about life Autumn 2018
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An unexpected feeling Reflections on our 2017 Awards Night
Sounds that touch the soul How a difficult time led to music for many.
about life
Inside cover
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This issue A new look About Life features Life Care stories as seen through the eyes of our people. We hope you enjoy reading it!
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Welcome from the CEO
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A new look for Life Care
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An unexpected feeling
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It’s not about the building
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A new day at Gaynes Park Manor
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An amazing team
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Hate paperwork?
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Sounds that touch the soul
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Our people
about life
Welcome from our CEO Welcome to About Life 2018, and I trust that you and your family enjoyed a joyous and relaxing festive season and 2018 is a good year. At Life Care, we have commenced the New Year at a frantic pace, with the launch of our new brand, the opening of Gaynes Park and the reassessment of our key strategic priorities, amongst many other activities already under our belt. Many of these initiatives feature in detailed articles contained within this edition of About Life. However, I would like to highlight the following:
Gaynes Park Manor The opening of the Gaynes Park Manor on February 13th was the culmination of over three years of work from concept to practical completion. It represents Life Care’s desire to bring environment, care delivery, and engaging experiences together where the focus is truly on the quality of life lived. We believe that this has been achieved and this focus, combined with the facility’s unique dementia design, gives it a quality that few South Australian facilities can match. In a project of this nature, many people play significant roles, indeed too many to mention here. However, I would like to acknowledge some key staff and business partners: Loris Rigon, Peter Bermoser, Deborah Muldoon, Marianne Hellers, Pauline Blaine and the “Roselin Court/Gaynes Park” team The residents and family members at Roselin Court for their patience and understanding during the development The Life Care ICT team and Sonitor team Eugene Marchese, Scott Colgate, and the Marchese Partners Team Neil Mossop and the crew from Mossop Constructions & Interiors Cathy Bell and the team at Detour Design
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New Branding
Quality Standards
No doubt many readers will have noticed that since mid-February, Life Care has a new look and feel. After nine years, we are moving away from our blue and green branding.
I can’t remember a state election campaign where aged care featured so prominently. Unfortunately, it has only done so as a result of the ICAC report into the state-government-run Oakden nursing home debacle.
The new logo, created by aged-care and retirement living marketing specialists One Fell Swoop, has been designed to provide Life Care with a more contemporary look and feel in an increasingly competitive environment and to highlight our focus on helping people enjoy a good life.
The report, which is over 300 pages long, provides a damning assessment on conditions within the facility, highlighting systemic failings in processes and oversight that allowed extremely poor care outcomes, with no real action for over a decade. While Oakden was a state-run mental health unit for older people, not a traditional aged care facility, the Aged Care Accreditation Agency and the Aged Care Sector (particularly within South Australia) have come under significant scrutiny.
Staff Awards Night On November 10th 2017, Life Care held its annual awards night at the Adelaide Convention Centre which was an overwhelming success, I’d like to thank all our sponsors for their continued and valued support and acknowledge the winners and runners-up from the night:
At Life Care, we believe that the Oakden situation offers an opportunity for all providers to reassess their operations, embrace real continuous improvement and welcome the proposed accreditation changes where they add to resident outcomes not more red tape.
Unsung Hero Award Joint Winners Maris Kavanagh - Life Care at Home Julie Stephens - Roselin Court Runners Up Lou-En Mojica - Parkrose Village Daryl Mitchell - Glenrose Court
We have commenced a review of our clinical governance across the organisation and remain committed to the ongoing education of our staff and innovation in technology and care models to ensure we offer the best care and quality life within the financial framework that we operate.
Customer Service Excellence Award Joint Winners Tina George - Aldinga Beach Court Stevie Quick - Parkrose Village Runner-Up Jo Shrowder - Life Care Active
Allen Candy CEO
Team of the Year Award Winners Glenrose Court Admin Reynella Lodge Admin Aldinga Beach Court Capability Parkrose Village PCW’s Roselin Court LED Coordinators Property Services Admin Community Team Customer Enquiries Life Care Way Award Winner Belinda Thompson - Reynella Lodge (pictured here with Board Chair John Stock) Runner-Up Anne-Marie Buratto - Glenrose Court
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A new look for Life Care If you happened to walk past 128 Greenhill Rd Unley on 15 February, you would have noticed a subtle change outside our head office. Gone was the familiar blue and green of the Life Care logo. Instead, a vibrant purple had appeared beneath the 128 and with it, a new, more contemporary logo script emphasising the word ‘life.’ In an industry not known for its fast pace or progression, such a branding change is significant. The obvious question, though, is “why change?” Life Care’s recently refreshed Vision is to be South Australia’s premier provider of services and accommodation for older South Australians. In the time that has passed since our previous rebrand, we have progressed as an organisation and indeed moved towards achieving our vision. In this sense, our new brand is a celebration of our journey over the last seven or eight years. It is a celebration of who we are today, of who we have become through the contributions of the people of Life Care. But just as importantly, this change shows our commitment to who we want to be.
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“Our identity is not just a brandmark. It is a design suite composed of a number of core elements that come together to create a distinctive look and feel that makes the Life Care brand instantly recognisable.”
While we have come a long way, if we are to be truly ‘premier’ the experience we provide every one of our customers must be consistently of a premier standard. We’re proud of the quality of service we provide today, but we believe it can be even better. Our new brand, along with the stories that will go with it, help us to be more relevant to future customers’ changing needs. While our industry may not be known for rapid change, the people we support do not stand still. Expectations are shifting, and demands are increasing. Our overall focus on improving quality of life across all services is our response to these changing expectations. We are responding through innovation, through capital investments such as Gaynes Park Manor and future property development and through our aim to deliver consistently excellent service across every service. We need a brand that will help us tell this story. And with the recent brand refresh, we now have exactly that.
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An unexpected feeling 2017 Life Care Way Awards Contribution by Belinda Thompson, Live Every Day Coordinator at Reynella Village and recipient of the 2017 Life Care Way award. As a nominee in the 2017 Life Care Way Awards I didn’t expect to win anything. I guess that’s what it’s like for most people. After all, there were so many amazing people who were also nominated. But even though winning came as a shock, it was the feeling that came with that experience that surprised me the most. The week leading up to the awards had been fairly standard. Naturally, everyone was talking about who’s going, what they were going to wear and transport for the night etc., but around that chatter work continued in much the same way as it always does. Certainly we were all looking forward to a night out relaxing with our colleagues but in the meantime there was plenty to do, as always.
“It was the first time I had been nominated for an award in the 13 years I have worked for Life Care, and for me, that felt like honour enough.” I felt quite humbled given I was simply doing a job that I love. Working in aged care is very much about what you achieve as a team, so the prospect of being personally recognised sat a little uncomfortably with me.
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“I’d always felt part of my team at Reynella, but now I felt like I was part of the whole of Life Care.” As a nominee, the night did feel quite different. Previous awards nights were simply a fun night out with friends and colleagues, a chance to spend time together outside of work. While it was still a very fun night, I couldn’t shake the feeling of nervous anticipation. What were they going to say about me? Imagine if I won! I don’t think I quite let myself go there.
As I received the award, gave my speech and returned to the floor to the embrace of my colleagues, the strangest feeling overwhelmed me. It was this feeling that I found so surprising. It was a sense of belonging. Of being part of something. I’d always felt part of my team at Reynella, but now I felt like I was part of the whole of Life Care. It felt like we were a family and I was part of that family. And I still feel that way. It was like suddenly the whole organisation knew I was there. I felt acknowledged and valued. And I felt grateful and proud of who we are.
As the night progressed I was able to enjoy mingling with people from other parts of Life Care. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come along that often and I enjoyed the sense of the shared connection I have with people in aged care. The photo booth was a real crowd pleaser and people really let their hair down and had fun with it. Then as the awards ceremony progressed it was lovely to hear other people being recognised for their achievements.
“After that I saw Life Care in a different light.”
As it came time for the main award to be announced I found myself wanting to shrink away and hide behind everyone else. I guess it’s part of my personality; I don’t necessarily like being the centre of attention.
It helped me appreciate how it is run as an organisation and what we hope to do in the coming years. That the whole thing – my work, my team’s work, everyone in the organisation – is here to make aged care better and to contribute to the betterment of the people of Life Care. And I get to be a part of it.
And then came the moment when I so unexpectedly heard my name. There were genuine whoops of joy from my colleagues around me, something that I am still so humbled by. The feeling of having people who you know and love cheer your success without a moment’s hesitation or ill feeling is something I’ll never forget. So enthusiastic were their cheers that my ears were ringing as I tried to walk towards the platform. I say tried because one of my colleagues (who perhaps had one too many glasses of red and so shall remain nameless!) wanted to join in and receive the award with me! Fortunately my manager came to my aid and wrestled her away from me, leaving me free to walk to the podium.
The 2017 Life Care Way Awards were made possible by the support of the following partners:
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It’s not about the building...
Once a nurse, always a nurse.
Reynella’s 30-room expansion brings with it benefits for all
As Life Care has grown, we’ve long held the goal of increasing the number of people we care for in the south of Adelaide.
Perhaps strangely, it’s this simple fact – that I started my career as a nurse and still retain many of the same motivations – that makes me excited about our expansion at Reynella.
Contribution by Heather Fraser, Manager, Reynella Village
In fact, we’ve had the ‘bed licences’ for 30 new rooms for almost 5 years. But as someone who has managed the commissioning of an aged care facility before, when I learned that the expansion was definitely proceeding my initial reaction was mixed. There are many challenges that come with a project like this. Yes, there’s the most obvious components – planning, designing and building a significant new structure and turning it into a home – but there are two aspects that I found more personally daunting. Firstly, the need to find great people. We have an amazing team here and introducing around 20 new staff into the team while maintaining our wonderful culture and premier standard of service is not easy. And secondly, the fact that we will need to find residents for these 30 new rooms. We have 18 competing aged care providers within 15kms of Reynella and this level of competition means that filling the rooms can’t be taken for granted. What gives me confidence, though, is that while we already provide a very good experience for our residents, this expansion will allow us to provide a great one.
“This is why I’m excited about this expansion and why I know I’m still a nurse at heart.”
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“Whereas a trip to a bowls club, or morning tea in the Botanic Gardens, or an activity with another aged care home hasn’t been possible previously, having an extra 30 residents will make this possible.”
You see, it’s not about the building, it’s about the people and the experience they have with us. I still do this because I care and I want the best for those under my care. The economies of scale that come with having 90 rooms are going to make a significant difference to the experience of everyone at Reynella. We’ll still be small enough for me to know every person individually but we’ll be able to improve every resident’s quality of life. Whereas a trip to a bowls club, or morning tea in the Botanic Gardens, or an activity with another aged care home hasn’t been possible previously, having an extra 30 residents will make this possible. So as I walk past and see some of our residents watching the construction site progress with interest (and commenting that it wasn’t done that way in my day!) I am aware of the challenges and opportunities that lays ahead for the team. But more importantly, I’m aware that this expansion will translate into an improvement in what life looks like for every resident here at Reynella (just look at the view from some of the rooms for a start - below). And that makes my nurse’s heart glad.
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A new day at Gaynes Park Manor Contribution by Pauline Blane, Manager, Gaynes Park Manor
When I first joined Life Care in January 2017, I was aware that my role was to prepare for the commissioning of Life Care’s brand new, custom-designed residential living community, now known as Gaynes Park Manor. It felt like an honour to take on such an important role, and the idea of managing this amazing facility was an exciting prospect. Of course, what I didn’t know was what the experience would really be like. As it turned out, it has been surprising, thrilling, and enormously challenging. My early days at Life Care were filled with discovering the wonderful variety of Life Care people. I found everyone to be very welcoming and relaxed. Deborah Muldoon – project sponsor for Gaynes Park Manor – had many innovative ideas and initiatives planned for Gaynes Park and this added to my excitement about what the future held. Before the commissioning, my role encompassed not only the day-to-day management of my team at Roselin Court (the existing facility) and connecting with residents and families, but input into the “House Model” that would drive the resident experience at Gaynes Park Manor. The House Model is designed to facilitate meaning and purpose through activities, engagement with a dedicated team, and the freedom to live life as the resident chooses. As the manager, contributing to how this model would work at Gaynes Park Manor was essential. Fortunately, my experience in person-centred care within the mental health sector stood me in good stead.
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It would be wrong of me not to pause and mention my team as part of this reflection.
“In short, they are wonderful. I have an outstanding clinical team who are quietly confident, clinically very sound and thoroughly knowledgeable. It gives me such assurance to have this level of clinical support.” More broadly, the whole team is so talented, supportive and passionate. And of course, our volunteers have been fantastic and without them we couldn’t achieve our lofty goals. Together, we built a positive, healthy culture ready for the transition to Gaynes Park Manor. When moving day came, it was, unsurprisingly, fullon. We started very early, and there was such a buzz of excitement about moving into this incredible new building. Our residents were entertained throughout the day and many people assisted with the move. Despite the enormity of the task, everyone remained calm.
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Today, the beauty of our new building still enthrals. Yes, there are some finishing touches still required to make it feel like a home, but the space itself – the artwork, the café, the modern technology and the general feel - is brilliant. As I look to the future, what excites me the most are the experiences that our residents will have here.
“The relationships that will be built. The freedom to choose how life is lived.” People enjoying our beautiful garden – and perhaps the parties and barbecues that may ensue – and the gardening group that will make the most of it. I look forward to seeing staff flourish, being able to foster creativity and encouraging their unique personalities to shine. After all, it is these people, and the relationships they build, that will contribute most to residents’ lives.
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An amazing team
Reynella Village is like a home away from home for this team; like we’re each other’s extended family. Teammates for ‘cousins’. Residents for ‘Grand Uncles & Aunties’ (the nice sort who give you lollies when you’re a kid and don’t squeeze your cheeks). Visitors tell me this is the vibe they get when they visit and I certainly agree. I guess it’s the fact that we’re all here for the same reason. It’s all about the residents.
Reynella Village team wins Leading Aged Services Australia Tri-state Award for Outstanding Team
I do still see that same look of fear every time someone new joins us at Reynella Village, but the difference is that now I know this isn’t the end for them. I know that with some support, life can continue.
Contribution by Liz McHugh, Live Every Day Coordinator (pictured adjacent with some of the wonderful Reynella Village team, second from left)
So no, it doesn’t surprise me that we won the LASA Outstanding Team award. It’s the acknowledgment of what I already knew to be true: that I work with an amazing team. Does it surprise me that we won an award for being an Outstanding Team? No, it doesn’t. But before I tell you why, let me start at the beginning…
“Reynella Village is like a home away from home for this team; like we’re each other’s extended family.”
When I was in my late 20s, my mum moved into the Julia Farr Centre. For those who aren’t familiar with Julia Farr, it was an enormous, multi-level hospital and nursing home for people with various maladies such as brain injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, or in the case of my mum, people who had survived a stroke. Mum couldn’t walk, and so she joined hundreds of others in what felt very much like a hospital. I remember the day she arrived. She looked terrified. It’s a look I’ve seen on many faces since then. A look that says “I think this is the end.” At the time, I had recently left my job at the Flinders University enrolment office to have our first son. The job paid the bills, and I didn’t mind the work, but as I spent time with my mum, I started to think that I could do better. Not better for myself – better for people living in aged care. It was that thought that led me to Panorama TAFE and a course in aged care. My first experience as a Carer was in an environment not unlike Julia Farr. Quite institutional. Quite regimented. I enjoyed the work and the challenge of managing the many tasks you do as a Carer. But it’s only now that I feel the desire to improve aged care is being satisfied. And it might sound like a cliché, but I can honestly say that it’s the team that I work with that is making it a reality.
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“Without doubt, the greatest benefit I’ve experienced since using Home Care Manager is the amount of time I save.” Hate paperwork? This one’s for you.
At Home’s rostering system moves into the 21st century. Contribution by Jenny, At Home team member I remember, ‘back in the day’, when we had to go into the office every fortnight to hand in our roster and pick up a new printed, hard-copy roster. Yes, printed. On real paper! Those were the days… When it comes to managing my day as a Home Care Worker, I don’t know if I’ll ever look back on the way things used to be with fondness, but I can tell you that right now I’m very happy to be using our new rostering system, Home Care Manager. The old paper-based approach was fine, but there were always last-minute cancellations or shifts that someone needed to fill. These changes were difficult to manage on paper. And of course, I had to collect my roster from the office each fortnight, which took time out of my day. We’ve only been using the new system for four months, but already I couldn’t go back. As a Home Care Worker, my job is to visit clients in their homes and provide hands-on support and social contact as required. It could be cleaning, cooking or shopping and it almost always involves a chat and a cup of tea. For my clients, timeliness is critical. They often organise their day around when I’m going to arrive, so being punctual is very important to them. Previously my day was organised via a hard-copy roster which would highlight where I had to be and when, and what services each client required. Home Care Manager replaces this with a new piece of software, with rosters now accessed via smart phones. Each fortnight my roster is loaded in advance including each visits start and finish times, required tasks, and some background information
on each client. The information is live and instantly updated whenever one of our Advisors makes a change. Without doubt, the greatest benefit I’ve experienced since using Home Care Manager is the amount of time I save. I no longer need to drive to Everard Park every fortnight and the volume of paperwork has been significantly reduced! The system allows me to send messages to our Advisors and it also has a feature which will alert the At Home team if I don’t sign-in or sign-out at the start and end of a visit. This is a great safety feature as it enables support staff to make sure I’m ok should I miss a sign-in or out. For the business, I’m sure there are many efficiencies. The system is linked to payroll, so manually entering roster data is a thing of the past. And of course, I save a lot of time by not having to fill out paperwork. Did I mention the paperwork? While this is all very nice, the biggest question is, of course, what impact has it had on our clients. The good news is that while clients are aware of (and at times interested in) the change, there has been no interruption or fall in the quality of services we provide. Things have continued as clients expect with the right person turning up at the right time. But for me, it has meant that I’m able to enjoy my job more. Because, to be honest, I didn’t get into this to do paperwork!
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Sounds that touch the soul Contribution by Stevie Quick, Carer, Parkrose Village 2009 was a difficult year for me. It was the year my dad passed away. I don’t know if you’ve ever lost your mum or dad, but it has to be one of the most difficult experiences in life. But what still surprises me is that out of that incredibly difficult time has come something that not only gives me a lot of joy, but does the same for others. I hadn’t always been close to my dad. During my high school years he had lived in Victoria and had moved around a lot. This somewhat transient existence meant that we lost touch with him. It was only in 2009, when I was 14, that we reconnected after he found our address. We visited him in Melbourne. As it turned out that was the last time my family saw him. It felt almost like we were meant to see him one last time. It was during this last visit that I learnt that he loved music. I mean really loved music. He particularly loved what you might call classic rock. Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, that sort of thing.
“My dad always appreciated the little things in life, and I think he saw music as one of those little things.” In reality, I think it became a big thing for him. It
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“They don’t need the lyrics, they know the song by heart. I feel like it’s a kind of therapy for them. It’s amazing.” If you were to pop your head in to one of these sessions, you might think that some of the residents aren’t ‘with it’ enough to be fussed either way. But you’d be dead wrong – and this is the part that still amazes me. Some residents have difficulty with their memory, even struggling to remember what they had for breakfast, but when I start playing a song they know it’s like they’re a different person. You can see a change on their face. They seem to tap into a part of their memory that is unaffected by age.
was also during this trip that he mentioned that he had always wanted one of his kids to learn an instrument. When he passed away later that year I remembered this and knew I had to try. Fortunately, music was something I had always loved. Apparently when I was little, I would regularly walk around my house singing. I was raised mostly by my sister and back then she was really into hip hop and R&B – think Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson – so I guess I was ‘Dancing on the ceiling’ back then. In primary school I even appeared in a musical performance called Encore. It was supposed to feature Jon English but apparently he got an “ear infection” and so had to pull out. Sure, sure. Anyway, in 2009 I picked up the guitar for the first time and gradually taught myself how to play. Little did I know, almost 10 years later I’d have a regular gig that is loved by heaps of people – Singing with Stevie!
They don’t need the lyrics, they know the song by heart. I feel like it’s a kind of therapy for them. It’s amazing. Whether it’s something really old like the 1894 song “I’ve been working on the railroad” or Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” or “Knocking on heaven’s door” I always see different responses. While many join in and sing, some close their eyes and gently sway. Others might even get a tear in their eye if the song has touched a soft spot.
Singing with Stevie is a regular one-hour session at Parkrose Village where I get to do something I really love: playing my acoustic guitar and singing.
And when it comes to “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts” (a favourite for some unknown reason!) they all get involved with everyone singing along. Some even stand up to do the actions! And if anyone is looking a little sleepy, I know there’s two sure-fire ways to get them to wake up – just play either “On a bicycle built for two” or Doris Day’s “Whatever will be will be”, their two all-time favourites.
For that hour if feels a bit like I’ve got a free pass from work, ‘cause it doesn’t feel like work for me. You might be surprised to learn, though, that the singing and playing isn’t the best bit.
“What really makes my day is what it means to the residents.”
I know my career will always involve caring. I hope to become a registered nurse in the future. But I think I’ll always look back at this time and be grateful for the times I spent with our residents at Parkrose. After all, it’s not often that work involves something you love and that touches people so wonderfully.
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Our people
Welcome to the Life Care team
David Sanders Board member David is a partner in the Adelaide Assurance practice of Ernst & Young and is a qualified chartered accountant and registered company auditor. With over 25 years of auditing experience, David has had exposure to a wide range of industries and organisations ranging from small businesses to large corporates. David is proud to be an active member of the community, supporting a number of organisations in various roles. Some of David’s current roles include being President of Zoos SA, Board member of the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards in Australia, Chairman of the SA Friends of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Deputy Chairman and Treasurer of the Operations Flinders Foundation, Treasurer and Board member of the Believe Foundation, Treasurer of Prince Alfred College and Chairman of Moo Premium Foods Pty Ltd. David was also previously a director and deputy chairman of Eldercare for 11 years. David and his wife Dallas are currently developing their own wine brand ‘Sanders & Sons’ from grapes sourced from their vineyard in Eden Valley and otherwise are busy with their four young boys.
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Deb Griffith Quality Manager
Graham Dewhurst Work Health & Safety Manager
Deb spent over 20 years working in local government and over 15 years in the aged care industry working in the areas of quality management and continuous improvement, staff training & development and consumer advocacy and engagement.
Graham brings over 25 years’ experience in the insurance and risk industry. After spending the last ten years at ReturnToWorkSA consulting and auditing employers’ systems, Graham was looking for an opportunity to apply his consultancy skills to support a positive, thoughtful and inspiring work environment.
She also worked briefly for The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and has been registered as an external surveyor with The Agency for over ten years.
Impressed with Life Care’s values and “Live Every Day” philosophy he is committed to supporting these through his new role.
She says, “I have always had a strong focus and commitment to customer service and engagement and am delighted to be working as the Quality Manager for Life Care with its customer-driven values and “Live Every Day” philosophy.”
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Would you like more information about Life Care or to receive your own copy of About Life? Contact us T 1800 555 990 E enquire@lifecare.org.au lifecare.org.au
About Life magazine is the official publication of the Churches of Christ Life Care Inc. 128 Greenhill Road Unley SA 5061