BluePrint (Aug 2021)

BLUEPRINT THE

A message from the CEO

Welcome to the August issue of The Blueprint. The year certainly seems to be flying by as we quickly approach spring time. While it continues to be a trying time for everyone, it is wonderful to see how people have rallied together to support each other with great kindness and respect.

It has also been a great distraction watching our magnificent athletes performing so well at a very different Olympic Games. There is no doubt the world pandemic brought a different feel to the games, and you could see the comradery amongst the athletes more so than at any recent games. It certainly showed how adaptable everyone has had to become with the events of the last 18 months.

This month, we are proud to celebrate Aged Care Employee Day to recognise our incredible staff members and other aged care workers who provide compassionate, skilled and dignified care for older Australians every day. At BlueCross, our celebrations go beyond the official Aged Care Day. We take great pride in recognising our staff’s amazing work and exemplary behaviours by thanking them through our ongoing STARFish awards, which are nominated by staff, residents or their families.

It takes a special person to work in aged care and in this issue, we are pleased to share Faye Pluemsaisaeng’s story on how she discovered her passion for aged care following a twist of fate. Aged care services may also be something you need temporarily when you least expect it, as Alex Lee-O'Sullivan found out following a fall at home. You can read all about her experience with residential respite in this issue. And for those requiring some extra help to stay at home for longer, you can access government funded home care programs if you are eligible. We explain more about this popular option. Stay safe and enjoy this issue!

Celebrating Aged Care Employee Day

Celebrated annually on 7 August, Aged Care Employee Day is an occasion to acknowledge and honour everyone who works in the aged care sector, whether they are employed on the frontline as a carer or nurse, or behind the scenes supporting older people indirectly.

Today, there are more than 360,000 people who care for and support around 1.3 million older people who receive aged care services across Australia.

COVID-19 vaccination update

Over the past few months, BlueCross continues to place great priority in getting all consenting residents and staff vaccinated against COVID-19. We are pleased to advise that to date, 85% (over 2,000) of residents are fully vaccinated while 89% have received their first dose of the vaccine.

Robert Putamorsi Chief Executive Officer

The rollout of vaccinations for staff is progressing well. At the time of writing, more than 2,600 staff have received at least one dose, with nearly 1,800 being fully vaccinated. We are continuing our program of vaccinating staff on-site at the residences.

The past 18 months have been a particularly challenging time for aged care workers, both in residential and home care services.

“Our clients and residents have at times been unable to enjoy visits from their loved ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has often fallen upon our aged care workforce to make up for that loss of family contact and become the crucial connection for frail and vulnerable older people,” said BlueCross CEO, Robert Putamorsi.

“Our amazing staff – from carers to nurses, allied health professionals, hospitality teams, drivers, cleaners, volunteers, lifestyle officers, administration staff and many others – have often gone above and beyond their call of duty to support our residents and clients when the need arises during these unprecedented times,” he said. To mark this year’s celebrations, BlueCross rolled out a number of initiatives to honour its staff including personalised thank you cards, videos and local site events. BlueCross is supported by a team of dedicated staff who care for more than 2,500 residents and over 1,000 home care clients throughout Victoria.

(see special staff feature on page 6)

Thanks for caring, and for all that you do to make a positive difference in the lives of the thousands of people that we support. "

Vicki Garniss, Executive General Manager People & Culture

Alan Johncock, Executive General Manager Business Development, Property & Infrastructure

Home away from home with respite care

Following a fall at home, Alex Lee-O’Sullivan went into residential respite care at her doctor's advice. Being new to respite care, Alex's stay at BlueCross Chelsea Manor was an eye opener for her. Here's her story.

Active and independent, 78-year-old Alexandra Lee-O’Sullivan (Alex) suddenly found herself incapacitated after she slipped and fractured her ankle while hanging her washing outdoors. Unable to care for herself at home, Alex was advised by her doctor to go into respite care at BlueCross Chelsea Manor.

“I guess it’s quite dangerous for me to recover at home even though my husband is at home. He is blind so I couldn’t possibly be dependent on him as I would in fact, endanger him while he’s trying to help me,” said Alex.

“I’ve heard of BlueCross – it has a good name and a good reputation – and Chelsea Manor is close to home,” she added. “It was also recommended by my doctor and a social worker who told me it’s a good place to go for respite.”

Alex appreciates the care and support she received at Chelsea Manor with day-to-day activities including personal grooming and showering.

“The staff helped me to cope and I felt safe,” said Alex. “It’s good that staff were also able to guide me on how to negotiate the different mobility aids like the wheelchair and scooter. Without the staff, I would not have been able to function.”

I suppose it’s an eye opener for me to see that residential respite is actually like a home away from home. "

New to respite care, Alex was pleasantly surprised with the facilities, support and care offered at Chelsea Manor. “I was actually quite elated to see that there are daily physio exercises tailored to different needs. With my fractured ankle, I was able to exercise with baby weights and also work on my other good foot. I really enjoyed that.”

Alex believes it is important for people to do their homework when considering respite care.

“It's good to know that there are facilities to help people with respite when they need it most. Check around, speak to people who have been in respite care, Google search or perhaps ask the doctors you know for recommendations,” advised Alex.

“And if it's possible, ask some of the residents about their experiences. If it's a long-term respite care, perhaps consider just checking in for one week or a few days to get the feel of the place you're considering. See whether you fit in and how you respond to that.”

Alex Lee-O’Sullivan appreciates the care she gets from residential respite

Shining the spotlight on aged care staff

As part of our celebrations for Aged Care Employee Day, we spoke with one of our very own staff members to find out why she chose to work in aged care. Here’s a candid account by Faye on her journey into aged care.

Somkiat Pluemsaisaeng or Faye as she is known to residents and friends, has been working in the aged care sector for almost a decade. A personal care assistant at BlueCross for the past four years, Faye enjoys her role supporting the elderly with day-to day living and helping them to get the most out of life every day. Her passion in aged care is evident, and often residents seek her out not only for caregiving but also to have a chat.

Working in aged care was a decision she made ten years ago, following her own experience caring for her father before he succumbed to cancer. “I went back to Thailand for a month to take care of my father when he got very sick,” said Faye. “He was doing very well under my care and I thought that this is something I would like to do for other older people.”

Upon returning to Melbourne, Faye took up a Certificate 3 course in aged care which eventually launched her career in aged care. She took up carer positions with several aged care providers before landing her current role with BlueCross.

“BlueCross has a good reputation and it’s near where I live,” said Faye.

Faye developed such a good rapport with her residents that she was recently deployed to nearby BlueCross residence upon special request by a resident’s family. “I speak Greek and the family wanted me to continue supporting their loved one who relocated to another BlueCross home.”

How to acce ss governmentfunded home care

Sometimes, getting some extra help at home can enable you to live independently at home and continue to do the things you love in the community. The Australian Government subsidises the cost of some home care services for those who are eligible. BlueCross Workforce Manager Jacqui Simao explains how to access government-funded home care programs.

A Home Care Package is a governmentfunded program designed to support you to continue living at home independently. Created for people with more complex care needs, it enables you to access an extensive range of affordable aged care services in the comfort of your own home.

Services (ACAS) team who will visit you at home to chat about your needs and your circumstances to determine whether you are eligible for a package.

Faye now works at BlueCross Westgarth supporting the Greek resident who speaks limited English.

I enjoy working in aged care and cannot imagine myself doing anything else."

To those who are considering a career in aged care, Faye said, “Aged care may not be an easy job but it is highly rewarding. You need to genuinely enjoy working with older people – it is something that comes from the heart.”

BlueCross is proud to employ dedicated staff like Faye, who makes up the many frontline heroes in the aged care sector.

There are four levels of packages. Basic entry level package is designed for people who are living largely independently and only need a very small amount of support. You move up to a higher level as your needs increase, with Level 4 being the highest level of support available for people with more complex care needs.

Some of the services that you might access with your Home Care Package can include things like personal care, domestic assistance, transport assistance, companionship or inhome respite. You can also access gardening services and allied health services such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy or podiatry. A Home Care Package can't be used to pay for day-to-day bills like rent, food or things that would be covered by Medicare.

To access a Home Care Package

The first step is to contact My Aged Care (MAC) by calling them on 1800 200 422. They will refer you to an Aged Care Assessment

If eligible, you will be informed by letter of your approved level of funding. Your name will then be added to the national queue until a package is assigned to you. That's the best time to start looking around at service providers. Once your package is assigned, you have up to 56 days to sign a service agreement with the service provider of your choice. If required, you can ask for a 28-day extension by calling MAC.

If you decide to choose BlueCross One of our dedicated Care Advisers will meet with you to develop a care plan based on your needs, goals and preferences to help you get the most value from your package. You may be required to pay an income-tested care fee as per your Centrelink assessment. While waiting for your home care package to be available, you can choose to purchase private home care services if you need some help at home.

If you would like to speak with someone to find out more, please call our BlueCross HomeCare team on (03) 9828 1222.

Faye Pluemsaisaeng

Jacqui Simao

Quick and easy salmon patties recipe

Golden and crispy on the outside, yet flaky and tender on the inside. Don’t we just love these flavoursome salmon patties! A hot favourite among our residents, these delightful patties are served at BlueCross residences throughout the year.

Ingredients

For patties

250gm Potatoes peeled – cut into even sizes, approx. ½ size of an egg

1 Medium brown onion – finely diced

1/3 cup Capsicum – finely diced

1/4 cup Parsley – chopped

1 tsp Lemon zest

1 tbsp Lemon juice

220gm Unflavoured tinned salmon in brine (drained weight)

For crumbing

80gm Plain flour

2 Whole eggs – lightly whisked

100gm Breadcrumbs (50% fresh crumbs and 50% dry crumbs)

For frying

Vegetable oil

For serving

Condiments and sauce of your choice

Method

1. Boil potatoes with a pinch of salt until tender. Drain well, place in medium bowl and mash with fork or potato masher until fairly smooth. You can leave it a bit chunkier, if preferred.

2. Drain salmon well and add to bowl. Add brown onion, capsicum, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Lastly, add in the potatoes. Mix well with a spatula.

3. Divide and shape the salmon mixture into even portions. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to make patties firmer and easier to handle.

4. Remove patties from fridge. Dust each patty with flour and shake off excess flour.

Strengthening older people’s voice

Everyone is unique with their own individual needs. To support us to continue delivering the best possible care to older people, we have set up the BlueCross Client and Resident Advisory Committee (BCRAC) in December 2020 to include the voices and experiences of those in our care.

Comprising residents in our homes, clients receiving home care services and family representatives, the committee is endorsed by the BlueCross board and executive team and plays a pivotal role as the ears and eyes of the organisation. As such, it is well placed to inform and influence the continuous improvements and person-centred care across BlueCross. Members are appointed on an 18-month term and meet every two months at BlueCross’ Central Office to share their perspectives and insights on various improvement projects and activities. BlueCross prioritises the opportunity to partner with the committee to better understand and respond to the needs of the people in our care, and ensure their voices are heard.

Also known as fish cakes, salmon patties are loaded with protein, vitamins B and D, as well as heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, making them an excellent pantry staple!

They are easy to prepare and the best thing is, you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry and garden. Matt, our Chef Manager at BlueCross Livingstone Gardens is here to guide you through the recipe step-by-step, using some fresh produce like parsley and lemon from our garden.

5. Coat patties in egg, drain off excess egg, then coat patties in breadcrumb mixture. Reshape if necessary while patting on the breadcrumbs.

6. Place patties into a frying pan on medium heat so they don’t turn brown too quickly. Shallow fry on both sides until lightly golden brown.

7. Transfer patties into the oven for 10-15 min at 160 o C.

8. Serve with sauce and condiments of your choice. Bon appétit!

For more information on the committee and its members, please visit:

https://www.bluecross.com.au/aboutus/our-advisory-team

Cresthaven | Art and Craft Group

Baradine | Winter Wonderland

Sheridan Hall Caulfield | Shabbat Hugs

Broughtonlea | Snowflake Crafts

Livingstone Gardens | Pizza Kneading

Tarralla | Ruth's 100th Birthday

Karinya Grove Men's Shed

Scotchmans Creek | Christmas in July

Willowmeade | Wild Action Zoo Visit Oakleigh | Bus Outings

HOW WE DO THINGS

Be there

Have fun

Make their day

Choose your attitude

For all enquiries, call 1300 133 414 Stay Connected

LOVING LIFE NEVER GETS OLD

As one of Victoria’s largest aged care providers, we care for more than 2,500 residents across 32 aged care residences and over 1,000 clients living in their own homes.

RESIDENCE LOCATIONS

North/West

www.bluecross.com.au

HOME CARE SERVICES

Government-funded and private home care services to keep you living your best you. For more details, visit www.bluecross.com.au/home-care

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