about life Summer 2018
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A spark that lasted 20 years One volunteer’s amazing dedication
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Maria’s Big Day A daughter’s Big Day made all the more special
about life
Inside cover
This issue... Written & edited by Andrew Harvey, Manager Marketing & Communications
is a celebration of the stories of Life Care – our people, our achievements and those whom we support to enjoy ‘Inspired Living’.
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Welcome Thoughts from CEO Allen Candy
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Something quite profound Lessons from a PhD student
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Our people Meet our team
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Following the thread of a life lived well Naomi discovers a new home
SUMMER 2018
Life Care’s volunteer family
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A spark that lasted 20 years One volunteer’s amazing dedication A good reason to see 92! Barbara’s passion for the Crows receives a boost
Adelaide Oval? No thanks Getting at the heart of our gardeners International awards for Gaynes Park Manor Do they matter?
A good person to have in your corner Dr. Kate Barnett OAM shares her thoughts More of a family How Channel 9 brought two long-lost friends together
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Maria’s Big Day A daughter’s Big Day made very special
about life
Welcome Thoughts from CEO Allen Candy As we move towards the close of 2018, it is clear that this has been one of Life Care’s most significant years ever, with many things to celebrate. The year started with the launch of our new brand and the opening of Gaynes Park Manor closely followed by the completion of the Reynella Lodge extension. This, in turn, was followed by accreditation awards at Gaynes Park Manor, Glenrose Court and At Home. I am pleased to confirm that all successfully passed. Since then, the pace has hardly let up. As I reflect on the year, and where we find ourselves today, it feels particularly pertinent to stop and highlight the incredible work our people do day-in, day-out. The positive stories contained within the pages of About Life Summer 2018, and the other Life Care stories that you won’t hear, are a tonic for the media negativity surrounding aged care today. Be assured, Life Care is at the leading edge of quality care and the provision of positive ‘Inspired Living’ experiences. It is this that makes me most proud of who Life Care is today while at the same time motivating the senior management team and me to not rest on our laurels, but to strive to be even better.
Reynella opening In June 2017 we commenced construction on a 30-room extension to our Reynella Lodge home. Our focus was to deliver a space which complements and supports the delivery of our ‘House Model’ of care while also providing a beautiful space in which to live. We are pleased to confirm that the project has been an outstanding success, both in terms of project delivery – coming in ahead of schedule and under budget – but also, more importantly, in terms of the experience for the people at Reynella Lodge. It is a beautiful, modern environment with a lovely view of the adjacent oval and spacious, contemporary rooms, while also enabling our dedicated teams to support those that live there to have a positive and engaging time with us.
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Life Care’s Net Promoter Score Results
Awards for Gaynes Park Manor
Our first ever Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey has made it clear that our clients and customers genuinely appreciate our service. This survey asked our customers ‘How likely are you to recommend Life Care to a friend or colleague?’
Gaynes Park Manor opened in February this year. To say that it has caused a ripple in the aged care industry would be an understatement. I can say this with confidence not only due to the recognition that has come its way via international and national awards, but as a result of the feedback I have received from my peers and the other senior leaders I have shown through the site. They have been unanimously glowing, not merely because of the aesthetic beauty of the building, but more because of the experience it provides those who live there. These leaders recognise that the absence of long corridors, the use of an exclusive team dedicated to each ‘house’ and the innovative technology, to list but a few attributes, sets Gaynes Park Manor far above any other residential care home in Australia. We are proud of what we have created in Joslin, but even happier that it translates to a wonderful experience for the 96 people who now live there.
An NPS score can range from -100 to +100. The average for aged care providers across Australia is +21. Our scores were: Residential Care: Independent Living: At Home: Life Care Active:
+44 +56 +59 +51
We have identified themes for improvement based on the survey feedback, and through focusing on these, while also celebrating our successes, our goal is to be world-class (that is 70 or above) within the next 18 months. I want to thank those of you who provided feedback. We will be working hard to close the gaps between what we currently do, and that of our ultimate vision of being the Premier provider or services and accommodation for older South Australians.
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The Royal Commission into Aged Care As many of you will be aware, the Federal Government has commissioned a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. This came about mainly due to ongoing concerns surrounding the Oakden older person’s mental health facility and examples of unacceptable and distressing care failures, highlighted by the ABC program Four Corners. Without question, the examples highlighted by Four Corners were distressing, unacceptable and needed to be addressed. Unfortunately, the way Four Corners presented the aged care industry has tarnished the entire sector, not just those providers who are not meeting basic standards. In the short term, this is a slap to the face of those staff who have committed themselves to the sector and are truly passionate about those in their care. Further, I believe that it will increase the anxiety for those entering or considering residential aged care.
At Life Care, we believe that every older person who needs care and support in a residential care home, and their families, should expect the highest possible standards of care, safety, and service, delivered with empathy and professionalism. In Closing
We continue to work hard to provide exactly that and we always will.
When looking forward to 2019, I am very confident about Life Care’s future and direction, notwithstanding the recent negative publicity concerning the sector and the upcoming Royal Commission.
With this in mind, Life Care fully supports the Royal Commission and trusts that through it and its findings, a more financially sustainable, robust, customer focused, world-class aged care system will emerge.
At Life Care, we continue to work to enhance our service offerings across all our settings and in the New Year we will be making some significant announcements about new innovative services on offer and new property developments. As we close 2018, I would like to acknowledge the continued efforts and support of the Board, Management, Staff and our always generous Volunteers in making 2018 an excellent year for Life Care. Finally, I would like to extend to all within the Life Care community a very merry festive season and all the best for 2019.
Allen Candy CEO
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Something quite profound
These visits continued until she was 18. These early experiences shaped the person Julie would become, both in work and in life. After secondary school, Julie started a social work degree on the advice of a friend who, ironically, was associated with the organisation that would become Life Care. During her studies, her connection to residential care homes continued: throughout her holidays she worked as a “Nurse Aid” at a local care home. Even as she described this simple role, her voice filled with fondness. “I had a whole ward of elderly women who I made tea for, and made their beds. And then I moved to the dementia support house, and I looked after the residents.”
Julie Simpson’s connection with people living with dementia “Have you ever spent time with someone who is living with advanced dementia? If not, what do you expect it would be like? Do you think people living with dementia can contribute something of value to society?”
Having completed her social work diploma, Julie moved to Melbourne. There, she trained to be a minister in the Churches of Christ. As a Student Minister, she would take her guitar into the local care home and sing songs to everyone. Later, in her role as a Parish Minister, she also supported older people, both in the church and in the community.
Julie Simpson is a mature-age Ph.D. student conducting research at two Life Care residential care homes. She answered these and many other questions as we dialogued about her life-long journey working with older South Australians. When I first met Julie in 2017, she was undertaking research at Glenrose Court, Life Care’s residential care home in Glen Osmond. We chatted briefly about her Ph.D. thesis (“The voice of the person with advanced dementia in Residential Aged Care”) and the topic caught my attention. So it was that, six months later, I sat down with Julie at Aldinga Beach Court (Life Care’s southern-most residential care home) to discuss her thesis, and how she became the person she is today.
Her involvement in the church later took her and her husband, Grant, to Naracoorte, where they worked in parish ministry. Julie was also able to use her social work skills, becoming the first Social Worker for the upper south-east region with the Aged Care Assessment Team, one of the first such teams in South Australia. As Julie continued to speak about her career journey, it seemed that, without a hint of regret, virtually every step was aligned with her passion for older people.
As we sat in the café, the sandstone water feature burbled quietly in the background. Julie, initially reserved, perhaps unsure of what our meeting would be like, settled into a comfortable meter. Her voice had the quality of a little girl who grew up but never lost her ‘sparkle’.
“Being with older people has always been part of who I am. It is part of my call ”
Julie’s story began the day her family emigrated from England; she was five. They were met on the wharf by three people from Tynte Street Baptist church. “Those three people became our aunties and uncle. We didn’t have family, and they became our family,” explained Julie. Julie’s mother became an Enrolled Nurse not long after and when Julie was about 13, her mum was employed at a residential care home near where they lived. Julie and her sister would visit after school, spending time chatting with the people who lived there. This became a “very familiar and very comfortable place for us to be,” explained Julie.
“It’s like my special place, being enriched by the reciprocal relationship,” Julie explained. With such rich experiences throughout her life, it isn’t surprising that Julie felt to record her experiences spending time with people living with
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dementia. “There’s not a lot of literature around about people with advanced dementia and how they communicate,” she explained.
“It goes further,” Julie continued. “It’s about them making a contribution to each other. Actually having some humour about their situation. Sometimes it’s quite serious, but other times they’re having a good laugh.
“I wanted to debunk the myths and stereotypes and stigma around people with advanced dementia.”
“And each person wants to make a contribution. It’s amazing the number of times someone will say – pointing to someone in the group – ‘this is my friend.’ You see, what they are sharing is deep and meaningful, not because they are sharing sentences and not because they are making sense to each other, but because they are with each other and they are contributing to each other’s lives. That’s what counts. And one of the lovely things about Life Care’s staff is that they promote this experience. They are present with them, they listen to them, and they are there alongside them, to jolly them along to enjoy their day. And the calm environment they provide creates a safe nesting place where they can relate with one another.”
“People assume that [people with advanced dementia] can’t relate or communicate. In reality, it’s fascinating to spend time with them, and to experience them relating with me, interacting. They may not use words, but they will use non-verbal language and gestures. They’re so pleased to have someone, anyone, sit with them, and they really appreciate the interaction and the time spent together.”
By this stage of the conversation I was convinced that these were treasured insights, and yet her final story made sure I would ponder this extraordinary conversation for days to come. “My father passed away about two years ago,” she began, her voice a little softer. “He was living in a home and had dementia. I would visit dad regularly, and we had many special times in the last few years.”
Our discussion moved to a group of men that Julie spent time with in a memory support home.
“Eventually dad died, and naturally I took time off to grieve. It was when I returned to work – in my role as Chaplain of a care home – that the most extraordinary thing happened.”
“It’s so interesting to observe them, seeing how much they enjoy each other’s company,” said Julie, a laugh in her voice.
“I went into the memory support house… you know, my really comfortable place and I walked into the lounge room. Immediately, two women came and surrounded me. As if to say ‘welcome back, we’ve missed you.’ Also, I felt – and really believe – they smelled my grief. They knew that I’d been through something really hard. They just stood with me, really close.”
Keen to understand this unfamiliar territory, I asked, “How do you know they enjoy each other’s company?” “One of the men might tell a joke, and the others will laugh. Now, if you tried to get the precise wording of that joke, you might not get it, but the sense of just being together, just enjoying having ‘man-time’ around the table, is just so important to them,” explained Julie.
“And I know at that moment, how, umm…” She paused here, her voice even softer. “It still makes me cry… how supported I was and how I really mattered to them, and how they just ‘got’ me. They knew what I needed.”
“And you won’t be able to understand what they’re saying?” I asked, wondering how the joke is received. Julie seemed to sense we were reaching a significant part of our conversation. Her enthusiasm jumped a notch.
“I’ve since discovered that this type of experience is not uncommon.”
“No, but see! That’s not the important thing! It’s about listening to each other, and just being glad to be together! It’s extraordinary!” she exuded, her passion for sharing these insights patently obvious.
Julie finished our conversation with this: “If we thought that people living with advanced dementia didn’t really have a contribution to make or any understanding, we’d be really wrong.”
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Our People Welcome to the Life Care team
Rosanne Collins General Manager Operations Rosanne started her working life as a carer at what was Church of Christ Joslin 35 years ago. It was during this time that she decided nursing and the care of the elderly was her vocation. On completion of her nursing studies she went on to work as a Registered Nurse at Baptist Homes, some 13 years later becoming the Director of Nursing. Rosanne has held Regional Manager roles with both Southern Cross Care and ECH and most recently was Director of Operations for Allity Aged Care. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, travelling and spending time with family including 5 children and 8 grandchildren.
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Linda Halse Manager Human Resources Linda has worked in the Not For Profit sector in Australia for 20 years. Her career spans Local Government, Wine Research, Humanitarian Aid, Child Protection and, most recently, Aged Care. In her Human Resources capacity, Linda worked in South Africa as a professional Mediator and Transformational Change Agent during the 1990’s. After moving to Australia, Linda’s roles have covered Industrial Relations, Organisational Development, Employer Branding, Workplace Health & Safety, Volunteering and Internal Communications. Linda is an advocate for vulnerable people and is personally involved as a volunteer across a range of programs that support the elderly, socially isolated and disabled as well as being involved in a refugee friendship program. Linda actively sought to work in Aged Care and was determined to win the role at Life Care. Since starting her new role she has been eager to learn about the new industry she has committed to and has been very impressed with Life Care’s facilities, ethos and commitment to assisting people to Live Every Day. She is a passionate HR professional who believes that great people create a successful business.
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Louise Hanialakis Manager Gaynes Park Manor
Astrid Little Operations Support and Project Manager
Louise began working in Aged Care 26 years ago as a Care Worker for extra experience whilst doing her Registered Nurse training and she loved it so much she never left the sector.
Astrid spent most of her nursing career in Critical Care: ICU and Coronary Care, although she has worked in most aspects of nursing over the years – except Midwifery! 14 years ago Astrid and her husband moved to South Australia, having spent 5 years running a winery and café in Victoria. Once in SA, she initially worked in General Practice in Yankalilla and Norton Summit. Then, nine years ago, Astrid moved into aged care. Her initial role was Care Manager, then a 6 year stint as Site Manager of a large home followed by a short, 1 year role as Site Manager of a small, exclusive home.
Throughout her journey she has been fortunate to gain experience in various roles including Clinical Management, ACFI and Documentation Consultant, Project Management and Site Operations Manager. She has worked for organisations including ECH, Lutheran Homes and Eldercare. Her belief is that entering into Aged Care is not the end but a new beginning, an exciting one with a future and it is her passion to facilitate this journey.
Astrid has one son, aged 19 who is studying Winemaking (that’s one way to make friends!) and her husband continues to work in the wine industry. They have a small Smoodle called Holly and two chooks, Bessie and Bessie (are you confused too?)
She was drawn to Life Care as she believed it created homes with warmth and compassion where the residents are at the heart of everything we do. Her personal values align with Life Care’s and she felt part of the Life Care Family instantly.
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Following the thread of a life lived well Have you ever listened to the reflections of someone wellprogressed in their years and discovered a new perspective on life? If you have, it will come as no surprise that the time I spent at Gaynes Park Manor with Naomi Onaca in late June led to just such an experience. Naomi is one of the original group of people who transitioned from Roselin Court – Life Care’s previous residential living community at Joslin - to Gaynes Park Manor in February this year. I had first met Naomi a few weeks earlier. We were taking photos at Gaynes Park Manor, and Naomi was one of our ‘models’. A fine model she was too. At the time, my first impressions were of a genuinely kind person with a gentle, warm voice and an enjoyable sense of humour. I also noticed that she is an ‘eye smiler’. For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, an ‘eye smiler’ is someone who never fakes their smile. Fake smiles stop at the mouth, but if you look and see a smile in someone’s eyes, you know it’s genuine. Naomi was born in Adelaide. Her childhood was spent near the East End Market: Tam O’Shanter Place, as it was known then, was a private loop road, with two outlets to Grenfell St and one each to Devonshire Place and Moger Lane. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it still exists. The apostrophe was lost at some point, and it’s now called Tam-O-Shanter Place. From there it was a short walk across East Terrace to Rymill Park and the lake, although in those days maps referred to it simply as “Park Lands”. With six brothers, it was perhaps inevitable that Naomi would run into some trouble courtesy of the boys. This proved to be the case when four of them took Naomi to Glenelg for a nice day out. The problem was, they became distracted by ‘more important’ things. Naomi fell asleep on a bench and,
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“I never thought I’d ever call another place home. But this [Gaynes Park Manor] is home.” with her fair skin exposed, she woke up hours later with blisters all over her back and nasty case of sunstroke (or as it was called back then, “sunburn poison”). Naomi’s mother never trusted the boys to look after her again and, much to Naomi’s chagrin, she wasn’t allowed to go out for three months!
she responded. And here is where the rubber hits the road. She described how her mother, in the midst of managing a house, eight children and a bed-ridden husband, never lost her temper. “I saw how mum treated our family...”
“I saw how you can influence people by the way you behave.”
When she finally left the house, Naomi chose her favourite outing: a trip to the movies; a film featuring Mario Lanza was showing at the local cinema. For those who were born a little later in the 20th century than Naomi, it’s a name you may not be familiar with. Mario Lanza was a famous American tenor and film star of the ‘40s and ‘50s. He died as the “most famous tenor in the world” at the tender age of 38. That day would have been a sad one for Naomi. She thought Mario was “just so handsome, just a beautiful singer.” The cinemas of the day knew they were onto a good thing with Mario, and regularly put on midnight shows for the all the girls who were mad about him. Naomi and her girlfriend were often first in line.
“And I said to myself, ‘I want to become the type of person who understands people, who influences people like that’.” There it is. The thread of a mother’s life followed to reveal the making of someone who today is still giving to those around her. You may be tempted to ask the question, “But is she happy?” I certainly was. It’s easy to assume that the twilight years are full of challenge and obstacles and, if you’re not careful, bitterness. So I asked her, “Are you satisfied with life?” It’s a dangerous question, but I’m glad I asked. Her response both surprised me and made me glad.
In 1956, Naomi’s love life transitioned from cinema fiction to real life. She tells the story of a particular Romanian man who was “gorgeous to look at, but a real slime.” After a short pause she added, much to my amusement, “Now, he wasn’t my husband.” Ironically though, it was this reprobate who introduced Naomi to Vasile Onaca: a wonderfully creative glassblower and jeweller, and the man who would redeem the reputation of Romanian men.
“I never thought I’d ever call another place home. But this [Gaynes Park Manor] is home. I’m a people person, and here I have a group of wonderful people. Every one of them is so different. I have to look after the people in my house, make sure they’re happy. They tell me about anything that they want changed. I enjoy that. I’ve made friends with a 93-year-old woman who expects me to talk in Italian! I couldn’t have chosen a better friend. Of course, it does mean I have to learn Italian very quickly!”
Naomi met Vasile at a friend’s 21st birthday party. “He was just wonderful. I could just tell he was an honest person,” she explained. As I probe a little more, the “real” story comes out: “It was his general appearance. He dressed nicely!” Early on, a twopiece suit featured any time they went out, and then for their wedding – on December 22, 1958 he bought himself another beautiful suit. “He liked clothes,” she explained, “but after we were married he had to put up with whatever he was given!”
She finished with this pearl: “You have to make the pathway to achieving what you want to achieve. You have to put yourself in the position where people recognise you and will come to you.”
As our conversation drew to a close, I asked Naomi whether her upbringing influenced who she is today. “It was the only thing that influenced who I became,”
It’s very clear that they do Naomi.
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A spark that lasted 20 years Twenty years. You know what they say: people get less for murder. For Ian Richter, this number, at least partially, defines his commitment to volunteering for Life Care.
Ian’s mother was one of the original people who lived in the Memory Support House at Aldinga Beach Court, Life Care’s southern-most residential care home. It was April 1997. Ian visited his mother, as he regularly did, only on this occasion he took Roy, his late father’s brother.
Ian’s exploits (he wouldn’t use that term) came to light when his longevity was recognised at Life Care’s 2018 Volunteer Lunch – an event where Life Care celebrates the significant and highlyvalued contribution made by our 190 volunteers.
“On the premise that two people making conversation with someone living with dementia isn’t wise, I deputised Roy to do the talking while I found the Kawai piano nearby,” explained Ian. “After establishing that it was in reasonable tune, I launched into a repertoire of modern standards until I ran out of ideas at which point I moved to old hymns. A resident, wrapped in a blanket and bent over in a chair began to sing softly.
Around 92 Life Care volunteers and 30 staff gathered in the Adelaide Pavilion for a three-course lunch, drinks and the ubiquitous speeches. The occasion was made slightly more dramatic by some unexpected electrical work that SA Power Networks promised would be completed days prior to the event. (Given our collective desire for a hot meal rather than the alternative, it was fairly important that they stick to their plan.) Inconveniently, their estimate shifted. First to 9am the morning of the event. Then to 11am. Then 12. Then… hopefully within 30 minutes. You get the picture.
“While I noticed her singing immediately, it was only later, when I spoke to a staff member, that the significance of that event was made clear. She explained that the lady had not spoken a word in over 12 months.”
The volunteers started arriving around 12, well before the power even hinted at showing its face. Despite the slight gloom (floor to ceiling windows meant that only those deep within the building struggled to read their menu), the mood was buoyant. Chatter filled the air while the autumn colours outside created a beautiful vista for those less inclined to dialogue.
“Prior to that day, I had made the assumption that people living with advanced dementia would have forgotten everything.
“It was this experience that challenged that notion, and caused me to think that perhaps there’s a place for music here.”
Around one-something, a cheer was heard as lights, camera and action flickered to life. There was still time to heat that rib-eye, even if it was a little late. Ian’s 20-year acknowledgment was one of many significant milestones recognised, his being the longest tenure. I briefly chatted with Ian, indicating that his award may make a good addition to About Life. Happily, he agreed, and so it was that a couple of months later, we talked about this remarkable achievement (again, not a word I think Ian would use).
So began a commitment that has touched multitudes of people. And, do you know what is perhaps most amazing? Ian has never again had an experience like the first time he sat at the Kawai. And yet, his commitment has never wavered.
You may be curious what particular contribution Ian makes through volunteering. Well, that provides an excellent segue into a very brief version of Ian’s story.
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Volunteer 10 Years recognition for Jeffrey Marr Carleen Tannebring Years of Service Helen Vance 5 Years Beverly Smith Margaret Kirby Heather Marks
15 Years Kenneth Bowen
20 Years Ian Richter
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A good reason to see 92! It’s a good thing Barbara Thompson married.
In July this year, Barbara was excited to attend one of Life Care’s Crows Family Days. For those who are yet to attend one of these events, each year Life Care invites a couple of current or past Crows players to join Life Care clients and their families for a barbeque lunch and an opportunity to meet the players. On this occasion, Barbara was one of around 150 of our At Home clients who trooped into the Glenunga Hub on Conyngham St. She was joined by her granddaughter Kirsty and great-grandson (yes, great!) Dylan.
While I’m sure there are many reasons for this statement to be true, the Adelaide Crows, in particular, should be grateful that she tied the knot: were it not for the blessed union of Barbara and her late husband Lyall, The Crows would have lost one of their most loyal (some would say one-eyed!) supporters. In her early years, Barbara didn’t play a lot of sport. She tragically lost her brother – a Leading Telegraphist in the Royal Australian Navy aboard HMAS Sydney – at the age of 15 when his ship was infamously lost in a battle with a German cruiser named the Kormoran. (Conspiracy theorists still maintain that there may have been a Japanese submarine involved or that the Kormoran used illegal tactics to lure the Sydney to her doom, and that the actual events have been obscured behind a cover-up. Unfortunately (for the conspiracy theorists), no evidence for any of these allegations has been found). Without an older brother to influence their pursuit of sport, Barbara and her sister, a nurse, enjoyed other interests.
Dylan, who is 11, has caused Barbara a bit of consternation recently. While he does support the Crows and loves nothing more than telling his G-Ma what’s going on during the match, he unfortunately also has a friend who is a member of the Geelong Football Club. It is this misguided mate who has influenced Dylan to also barrack for Geelong! Barbara barely knows what to do with herself! Let’s just say that when The Crows play Geelong, Barbara and Dylan don’t quite see eye to eye. When asked what it was like to meet Josh Jenkins and premiership player Kym Koster at the Crows Family Day, Barbara kept things fairly understated. “I was pleased to meet the two boys,” she explained. Highlights of the day included a “nice luncheon” and the bus tour to Payneham. Sorry boys, you didn’t quite make the highlight reel.
That was until Barbara met Lyall. Lyall came from a thoroughly sporting family. It was this association that spurred Barbara to take up tennis, and then later – and most fortuitously – golf. Barbara had a natural flair for the game. Playing as a selftaught left-hander, Barbara went on to win 14 championships including the Championship of the Mid-North four times also coming runner-up in a State Championship!
Don’t worry though, this isn’t a reflection on Barbara’s passion for The Crows. Ask any of her neighbours at Life Care’s Independent Living community, Hayfield Plains at Balaklava, and you’ll hear them say without hesitation, that anytime The Crows are playing, Barbara can be heard telling the boys exactly what they should be doing at the top of her voice! (She may have been particularly vocal this season!) And to prove it, when I asked Barbara to sum up how she feels about The Crows she explained quite simply, “I live for them! That’s why I still need to be around next year to see them start winning again!” Well, if that’s not the definition of a true believer, I don’t know what is!
So how did Barbara transition from a passion for the little white ball to that uniquely oval-shaped one Australia is famous for? It’s actually hard to articulate. Barbara explained that when the Crows were created in 1991 she simply “took to them” and never looked back.
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Adelaide Oval? No thanks. Why on earth (pardon the pun) would a couple of young, likely lads choose to work as gardeners for an ‘aged care’ business instead of… well, you know, Adelaide Oval?! Well, besides the fact that new jobs at The Oval aren’t exactly a weekly occurrence, you’ll be surprised to hear what Damien Pimlott and Bradley Dorling had to say about this when I caught up with them in Life Care’s ‘Gardeners quarters’ at Parkrose Village in Everard Park. Brad and Damien both started work in somewhat related fields – landscaping for Damien, horticulture for Brad. Neither of them had any particular connection to aged care. After Damien left high school, he worked in construction landscaping for 11 years. He reached the point where he was asking if such physically demanding work (“hard labour” as he called it) was still going to be a good idea when he was 45. He wanted something where he could still enjoy the outdoors while also giving him a chance to do something a bit more meaningful. (A gardener with a heart! Who knew?!) Brad worked for Consolidated Landscaping Services for nine years. This saw him primarily working on large-scale developments. One day he woke up and thought that perhaps he could do more than line the pockets of developers. Instead, he wanted to help people. (Again with the heart!) So why aged care? For Damien, it was tied to the importance of family. Seeing his grandparents go through the ‘aged care system’ made him think about the quality of life people have at that age. For Brad, it was about the people he worked with. “People that choose to work [at Life Care] tend to be more of a caring type of person,” he explained. “That’s sort of what I was looking for when I came here. I feel like I fit in a bit more in this environment.”
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Damien thought of another quick story. “In the time I’ve been here I’ve seen people move through from Independent Living, through the serviced apartments, and into residential care. And there’s one lady that’s based down at Aldinga now, and at morning tea time she would make us little pizza toasts. And she’s like ‘Here boys, here’s a morning cup of coffee and your little pizza toasts.’ And it wasn’t a regular thing, but I’ve got memories of that sort of thing. She’s still down at Aldinga, and every time we walk past the window she waves.
I’ll go and knock on her door and say a quick hello. And you see them smile, and… you know, you’re a gardener, but you’re also… just bringing the best out of their life.”
Our conversation then returned to their underlying desire to ‘do good.’ What is it about this job that gives Brad and Damien the feeling that they’re making a difference? “It’s about how much they [our clients] appreciate what we do. To us, something might be literally a 30-second job, but to the people we do it for, it can make their day,” explained Damien. Brad echoed these thoughts: “Physically it’s so easy for us to do, but to them, it’s a big deal.” Damien wished to clarify this point: “I’m not saying that everything we do is a five-minute job, it’s not. But because they appreciate you for everything you do, it kind of makes you feel good!”
In case I was starting to feel a bit envious of their job, Damien clarified, “On the flip-side, you get some difficult people. It’s not all… chocolates and roses! You’ve got to get along with these people as well.” Brad agreed: “Sometimes you get told how to prune a tree, and you’re like ‘I’ve been doing this for plenty of years, and that’s not really the way you’re supposed to do it’! Thanks anyway!” Much hilarity ensued.
When I asked for an example, Marge Myers was the first name that came to mind. (A letter of appreciation from Marge also prompted my visit.)
It’s clear that these guys are just who you would want working in your garden. Certainly, Marge Myers sees it that way.
Marge lives in Reynella Village, one of Life Care’s Independent Living locations. She was the first customer that Brad met at Life Care. “She just started talking to us, and you could tell straight away that she is a nice lady by the way she spoke to you,” explained Brad. Damien jumped straight to the punch line: “And now we get a lifetime supply of lemons!”
Since the writing of this article, Brad Dorling has moved on from Life Care due to family reasons. We wish him all the very best.
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International awards for Gaynes Park Manor? Do they matter? You may have heard that Gaynes Park Manor – Life Care’s newest residential care home – has won a number of awards.
Loris
Given the current climate surrounding the aged care industry – with the Royal Commission and negative media coverage threatening to cast a pall over all and sundry – it may feel like a legitimate question to ask is, ‘so what?’ In an attempt to divine the relevance (or lack thereof) of such awards, I posed said question to two very different people within Life Care: Loris Rigon – Project Director and the person responsible overseeing the development and construction of Gaynes Park Manor – and Louise Hanialakis, Manager of Gaynes Park Manor. While Loris was involved in the design, development and construction of Gaynes Park Manor from Day 1, Louise joined Life Care reasonably recently, having spent over 20 years in the industry. Considering their differences, Louise and Loris’ perspectives were surprisingly aligned.
If you were to caricature Loris Rigon, you would likely end up with a one-dimensional, hard-nosed, take no prisoners, commercial construction project manager. Decades in the construction industry, working for equally hard-nosed businesses, delivering projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars tends to give you a thick skin, and the ability to do what needs to be done. And it’s true, this is one aspect of Loris. But if that is all there is, why on earth is he working for an “aged care provider,” and a Not For Profit one at that? Likewise, if Loris fits the caricature, are these awards merely an exercise in boosting ego? The answer can be found in the ‘other side’ of Loris, the one that attracted him to Life Care in the first place. This ‘side’ is best seen in his desire to positively influence aged care for the benefit of his family and those like them. Loris explained, “My grandfather was a resident in an old nursing home. My wife’s grandfather lived in one. And they would literally say, ‘This is going to be the death of me.’ Cold. Nothing to do. The same thing every week. And so when I saw the plans for Gaynes Park, I knew that this wasn’t going to be a run-ofthe-mill nursing home. I knew that here people wouldn’t stay in their rooms 24/7. I knew there would be a lot of interaction. I knew that this would be the opposite of my grandfather’s experience. And I got excited. It was about technology and innovation. And then I learned about the new approach to care, and I was sold.” Doesn’t sound like an ego trip, does it? And what does Loris feel about Gaynes Park Manor now that we’re on the other side of the construction? “[When I visit] I feel like I’m in a hotel. It feels good in my stomach. And I ask myself, would I live there? And the answer is, ‘Yes, I would.’ And I’d be happy for my mum or my dad to live there. And in fact, I’ve now got two friends whose mums are living at Gaynes Park, and when they tell me how glad they are that mum’s in there, it feels good. Because it’s not about the awards. It’s about the experience people have there. It’s about the staff. It’s the management. It’s the approach to care. We’ve delivered what we set out to deliver, and that’s really something.”
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Gaynes Park Manor has been recognised with the following awards and accreditations 2018 Eldercare Innovation Award for Best Silver Architecture in Construction 2018 Builders Excellence Awards: Winner Excellence in Retirement Living/Aged Care Stirling University Dementia Services Development Centre Gold Standard Accreditation 2018 Eldercare Innovation Award – Finalist Innovation of the Year – Product (Call Assist)
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Louise
the people who live there have to liaise with many different departments: first the carers, then the cleaners, then the lifestyle people. Here, they’ve got one special person who they become comfortable with. It’s the little things that make a big difference and here, that ‘one special person’ knows your little things, and that makes a big difference,” said Louise.
Louise’ story is a little more familiar. She started in aged care as a 17-year-old, working as a Carer. She loved it from Day 1, and so chose to ‘tie herself’ to the industry. Having graduated as a Registered Nurse, she went on to work in virtually every role across every area of residential aged care. From Carer to Registered Nurse to Quality Manager to ACFI Specialist to Documentation Consultant to Clinical Manager and Project Manager… well, you get the picture. So, having recently managed two Residential Care homes in Adelaide, both of which have an excellent reputation, what has she made of Gaynes Park Manor, and its awards? As with Loris, to understand the answer to that question, you have to understand Louise.
And as for the awards? Well, our conversation seemed to become side-tracked with all the talk of feeling at home (certainly not a bad thing). So I asked Louise directly, and her answer was quite simple: “Yes, it’s important to celebrate our achievements and milestones. The awards are just one of the ways we do that here.” Louise’s final comments focused on her enthusiasm for the future. For those who have driven past 251 Payneham Rd at Joslin lately, you will have noticed that Roselin Court (Life Care’s previous residential care home next door to Gaynes Park Manor) has now been demolished. This has been done to make way for a series of serviced apartments. And it’s this that has caught Louise’s eye as something significant: “I’m excited about seeing people living in Gaynes Park Manor coming together with those in the serviced apartments and creating a real community, because that’s when we’ll really see the wellbeing of everyone uplifted.”
Louise loves her job. Perhaps a little too much. That has a lot to do with the way she sees (and lives) aged care. “For people who come to live at Gaynes Park Manor, it’s not the end. It’s an exciting new beginning. It’s my job to facilitate a journey, an enjoyable journey. One with a future. Because arriving here is a new future, just like the start of any other new phase of life,” explained Louise. It’s also about the satisfaction she receives through her job. “When some people move into residential care, often they’re quite deconditioned. They may have been eating poorly, they might’ve lost a lot of their people connections, and what they really need is a supportive environment. And when they’ve been here a short time I see the difference we make. They have a new lease on life. They’ve made new connections. They become this person who’s alive and rejuvenated. And they say to me, ‘Thank you so much, I love living here. You’ve really helped,’” she explained. So how does Gaynes Park Manor compare to the other homes she has managed. Has it received awards for good reason, or is it merely due to it being the ‘flavour of the month’? Louise clarifies that immediately: “People often talk about residential care homes that have a ‘home-like’ environment. I don’t believe it’s actually done very well in most homes. Here, we got it right. It’s not ‘LIKE’ a home, it IS a home. And the aesthetics are only part of it.” Louise went on to explain that the model of care that operates at Gaynes Park Manor – the ‘House Model” as we call it - has a lot to do with this sense of being ‘at home.’ “In traditional residential care homes,
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A good person to have in your corner If you needed to choose someone to assess a new, holistic wellbeing program for older South Australians, who would you choose? Naturally, he or she would need to be independent, ideally have lots of ‘letters after their name’ (relevant ones, of course), and he or she would clearly need wide-ranging research experience within an agerelated discipline. This was Life Care’s remit as we looked to assess our first-in-Australia trial of the Hoffman Method, a holistic, multi-disciplinary program for improving the wellbeing of older people. So who did we choose? Let me introduce you to Dr. Kate Barnett OAM. If you look up the words “Over Achiever” in the dictionary, you won’t find a picture of Kate Barnett. But you probably should. It started when she was still a child: ballet six days a week plus sport and art classes on the weekend as well as a Sunday walk of several kilometres to visit her grandmother whenever possible. Today, she is a professional, friendly, engaging person with a clearly evident passion for her work. She has operated in many roles including that of social gerontologist and social researcher with the University of Adelaide and Flinders University and is currently the Managing Director of her own consulting business, specialising in age-related technical writing, research and evaluation. Her post-nominal letters include OAM, PhD, M Ed, BA, Dip Ed, GAICD. Not bad hey? We thought so. Before we plunge into Kate’s thoughts on the Hoffmann Method, let me tell you a little more about who she is. As a starting point, you may be surprised to know that the journey to becoming the person she is today had less to do with planning or her own drive to over-achieve and more to do with simply saying ‘yes’ to the opportunities presented. Oh, and her Grandmother.
From an early age, Kate would regularly spend time with her Grandmother. They developed a deep connection and it was this mutual love and respect that planted the seed that germinated in her pursuing a career dedicated to improving the lives of older people. Their relationship (with perhaps a little genetics rolled in), also explains some of the ‘spunk’ that Kate would later display; a defining characteristic of her feisty but gentle Grandmother. As I sat with Kate in our local café, over coffee and sparkling water Kate painted a picture of the woman her Grandmother was: “When I was young, we were told that my Grandmother was a widow. I later learned that she actually kicked her husband out to raise her 5 kids by herself, with no welfare! [AKA ‘spunk’.] She worked as a tailor to support her family and was an amazing woman.
“She made me see older people as interesting, people to respect, and to see past any physical deterioration.” For Kate, this inherited ‘spunk’ came into play in a significant way when a colleague at Flinders University (where she was Study Skills Counsellor) decided to plagiarise her work and call it his own. Kate had been writing study skills Guides for university students for some time. One day, she overheard this colleague discussing her Guides and planning to turn them into a book to be published without Kate’s consent and in his name.
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Rather than confronting him (she had resigned to study social policy for a year at UC Berkeley in the US), Kate wrote an outline and the first chapter of a book and sent it to Macmillan Publishers the next day. Seeing its potential, they immediately offered Kate a contract to finish the book! “How to Study” was published six months later. I believe the American phrase “Shut down!” might apply! Nothing like taking the bull by the horns. Two years earlier, Kate had begun a new direction in her career which saw her studying social policy at Flinders (at the suggestion of one of the lecturers there) and finding that this field really interested her, and this only grew after her year at Berkeley. Returning from the US, Kate applied her new qualifications to work in government as a Policy Officer – in the SA Youth Bureau and then the Youth Bureau of the NSW government. It was during the last role that Kate became seriously ill for a number of years courtesy of a ‘sick building’. Yet this too led her to another career direction, because while she faced significant physical limitations, she could still use one of her core skills: she could write. This was the late 1980s and governments were beginning to outsource certain projects, but ‘consultants’ were a rare commodity at that time. Colleagues from her Youth Bureau days began to call and ask her to undertake policy-focused, writing. “My brain was working, but I couldn’t walk to the letterbox,” said Kate. “My former colleagues used to call the work they gave me ‘armchair jobs’. One of those ‘armchair jobs’ was the national evaluation of International Youth Year! Gradually, that work developed into a consulting business, and in 1988 Kate undertook her first ageing policy project – writing the Aged Care component of the first National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia. What followed was a 30-year stint involving research, evaluation and policy development on ageing and aged care within South Australia and across Australia. So, knowing a little more about Kate, perhaps you will be interested in her thoughts on the Hoffmann Method. Firstly, a quick introduction to The Hoffmann Method.
It is a wellbeing program that originated in Spain. It utilises a number of allied health disciplines to individually assess and enhance each person’s physical, cognitive, social, psychological and nutritional health and wellbeing. The resulting multi-faceted, holistic, individually-tailored program is designed to positively impact the overall wellbeing of participants. Following an extensive research program, Kate produced a 52-page report that commented on every facet of the Hoffmann Method as run by Life Care. While there were undoubtedly many take-outs for Life Care, the crux of Kate’s feedback can be summed up in how (as an independent, seasoned aged care researcher) she felt about the program as her research progressed. “Within the aged care industry, many people pay lip service to the idea of holistic and client centred care. Often what people mean is merely ‘we care about our clients.’ That’s a completely different concept to what we’re talking about with the Hoffmann Method. “When I started the evaluation for Life Care, I naturally began with a neutral attitude towards the program; I was observing it in operation, interviewing staff and carers and facilitating a focus group with participants. But after collecting all that information, I started getting really enthusiastic. I thought, this really works. This is a great program. Then, as I interviewed the Life Care staff, I loved their passion and commitment; they were so enthusiastic. “For a program to be truly great, you need a number of ‘magic elements’. You need a well-designed program. You need really special staff (people who don’t see it as ‘just a job’). And finally, you need dynamic, constant feedback between customers and the people doing the training. This program has all three components,” said Kate. Clearly, the program Life Care delivered was a roaring success (so much so that we are now offering it as an ongoing program). I was also curious about Kate’s broader thoughts about Life Care (after all, you don’t get an opportunity for such a highly regarded opinion that often!). This is what she had to say: “There are two aged care providers I always recommend in South Australia for their innovation and for their learning culture. Life Care is always one of them.”
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More of a family Let’s be honest. When you’re a people person, used to living with your partner, and then you suddenly find yourself living without them in a residential living home, it’s not easy. For Grace Hancock – a spritely 90 year old with a smile that would warm the coldest heart – this is one of life’s challenges. While Grace moved into Gaynes Park Manor permanently at the beginning of July, her husband Bill still lives in their unit, alongside other retired clergy. Someday, Bill may also come to live at Gaynes Park Manor, but for now, Grace is flying solo. Or so she thought… In May 2018, Grace was living at Gaynes Park Manor as a respite resident. It was also then that Channel 9 News visited to record a segment about Gaynes Park Manor for their nightly news bulletin. Grace was one of a number of residents who featured in the short segment. When it aired, one of the many people tuning in was Jill Thompson. Jill, a long-lost friend of Grace’s, was also living in Gaynes Park Manor but, having only recently arrived, had no idea that Grace lived two levels up! When she saw the news segment and realised that Grace lived so close, she immediately made the short trip up to Grace’s floor. “I was sitting up in the lounge room, and suddenly these two women walk in!” Grace recalled, “And one of them was Jillian!” Imagine the astonished look on Grace’s face when she discovered that Jill lived on a lower floor in the same building! For Jill, it was equally as thrilling. “When I moved in, I thought I didn’t know anyone here. So what a blessing to find Grace. She is a person with whom you can have a jolly good conversation and enjoy reminiscing about happy church and family times when we were fit and busy people.”
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It was this sort of situation which led the team at Gaynes Park Manor to create the “Get to know your neighbour” event. Once a week, those who live at 251 Payneham Rd are encouraged to visit The Manor Café - downstairs in the foyer – to meet and socialise with people they may not (or may!) know while enjoying some delicious morning tea.
The gathering has proven to be a great success, and the number of people attending has continued to grow week-on-week. In case you’re curious, scones are the order of the day! Grace was one of the early adopters, along with Vic and his wife, Audrey. “Vic is a gem,” explained Grace. “He keeps telling me how beautiful his wife is, and so when I finally met her at one of the ‘Get to know your neighbour’ events, I was able to understand why he thinks that!” It’s that sort of camaraderie that typifies the gathering. After all, as Grace said, “It’s more of a family if you know people!”
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Maria’s Big Day Life is tricky sometimes. Full of twists, complications and ironies as well as surprises and joys. The day of Sarah Agalidis’ engagement was one of such duplicity: mixed in with the thrill of the proposal was the thought... Will mum be able to come to the wedding? “Mum” is Maria Puopolo, a bubbly and rather excitable 65 year old who lives at Life Care’s Glenrose Court. As I sat with Sarah and her sister (Rina) post-wedding, chatting about the wedding day over coffee and Italian biscuits, it was clear that this uncertainty was at the forefront of Sarah’s mind in the lead-up to the wedding. “I wanted mum to be there, to share the day with me, but I knew it might not be possible,” said Sarah. Maria lives with advanced dementia. Amongst other things, communication and being in crowds are difficult for her. So Maria’s presence at Sarah’s wedding wasn’t something Sarah could take for granted. In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Sarah and Rina would regularly remind Maria about the wedding. “Are you coming?” they would ask her. Maria’s language is mostly limited to single words. Yet when posed this question, Maria’s response “Of course! Of course!” echoed a heart of, “Are you kidding me?! Of course I’m coming!!!’
“You could tell she was determined to be there,” recalled Rina with a genuine smile, “and she was obviously really excited about it.”
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In addition to the complications associated with Maria’s unpredictable health, there were practicalities to consider: How would Maria get to the wedding? Could one of her carers come with her? And the only real question, what would she wear? Fortunately, Rosemary Pahmanahban – Manager of Glenrose Court – and her team were able to assist. “Rosemary and her team made it happen for us. They made the possibility of mum coming to the wedding really easy and smooth,” explained Rina. “This gave us a lot of peace of mind, knowing that we didn’t have to figure it all out ourselves. They arranged for a carer to attend, provided us with the forms that explained how transport would work, then the taxi vouchers came. Life Care kept in constant contact with us in the lead-up to Sarah’s wedding.” As the wedding drew closer, Maria was rarely far from Sarah’s and Rina’s mind. Sarah wondered, “How are we going to make this day smooth for mum?” Maria can be easily overwhelmed and become agitated when in a new context or surrounded by large groups of people; a wedding certainly ticked both of those boxes. While sharing the day with Maria was important, the sisters certainly didn’t want their enjoyment to come at the expense of Maria’s peace of mind. A significant piece of the puzzle fell into place most serendipitously. The sisters had previously met Allison Shipp, one of Maria’s carers at Glenrose Court. They had both immediately warmed to Allison, sensing a real connection between her and Maria. As the wedding approached, Sarah had thought to herself that Allison would be the perfect person to attend with Maria, but didn’t feel it was right to ask this so directly. Instead, she left it to Rosemary to choose an appropriate person. When the phone call came to confirm which carer would be attending, it was a delight to find this would be Allison. Relieved, and with the practicalities sorted, the wedding day arrived. Following an early lunch, Allison and Maria arrived at Life Christian Centre in Angas Street, well before the bride! Hordes of Maria’s family and friends gathered around her. Her beautiful dress complemented her vivacious smile and her family’s kissing, face stroking, and hand-holding made it clear that Maria is dearly loved.
Before the ceremony, Allison sat with Maria on the opposite side of the large, open foyer, near the entrance to the main auditorium. As the bridal party arrived, Sarah came straight to Maria and, shedding a tear, asked, “Do you like my dress mum?” In response, Maria’s smile and enthusiasm were contagious. “Mum was just so happy,” recalled Sarah. One of the uncertainties of the day was how Maria would manage throughout the ceremony. It’s not uncommon for Maria’s enthusiasm to spill over into shouts of excitement. Given the large crowd of guests, Sarah and Rina weren’t sure whether Maria would have a positive experience or if this would be overwhelming for her. In the end, one of Sarah’s fondest memories is reflecting on how engaged Maria was in each moment. “She was there!” Sarah explained, her eyes sparkling. “Her mind was present, and I could hear her agreeing during quiet moments (when the Pastor was talking about marriage), saying ‘Yes!’ or calling “Amen” during prayers.” Initially, Maria was only to attend the ceremony. However, as Maria proved to be so calm and content during and after the ceremony, this plan was reassessed. Between the ceremony and the reception, Maria returned to Glenrose Court for a rest. While there, a Registered Nurse was consulted and agreed that Maria was able to attend the reception. Allison volunteered additional time to support Maria. Maria’s experience of the reception was initially difficult as the unfamiliar surroundings, large crowd and the noise were quite overwhelming. Rina took her mum to her table and gently whispered in her ear to calm her. “Mum listened intently to everything I said,” explained Rina, “she just really switched on, and she looked at me really directly. She just changed and was happy again.” As a final reflection during our conversation, with moist eyes, Sarah and Rina shared a touching moment that came at the end of Maria’s big day. When Maria returned to Glenrose Court and retired to bed, Allison farewelled her, saying, “It’s time for me to go, I’m going home now.” Maria responded, clear as day, saying, “Thank you for taking me.” A nearby colleague, who also knows Maria well, turned and said in astonishment, “Did she just say…?!” It was the longest sentence Maria had uttered in many months.
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About Life is the official publication of the Churches of Christ Life Care Inc. 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 We welcome your feedback Please email feedback@lifecare.org.au or post to: About Life feedback Attn: Andrew Harvey 128 Greenhill Road Unley SA 5061
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