HALL & PRIOR H E A LT H & A G E D C A R E G R O U P
MEET OUR WA RESOURCE TEAM
ISSUE 15 | SPRING 2018
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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 over 1,500 people in Western Australia and New South Wales. Our people are our greatest asset. Each one of our 24 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
From the Chief Executive Officer
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Commonwealth Award win for Back to Country Program
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Experts supporting excellence in aged care NSW Spotlight on Speech Therapy Hall & Prior makes SBS World News Looking after the people who care
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City2Surf 2018: The value of health and wellbeing Stories from our homes
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Concorde Philippine Independence Day Annual vaccination program a success
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FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Once again this is an edition that is packed with highlights with what life is like living or working in a Hall & Prior home. I am especially pleased to see the ongoing workplace health initiatives that our teams in both WA and NSW have undertaken recently, and are showcased in this edition. The ever-increasing number of staff that are training for, and competing in the Perth & Sydney City2Surf events is fantastic, and I am hoping myself to be among the runners in the respective events next year. Also highlighted in this edition are the great results that our staff immunisation program have achieved. Hall & Prior have committed to offering free influenza vaccines for staff for more than 10 years, and the dedication of our program coordinators in both WA and NSW has resulted in achieving industry-leading percentages of staff receiving the vaccine. The commitment of staff to getting themselves vaccinated, knowing the increased protection it affords to our residents during flu season is yet another example of how staff truly embrace our mission of ‘compassionate people, dedicated to care’. I am pleased to provide an update on building works at Karingal Green, the worldclass 160-bed aged care facility in High Wycombe, in Perth’s eastern suburbs. Building works commenced in July, with significant earth works
and basement concreting now complete. The building program is on schedule, with opening set for December 2019. Along with closely monitoring the capital works, focus will soon turn to procurement, with the commissioning team needing to organise fixtures, furnishings and equipment of the highest standard to complement what will be a world-class aged care residence. We recently had the pleasure of hosting the Hon. Julie Collins MP, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Heath, who met with members of our management team for a briefing on issues affecting aged care. Hall & Prior fully supports the current Government’s reforms to raise the bar regarding quality standards, and this was a great opportunity to engage with a Federal MP who is influential in shaping aged care policy. And finally, I have to acknowledge the wonderful team at Windsor Park Aged Care Home. The home, led by Executive Manager Sharyn McDavitt and Aboriginal Health Coordinator Wendy Ashwin recognised by the Commonwealth Government with yet another Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Better Practice Award. Windsor Park has been recognised for their ‘Back to Country’ Program, where Aboriginal residents who are required to attend Perth for specialist medical treatment or rehabilitation are cared for at Windsor Park,
with the multidisciplinary team working to restore their health and wellbeing. Once stable, the home leverages their networks throughout WA to return these residents to their remote or desert communities, ensuring a safe and sustainable discharge. This award marks the third time Windsor Park has been recognised, and an astonishing 12th award for the Group since 2011. In the challenging aged care environment, I am constantly amazed that of the innovative practice that occurs not just at Windsor Park, but at each one of our 24 aged care facilities, and two home care services across the country. I congratulate each and every one of our staff for their work every day in improving the lives of Australians living with dementia and other agedrelated diseases. Until next time GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer
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Above: Graeme Prior with the Hon. Julie Collins MP, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health during a recent visit to our Perth office. Below: The staff of Winsor Park Aged Care Home celebrating their 2018 Commonwealth Better Practice Award win.
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COMMONWEALTH AWARD WIN FOR BACK TO COUNTRY PROGRAM Within Hall & Prior’s 24 residential aged care homes, we care for people from all walks of life and many different cultures. For the past decade, staff at Windsor Park Aged Care Home have worked hard to develop a culturally appropriate model of care for Aboriginal people. This exceptional program was recognised with one of the aged care industry’s top honours in 2016, with the home receiving a Commonwealth Better Practice Award. Building on that hard work, the home, led by Executive Manager Sharyn McDavitt, have now been awarded another Better Practice Award in 2018 for their Back to Country initiative. We are proud to bring you this story to you, and share how this incredible team have created and implemented a program that provides hope for Aboriginal care recipients who wish to return to their regional and desert communities.
The 2018 Better Practice Award winners at the award ceremony in Sydney. Windsor Park Executive Manager Sharyn McDavitt (centre) and Aboriginal Health Coordinator Wendy Ashwin (fourth from right) represented the home.
Each year, the Australian aged care industry’s peak governing body, The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, evaluates innovative and consumerfocused programs from all across the nation. The awards encourage and promote exceptional projects so that other providers can use the key learnings to make a difference in the lives of consumers. The winners for 2018 were announced at the Better Practice
Awards event at the National Conference in Sydney on August 23. Working with the home’s Aboriginal Health Coordinator Wendy Ashwin, the Back to Country program has assisted 12 Aboriginal people to return to their regional and remote communities throughout Western Australia. Windsor Park is home to many people who identify as Aboriginal and are
traditional land owners from remote areas of the state, who have been transferred to Perth for medical care. The program consists of evaluating whether the person’s health condition can be stabilised and rehabilitated to a level of fitness and independence where they would be able to return to their home. Aboriginal people have a strong connection to areas they were born in, as well
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as the lands of their ancestors and relatives. The land, cultural history and traditional activities all encompasses kinship, community, history, spirituality, and family. Because of the high clinical needs of the home’s care recipients, getting back to their community is sometimes difficult. Through the home’s decade-long project to provide culturally appropriate care for Aboriginal people, significant work has been put in to develop programs that recreate the spiritual and social aspects of the community. This consumer-focused program focuses on communication with care recipients, as well as developing strong ties with relevant external organisations. Together with the home, they work towards the goal of returning the care recipient to their community. This is the second time the home has been recognised with a Commonwealth Better Practice Award for their efforts to provide exemplary care for Aboriginal people. In 2016, Executive Manager Sharyn McDavitt, her staff and Resource Team partners were acknowledged for implementing and continually improving a culturally valid care model over the course of a decade. Recognising the unique needs of individuals, as well as those shared within a culture, is a key part of providing the best possible care. “The entire team feels elated, this was a whole of Windsor effort,” Sharyn said. “We have seen Aboriginal people regain their will to live and improve in their health, which means they are able to
continue their treatment while emotionally improved.
Hall & Prior’s corporate team for their support.
“Being taken out of country can cause low mood and symptoms like post-traumatic stress, especially when individuals have been part of the stolen generation.”
This is the home’s third Commonwealth Better Practice Award. In 2013, the team’s Workplace Harmonisation program successfully transformed the culture of the home and reduced conflict and tension between staff.
While the program improves care recipients’ wellbeing while they are still at Windsor Park, the true indicator of its success is the effect on individuals who are able to return to their communities. “Aboriginal people think that once you go into hospital or care, that’s the end,” Sharyn said. “Feedback from those who have returned assists us to alleviate the stress of people who are living at Windsor Park.” “Once they have returned, our former care recipients often call us and tell us how happy they are. One lady had her guardianship overturned and manages her diabetes now.” Sharyn said she was looking forward to continuing to develop the program and reinforce Windsor Park’s reputation as a leader in Aboriginal aged care. “Since receiving this award, we have been contacted by many of our colleagues, including doctors and researchers, to congratulate us on working to get people back to their lands, families and spiritual connections,” Sharyn said. “In the future, we want to buy yarning mats and develop other initiatives that will make Windsor Park more comfortable and welcoming for Aboriginal care recipients. Sharyn thanked her entire team for their efforts, as well as her Resource team partners and
Through engaging key training organisations to provide staff and managers with the skills to manage issues collaboratively, the team were able to increase staff retention and create a happier environment within the home. Sharyn said this program directly contributed to the success of later endeavours because the stability of the staff now allows them to introduce new ideas for best-practice care. “If we didn’t have work harmony, this would affect our ability to run programs such as Back to Country. Our staff are happy and are able to form great bonds with our care recipients,” Sharyn said. The 2016 Better Practice Award was for the home’s Culturally Valid Care Program for Aboriginal people. Developed over the course of a decade and utilising evidence-based practice and strong links to key community and research groups, the initiative is a crucial part of improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal care recipients. Hall & Prior are now the proud recipients of 12 Commonwealth Better Practice awards for innovations in care recipient care in the past seven years.
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EXPERTS SUPPORTING EXCELLENCE IN AGED CARE Providing exemplary care for older Australians requires a dedicated, knowledgeable and compassionate team. Hall & Prior’s multidisciplinary Resource Team works across the organisation, providing our homes with support to ensure that we are not only compliant with national and industry standards, but continuously improving the quality of care we provide. In response to the increasing complexity of care recipient needs, this team has continued to grow. We are pleased to introduce you to this group of exceptional individuals and the work they perform, and share their thoughts on the future of Australian aged care. Leaders in aged care: Executive Director of Residential Care – Regional Leader Deborah Sinclair-Lane, Director of Nutrition and Hydration Jo Flannery, Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior, Director of Quality, Safety and Compliance Julie Beaton and Director of Care Documentation and Advanced Clinical Practice Duska Bodegrajac.
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Director of Quality, Safety and Compliance Julie Beaton
Clinical & Quality Coordinator Toni McHale
With past experience in nursing and as an educator for the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, Julie has been with Hall & Prior for 10 years.
Nursing has been a passion for Toni since she was in high school, and she worked in several different clinical settings before coming to aged care.
All of our homes are accredited by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency, the industry’s governing body which ensures compliance with applicable standards. In order to ensure we are providing the best possible care in our homes, our Quality Team work with each home’s Director of Nursing and key clinical staff to ensure all policies, procedures and documentation are correct. On a daily basis, they visit the homes to assist our teams with monitoring care recipients’ health, assisting with care plan reviews and making sure all relevant processes are being followed. With the upcoming changes to the national Aged Care Quality Standards, Julie said her team are working to familiarise themselves with what is required, and making any changes to policies or procedures where needed. “The new Australian Aged Care Standards are going to bring a big change for the whole industry, but the organisation is going to need a whole new cultural shift,” she said. “It is now going to be much more client-centred, so the culture of the homes and organisation will have to change. All documents and processes will become centred on what the consumer wants or what their family wants. The struggle will come when there are care recipients with dementia as their decisions will need to be made by their families, which brings a lot of challenges with it.” Julie said communication with staff, care recipients and their families will be an even more important part of her role in the future. “We are currently very clinically focused but now we will have to explain each process to the family and get consent prior to providing clinical care,” she said. “We have to find the balance between consumer and staff clinical goals in a timely manner.”
She joined Hall & Prior as a Clinical Nurse Manager at McDougall Park Aged Care Home in 2011. Two years later she joined the Resource Team in a clinical nurse specialised role, then finally came into her current position. Toni said she sees her role as a partnership with the homes, where she provides education and support for whatever tasks the staff need assistance with. “I enjoy being able to help the home team to ensure that care recipients are receiving the best quality of care in the last stages of their life,” she said. In the future of aged care, Toni said she is seeing the trend of increasing clinical complexity in care recipients with multiple co-morbidities. “People are staying home longer, so when they come into a residential aged care home there are usually quite complex cases,” she said. Toni said the Quality Team is also currently working on several additional projects, such as the Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative and Hall & Prior’s Immunisation Program.
“The new Australian Aged Care Standards are going to bring a big change for the whole industry.” - Julie Beaton
Clinical & Quality Coordinator Carol Barnes
Clinical & Quality Coordinator Alison Dawes
Beginning with spending her childhood school holidays with her aunt in the respite home she managed, Carol said she always knew she wanted to work in aged care. She undertook her nursing qualifications in England, specialised in Gerontology Nursing and now has 35 years of experience in the sector.
Joining Hall & Prior’s this year, Alison has brought with her a substantial amount of knowledge and experience from more than two decades in the health sector.
“By having the Resource Team go out to the homes, it means there is another person who is able go into the home and see things the staff might not see or have time to fix,” she said. “I like to be out in the homes as much as I can, spending a whole day there instead of just popping in so that I can do something valuable for the team. I spend a lot of time talking to care staff, the Director of Nursing and the Clinical Nurse Manager and seeing all interactions and activities in the home.” Carol said the members of the Resource Team all have a significant amount of experience, skill and knowledge they are able to take into the homes. “If we can’t answer their questions, we often know people who can, so we can make sure to get the responses they need,” she said. One of the main changes Carol has seen in the industry since she began working is the increase in care and clinical needs for care recipients. “When I was a child, people would come in to an aged care home for the social aspect of living together,” she said. “Now our care recipients need a significantly higher amount of care, and there are more cases of dementia and challenging behaviours that we weren’t facing before. “I think in the future we are going to see care recipients with higher and higher care needs, and dementia care and palliative care will be even more important. We need to ensure our staff have the training and knowledge to be able to deal with this.”
In her 20s she was a Director of Nursing for an aged care home, and went on to work in clinical governance and quality roles for most of her career so far. Along with roles in private companies, she has also been part of government and church and charity organisations. Alison said she likes the diversity and proactive nature of Hall & Prior, and sees her role as supporting the homes to uphold quality standards. “When I’m out at one of our facilities, I see myself as part of the home,” she said. “I’m there to support and not hinder the good work that the staff are doing and to provide education and advice when there is something we can improve.” Alison is a qualified continence advisor and is one of Hall & Prior’s portfolio holder for infection control and wound case management. She highlighted the industry’s changing focus on consumers, which will see the adjustment of aged care policies and procedures to increase care recipient choice and power over their care. “We’re changing what we do as the industry changes, so we can continue to be leaders in the state for quality aged care,” she said. “Our internal training programs will be an important part of ensuring our staff have the most relevant and up-to-date education. With the support our staff receive from the Resource Team and the corporate office, nobody is ever alone. We work together to provide good care.”
“With the support our staff receive from the Resource Team, nobody is ever alone.” - Alison Dawes
Clinical and Quality Coordinators Alison Dawes, Carol Barnes, Toni McHale with Director of Quality, Safety and Compliance Julie Beaton.
Clinical & Quality Coordinator Catherine Zhou Many members of our Resource Team have long histories with our organisation and can use their experiences to directly benefit the staff and care recipients in our homes. Catherine joined Hall & Prior as a Registered Nurse in 2010 after completing a conversion program to recognise her qualifications from China. She has worked in this role and as a Clinical Nurse Manager at several of our Perth homes, including Hamersley, Mosman Park and Freshwater Bay. Catherine joined the Resource Team earlier this year and said it has been an eye-opening experience so far.
“It has been interesting seeing the different cultures of each home and how they work together to provide care,” she said. “I work in partnership with the homes and act as fresh eyes so we can work to continually improve the care and meet industry standards. I am able to be more hands-on in this role because of my work as a Clinical Nurse Manager. I know the pressures our staff are under and how I can assist best.”
Nurse Practitioner Louise Appleton, Medication and Lifestyle Coordinator Kath Whisson, Director of Care Documentation and Advanced Clinical Practice Duska Bodegrajac, Occupational Therapy Coordinator Madelyne Glover, Care Documentation Coordinators Caroline McWhinnie and James Aguirre.
Director of Care, Documentation & Advanced Clinical Practice Duska Bodegrajac To provide the most appropriate, individualised care to those living in our homes, our documentation and clinical processes must be detailed and comprehensive. Duska and her team guide, assist and educate staff in the homes to appropriately record care events relating to the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI). By conducting regular assessments of care recipients, we can determine the care that each individual requires, and ensure the home receives the necessary funding that meets the care recipients’ needs. This is particularly important as we care for people with high care needs and complex comorbidities. Hall & Prior also cares for care recipients with low financial means, which makes ensuring each person receives the level of funding that meets their needs an essential part of the operation of our homes. An initial review of the care recipient begins s soon as they are admitted to the home, and our Care Documentation Coordinators work closely with each home’s Clinical Nurse Managers and Directors of Nursing. A full assessment is then conducted seven days after admission, and at regular intervals after this, as well as when the individual’s needs considerably change. This work focuses on enablement and rehabilitation, to help care recipients’ health improve as much as possible
while they are in our care. Duska came into the health sector when she completed her training as a Physiotherapist in the former Yugoslavia. When her family moved to Australia when she was 21, Duska didn’t speak English and found she had to restart her studies as her qualification wasn’t recognised internationally. She rose above those challenging circumstances and completed her training to be a carer, and then her nursing studies, and later completed a Master in Business Leadership at Curtin University. She joined Hall & Prior in 2011 as an ACFI Coordinator after gaining more than a decade of experience in aged care. Being able to care for others is the part of her role she enjoys most. “Every day you can feel like you make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable and frail people, no matter how small it is,” she said. “We want to enable people, rehabilitate them so they can regain their independence.” Duska said she is expecting massive changes to come in the Australian aged care funding space, which she hopes will be in line with the new changes to the Standards.
Care Documentation Coordinator James Aguirre
“When Agmaroy joined Hall & Prior it was like being adopted by a family, a big team of people Raised in the Philippines, James completed his with a wealth of knowledge to share,” she said. nursing qualifications and gained a significant amount of experience in his home nation. After joining the Resource Team in 2016, In 2011, he came to Perth to undertake the Caroline said she has enjoyed developing strong degree conversion program at Curtin University. relationships with the staff in the homes. Conversion programs are used by people with relevant qualifications from an international “We work in a partnership with the homes, institution, who wish to work in that same field so approachability and communication are in Australia. The program ensures their training important,” she said. “Everybody has a voice and is able to contribute. I work closely with the other meets Australian standards. members of the Resource Team as well.” While he was completing the program, he began working at McDougall Park Aged Care Home. While it can be challenging to keep up to date James continued working at the home, located with governmental guidelines, Caroline said she just south of the Perth CBD, until he completed aims to be agile and adapt to upcoming changes the program. Once he was re-qualified as a in ACFI that affect the documentation behind our Registered Nurse, he took up a position at Tuohy care. Aged Care Home, in Perth’s eastern suburb of “Part of my role is ensuring documentation is Midland, where he worked for six years. updated when people’s care needs change,” Encouraged and supported by Tuohy’s Residential she said. “There is a focus on enablement and Care Manager Jayne Cummings and Clinical rehabilitation. A person’s health may not keep Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia, James applied for declining in all cases, it can improve with good the position he now holds in the Resource Team. care, so keeping up to date with their currents This role ensures accurate documentation of a needs is important. care recipient’s condition, to ensure each person receives the care they need. “I didn’t have such an extensive knowledge of the ACFI system as I do now,” he said.
Nurse Practitioner Louise Appleton
“My perspective was really narrow, so now working as an AFCI coordinator, everything makes sense. I know why we implement behaviour assessments for residents and why we have specific care plans in place to manage those assessments.”
This role is part of our efforts to monitor and manage our care recipients’ needs and deliver the services they need to stay healthy and enjoy their lives. Hall & Prior has supported the role of the nurse practitioner in aged care since 2005. In 2012, we developed a Nurse Practitioner Project as part of a Commonwealth Government initiative to develop an effective and viable practice model.
James said his team is currently preparing for the upcoming changes to the ACFI. “We need to be there to guide homes for when these changes do kick in. It will be a new type of assessment, we’ll be looking at supporting the resident to achieve their goals,” he said. “We’re in an important transition period.”
Care Documentation Coordinator Caroline McWhinnie Trained as a nurse in Scotland, Caroline began working as a Clinical Nurse Manager at Agmaroy Aged Care Home in 2010. Located in the Perth suburb of Wilson, the home was acquired by the Group in 2015.
Hall & Prior’s model includes a collaboration between a nurse practitioner and a geriatrician to support the primary care provided by our visiting general practitioners. Working with experienced Geriatrician Dr Sapna Samida, Louise collaborates with our clinical staff in the homes and external medical professionals to ensure we provide appropriate and best practice care. Throughout our homes we care for some of the most frail and vulnerable people in our community, who have serious and complex comorbidities and clinical needs. Louise works closely with other members of the Resource Team to ensure we can provide high-quality care for every individual.
Medication & Lifestyle Coordinator Kath Whisson
Occupational Therapy Coordinator Madelyne Glover
Unlike nursing, pharmacy looks specifically at the use and effects of medication, and aims to minimise risks of medication mismanagement and improve care recipients’ quality of life. In her role, Kath works closely with clinical staff to review documentation and provide advice and support.
Occupational Therapy (OT) is a multifaceted Allied Health profession that focuses on enabling people to safely participate in the activities of everyday life. This may involve making environmental modifications such as installing hand rails to increase safety or introducing specialised equipment like weighted cutlery to assist with everyday tasks for people with reduced mobility.
“Some of the main items I deal with are antipsychotic and anti-anxiety medication and antibiotics,” she said. “In many cases we look to de-prescribe care recipients and implement other lifestyle strategies to manage challenging behaviours. She chose the field because she liked the mix of science and people skills, and has previously worked as with several medication management and pharmaceutical service organisations, most recently spending seven years working at Perth firm CoPharmacy. In 2017, Kath worked with Mosman Park and Freshwater Bay Aged Care Homes, both located in Perth’s western suburbs, to change clinical practice and culture within the home to reduce the use of antipsychotic medication Risperidone. Kath said she enjoys having such a specific role because she can support multiple homes and ensure all processes and procedures are consistent. “It is invaluable to an organisation which looks after a huge number of people,” she said. “I am always seeing new ways to do things to suit different care recipients’ situations and needs, and I can share that information across our homes.” Kath said she believes it’s important to remind staff that medication management can have serious consequences, but that she is there to support them at all times. She provides education to all staff including those in Hall & Prior’s Personal Carer Advanced Practice (PCAP) program. Our PCAP staff gain additional clinical skills so they are able to better assist nursing staff in the home. “I appreciate how hard our staff work so I want to help however I can,” she said.
Our OTs also develop our fun and enriching activity programs for each home, with projects and events that bring joy into the lives of care recipients. Madelyne joined Hall & Prior in 2014, working parttime across four of our Perth homes. In 2017, she moved into her current role, where she supports and oversees the work of all of our WA OTs. Her role involves creating standardisation within the homes, upskilling Occupational Therapy Assistants and working on larger scale projects to improve the functionality of our facilities and make them feel more like home. She is also part of the team that assists managers in the home during their accreditation audits. “Occupational Therapy is a great profession because every day you get to see that you can change people’s lives,” she said. “Changing into this role has been an interesting experience. I am able to see the bigger picture and help our staff in different homes work more as one team.”
“Occupational Therapy is a great profession because you get to see that you can change people’s lives every day.” - Madelyne Glover
Senior Speech Pathologist Pamela Windram
Speech Pathologist Ashleigh Whyte
Having been with Hall & Prior for more than five years, Pamela (pictured bottom left) uses her expertise to assist care recipients and educate our staff. Within our homes, approximately 70 percent of our care recipients have mealtime difficulties, so Pamela’s role involves reducing the risk of aspiration and choking, and maximising care recipients’ ability to safely consume meals and fluids.
Working with older people and being able to assist them to eat safely are just two aspects of her role that motivate Ashleigh (pictured bottom right).
“I receive referrals from the homes when an issue has been picked up, or when a care recipient is admitted after having a stroke or a tracheostomy and they are transitioning back to an oral diet,” she said. “When a person is having trouble swallowing, it can cause clinical issues, such as an infection from aspiration, but there is also the emotional aspect for their general wellbeing. “At Hall & Prior we have our Dietary Requirement System (DRS) and My Menu, as well as the team Fresh Fields, so we are able to cater to a wide range of dietary requirements and personal choice with food.” As part of Hall & Prior’s Core Training program, Pamela delivers sessions each week to our care staff. The sessions cover information about how to care for residents who have swallowing difficulties, as well as education around the importance of texture-modified foods in maintaining a person’s health. Outside of her work in Speech Pathology, Pamela is also passionate about interior design, and is currently working on a project to improve the dining experience of care recipients in our home. By changing furniture, room layouts and other functional and decorative aspects of our dining areas, we can make sitting down for a meal a more enjoyable experience for people in aged care. Pamela said she sees the future of aged care involving an increased level of consumer choice and decision-making. “Choice is an important thing for every care recipient, but we also have to ensure we have appropriate risk mitigation processes in place to ensure everyone’s safety,” she said.
“A lot of a care recipient’s day is taken up by meal times, so for them to be able to enjoy it is important,” she said. “Keeping an older persons diet or nutrition up is really important, so we work closely with the dieticians to help tackle any issues from as many angles as possible.” Ashleigh regularly visits our homes to conduct assessments for care recipients and work with staff to put strategies in place to manage any difficulties. “I like being able to work with the staff and educate them so they are able to provide food and fluids that are safe for each person, so they know they are able to assist them to stay as healthy as possible,” she said. “I enjoy the variety and being able to work in several different homes. There are always different perspectives and ideas that are able to be shared, so it’s great to take that expertise across. At the end of the day, it’s nice to be able to put a smile on the care recipients’ faces.” Ashleigh believes rising acuity in care recipients will be a major part of the aged care industry in the coming years. “A lot of care recipients have very complex conditions and are quite frail, which can make this role challenging,” she said. “The clinical side of Speech Pathology is such an important part of aged care and improving people’s quality of life.”
“I am passionate about improving the health, wellbeing and quality of life of the people we care for.” - Jessica Zilujko
Dietitians Lori Crooks and Jessica Zilujko
Director of Nutrition & Hydration Jo Flannery While nutrition is important for people of any age, it becomes an even more crucial part of the health and wellbeing for people as they get older. Hall & Prior’s Nutrition & Hydration Program has continued to grow and develop, and utilises expert advice and best practice methods to make a real difference in the lives of those in our care. Jo is passionate about food and has almost three decades of experience as a dietitian in both Australia and the UK.
She has a wealth of experience in aged care, and has been part of the Hall & Prior family for 15 years. She oversees all of the organisation’s activities in this area for our operations in both Western Australia and New South Wales. Jo and her team work closely with many other parts of our organisation, collaborating with other members of our Resource Team as well as providing expertise, guidance and education to the staff in our homes and kitchens. In recent years, Jo has developed a relationship with the Maggie Beer Foundation and is working to bring in aspects of their ‘culinary delight’ philosophy to benefit the people in our care.
Dietitians Lori Crooks and Jessica Zilujko.
Senior Dietitian Jessica Zilujko Working within Jo’s team, our Dietitians Jessica and Lori are key parts in supporting care recipients’ nutritional needs. She uses clinical nutrition theory to conduct care recipient assessments and reviews, and discuss any issues or recommendations with the home’s clinical management teams. As an accredited practicing Dietitian and Nutritionist, Jess has previously had roles relating to corporate health, research into public health and nutrition, as well as a personal trainer. She is continuing to provide her expertise to academic research through collaborations with industry partners in the area of geriatric nutrition.
“I am extremely passionate about improving the health, wellbeing and quality of life of the people we care for,” Jess said. “I have been provided with some excellent opportunities during my time with Hall & Prior, including involvement with activities for young leaders and further research and study opportunities.” In future, Jess hopes to complete more research and collaborate with academic partners in developing validated tools for evaluation of Hall & Prior’s nutrition program and national standards for aged care, particularly focusing on high-level care.
Dietitian Lori Crooks Originally from the United Kingdom, Lori joined Hall & Prior in 2016 and spends most of her time out in our homes, working directly with staff and care recipients. Working alongside Jessica, Lori assists our care recipients to receive healthy meals that meet all of their clinical needs. She works proactively with our kitchen staff both in our linen and catering division, Fresh Fields, and the catering staff in our homes. Acting as a clinical leader, Lori uses her experience and knowledge to advise and educate our staff.
our organisation’s work with the Maggie Beer Foundation to reintroduce the notion of culinary delight to care recipients in aged care. Education is an important part of providing exemplary care, and she has a key role in developing and presenting training on the nutritional needs of our care recipients a the challenges they face. There are other nutrition-related issues that she also contributes her expertise to, such as wound healing, recording food and fluid intake and palliative care procedures.
Part of her role involves assisting with continuous quality improvement activities within our homes, promoting and encouraging our staff to go beyond what is required and devise new ways to provide care. Part of this endeavour aligns with
General Manager, Fresh Fields Hospitality Services Eric Frahamer Fresh Fields is Hall & Prior’s linen and catering division, and is a key part of maintaining health outcomes for care recipients in our 13 homes in the Perth metropolitan area. Using his past experience as a chef in one of Melbourne’s top restaurants, Eric coordinates the 60 Kitchen and Laundry staff at the facility. His role is to ensure that the catering and laundry operations run smoothly, which includes addressing any issues that arise and making sure the kitchens in our facilities meet any required standards. In the Laundry, we take care of the linen, bedding and personal for each of our care recipients. In the Kitchen, our chefs work closely with our Dietitians and Speech Pathologists to ensure we continually improve the quality of the meals provided in our homes. For residents with swallowing difficulties, we serve texture-modified meals to ensure they receive nutritionally balanced, healthy meals. Food is an important part of every person’s day, so we offer a range of options and alternate meals such as vegetarian dishes, Asian cuisine and menus that draw on Aboriginal recipes, such as kangaroo stew.
“We change up our menus regularly, and we’ve recently included regular barbecues for the homes,” Eric said. We have also reviewed the terminology we use for the menus our residents see, to make sure everything is clear and they know exactly what they will be having each meal.” Eric said he enjoys interacting with lots of different people through his role. “We’ve got a really good team here and there’s always a lot going on,” he said. “I like getting out to the Resident and Relative Meetings at our homes. We listen to any feedback or recommendations from residents and family members about how we can do things better, as well as get suggestions for upcoming menus.” “In the homes we have different menus for special occasion and they’re always really popular. Some of the recent ones we’ve had were Christmas in July and NAIDOC Week, where we had things like damper and kangaroo stew. “We send out the menus early and we often hear from the homes that a particular care recipient is excited when a special occasion is coming up.”
NSW SPOTLIGHT ON SPEECH THERAPY Speech Pathology in Australia is more and more frequently integrated into the care of older people who live in residential aged care homes and require 24-hour medical supervision. At Hall & Prior New South Wales, Speech Pathologist Emma Alonso has worked with our care recipients for more than two years to improve to swallowing and communication, greatly increasing their quality of life. Emma Hall & Prior’s first Speech Pathologist employed in NSW, with the scope of her role covering: identifying and managing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) and communication difficulties in care recipients 1.
the provision of all levels of texture- modified diets and thickened fluids
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developing and delivering education to nursing and kitchen staff about dysphagia, modified diets and thickened fluids and effective communication with residents
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Recently, Emma was asked to be a guest speaker at The University of Sydney to undergraduate Speech Pathology students. The University Practice Coordinator requested Emma’s contribution after she hosted placements for second year Speech Pathology students at Hall & Prior. Held on Tuesday, August 14 at the university’s Lidcombe Campus, the two-hour lecture focused on Speech Pathology in aged care. “The aged care setting is a growing area in Speech Pathology, due to the identified need for our expertise with older people,” Emma said. “Providing tips on communicating with residents was also a large area that I covered in my lecture, as this is a completely new area for most of the students.” Emma was also on hand to promote National Speech Therapy Week, which ran from August 19-25. The occasion promotes the profession and the work done by Speech Pathologists, who
assist more than 1.1 million Australians who have a communication or swallowing disorder that impacts their daily life. This year’s theme was ‘communication access is communication for all’. Travelling to all homes and visiting residents in Hall & Prior’s New South Wales network makes up the largest portion of Emma’s responsibilities in her role. She recently took a trip to Grafton Aged Care Home, located in the regional town of Grafton, 500 kilometres from Sydney. “During that visit I assisted residents who required swallowing assessments because they weren’t managing their diet or fluids anymore,” she said. “I also delivered education to nursing staff on how to identify and manage dysphagia, as well as how to communicate more effectively with care recipients. It’s a very rewarding part of my role to improve staff knowledge of dysphagia and agedrelated speech issues.” But overall, Emma says that the most rewarding part of her role is delivering person-centred care and ensuring that the people in our homes have choice and control in the care they receive.
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HALL & PRIOR MAKES SBS WORLD NEWS The aged care sector is currently in a state of change, with Australia’s rapidly ageing population and the upcoming overhaul of the national Standards. On Wednesday, July 25, SBS World News delivered a piece on the industry, including the Conference on Aged Care Reform, the results of the 2018 Federal Budget and other current challenges. Journalist Virginia Langeberg visited Glenwood Aged Care Home with a film crew to gather footage for the story. Virginia interviewed longstanding resident, Noelene Adams along with her husband, Greg Adams as well as interviewing Hall & Prior’s Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior on his thoughts around the Aged Care Reform and their impacts on the industry.
unpack the aged care reform measures in the 2018 Federal Budget with legislators, industry peaks and aged care experts. Mr Prior was interviewed alongside the thenTreasurer Scott Morrison and Leading Aged Services Australia CEO Sean Rooney. Mr Prior was the only residential aged care perspective given in the interview, touching on how providers are really faring financially and what direction providers would like to see the Budget provisions take moving into the future. Congratulations to Kristine Min and the team at Glenwood Aged Care Home, who worked impeccably in the presence of the television crew to ensure a smooth filming session.
The Aged Care Reform after the 2018 Federal Budget conference was the first opportunity to Graeme Prior being interviewed at Glenwood Aged Care Home.
LOOKING AFTER THE PEOPLE WHO CARE Hall & Prior’s Occupational Health & Safety (OSH) team work hard to manage and reduce risks in our homes, and develop programs to build better relationships between colleagues, suppliers and relatives. They provide valuable support to our homes every day. The aged care industry can involve risk for care recipients and staff, as well as those who visits one of our homes, so risk mitigation is an important part
of the work this team does. Proactive strategies towards hazard reporting and mitigation are implemented at all our homes, such as training for manual handling procedures. Through the staff wellbeing program, monthly health and wellbeing topics are discussed, with challenges and events to get people involved
Injury Management Coordinator Ben Carrick, OSH Coordinator Jenni Davidson and Manager of People and Risk Linda Jackson in their City2Surf shirts.
CITY2SURF 2018: The value of health and wellbeing Each year, our staff in Western Australia and New South Wales lace up their sneakers and get involved in the City2Surf races that occur around Australia. We are proud to get behind our staff and encourage them to focus on fun physical activity and their own health and wellbeing. For the second year running, our New South Wales staff pumped up the energy during August to participate in the 2018 City2Surf race which stopped Sydney on Sunday, August 12. “It is so encouraging to see such a strong legion of both State Office and home staff choosing to give up their own personal time and run the City2Surf with the Hall & Prior team,” Exercise and Mobility Coordinator Laura Majewski said. With 48 entrants into the race this year, it was brilliant to see our staff proudly wearing the pink and blue Hall & Prior running shirts, which made us stand out among the 80,000-strong field. This 14-kilometre fun run started at Hyde Park in the CBD and had a staggered start time for the various levels of entrants. The team had been training hard for weeks ahead of the big day, with many people joining fitness sessions organised by the State Office. As more organisations recognise the links between productivity and health, wellbeing is quickly emerging as one of the most urgent workplace imperatives. To encourage a healthy approach to life and exercise, Hall & Prior offer all employees free entry into the City2Surf as well as prizes for those who go the ‘extra mile’ to run a competitive race. But this initiative is not just about competition, it is used to promote healthy bodies and minds through positive relationship-building through shared exercise experiences. Not that this initiative is about competition, the
roots of this health and wellbeing event are based around promoting healthy bodies and minds through positive relationship building through shared exercise experiences. A 2017 Comcare survey1 conducted by the Federal Government found that workplace health and wellbeing programs have the potential to significantly improve the health of employees. It found strong evidence that multi-component interventions that address physical activity and nutrition are effective in increasing physical activity levels, promoting healthy eating and preventing obesity. It also found that interventions that use a comprehensive approach are effective in preventing and controlling job stress at an organisational level.
This initiative promotes healthy bodies and minds through positive relationship-building through shared exercise experiences As mentioned above, to increase the sense of friendly competition, individual prizes were awarded to first, second and third place within our NSW team. Out of our NSW competition, Clover Lea Aged Care Home took out the Outstanding Staff Participation Award. The NSW team also got involved in the fundraising aspect of the race, gathering donations for two charities: The Children’s Cancer Foundation and Soldier On, which helps returned veterans and their families.
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In Perth, more than 50 staff members took to the streets for the event on Sunday, August 26, making the most of the sunny but brisk winter weather. Injury Management Coordinator Ben Carrick coordinated entry for our Perth team.
Occupational Health and Safety teams thinking up new ideas and activities.”
“An event like this is a great opportunity to get our staff involved in a group activity, and having a bit of friendly competition is good for morale.”
“It was great to see so many people get involved,” he said. “An event like this is a great opportunity to get our staff involved in a group activity, and having a bit of friendly competition is good for morale.” Ben said the event is part of the organisation’s overall wellbeing program. “This program goes across all our facilities and focuses on different aspects of health, like getting enough sleep, eating well and dealing with stress,” he said. “Our homes will often organise individual events as well, and it’s great to see our in-home
- Injury Management Coordinator Ben Carrick 1
http://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/how-the-best-
companies-approach-wellbeing/
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STORIES FROM OUR HOMES Throughout our aged care homes, the people we care for have extraordinary stories to tell. We are proud to join their families in celebrating their lives, history and achievements.
FORMER POLICE OFFICER HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS AWARD In July, former police officer and Leighton Aged Care Home resident John Kermode was presented with a Western Australia Police Star, which recognises those either killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. The award was presented by WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson, and represents the commitment and selflessness they showed in their work to protect the community. One fateful night in his career, John Kermode was attending the scene of a burglary in progress when he was shot. His young partner Ray Turner, aged just 26, was able to take him out of the line of fire, bundle him into the car and get him to
hospital in time to save his life. In turn, Ray says that John saved his life too, as by taking John to receive medical attention, he also took himself out of danger. John’s daughter Bernie said she was proud to know her father’s bravery had been recognised. “[I want to convey] a very special and heartfelt thanks to Ray Turner for saving my dad’s life that night and walking beside him, supporting him once again to receive his medal,” she said. “In my eyes, Ray deserves a medal as well.” Congratulations achievement.
Sacrifice honoured: Former police officer John Kermode received a medal to acknowledge his serious injuries sustained during his duties.
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BOXING UP STRESS FOR STAFF WELLNESS Staff at Rockingham Aged Care Home have developed a new way to encourage staff wellness with the Stress Box. Created by the home’s Occupational Health & Safety (OSH) Representatives Kellie Worthington and Cindy Vegar (pictured bottom left), the large post box allows staff to write out the issues that are bothering them. The OSH team are can then review the anonymous notes and implement strategies to tackle any areas that need improving.
Rockingham’s OSH board gets changed every month, featuring relevant content such as manual handling exercises, hazard reporting and other health and safety information for staff.
“It’s been very well-received by all of the staff,” Cindy said. “By having the Stress Box out in a common area, it’s easy for staff to write down things that are troubling them. We specifically asked for people to not to leave their names to make it easier for staff to open up.”
“The teams work off an annual wellness calendar, but each team uses their creativity,” Jenni said. “Recently the OSH representatives at Leighton Aged Care Home, Kate Favro and Jade Murray, brought in stretching at handover times and brought in fruit for the staff. At Agmaroy, Cecile Panido and Eden Dulay organised an early event for R U OK Day, which focuses on the importance of mental health. The event featured a speaker from a community mental health organisation, which shows how our OSH teams are thinking outside of the box.
Kellie said examples of the topics raised were time management and items not being put back in the right place. “By knowing that this is bothering some of our staff, we can bring it up at staff meetings and handovers and remind everyone how important it is,” Kellie said. “It really helps everyone work better together.”
Each home’s OSH team, guided by OSH Coordinator Jenni Davidson, work to ensure the safety of everyone at the site, including residents, staff and visitors. They come together each quarter to develop and implement proactive safety and wellness initiatives.
“It’s always great to see what our homes come up with, and we can all learn from each other to help make our home safer and healthier to work in.”
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STORIES FROM OUR HOMES
PATTY CAKES INSTEAD OF CUPCAKES
This year, the staff of Grafton Residential Aged Care home changed the name of their annual event Cupcake Day to Patty Cake Day. The move was in memory of a dearly loved former resident Margaret Pocock, who had previously insisted that it be an Australian usage of the word because the word cupcake was “too American”. ”Australian culture runs very deeply in the hearts of the people of the Grafton region when it comes to food,” Lifestyle Officer Cherie Onus said. “When a worthy cause that includes food and animals comes up, our residents are very keen to get in on the action.” The RSPCA’s Cupcake Day was on Monday, August 20, but support for this worthy cause runs all month long. The home celebrated on Tuesday, August 14 with Chef Izumi cooking gorgeous cakes for morning tea. The event aims to raise awareness of cruelty to animals, and the team believe it is a fitting tribute
for Margaret. She loved her animals and owned horses, cattle dogs and cats as well as the odd bird or animal from the bush that graced her homestead. Residents and staff enjoyed getting creative to decorate their own cakes, with more than 20 types of icing and decorations to choose from. The occasion brought back many fond memories for residents, particularly for Kath Mitchell, who had been a cook at the local Grafton Hotel. Resident Daphne Rider (Pictured) also enjoyed decorating but had adopted her own motto of ‘you wouldn’t overdo it!’ Events like these aim to develop social connectedness and wellbeing. The social connection and friendship that develop over various dining activities are such a treasure to behold’, says Lifestyle Officer, Cherie Onus. ‘But of course, the most enjoyable part was in the eating!’
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Concorde Philippine 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. In June, the team at Concorde Aged Care Home, in South Perth, celebrated Philippine Independence
Day. Also known as the “Day of Freedom”, it commemorates the nation’s declaration of independence from Spain in 1898. Staff dressed in traditional clothing and performed a dance for the residents, bringing the music and energy of the culture into the home for the day.
Annual vaccination program a success Hall & Prior’s 2018 staff vaccination program has once again worked to reduce the risk of influenza in our homes. This annual initiative saw eight of our homes achieve a coverage rate of over 90%. This year the program also included staff from our Perth home care organisation White Oak Home Care Services for the first time. Medication and Lifestyle Coordinator Kath Whisson coordinates the initiative, and said White Oak’s 43% coverage rate is better than most hospitals achieve. “It was great to have White Oak come on board to the program this year,” she said. “Their staff are caring for people in their homes and interacting with many people daily, so it is important to minimise the risk of spreading influenza. Getting the vaccination is important for the health of the individual, but also the health of everyone around them.”
In an aged care home, an influenza outbreak can have serious consequences, as our residents who have existing health conditions may be particularly vulnerable to falling ill. For the past six years, we have increased our rates of staff vaccination in order to make our homes safer for those we care for. Through a program that addresses the benefits of vaccinations, as well as free clinic set-ups in our homes, we are working to keep our staff, residents and their families safer each flu season. Keeping the flu bug out of our homes also means less disruption to normal routines, because less staff take time off due to illness. Information regarding correct handwashing procedures and preventing the spread of germs is also delivered to staff as part of the initiative.
We recently took a trip out to Concorde Aged Care Home in South Perth, where the roses are now in bloom.
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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