Life & Love Magazine Edition 10 by Hall & Prior

HALL & PRIOR H E A LT H & A G E D C A R E G R O U P

Love, mercy and care

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ABOUT HALL & PRIOR Started in 1992 by Michael Hall and Graeme Prior, Hall & Prior is a leading aged care provider with a passion for providing quality care to older people from all walks of life. Over the past 20 years, Hall & Prior has grown from one nursing home to an organisation that cares for almost 1,500 people in Western Australia and New South Wales.

Our people are our greatest asset. Each one of our 25 aged care homes is led by an experienced director of nursing who works alongside a team of registered nurses, personal carers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dieticians and chefs to ensure that we meet the individual needs of every resident.

As a private, family-owned company, Hall & Prior is committed to bringing long-term benefits to our residents and their families. Our dedicated care teams provide round-the-clock care 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that every resident feels well cared for and at home.

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IN THIS ISSUE 6

From the Chief Executive Officer

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Celebrating our 2017 Commonwealth Better Practice Award winners

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Hall & Prior head to the Barossa Valley with Maggie Beer Our staff conquer the 2017 City2Surf Exploring Fairfield’s diverse population

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Exciting changes to WA executive team and Clarence Estate Saying farewell to Cathy Orie

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Getting to know Grafton Aged Care Home

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Inmates donate blankets to Grafton Aged Care Home Hall & Prior marks Speech Pathology Week 2017 Celebrating Jeanie Lines’ 100th birthday

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Tuohy Aged Care Home residents reach out to local community Recognising NAIDOC Week 2017

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Hall & Prior homes take part in Aged Care Games

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Kensington Aged Care Home staff mark big milestone Indian Independence Day festivities at Concorde

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4 Life & Love

• Hall & Prior catering staff took part in an educational course held by the Maggie Beer Foundation in August..

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

This August, I was extremely proud to learn that Hall & Prior’s exceptional care had again been acknowledged with three Commonwealth Better Practice Awards.

To be acknowledged by Australian Aged Care Quality Agency in this way is an incredible achievement.

As an organisation, we pride ourselves on being compassionate people, dedicated to care, and this is a testament to the commitment of our staff to this mission.

During August, members of our catering staff from our homes and our WA catering division, Fresh Fields Hospitality Services, headed to Adelaide to learn from a truly exceptional woman.

As part of a course held in the Barossa Valley, our staff worked

with Australian chef and educator Maggie Beer AM, to learn new ways of creating nutritious food for older people.

Through the Maggie Beer Foundation, Maggie is on a mission to ensure people in residential aged care homes receive the best food possible. It was wonderful for our staff to be involved in her program, and I know it will directly benefit those we care for.

In this edition we will also get a closer look at two of our NSW homes that joined the Hall & Prior family within the last year: Fairfield and Grafton Aged Care Homes. The team at Fairfield face many challenges, but I am continually impressed with the care and grace they use to help those in their home.

Grafton, located in northern NSW, is our newest acquisition, having joined us earlier in 2017. This team have integrated well with our organisation. I look forward to seeing this home grow in the future, as we look for ways to better serve older people in regional communities.

In the past few months we have also been involved in a wide range

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of activities that focus on staff wellness and engagement.

Staff from our corporate offices and homes in Perth and Sydney took up the challenge of the City2Surf races. As a marathon runner myself, I know how important fitness can be in leading a happy and healthy life.

It was great to see so many of our staff get involved, with our Sydney team also using it as an opportunity to fundraise for two

“As an organisation, we pride ourselves on being compassionate people, dedicated to care� very important causes.

Within these pages you will find many more stories that show the vibrancy and fun of our world, and the incredible dedication to care that our staff members show every single day.

I look forward to working with all of you to have a strong finish for 2017.

GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer

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INTEGRIT Y PROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y ESPECT JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMEN OYALT Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y PROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT OYALT Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y PROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT OYALT Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y OFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT JUST MPATHY COMMITMENT LOYALT Y HOSPITAL

CONGRATULATIONS

to all our staff

BETTER PRACTICE

AWARD WINNERS

2017

TEGRIT Y PROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y PECT JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT YALT Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y ROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT YALT Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y AUBREY DOWNER, CAROLINE CHISHOLM, FAIRFIELD, ROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT GLENWOOD and VAUCLUSE AGED CARE HOMES JUSTICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT AGED CARE HOME, FRESHWATER BAY and YALTTUOHY Y HOSPITALIT Y MERIT INTEGRIT Y MOSMAN PARK AGED CARE HOMES ROFESSIONALISM EQUIT Y RESPECT ICE EMPATHY COMMITMENT LOYALT Y

NT Y

Y

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Our staff have always been our greatest asset, and they are actively encouraged to develop innovative approaches to problems and contribute new knowledge to the field of aged care. At a Commonwealth level, this work is recognised with Better Practice Awards.

These prestigious national awards are presented by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, the peak industry body for aged care in Australia.

The Quality Agency promote continuous quality improvement advancements in care recipient health and wellbeing outcomes.

Sydney. Out of a total of 37 awards given out this year, three of Hall & Prior’s excellent programs were recognised.

To be acknowledged on a national scale with these awards means we are at the forefront of exceptional care in the Australian aged care space. Since 2011, Hall & Prior have received a total of 11 Better Practice Awards for projects that have improved the lives of those we care for.

You can read more about these winning programs in this edition.

The winners of the national awards were announced on August 17 at the Better Practice Conference in

Y Hall & Prior’s Better Practice Award-winning programs: TICE

2017 Tuohy Aged Care Home’s My Life, My Wishes Program • Freshwater Bay and Mosman Park Aged Care Home’s Reducing Risperidone Use in Dementia Program • Aubrey Downer, Caroline Chisholm, Fairfield, Glenwood and Vaucluse Aged Care Homes with the Resisting Age-Related Muscle Decline Program

LIT Y •

2016 • Windsor Park Aged Care Home’s Culturally Valid Care Program for Aboriginal People 2015 • Tuohy Aged Care Home’s Transitioning a Culture to Support Gender Diversity Program 2014 • Mosman Park Aged Care Home’s New Beginnings Program 2013 • Leighton Aged Care Home’s Evac Eddie Project • Rockingham Aged Care Home’s Palliative Care Project • Windsor Park Aged Care Home’s Workplace Harmonisation Program 2012 • Kensington Park Aged Care Home’s Project to Improve Behaviour Management for Residents with Dementia 2011 • Caroline Chisholm and Sirius Cove Aged Care Home’s Pain Management Program

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HALL & PRIOR HOMES WIN 2017 COMMONWEALTH BETTER PRACTICE AWARDS Each year, the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency recognises innovations in care with the Commonwealth Better Practice Awards. This year Hall & Prior received three awards for innovative programs and initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of those we care for.

This year’s Better Practice Award winners were announced at the Sydney Better Practice Conference Event held on August 17 and 18, at the Sofitel on Wentworth Sydney. The theme for 2017 is Rethinking Aged Care: Discover, Connect, Create. Guests were encouraged to explore the requirements for high quality aged care services, as well as discover new ways of doing things.

Five of our New South Wales homes were recognised for creating a program to resist agerelated muscle decline. Staff from Aubrey Downer, Caroline Chisholm, Fairfield, Glenwood and Vaucluse were part of the program that utilises exercise band training to improve care recipient mobility and strength. This is the result of a combined effort by our NSW Exercise and Mobility Coordinator Laura Majewski and the Directors of Nursing of these homes: Anne Curnow, Sarah Riach, Sophie Woodward, Joy Bigelow and Aubrey Downer’s Manager Margaret Wolf. They were supported by the Lifestyle Officers at these homes and our NSW Resource Team partners.

The team at Tuohy Aged Care Home, led by Residential Care Manager Jayne Cummings, Clinical Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia and Administration Officer Fiona Clarkson were recognised for implementing the My Life, My Wishes program.

This ensures all care recipients have their funeral wishes and life history documented while they are in our care.

At Freshwater Bay and Mosman Park Aged Care Homes, Director of Nursing Devi Subramaniam and Resource Team Medication and Lifestyle Coordinator Kath Whisson successfully reduced the use of the medication Risperidone in care recipients with dementia, while maintaining their quality of life and wellbeing.

You can read a detailed description of these programs on the following pages.

Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior congratulated all those involved in creating and implementing these programs.

“For three of our programs to be acknowledged with these awards is an excellent example of the dedication to care that is shown in all of our 25 homes,” he said.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Executive Director of Residential and Community Care / Regional Leader Jennifer Grieve, NSW General Manager Health & Care Services Kris Healy, Director of Quality, Safety & Compliance Julie Beaton, Director of Quality & Education Jennifer O’Connell and Quality Coordinator & Staff Development Breda McMenamin.

“These programs were created with their guidance and support, as part of our mission to continually improve our standards of care.”

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RESISTING AGE-RELATED MUSCLE DECLINE This initiative was developed in 2015 by NSW Exercise and Mobility Coordinator Laura Majewski (pictured below), who worked with the Directors of Nursing and Lifestyle Officers at each of the five homes to implement the program.

This program is active through five Hall & Prior homes in New South Wales, and has been built up since inception to deliver real and very positive results in care recipient strength and mobility range.

This fosters confidence in completing everyday tasks for those care recipients who enjoy the program.

This enablement program was initiated in response to the recognition that rehabilitating muscles in elderly people could give better quality of life and enjoyment to care recipients.

Simple things that the average Australian takes for granted, like ‘lifting a cuppa tea’ can be challenging for some older people.

With the program, our residents can reinvigorate muscles to be able to complete this task independently.

The concept of the program was researched from educational based workshops, national data and programmes, as well as resistance band training techniques for general rehabilitation.

The program was then tailored to our care recipients’ specific needs to resist and rehabilitate muscle decline.

The program resulted in our care recipients gaining an increased range of motion in their joints and improvement in their dayto-day wellbeing.

This is a great example of our staff taking the initiative and developing person-centred programs with the well being of our care recipients in mind.

“It is such a huge honour to be recognised by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency with a Better Practice Award,” Laura said.

The development of this program started several years ago in response to researchbased papers that highlighted the ‘Theraband’ as an effective resistance training device for muscle rehabilitation.

“Vaucluse Aged Care Home in Sydney’s Easter n suburbs, Caroline Chisholm Aged Care Home in Lane Cove and Glenwood Aged Care Home in Greenwich were the three original Hall & Prior homes to start the program.

“It has since been rolled out to five, to include Fairfield Aged Care Home in Western Sydney and Aubrey Downer Aged Care Home in Point Clare.

Over the next year, the program will be implemented at our remaining New South Wales homes.”

Key stakeholders in this program are the Lifestyle and Wellbeing staff at each home, who run specially designed resistance exercise sessions with groups of residents each week.

General Manager Health & Care Services NSW Kris Healy congratulated the team on the project.

“There are many people involved in the success and roll-out of a program like this, so this award is also a great recognition to the culture of teamwork and collaboration we have among our staff in all our NSW homes.”

• Glenwood Aged Care Home

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MY LIFE, MY WISHES At Hall & Prior, we have the honour of caring for people in what may be the last years of their lives. This is not a task we take lightly, and we are committed to providing a holistic style of care that looks after not only our care recipients’ physical and clinical needs, but their emotional wellbeing as well.

Jayne, Mina, Fiona and the team at Tuohy implemented the My Life, My Wishes program following the death of a long-term care recipient who had become a part of Tuohy’s extended family.

The objective of the program was to ensure all care recipients have their funeral wishes documented by the home, particularly in cases where they are not in contact with their family.

When a care recipient enters the home, as part of the admissions process, Jayne and her team record details about their life, such as hobbies, favourite memories and accomplishments.

Details about their preferred style of funeral are also recorded, such as the type of service, if they would like particular prayers or songs and where they would like to be laid to rest. The team worked to ensure details were also recorded for current residents.

Their files are then marked with a My Life My Wishes sticker, to notify staff that their requests have been recorded.

Jayne said the process gets people to consider what they would like to happen to them should they pass, and helps ensure their requests are honoured.

“Tuohy is like a family. We care for a lot of people who don’t have any relatives or have lost contact with them, so it’s important that we’re able to get their wishes recorded,” she said.

“Many people have chosen to have their ashes scattered in our memorial garden, because they said that Tuohy was the only place that felt like home to them in their last years or months.”

This program is especially important for Hall & Prior, as we specialise in caring for vulnerable and marginalised people, many of whom have experienced displacement, financial hardship, substance abuse and, in some cases, homelessness throughout their lives. All these issues can lead to estrangement from families and friends.

This was a heart-felt effort on the part of our staff to ensure our care extended beyond addressing the clinical needs of those they care for, and demonstrates the family-like atmosphere that many residential aged care homes strive for.

• Tuohy Clinical Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia, Residential Care Manager Jayne Cummings and Administration Officer Fiona Clarkson during the celebrations for their 2015 Better Practice Award, which focused on the rights of older LGBTI people.

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REDUCING RISPERIDONE USE IN DEMENTIA At these two Hall & Prior homes, both located in Mosman Park, in Perth’s west, Devi and her team successfully lowered the instances of use of the psychotropic drug Risperidone. The program enabled staff to maintain therapeutic outcomes for our care recipients including quality of life, and physical and psychosocial functioning.

This medication was approved for use in the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia, where nonpharmacological interventions have failed. In response to updated clinical indications around the use of the drug in people with dementia, the teams implemented changes to their clinical practice program and the culture within the home.

This situation presented the teams with a challenge, but it was also seen as an opportunity to implement improved standards of clinical practice. Devi and her team worked with an external general practitioner to identify care recipients who required their medication to change, therefore making them appropriate for the program.

The homes implemented a comprehensive training program for carers that focused on upskilling staff in non-pharmacological interventions for behavioural disturbances. This included education around the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, and increased availability of allied health support to assist care recipients through the change.

They also collaborated with care recipients and their families to implement a revitalised activities and therapy program, with a stronger focus on emotional support and wellbeing. This included activities like arts and crafts, aromatherapy, music and dance and fun group activities.

Hall & Prior have always been committed to providing excellent dementia care, and this program is an extension of those efforts. This is an excellent result and one that will be applicable for other organisations around the country.

Hall & Prior are now the proud recipients of 11 Commonwealth Better Practice awards for innovations in care recipient care in the past six years.

• Hall & Prior’s award winners at the 2017 Better Practice Conference in Sydney, with Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Chief Executive Officer Nick Ryan.

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HALL & PRIOR HEAD TO THE BAROSSA VALLEY WITH MAGGIE BEER Hall & Prior staff were lucky enough to attend an educational program, hosted by the Maggie Beer Foundation in the beautiful Barossa Valley, South Australia.

The Creating an Appetite for Life program, which only accepted a maximum of 30 participants, was held over three days from

August 20-22, for chefs and cooks in the aged care industry.

The course was designed to provide a hands-on educational experience. It took place at Nuriootpa High School, with excursions to various locations within the Barossa and included information sessions with Australian food icon Maggie Beer

and her team as well as mystery box and team challenges, food demos, practical experience and group dinners.

It encouraged and inspired participants to think outside of the stereotypical aged care food ‘box’ and look more closely into innovative and fresh ways to cater for older people. The

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group also learned how they can review their menu and dining experience as well as reassess their budget and nutritional ingredients.

Filming took place throughout the workshop, as it will be featured on Channel 7’s Sunday Night which went to air on Sunday, October 8.

On Wednesday, August 23, Maggie hosted an additional program, the Food for Thought Workshop.

cultural change and building better health in aged care, as well as food demos and team challenges.

This is specifically designed for management in the aged care industry only. This full-day workshop included information sessions on living beyond dementia, leadership for

This was an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience for all our Hall & Prior team that got to participate in this Maggie Beer Foundation event.

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OUR STAFF CONQUER THE 2017 CITY2SURF Staff across our Sydney and Perth offices laced up their sneakers during August to get involved with the 2017 City2Surf races.

Staff from our New South Wales State Office and most homes represented Hall & Prior on August 13, which was a perfect Sydney winter day. Our pink and blue branded shirts made us stand out amongst the 80,000-strong field.

This 14-kilometre fun run starts at Hyde Park in the CBD and

finishes at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.

As it was our NSW team’s first year participating in this event, we were thrilled to have a total of 61 Hall & Prior team members from the NSW State Office, Clover Lea, Caroline Chisholm, Glenwood, Menaville, Fairfield, Sirius Cove, Shangri-La and Alloa, along with their friends and family.

The team had been training hard for weeks ahead of the big day, with many people joining

fitness sessions organised by the State Office. Each staff member was able to choose their start group based on fitness level and competitive spirit, and everyone made it past the finish line with an amazing feeling of company comradery.

The Outstanding S t a ff Participation Award for the 2017 Sun-Herald City2Surf was awarded to Clover Lea Aged Care Home.

The NSW team also got involved in the fundraising aspect of the

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Hall & Prior staff in Sydney and Perth got involved in the annual City2Surf races over August.

race, gathering donations for two charities: The Children’s Cancer Foundation and Soldier On, who help returned veterans and their families.

The team raised close to $2,500, which was an incredible result.

Thanks to the generosity of our Directors, Hall & Prior also matched this figure, bringing the grand total to an impressive $5,000.

Our Perth team hit the race track on August 26, with staff from several homes and our Mayfair Street Head Office donning the Hall & Prior shirts, accompanied by friends and family.

The Perth race has a range of courses, starting with a fourkilometre or 12km run or walk, the 21km half marathon and the 42km marathon distance. The course starts in the Perth CBD and works its way through city streets and parkland to the finish line at City Beach Oval.

The weather was perfect for being outdoors and it was fantastic to see so many of our staff members taking on the challenge of the longer distances.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in these events!

To increase the sense of friendly competition, individual prizes were awarded to first, second and third place within our Hall & Prior NSW team.

• Financial Controller, EloisePerkins from NSW State Office ran in The SunHerald Pre-Qualifying Red Group, winning first place in the Hall & Prior stakes • Glenwood AIN, Yuri Kuboyama competing in Singapore Airlines Blue Group came second • Third place was won

by Exercise & Mobility Coordinator Laura Majewski who was also competing in the blue group.

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EXPLORING FAIRFIELD’S DIVERSE POPULATION Hall & Prior’s Fairfield Aged Care Home, is not only our largest home in New South Wales, but it also houses our most diverse group of residents.

Fairfield City is located in Sydney’s south western suburbs, about 32 kilometres from the Sydney GPO and is home to over 200,000 people.

Population data from the Australian Census highlights a highly cultural area consisting a range of prominent ethnic backgrounds, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Assyrian/ Chaldean. As our Director of Nursing, Sarah Riach explains “we care for people from all walks of life here at Fairfield”.

The home operates with a high percentage of governmentsupported residents, which sits consistent with the area’s socio-economic data and high unemployment rate. The residents’ clinical and emotional wellbeing needs rate in the high to very high end for the greater Sydney area, due to the diverse nature of the area’s cultural population.

Sarah said the home had recently admitted several Assyrian refugees.

“Language is a barrier and we have to utilize maintenance staff and other relatives to assist with communication,” she said.

“We constantly reach out to area support services such as the Assyrian Refugee Support Group to see if they know of any Assyrian Assistant in Nursing or

volunteers that may be in the area, and who are interested in coming to our home.”

Fairfield Aged Care Home also care for many younger residents, with a large percentageW of residents under the age of 65.

Among this demographic, there are high instances of health issues where long-term substance abuse was a contributing factor.

To provide a safe space to care for residents with mental health issues such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as earlyonset dementia, a secure section of the home was created on the first floor.

The staff at Fairfield Aged Care Home are well educated and try to be proactive and avoid triggers for behaviours.

“We seek support from external service providers such as the Department of Administrative Services, and we are also supported by Braeside Mental Health Hospital,” Sarah said.

Sarah makes many applications to the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal to assist residents with their financial management.

Many of her residents require the

friendly environment,” Sarah said. “We maintain this by speaking to individual residents who are aggressive or abusive, and ensure they understand the rights of the staff who work here.

“We find that setting expectations on behaviour has a very positive effect on how residents are expected to treat the staff and other residents.”

The home’s location is a huge benefit to residents and their families, as it is centrally located to the Fairfield City CBD. Being close to transport and shops allows a great deal of involvement for the residents in the local community.

Many of our mobile residents are often out on walks around the shops or out for lunch with staff. The resident particularly enjoy outings to local cafes, restaurants, the RSL, local pubs and even to the local ten pin bowling alley.

On Sundays some residents are assisted by staff to attend services at nearby churches.

The church communities in the area are very supportive of Fairfield Aged Care Home, with

“We care for people from all walks of life here at Fairfield” NSW Trustee and Guardian (T&G) to be their appointed Financial Manager. Sarah participates in all public guardian and NSW T&G Hearings.

“Our home is a happy and

the gospel singers and local community groups often visiting the home.

Staff also assist residents to go on appointments locally. They are encouraged to do their own

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shopping with assistance of the staff, as this helps them to maintain their independence.

“Many of our residents don’t have family support, this helps them to get the things that they need,” Sarah said. “We also have close ties with Fairfield RSL, who provide a birthday gift for each resident as well as a therapist to give a weekly hand massage to the residents.”

Fairfield Aged Care Home is also supported by Fairfield High School, who provide gifts to residents for Mother’s and Father’s Day, Christmas and Easter.

“Last December they put on ‘A Christmas to Remember’ for our residents at the local shopping centre, Fairfield Forum.

Residents were treated to gifts, delicious food and a visit from Santa, as well as entertainment from Fairfield Primary School Children.”

Sarah lights up when asked about

the transition into the home being a Hall & Prior-run facility.

“Since Hall & Prior acquired Fairfield Aged Care Home in 2016, I’m happy to say there’s been a massive culture change within the home, to make it a kinder, more loving environment for both residents and staff,” she said.

Sarah’s vision for Fairfield Aged Care Home is to grow the culture of warmth and caring between staff, residents and family members. “People are laughing while they’re working and our residents are happier,” she said.

“You can change someone’s world with just a bit of kindness.”

Sarah goes on to mention that the connections she creates with those she cares for, and the ability to love so many people are crucial in the aged care industry. Sarah believes this is what makes aged care so special.

“People who work in hospitals don’t get to form relationships

• Fairfield staff and residents enjoying the home’s Easter fair earlier this year.

like this,” she said. “They don’t get to be a big part of someone’s journey, or get the honour of holding someone’s hand as they take their last breath.”

The staff at Fairfield are devoted to the residents and are willing to go above and beyond for their needs.

“Even the act of making sure a resident’s room is perfect for when their family come to see them for the last time, you get to make sure the last memory the family have is as perfect as it can be.” Sarah said. “Being there for other families is what drives me.”

“The staff at Fairfield are dedicated to excellence in aged care and have a bright and enthusiastic attitude. They are passionate about care and the emotional wellbeing of our residents. Seeing such positive and loving attitudes within our Fairfield staff helps make this a happy, friendly home for our residents.”

EXCITING CHANGES TO WA EXECUTIVE TEAM AND CLARENCE ESTATE 18 Life & Love

In August, Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior was thrilled to welcome Deborah Sinclair-Lane into her new role within Hall & Prior’s Western Australian executive team.

From her role as Executive Manager at Clarence Estate in Albany, in WA’s Great Southern region, Deb has joined Jennifer Grieve in the role of Executive Director of Residential and Community Care / Regional Leader.

Together they will take the lead on the health and care initiatives run throughout our organisation, and provide support to our WA Directors of Nursing.

Over the past two years, Deb has worked closely with the management team at Clarence Estate, Executive Director of Care Kristi Holloway and Home Care Manager Cheryl Clark. They have delivered an exceptional standard of care to local people through our residential and home care programs in the region.

Deb has left our Albany home in very capable hands, with Kristi taking on the role of Executive Manager. Kristi is a Great Southern region local who has worked at the home for many years throughout her nursing career.

She spent several years as Executive Director of Care before her current promotion to the Executive Manager role.

Kristi consistently combines her dedication to care with the extensive clinical knowledge she gained in the years she worked to gain her Doctorate in the area of Health Science. She has also been involved in several national research projects on palliative care and pain management.

Mr Prior congratulated both Deb and Kristi on their new appointments.

• Clarence Estate Executive Manager Kristi Holloway with Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior.

“I knows these two outstanding women will continue to be a shining example of unwavering commitment to love, mercy and care,” he said.

“Clarence Estate is our flagship home in WA’s Great Southern region, and I have every confidence that Kristi and her team will deliver great results for the community.”

SAYING FAREWELL TO CATHY ORIE

• Cathy Orie with General Manager Health & Care Services NSW Kris Healy

Below is a message from Sirius Cove’s Director of Nursing, Cathy Orie. Cathie has been with Hall & Prior for many years, and has been an integral part of this home’s continued commitment to care over this time. We wish you all the best, Cathy.

Dear Sirius Cove The decision to say goodbye after more than 22 years as the Director of Nursing of this charming, soulful aged care home called Sirius Cove has not been easy. The staff and residents are like my family so leaving is an emotional experience.

Being the eldest of six children, the responsibility to take care of my younger siblings was ingrained in me from an early age. That caring philosophy naturally transferred to looking after the elderly through my experience in my parents’ business. During my youth, our family business was Notre Dame Nursing Home, where my mother Pam was the Director of Nursing. It’s my mum that I have to thank for my motherly style of care – she was and always will be, the heart in my care.

From a very young age I was helping out around the nursing home.

From this experience, I knew I wanted to be a nurse and carry on the important work that I watched my mother preform in the duty of care.

I completed my Registered Nurse training between 1977 and 1980 in the children’s hospital at Camperdown, afterwards starting work at Longueville Private Hospital. In 1984 my husband Robert, and I partnered with my parents to purchase a small 24-bed nursing home in Willoughby called Fairhaven. My mother was the Director of Nursing and I assumed the role of Deputy Director of Nursing. We operated the facility until 1994, at which point changes to Government funding meant we had to make the difficult decision to close the facility.

I studied a Graduate Diploma of Nursing Gerontology in 1993/94, which I did part-time while my kids were little. This aligned my professional qualifications with my experience.

But back to Sirius Cove, this home that I am so fond of holds an amazing spirit of love and family. There isn’t much staff turnover and our staff often bring their family and friends to work here, so we really are like a big family. Our staff are made up of many different cultures, everything from Nepalese to Tongan – all of whom are so dedicated to our residents. I am so proud of them and will miss being around them every day.

I have had many proud moments over the years, but one of my favourites is when one of our beautiful and cherished residents went

back home into the community because his health had improved so much. This is a credit to the staff and the care provided to him while he was with us.

I would also like to pay special tribute to one of our female residents who has been at Sirius Cove for 15 years. It gives me so much joy to hear her greet visitors and staff at the door – because when she arrived she was unable to speak. I’ll miss all these wonderful stories and people.

On a professional note, one of my highlights was being selected to sit on the Wranglers Panel in 2014. This request came from the Northern Sydney Local Health District and was a steering committee to promote the Acute Post-Acute Care Service, a ‘hospital in the home’ program.

Over the past 22 years I have experienced three different owners, many residents and even my own mother was here for her final six weeks. It has been an amazing journey.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Sirius Cove. I have had the honour of working with some amazing people and would like to acknowledge the support I have received from Kris Healy, our General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior.

So what’s next for me? That’s the exciting part. I’ll start with a cruise around Barcelona, France and Italy and focus on finding a healthy energy and vitality again after my recent health issues. I will spend time with my grandchildren and I plan to start walking with music – anywhere I feel the whim to go!

There is no doubt that I am very emotional about leaving Sirius Cove, there is much history for me to process here, and it will take time. I will however continue to crochet rugs for residents and look forward to dropping them in – it’s something small I can still contribute to the lives of the elderly that I pledged my life to caring for so many years ago.

So for now, amidst the tears, goodbye and I wish you all the very best for the future.

Cathy Orie

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GETTING TO KNOW GRAFTON AGED CARE HOME

Grafton Aged Care Home is located on the banks of the Clarence River in the picturesque Northern Rivers town of Grafton. The 83-bed home offers open and bright activity and lounge areas as well as a dining room that overlooks the Clarence River creating a unique dining experience for our residents to enjoy.

The original residence was built in 1946 by RJ Want for Dr Ivan Page, a prominent surgeon and in 1970 ‘Grafton Aged Care Home’ was founded

by Margaret Morrison, a Registered Nurse who was impressed with the location of the home. Margaret went on to implement many improvements and grew the bed base of the home from the nine residents when the home opened to 70 on completion of the West Wing in 1981.

Hall & Prior acquired Grafton Aged Care Home in April 2017, taking the number of residential aged care homes in the New South Wales region to 11.

More than 90 dedicated aged care employees joined our organisation with the Grafton acquisition along with Director of Nursing, Julie Spicer.

“The transition to the Hall & Prior family has been a positive experience,” Julie said.

Julie has more than 40 years’ experience in aged care from nursing, discharge planning, auditing, training and management. She successfully completed the first recognised qualification in Gerontology which was offered by the College of Nursing at that time. Julie has travelled to North America to study the Eden Philosophy, which she said underpins much of her practice. It has also influenced much of the education and training packages she has written, including a TAFE module for a graduate certificate in aged care titled Health and Wellbeing of the Older Adult.

Julie has been with Grafton Aged Care Home for 12 years and says the moment she stepped foot inside, it felt like “home.” “The team at our home are highly supportive of each other. I have the most fantastic staff,” Julie said.

Many residents, their families and staff hold longstanding family and community ties to the home. “This community has such a strong bond

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which flows out into the wider Grafton community and is reciprocated through volunteers and community groups coming into the home and enriching everyone’s lives.

On Wednesday, August 16, local MP Chris Gulaptis came to Grafton Aged Care Home to present the Australian flag for the homes new flag pole to 96-yearold resident, Margaret Pocock. Margaret comes from a well-known family in the Copmanhurst and Upper Clarence Region.

The city of Grafton itself offers a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere with a great city-wide festival held annually called the Jacaranda Festival. Held in spring each year to co-inside with the flowering of the Jacaranda trees, the town is blanketed in stunning purple flowers, which draws visitors from all across the state.

When speaking with residents, their families and staff some of the frequent comments heard are “when I walk through the front door it feels like home” or “it’s so lovely to hear laughter in the hallways – it is such a happy place” and “the staff are so friendly I always feel welcome – nothing is ever a bother to them.” Julie said these wonderful comments reflect the care and compassion of the staff at the home.

The staff are the engine behind the day-to-day running

of this home. Lara Bancroft, born and raised in Grafton has been with the home since in 2002. Clinical Nurse Manager, Katrina Austen completed her Masters in Gerontology and in 2010 joined the team at Grafton Aged Care Home.

Over the past few years, Katrina has worked closely with the local university in an attempt to attract more graduating Registered Nurses in regional areas to consider Aged Care as a potential career path.

“The most outstanding aspect that I have found more than the 10 years working at Grafton Aged Care has been the dedication, support and care provided by the staff not only to the residents but also their families and to other colleagues,” Katrina said.

They are backed by a ‘wonderful and cohesive’ team who are passionate about aged care and providing the best care to their residents.

Julie says, “I look forward to the future within a caring and compassionate organisation that places a high regard on the quality and professionalism of the services they provide in each community and values each individual.”

“The team at our home are highly supportive of each other. I have the most fantastic staff.”

- Grafton Director of Nursing Julie Spicer.

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INMATES DONATE BLANKETS TO GRAFTON AGED CARE Female inmates at the Grafton Correctional Centre have been crocheting away over the past few months, positively occupying their time by making some wonderfully warm blankets for donation to the local community. Grafton Aged Care Home in New South Wales were thrilled to be included in this community initiative and receive these beautifully crochet blankets recently – which was a welcome addition with the cooler weather.

Glen Innes & Grafton Correctional Centers Governor, Michelle Paynter said the initiative was the idea of Senior Correctional Officer, Rachel Fodera. “Rachel has been driving it within the center, arranging donations and setting up processes for the inmates,” Michelle said.

“The inmates have felt a sense of purpose and pride by being a part of this initiative that we have named the ‘JBC community initiative project’,” Rachel said.

“They have all said they are just happy to be giving back to the community.”

Rachel said the Grafton Correctional Centre have been extremely fortunate to receive large donations of wool and crochet hooks from the local Spotlight store in Grafton. This enabled the inmates to start this program in making blankets for the community. “Spotlight Manager, Michelle has been more than supportive of this idea and is aware that our first lot of

donations will be going to the residents of Grafton Aged Care Home,” said Rachel.

Grafton Director of Nursing Julie Spicer said the genesis for this came about because one of the correctional officers had an interest in older people and brought her young son to visit the home. This was the beginning of a wonderful community connection.

During the month of May, Michelle and Rachel from Grafton Correctional Centre, along with a couple of female inmates and Spotlight Manager Michelle arranged a visit to the home.

They presented not only blankets, but scarves and crochet bags to the home, and met some of the residents who would be benefiting from them.

Julie said the donation was a lovely surprise for residents and the families when they were visited by the officers and a couple of ladies who had contributed to making the items.

“Each of the residents were able to pick their own blanket and other crochet items which was a great idea,” Julie said.

“This was a great opportunity for the giving and receiving of care as the residents chatted away and shared their stories about crocheting with each other and our visitors.”

The residents and staff of

Grafton Aged Care Home love their new blankets and made use of them during the chilly winter and spring season.

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CELEBRATING SPEECH PATHOLOGY WEEK 2017 For an older person, being able to communicate with the people around them can make a big difference in their health and well-being. At Hall & Prior, our Speech Pathology teams in Perth and Sydney make an invaluable contribution to our mission to provide exceptional care.

• Hall & Prior Senior Speech Pathologist Pamela Windram.

At Hall & Prior, we have three Speech Pathologists who work closely with our Dietitians, Resource Team members, the kitchen team at Fresh Fields Hospitality Services and the clinical, care and kitchen staff in all our homes. Senior Speech Pathologist Pamela Windram works with Ashleigh Whyte in Western Australia, and our NSW homes are supported by Emma Alonso.

Each year, Speech Pathology Australia aims to promote the work of speech pathologists around Australia, and raise awareness of communication and swallowing disorders.

This year’s theme was ‘Communication access: everyone gets the message’, which highlights that communication is a basic human right.

Pamela and her team assess and create care plans for care recipients who have difficulties with communication or swallowing. Swallowing difficulties can make it difficult for people to eat or drink safely, because of the risk of it entering their airways.

This can be more prevalent in older people or those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and requires a modified diet.

Our Speech Pathologists also assist with educating our staff about the proper procedures for serving food with people who need modified diets, as well as facilitating clear communication with those we care for.

Speech Pathology is a key part of caring for the more than 1,600 people who live in our 25 aged care homes across Western Australia and New South Wales.

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• Jeanie Lines and family.

CELEBRATING JEANIE LINES’ 100TH BIRTHDAY The staff and residents at Rockingham Aged Care came together recently to celebrate their newest centenarian, Dorothy Lines.

Known as Jeanie, she has been with the home for several years, and celebrated the milestone with her family on August 27. The following day, Rockingham’s staff and Jeanie’s family came together to throw a big party to honour the occasion.

Jeanie’s family shared stories and memories about her younger days, such as her love of baking and her involvement in the Country Women’s Association.

Her son Graeme thanked everyone for attending the celebration, including family members that had travelled from interstate for the occasion.

“I also want to thank Hall & Prior for the care they have provided over the last five years, and for putting on this great event today,” he said.

Jeanie was born in Harvey and grew up in Toodyay.

She later lived on a farm with her late husband Eric, where they raised Graeme and their daughter Roma. Jeanie now has four grandchildren,

seven great-grandchildren and one great-greatgrandchild.

When she was younger, Jeanie loved to play darts and bowls, and enjoyed sewing and needlework.

She still loves to cook, and to take part in crafts and quizzes.

When asked about her secret to reaching 100 years of age, Jeanie’s nightly glass of port was mentioned, as it is something she has enjoyed every day for much of her life.

She is well known for her outgoing personality and positive outlook on life, and always takes the time to look out for others.

“Jeanie is the most spirited person,” Rockingham Director of Nursing Terri Woolhouse said.

“You’ll often see her in her high heels, chatting to staff and pushing other residents around in their wheelchairs. She always says good morning to everyone at the breakfast table – she’s just lovely to have around.”

Happy 100th birthday, Jeanie!

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TUOHY AGED CARE HOME RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY Getting involved with a local charity can bring a huge sense of joy and purpose to a person’s life. Every Sunday, a group of residents from Tuohy Aged Care Home head to a nearby hall to volunteer with a local drop-in centre, helping the homeless and those doing it tough.

Accompanied by staff, they help by folding donated clothes, like winter woollens, unpacking food donations and making cups of tea. The centre opens every Sunday afternoon and is run by local church Collective Hope.

Tuohy Occupational Therapy Assistant Amanda Dyer said the residents really enjoy lending a hand.

“Stanley, Kip and Betty really enjoy being a part of the community,” she said.

“Kip & Stanley sat down and spoke to everyone and was telling them stories from the past. Betty and I were in the kitchen making tea and coffees for everyone that came in.”

“Betty was definitely the favorite and very openly told one man off for having three sugars because it’s bad for you, which made everyone laugh.

“Everyone was great and very thankful that we were there to help and socialise.”

Collective Hope’s Senior Pastor Chris Friend said their time spent volunteering at the centre was greatly appreciated.

“The need is definitely here in Midland for this group,” he said.

“But this is more than just a resource centre. We provide food and clothing, but we also try to care for the emotional side of things too. It’s about people knowing they can come here and see a warm and friendly face.”

“We can’t do it without our volunteers. Each week it takes a room full of people working together to make this happen.”

The group also run community housing, which provide accommodation to people who are homeless, who are battling mental health issues or addictions, or who have previously been incarcerated. This helps them recover so they can get back on their feet.

WINDSOR PARK NAIDOC WEEK Each yeah in July, communities around Australia celebrate the history and stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people during NAIDOC Week.

Batson said everyone enjoyed creating artwork with earthy-coloured paints, featuring native animals and landscapes, in the style of traditional Aboriginal art.

This year was especially exciting for the staff and residents at Windsor Park Aged Care Home, after they were recognised in 2016 with a Commonwealth Better Practice Award for their commitment to providing culturally valid care.

“One of our residents, Mariam McArthur, created a beautiful art piece on canvas,” she said.

The program was created to ensure older Aboriginal people could receive exceptional aged care in a place where their connections to culture and native lands are acknowledged and respected.

The team at Windsor Park, located in the Perth suburb of Carlisle, were recognised with this national award from the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency last year for positive effects it has had on the health and wellbeing outcomes of their Aboriginal residents.

To celebrate NAIDOC Week this year, the home held a range of activities that focused sharing stories and learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions.

Windsor Park Occupational Therapist Niki

“She paints a lot in her own spare time and so we displayed her canvases around the home to brighten the environment.”

“We also held quizzes centred around Indigenous history, explored indigenous language, told dreamtime stories, created bookmarks for the reading group, and provided colouring in activities.

It was great to see everyone get involved and enjoy themselves.”

The home’s residents also enjoyed a trip to Whiteman Park, near the Swan Valley in Perth.

Much of the natural bushland in the park has been conserved, making it a peaceful spot to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city for a day.

Windsor Park Aboriginal Health Coordinator Wendy Ashwin, Executive Director Residential and Community Care / Regional Jennifer Grieve, and Windsor Park’s Executive Manager Sharyn McDavitt in front of the display of art created by the home’s residents.

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HALL & PRIOR HOMES TAKE PART IN AGED CARE GAMES Teams from Hamersley and Agmaroy Aged Care Homes recently took part in the long-awaited LiveLighter Aged Care Games, held in Belmont during August.

The full day of activities is made up of a range of sports and games specially designed for older people, such as seated hockey, beanbag toss and skittles. The popular event broke previous records for attendance, with more than 300 people taking part.

Hamersley’s representatives, who dubbed their team the Hamersley Hurricanes for the occasion, had spent time preparing for day’s friendly competition. In 2016 their team ranked third, so residents and staff alike were excited about getting back into the games. All the participants had a great time with the various challenges, with lots of laughing and cheering.

The event is organised by the Seniors Recreation Council of Western Australia, who aim to promote team participation and fun social interaction. The games were launched in 2003, and are held each year in Belmont and Joondalup.

KENSINGTON STAFF CELEBRATE BIG MILESTONE For many people, working in care is more than just a job, it’s a calling. To reach a decade or more of service in an aged care home represents a huge amount of dedication and loyalty, and it is an event worth celebrating.

The staff at Kensington Aged Care Home recently recognised three staff members who had all reached their 10-year anniversary at the home.

Director of Nursing Cate Barlow, Clinical Nurse Manager May Azarian and kitchenhand Ruth Stauden marked the occasion with a Mad Hatterthemed high tea at the home.

In 2014, the continued teamwork and collaboration of Kensington’s staff was acknowledged with a Hall & Prior Directors’ Award in the Team of the Year category. Cate’s work has been recognised with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2014 and an Outstanding Leadership Award in 2016.

Ruth is responsible for the home’s afternoon meal service, and came to Kensington after a previous role in the catering division of Qantas. Cate said Ruth is best known for her friendly and animated nature, which is loved by both staff and residents alike.

Cate said she was thrilled to celebrate with all of the home’s staff and residents, as well as Hall & Prior’s Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior and Executive Manager of Residential and Community / Regional Leader Jennifer Grieve.

“Ruth runs the meal service in a very dependable way, she is always reliable and works in a very consistent way,” Cate said. “She always interacts well with our residents and is happy to have a chat.”

“It was wonderful to celebrate with everyone who has been a part of our journey for the past 10 years,” Cate said. “We also recognised some of our long term residents, like Judith Flynn and Phyllis Gilham.”

May is in charge of the home’s afternoon shift, ensuring the continuity of quality care and supporting the DON to manage any unexpected occurrences. Cate said May works with a small team but has been successful in encouraging them up upskill, with several care staff undertaking Hall & Prior’s Personal Carer Advance Practice (PCAP) course. After completion of this eight-week course, carers are able to take on additional responsibilities such as administering medication, taking residents’ vital signs and assisting the nursing staff.

Cate said the presence of many long-term staff members at the home helped provide a stable environment for those they care for, and contributed to care standards being met consistently.

The home previously received a Commonwealth Better Practice Award from the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency in 2012. This national award recognised a project to improve behaviour management techniques for care recipients with dementia, which focused on sleep quality.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the lifestyles of our care recipients,” she said. “Whether that’s for clinical outcomes or relates to our lifestyle and activities programs, I encourage our staff to get involved.”

“May is always professional and has very good clinical skills,” Cate said. “She always supports the other staff and gets involved with the activities and events we have on here at Kensington.”

In 2013, May was presented with a Hall & Prior Directors’ Award in recognition of Outstanding Care and Services.

Congratulations to these long-serving staff members for their decade of commitment.

• The team at Concorde donned saris to recognise Indian Independence Day.

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CONCORDE STAFF CELEBRATE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY Throughout our organisation, we are fortunate to have a truly multicultural cohort of staff. During the year, our homes celebrate special national days for many nations, and use this as an opportunity to learn more about their peers and their cultures.

On August 15, the team at Concorde Aged Care Home in South Perth celebrated Indian Independence Day. The home was ablaze with colour from decorations and the Indian flag proudly on display.

The staff dressed up for the occasion by donning a sari, the traditional garment of the nation. After a rendition on the Indian National Anthem, everyone joined in for a delicious lunch of Indian dishes to celebrate.

Concorde were also thrilled to host their local Member of Parliament, Steve Irons and his wife Cheryle, who is a councillor with the City of South Perth, during a visit in August.

The pair came to tour the home and meet our staff and residents, and joined us for a morning tea. During the visit, Steve discussed his previous experiences with a family member who had dementia, and spoke about the importance of caring for older people in our community.

This was an excellent opportunity to strengthen our community connections.

• Steve Irons with Concorde resident Trevor Underwood and Executive Manager Judith Davies.

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ADMINISTRATION TEAM TOUR HOMES FOR TRAINING Our organisation is made up of many diverse teams, each with their special areas of expertise, so we implement a specific training program.

Our Administration team, led by ICT Business System Manager Deborah Stevens attend training sessions every two months to ensure they are up to date with all systems and processes.

This includes our billing and admissions processes, as well as working with our systems and policies for our dietary program, our operations and maintenance department and supporting our homes through accreditation audits from the Aged Care Quality Agency.

Later in the day the group visited Belmont Aged Care Home, as well as our two Subiaco homes, St Lukes and Hamersley Aged Care Homes.

Deborah said the outing gave the staff an opportunity to learn more about the other homes in our group.

“Some of our staff have been here for many years but haven’t had a reason or opportunity to visit all the other homes, so it was a really interesting experience,” she said.

“It will help them if they need to recommend one of our other homes to someone looking for care, and gave them a sense of scope about just how many people we care for in Perth.”

During their September training, the Perth team toured several of our homes to see the different ways they operate, and the different room types and programs they offer.

The group visited Concorde Aged Care Home in South Perth, McDougall Park Aged Care Home in Como, Windsor Park Aged Care Home in Carlisle and our linen and catering facility Fresh Fields Hospitality Services. They were able to tour the kitchen and laundry to get a behind the scenes look at how we provide high quality food and clean linen and clothes for our 13 homes in the Perth metropolitan area.

THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AGEING CONFERENCE IS APPROACHING Each year, the best minds in the field of aged care come together to share ideas and address relevant issues for the future of care on a global scale. The International Federation of Ageing’s 14th Global Conference on Ageing will be held at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario from August 8-10. The 2018 conference theme is ‘Towards a Decade of Healthy Ageing – From Evidence to Action’. Topics covered during the event will include age-friendly environments, combating ageism, addressing inequalities and the future of healthy ageing.

Hall & Prior are proud to be part of the IFA’s international network of partners, as aged care organisations around the world work to deliver exceptional care.

For more information on the IFA or this event, go to www.ifa2018.com

HEAD OFFICE 16-18 Mayfair Street West Perth WA 6005 PO Box 1593 West Perth WA 6872 T 08 9321 1388 F 08 9321 1490 E info@hallprior.com.au

NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OFFICE 274 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove NSW 2066 PO Box 84 Lane Cove NSW 1595 T 02 9427 8978 F 02 9427 3218 E infonsw@hallprior.com.au

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