Residents’ Handbook

Community Engagement Forums

Community engagement forums are conducted regularly via ‘Zoom’ with residents from each aged care home presenting their research on a specific theme or topic to members of the Board Quality & Risk Sub-Committee and members of the Executive Management Team. Find out more about these forums from your lifestyle team members.

Open Disclosure

We know that despite our very best efforts, things can go wrong. If there is an incident or accident that has caused harm, we will use a best-practice approach that is called ‘Open disclosure’. This approach is a process whereby staff:

• Tell you about the incident and help you understand what happened

• Give you an opportunity to provide your observations and ask questions

• Let you know about the investigation into what happened

• Talk with you about actions planned/taken

• Engage you in processes to address the situation and the actions to remedy the situation

• Use this process and information to improve the quality and safety of care and take steps to prevent it happening again

Being open and honest about these occasions is important in resolving them and avoiding a recurrence.

Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission (ACQSC)

The Department of Health’s aged care regulatory functions are handled by the ACQSC. Their role is to protect the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of people receiving aged care. If you find that a complaint has not been addressed or resolved to your satisfaction, or if you or your family member/representative would prefer to make a complaint without going through our staff, you can contact the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission:

• by telephone to  1800 951 822

• in writing to Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission, GPO BOX 9819, Melbourne Vic 3000

• or online: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/making-complaintlodge-complaint/onlinecomplaints-form

More Information on Rights

More information on residents’ rights can be obtained from Elder Rights Advocacy (ERA), an independent agency established to protect the inte rests of people living in residential care in Victoria. ERA is part of the national body, OPAN – the Older Persons Advocacy Network.

Elder Rights Advocacy (ERA) offers a free, confidential and independent service to older people (or their representatives), offering advocacy assistance to support older people to uphold their rights.

Contact ERA:

• by post to Elder Rights Advocacy, Level 2, 85 Queen Street, Melbourne Vic 3000

• by telephone to  (03) 9602 3066 or 1800 700 600

Changing Care Needs

We are committed to assisting all residents to have the best accommodation and level of care to suit their individual needs. This commitment a pplies both at the time of arrival and at any later time.

If you experience a significant change in physical health, mobility or other characteristic, your accommodation and care needs will need to be reassessed and in some instances, our home may no longer be able to provide the most suitable accommodation for your needs.

If a change of accommodation is necessary, it will be carried out in full consultation with you and/or your authorised representative and our staff will ensure that suitable care and support is provided throughout any transition or transfer.

Dignity of Risk and Honouring Choice

Vasey RSL Care supports and respects 'dignity of risk'. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Guidance (2019) defines dignity of risk to mean 'the concept that all adults have the right to make decisions that affect their lives and to have those decisions respected, even if there is some risk to themselves’. Dignity of risk means respecting your right to make your own decisions.

Care and services must strike a balance between respect for your autonomy and the protection of your other rights (such as safety), unless it is unlawful or unreasonably impinges on the rights of others.

The dignity of risk applies when the resident has the capacity to make informed decisions. There are occasions when the resident’s choice may create a risk to themselves and cause concern for their family/loved ones and this can result in conflict between the resident’s desire for independence and to take risks, and the desire of loved ones that the resident is safe.

In this situation, we will work with all parties to help you maintain your independence as safely as possible, noting that where you have the capacity to make an informed choice, a plan to honour that choice will be established and included in your care plan. The resident’s rights will be supported, even if there is conflict between the resident and family over these rights.

Maintaining Relationships of Choice

Residents have the right to have control over and make choices about their personal and social life, including the right to intimacy, sexual freedom, and to give and receive affection.

Vasey RSL Care supports your right to exercise choice and independence, including making connections with others and maintaining relationships of choice and intimate relationships. If at any time you feel we are not supporting you to maintain connections of importance, please speak to the Facility Care Coordinator.

Respecting Others

As in any other situation where there is a group of people, there are expectations that each person will treat all others with respect: this includes staff, volunteers, contract staff, visiting health professionals, residents and family members.

Every resident is responsible for their own conduct and behaviour as a member of this community. Residents are expected to show care for each other and should not pass on any information of a personal nature about any other resident. Residents must respect the rights of staff to work in an environment which is free from harassment.

Maintaining Dignity and Respect

Vasey RSL Care places high importance on providing a positive environment where all residents are shown dignity and respect at all times. The organisation has a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that contravenes this requirement.

Staff are required by law to report any act of harassment, abuse or neglect that they see, suspect or experience.

As a resident, if you see, suspect or experience an incident of harassment, including abuse or violence, or if you see, suspect or experience disrespectful care or discrimination, including from another resident, we ask that you tell the staff member in charge or Residential Manager without delay.

Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)

All Australians have a right to live free from abuse and neglect. This is a human right, current law, and a reasonable community expectation. The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) is an initiative to help prevent and reduce incidents of abuse and neglect in residential aged care services subsidised by the Australian Government. The SIRS sets arrangements for approved providers of residential aged care and flexible care delivered in a residential setting to manage and take reasonable action to prevent incidents with a focus on the safety, health, well-being and quality of life of aged care consumers. Please speak to the Facility Care Coordinator if you would like more information about SIRS.

Government Elections and Voting Rights

Electoral and voting rights are maintained for all residents who wish to vote, with support provided if needed. Mobile polling booths are arranged at each home by the electoral office for the convenience of residents.

4. Meals and Refreshments

One of the most evident aspects of moving to a residential aged care home is a change in meals and refreshments.

At Vasey RSL Care, food is cooked fresh daily on the premises and our chefs and kitchen staff take pride in their roles.

Our food safety standards comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Act (1984). We offer a multi-choice menu based on residents’ comments and feedback, nutritional information provided by our dieticians, and the care and innovation of our Food Services team.

When you arrive, we discuss your food and drink likes and dislikes so we can provide for your requirements as closely as possible. Special dietary requirements associated with medical conditions and other preferences can be met and our dietician can review your requirements as needed.

Meals & Refreshments

Main meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily. As meal times vary by aged care home, please speak to a staff member for details.

Light refreshments for morning tea, afternoon tea and supper are also provided each day. There are kitchenettes located throughout each of our homes so it is not far for any resident to go to make a hot drink at any time they wish. Visitors are welcome to make use of the facilities for tea and coffee at any time.

Residents’ Handbook

Meals for Your Visitors

Your visitors can join you for a meal if they wish to: there is a small cost for the meal and we ask that you speak with a staff member for details of the cost and to find out how much notice is required.

Bringing Food into the Home

We have a legal obligation to protect all our residents from the risk of gastro and food poisoning. Therefore, any food items brought into the home must be recorded in the Food Register at reception. Speak to a staff member if you require assistance.

5. Personal Clothing and Laundry Your Clothes

As a new resident, you may find it difficult to know what clothing to bring with you. Room temperatures may differ from what you are used to and it will take a little while to determine what activities you will be involved in and what items you will find most useful.

We recommend that when you first arrive, you bring enough items to last you for a week – as if you were going on holiday.

After a week or so, you will have a much better idea of your new lifestyle and what clothing you need to have with you: your family members will be able to assist you in bringing any additional items and taking away any that you do not use.

You may find it helpful to review your wardrobe at the changes of seasons and swap clothing to meet your requirements.

Footwear

For your safety and to reduce the chance of falling, shoes must fit well and be in good condition.

We recommend comfortable casual shoes for everyday activities. When you have got used to your new home and you are familiar with your new lifestyle, it will become clear which shoes are most useful.

Laundry and Labelling of Clothing

At each Vasey RSL Care home, we have our own well-equipped laundry service with commercial equipment and laundry staff who provide an efficient service.

Note: the laundering of any items that cannot be machine-washed is the responsibility of the resident and/or their family members.