find the practical solutions you need. Whether you are a not-for-profit, faith-based, private or public provider, big or small, we work hard so that you can provide quality best-practice care—now and into the future.
We are stronger together.
Access in-house age services industry experts for help when you need it. Get advice across residential care, home care, retirement living/seniors housing. Find support, resources and guidance for all your employment relations matters. Receive rapid response to your concerns around emerging issues like COVID-19 and the Aged Care Royal Commission. Get generous Member discounts for fee-for-service offerings,
LASA webinars, LASA events and LASA’s Safety & Quality
Management System. Build workforce capacity and develop your leaders through
LASA’s Centre for Workforce Development & Innovation. Contribute to advocacy as part of Australia’s largest age services industry association. Network, build relationships and find peer-to-peer support.
