• Delicious in muffins and friands or scrolls and twists.
• Swirl through mousse and cheesecake fillings.
• Mix 50/50 with whipped cream - ideal for tart cases, lamingtons, brandy snaps, choux, eclairs or as a sponge filling.
he cost-of-living crisis in New Zealand is a daily topic of discussion, particularly among the most vulnerable population - pensioners and retirees. They feel the pinch, with many cutting down on meals and hesitating to turn on power due to rising costs and further exacerbated by many pensioners already on tight budgets.
A business expert has warned that supermarkets pursuing endless price increases are heading towards a path of mutually assured destruction. The current rise in prices carries with it the danger that customers will be more open to seeking alternative options. This could be a potential game-changer for the supermarket duopoly in New Zealand, which may lose customers to subscription-based offerings, farmers' markets, and even onsite grocery stores in retirement village developments.
Including onsite grocery stores is a relatively new development in retirement village facilities in New Zealand. However, they can attract a significant number of the customer base from mainstream supermarkets, as retirees usually only buy for one or two people and pack size matters.
By working with local suppliers, these onsite village stores can offer a greater variety of products not typically available through major chains in pack sizes that suit and are often priced more competitively.
The baby boomer generation values having a choice, and an onsite supermarket/grocery store provides a convenient and safe shopping option. Providing such facilities that give residents the freedom to shop in a secure environment has become increasingly attractive in recent times.
By adding grocery shopping facilities to retirement villages through a fixed store or pop-up, residents have smaller product sizing availability, variety and the convenience of shopping at their leisure.
I think this has been a missed opportunity for one of the supermarket banner groups with a small footprint offering – doing a deal with the big six village developers would have provided a win-win, particularly if sited on the corner of the development where locals could also shop.
Onsite grocery stores are an idea that is now out of the box and taking on a life of its own as developers, both here and overseas, continue to think creatively to widen the appeal for retirees to buy into a development.
Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.comPS
PUBLISHER: Tania Walters
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TANIA WALTERS Publisher
24
6 Retirement village residents sign open letter in support of villages
Representatives of New Zealand’s retirement village residents have signed an open letter in metropolitan newspapers fighting back against criticism of the sector.
8 News
10 AUSTRALIA | Once-In-A-Generation Reforms
The Australian government's new aged care policy, requiring a registered nurse to be present in all facilities 24/7, has received praise and criticism. While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government's "ambitious" policy, some providers have cited significant financial and staffing challenges in meeting the deadline.
12 The Botanic: A Retirement Village Designed for Healthy and Active Living
Silverdale on the Hibiscus Coast of Auckland is quickly becoming a top choice for retirees seeking a dynamic and thriving community to call home.
14 Weiti Care at Gulf Rise
Sustainability was front of mind when Metlifecare drew up plans for a dynamic care home at its Gulf Rise retirement village.
The Aged Care and Disability Services sectors are facing increased pressure under “a perfect storm” of having to provide quick solutions to major staffing issues while dealing with increasingly rigorous compliance regulations.
22 Ensuring the Health of Your Water Supply
Wai Comply Limited is a drinking water compliance company with a team of experts in water quality compliance, auditing, training, and public health disciplines.
24 Exercise and Decontaminated Air Essentials for Better Health outcomes in Aged Care Facilities.
26 Village care staff empowered as training takes centre stage
Training is given high priority for staff at Christchurch’s Hoon Hay Rest Home, with some impressive outcomes.
Metlifecare is Australasia’s first retirement village and aged care operator to have its sustainability targets validated by the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This global body is focused on enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. And Metlifecare’s three targets are ambitious.
Experiences of a Speech-language Therapist Working in Aged Care
In days gone by, patients or individuals experiencing dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) were served a plate of mashed or pureed food that wasn’t appetising. Over time, doctors and medical caterers have focused on the importance of ensuring food is not only delicious but looks good too.
Representatives of New Zealand’s retirement village residents have signed an open letter in metropolitan newspapers fighting back against criticism of the sector.
he open letter in Saturday’s Dominion Post and The Press (15th April) and Herald on Sunday (16th April) responds to negative commentary and mis-information about retirement village living.
“Our residents may be older but they are certainly not stupid. Independent research shows overwhelming satisfaction rates among residents and 100 Kiwis are moving to a village every week.
JOHN COLLYNS Executive director, Retirement Villages Association
Sixty representatives of retirement village Residents Committees across the country have signed the letter while hundreds of residents have also backed the letter in emails to the Retirement Villages Association (RVA). Collectively, the committee chairs and residents represent more than 10,000 village residents.
“The retirement villages sector and our residents have been concerned for some time about the inaccurate and sometimes demeaning comments about retirement village living,” says John Collyns, executive director of the RVA, which facilitated and placed the letter.
“That’s fuelled a massive response from retirement village residents who jumped at the opportunity to support this open letter.
“The residents I talk to are angry and frustrated at the suggestion they have been somehow hoodwinked into moving into a village.
“Many residents are puzzled at the picture some commentators paint about retirement village living, which is at odds with the experiences of most village residents.
“The residents I talk to are really happy with their decision to move into a village. They did their homework, they talked with family and friends, engaged a solicitor to review the contract as is required under the law and visited a range of villages – they made an informed decision so let’s give our residents some credit.
“Our research shows most people move into a village for the lifestyle. They don’t want to worry about ongoing maintenance or insurance, they want a greater sense of security, companionship, a community and the convenience of on-site healthcare services.
“However, we have always accepted the need for improvements to the sector’s consumer protections regime where they are feasible and make sense.
“We have already announced significant changes to the way we operate including addressing unfair clauses in Occupation Rights Agreements and best practice disclosure guidelines regarding residents’ transfer to care.
“The majority of operators have already stopped charging fees after termination and many other villages are following.
“The RVA’s Blueprint for Improvement has a target of all villages to institute some best practices and later this year these currently voluntary provisions will be voted on by RVA members to become mandatory.
“We are also working constructively with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development through a review of the Retirement Villages Act.”
AUSTRALIA | Brightwater Care Group has appointed Dale Alcock Projects, a division of ABN Group, to build a brandnew campus for people living with Huntington’s disease on Erade Drive in Piara Waters.
The build is expected to take approximately ten months to complete, with the first residents moving in, in early 2024.
Brightwater CEO Catherine Stoddart said Brightwater has a long history of supporting people with Huntington’s disease, and the new world-class campus is being purpose-built.
“Huntington’s Disease is an inherited disease affecting areas in the brain that control movement, thinking and emotion. It has a slow progression, and symptoms gradually worsen over time.
“There is no cure or treatment for Huntington's disease at this time, and although there are some medications and therapies that may alleviate some of the more common symptoms of the disease, it is so important that we support people with Huntington’s in the best way possible.
“Our new home has been based on best practice design and research over many years – and has also taken into account feedback from our Huntington’s disease community. That means these homes will provide the best support possible to people with this disease and their families, which they deserve.”
“The team at Dale Alcock Projects and I are very proud to be selected to build this facility with Brightwater Care Group.
This is not only a great project but is also for a great cause.
"We are looking forward to partnering with Brightwater in delivering this one-of-a-kind project," said Dale Alcock, Managing Director, ABN Group.
The new residential campus features accommodation for 21 clients over seven homes. Each home will be certified as a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) designed for people with extreme functional impairment or high needs.
“Each house will have specialised assistive equipment and leading-edge technology,” Stoddart explains.
“It will also include a sensory garden with zones for living, relaxing, engaging and socialising – something we know is important to our residents and their families.
“I am so proud of what we are setting out to achieve here and looking forward to our first residents moving in.”
Invercargill. The programme is facilitated by Priscilla Collins, who has been running the course for four years.
Bupa New Zealand has partnered with the NZ Nutrition Foundation to offer the Just Cook Healthy Ageing programme to communities. The programme aims to
connect people through cooking and teach basic cooking skills, increase knowledge of basic nutrition and build confidence for older individuals who may
be learning to cook for the first time. Currently, the four-session programme is being offered in three Bupa Retirement Villages in Auckland, Wellington and
The Just Cook Healthy Ageing programme caters to a wide range of people, from those who have never cut an onion to those who love cooking and want to rediscover their passion. As people age, their nutritional requirements change and the programme focuses on teaching people about reading labels and the key food groups they need to eat to support their health. The programme is an excellent opportunity for individuals to develop new skills and improve their overall well-being.
The Australian government's new aged care policy, requiring a registered nurse to be present in all facilities 24/7, has received praise and criticism. While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government's "ambitious" policy, some providers have cited significant financial and staffing challenges in meeting the deadline.
significant financial and staffing restrictions.
The Opposition had accused the government of bringing in the requirements too soon before the workforce was ready. However, the PM remains committed to addressing the challenges in the aged care sector. He defended the government's policy, saying that the "overwhelming majority" of residential facilities, or nearly 90 percent, would meet the 24/7 nursing requirements.
While about five percent of facilities have exemptions for valid reasons, Prime Minister Albanese conceded that the workforce was a "real challenge" in the sector. The government has committed to a 15 percent increase in the award wage for workers to address this.
"Aged care is a priority for this government," said Albanese in a recent interview with ABC Radio.
rom July 1, 2023, all aged care centres in Australia must comply with this policy. The decision was made in response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, where inadequate staffing levels were identified as a key factor in some facilities' poor quality of care.
Last week, Brightwater, which operates across Western Australia, announced it would close three Perth sites, while Wesley Mission will close three of its Sydney aged care homes. Both providers have said they were committed to providing high-level care to residents but could not meet the government's deadline due to
"The fact is that 90 percent have met the requirements already, and we make no apologies for being ambitious in this area. But we're also being practical about dealing with these issues."
Some facilities in regional areas with less than 30 beds have a 12-month exemption. However, not meeting the 24/7 requirement is not enough to close a facility. Aged Care Minister Anika Wells has indicated that "the government would work closely with facilities to meet the standards".
Overall, the new aged care policy has sparked debate about how the government can support the sector to meet the necessary standards. While some providers have struggled to comply with the requirements, others have welcomed the policy to improve the quality of care for older Australians.
Silverdale on the Hibiscus Coast of Auckland is quickly becoming a top choice for retirees seeking a dynamic and thriving community to call home.
he Botanic, the latest development in the area, is set to house over seven hundred residents and is designed to support people in leading healthy, active, and fulfilling lives that promote wellness and social connection.
This resort-style village is being built by a team of key capital investors and property developers, ensuring that the project meets a variety of needs. The result will be a community that combines an exceptional lifestyle, friendly like-minded people, and exquisitely designed indoor and outdoor spaces.
The Botanic offers an array of facilities, including 59 villas, 394 apartments, and 48 aged care beds, with a childcare centre planned alongside the village.
The Clubhouse, located at the heart of the development, provides all-day café facilities and dining, creating a warm and welcoming social environment.
The luxurious, light-filled apartments are secure and spacious, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass and generous balconies. The modern villas ensure residents have easy access to tree-lined walkways, rear patios, and a garden.
Residents of The Botanic will also enjoy access to world-class amenities, such as a 20m lap swimming pool, gym, wellness room, golf simulator, putting green, nature walks, indoor and outdoor bowls, and a residents' workshop.
One of the main goals of The Botanic is to support residents in leading healthy, active, and purposeful lives within a lively community. The architects have incorporated plenty of beautiful areas for relaxation and enjoying nature-rich environments. They have integrated park-like landscaping with plans for an orchard and boardwalks lined with native trees.
The latest technology ensures that retirees at The Botanic remain connected to their community, with modern number-plate recognition and other security measures to keep residents safe, engaged, and secure. The village is open and welcoming, with no imposing walls or high fences.
The Botanic is also conveniently located near local shopping and cafes in Silverdale, positioned almost adjacent to the Silverdale Park and Ride and just five minutes from State Highway 1 and the northern motorway. The Wainui golf course is nearby. The Botanic sets a new standard for aged care living, with world-class amenities, park-like landscaping, and easy access to nearby shops and cafes.
Sustainability was front of mind when Metlifecare drew up plans for a dynamic care home at its Gulf Rise retirement village.
ow Weiti Care is the first care facility in Aotearoa to achieve a 6 Green Star Design certification. Showcasing what sustainability can look like in the context of a high-dependency residential unit, Weiti Care delivers on a range of challenges, from indoor environment quality, wellness and peacefulness to energy outcomes and life cycle impacts.
The cutting-edge building will be seen as a catalyst for change in the retirement sector. A three-storey, 2230m2 residential aged care facility comprising 13 ground floor dementia care suites and 23 rest home and hospital-level care suites (suite size is 23-36m2).
The development features a secure memory
garden for dementia residents; 25 staff will work at Weiti. The development is scheduled for completion in 2026 (209 independent living units/ 36 care suites).
The street layout of Gulf Rise retirement village merges with the neighbourhood's existing street network - breaking down the stereotype of a gated, isolated retirement complex.
Metlifecare said its 6 Green Star design certification for Weiti Care is a key moment in its state-ofthe-art Gulf Rise retirement village development and a fantastic yardstick for the future.
"We want to be a transformative industry leader in sustainability and a force for positive impact. Reducing our environmental footprint when we build villages is a key part of our sustainability focus," said Metlifecare's Head of Delivery, Michael Lisowski.
"We are thrilled to have received our first 6 Green Star design certification for Weiti Care. The achievement marks a significant milestone for Gulf Rise and sets the benchmark for our future care homes to reach the same world-leading ratings."
Earl Gasparich, Head of Delivery Michael Lisowski, NZGBC Senior Manager Buildings and Communities Brad CrowleyMetlifecare has underpinned plans for those future care homes - a pipeline of six 6 Green Star rated high dependency facilities (referred to as the 6X6 project) - with its forward-thinking approach to funding green buildings.
With Weiti Care as its prototype, Metlifecare has aligned its 6X6 project target with a $1.25 billion dollar Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL).
"Metlifecare has completed a refinancing of its bank loan facilities into Sustainability Linked Loan facilities which are tied to three key social and environmental goals. If we achieve the KPI targets, a lower interest rate will apply. One such KPI is building six new aged care facilities within five years - which will achieve 6 Green Star ratings. In short, we're putting our money where our mouth is."
He said Weiti Care is a ground-breaking building driven by a highly-considered and sustainable design approach.
Lisowski hopes it will exemplify how the retirement sector can and should build its future aged-care facilities.
“I absolutely love this unique building with the innovation that conceived it and the biophilic design embedded in it. This project was intended to be built smarter, faster, safer, quieter and more efficiently than traditional construction.”
Lisowski said its smart, cost-effective construction had been propelled by a number of off-site manufacturing initiatives, including:
• ensuite bathroom pods pre-manufactured to the exact size and fully complete with second fixings
• cross-laminated timber structural componentry pre-cut off-site and pre-drilled (down to 50 mm)
• panels of exterior façade/cladding manufactured off-site (then clipped onto the building)
• pre-built reinforcement cages for concrete foundations
“I absolutely love this unique building with the innovation that conceived it and the biophilic design embedded in it. This project was intended to be built smarter, faster, safer, quieter and more efficiently than traditional construction.”
He said these prefabricated elements have dramatically driven down the amount of waste on-site, reduced on-site activity and labour, and promoted a healthy work environment.
“As important as speed and efficiency, the construction of this project is much quieter than conventional builds, which is important to the quality of life for our residents living several meters away.”
Michael said the building’s design has significantly impacted its life cycle assessment (LCA), which demonstrates a reduction against six environmental impact categories compared to a standard-practice reference building.
“Our life cycle assessment shows that going forward, Weiti Care will be highly efficient and highly economical to run. At the same time, it will provide a beautiful environment for our residents,” he said.
Metlifecare said Green Star had been a perfect fit for the Weiti project.
“It started with us thinking about the people who would be living and working in the building. Weiti Care will be the last home for most of the building’s residents; therefore, we felt we should create a facility that maximises comfort with the best air quality, lighting and sound attenuation for those residents and the staff caring for them. The Green Star tool was a natural choice when we set our quality of life and sustainability goals,” said Lisowski.
Initially, the tool was used as a tickbox exercise for the project’s 6 Green Star goals. Still, as time went by, he says it became an inspiration for placing a wider lens across sustainability and innovation.
“Green Star provided an opportunity to explore our design principles to address the needs of our aged care residents. It gave us a way of looking inwards and asking ourselves, ‘How can we strive for excellence?’”
GSAP David Fullbrook, founder and senior
consultant at eCubed, said Metlifecare is breaking the mould with its approach.
“Targeting the highest standard of sustainability on a multiple care building programme and linking that to a very large sustainability backed loan - a new financial funding instrument - involves challenging and reimagining the status quo. It feels like the future and how we might do things differently,” he said.
The key sustainable features of Weiti include:
• use of CLT cross-laminated timber structure and prefabrication
• thermally efficient building envelope – higher than new code requirements
• heat recovery ventilation linked to Covid 19 Response
• 50 kW solar PV array
“All these features are linked around the overarching principle in a climate emergency to reduce both embodied and operational carbon,” he said.
A strong advocate of life cycle assessments, Fullbrook said the quantitative technique (used to calculate the potential environmental impact of a building's material, energy and water consumption over its full 60+ year life cycle) is a new language and skillset to learn.
“We have committed to doing full LCA for all our Green Star projects. A life cycle assessment is like an autobiography of a building. It lets you see the upstream impact of the materials used in a building.
We hope LCA will foster a greater reverence by designers for how they select materials and that the widespread use of EPDs (environmental product declarations) will also help designers in their decision-making.”
Fullbrook said aged care facilities are not a building type that has received much attention, and he hopes the industry will sit up and take notice of the project.
He believes there are fantastic opportunities to build better in the retirement sector and to make a difference in people’s later life.
Designing and building better has been central for Enovate Consultants as part of its response to the Weiti development.
Director Dr Michael Newcombe said the project’s 6 Green Star goal greatly influenced its engineering solutions which include:
• The entire structure maximises engineered timber and cross-laminated timber rather than a more traditional concrete/steel structure. (Engineered timber and CLT sequesters carbon within a building for decades resulting in a low-embodied carbon development)
• Minimising carbon-intensive concrete and steel in the building’s foundations through the use of a lightweight superstructure
• The structure is designed to be seismically resilient - which minimises waste and/or avoids demolition in the event of a large earthquake and is designed to be readily reusable/demountable
There were unique considerations for high dependency and dementia residents.
“International research has demonstrated that the use of natural materials, and timber in particular, can have a calming effect on occupants - enhancing wellbeing,” said Dr Newcombe.
He said the project’s 6 Green Star achievement comes as no surprise given Metlifecare’s leadership in the sustainability and lowembodied carbon space.
“We greatly appreciate its foresight and the opportunities it has provided to design structures we are proud of as we step into a lowcarbon future.”
Meanwhile, Michael Lisowski of Metlifecare said enhancing the wellbeing and happiness of future residents and staff through sustainability has spearheaded the Weiti Care Home project and its outcomes.
“We have packed so much into this unique
building, and one of the most significant benefits of earning a Greenstar rating is that when we lead, we can inspire. I hope to see our peers pushing for Green Star ratings because the more our industry utilises sustainable design - the more we can influence the future.”
In addition to its 6X6 project, Metlifecare is pushing towards 7 Homestar ratings for many of its apartments and villas.
considerations for high dependency and dementia residents.
MICHAEL IVANCHENKO CEO Kinatico
lready battling an industrywide staffing crisis, HR admins in aged care and disability services organisations are wasting time on highly manual compliance monitoring processes, according to Kinatico CEO Michael Ivanchenko.
“Slashing the time spent on manual compliance monitoring means organisations can focus on the overwhelming challenges facing the industry in 2023, and the major one is attracting and retaining the staff required to meet higher minimum staffing ratios to provide better services,” said Ivanchenko.
A recent analysis conducted by the University of Technology Sydney found that Aged Care providers will need to increase total care staffing by around 12.4 percent by October this year if they intend to reach the Federal Government’s ambitious minimum staffing ratios.
“Against this backdrop, there are increasingly more complex issues surrounding stricter compliance, and it’s now more important than ever that organisations in the aged care and disability space find time-saving technological solutions to these ongoing and evolving challenges,” he said.
In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care found "the aged care system is well behind
The Aged Care and Disability Services sectors are facing increased pressure under “a perfect storm” of having to provide quick solutions to major staffing issues while dealing with increasingly rigorous compliance regulations.
other sectors in the use and application of technology and has no clear information and communications technology strategy".
“Spreadsheets just don’t cut it any more. Organisations still attempting to manage compliance through spreadsheets or a paperbased approach face an impossible task,” said Ivanchenko.
“The biggest problem is human error in data entry, but there are other issues. This also creates standalone systems that do not integrate with each other, no centralised source of data, a lack of transparency, and an inability to automate time-consuming manual processes.
“Switching to an end-to-end digital platform for managing workforce compliance in aged care and disability services produces immediate and long-term benefits.”
These include:
• Meeting regulatory requirements - Aged care and disability services are subject to strict regulatory requirements. Compliance with these regulations is necessary to maintain accreditation and funding. Failure to meet these standards can lead to serious consequences for an organisation, including legal action and reputational damage.
• Reducing operational overheads – instead of needing to hire a team of additional qualified staff to manage time-consuming manual systems, which can be error-prone, it’s possible to develop a “lean team” that can manage compliance simply and securely, freeing them up to secure the best talent.
• Building trust and confidence - Compliance and screening can help to build trust and confidence among clients, families, and the wider community. When organisations demonstrate that they are committed to providing high-quality care and complying with regulations, it can improve their reputation and help to attract new clients.
• Ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals - Aged care and disability services cater to some
of the most vulnerable members of society. Improving compliance and screening helps ensure that these individuals receive highquality care and protection from neglect, abuse, and exploitation.
• Improving the quality of care - Compliance and screening can help to identify areas of weakness in an organisation's care provision, enabling them to take steps to improve the quality of care they provide. This can lead to better outcomes for residents and clients, including improved health and well-being.
Among the new compliance regulations in the care sectors, The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission released a draft guidance document in March outlining a series of new responsibilities for approved providers concerning their governance arrangements.
The Aged Care Act has been amended to introduce specific provider responsibilities in relation to governance arrangements. In the HR space, this includes ensuring the governing body has responsibility and direct oversight of staff qualifications, skills and capability development.
In the disability services sector, all states and territories have agreed to implement nationally consistent NDIS worker screening. The NDIS Worker Screening Check is an assessment of whether a person who works or seeks to work with people with a disability poses a risk to them.
“This means that organisations need to constantly assess, monitor and review their workforce through an effective human resources system, including compliance management.”
Kinatico has developed a reputation as a leading provider of ‘know your people’ tech solutions. Kinatico provides real-time workforce compliance management via its core software-asa-service RegTech solution Cited. By combining certifications and compliance data with business policy and legislative requirements, Cited enables scalable compliance monitoring spanning pre-employment to daily requirements related to geo-location, roles and tasks applicable across a wide range of industries – both domestically and internationally.
Wai Comply Limited is a drinking water compliance company with a team of experts in water quality compliance, auditing, training, and public health disciplines.
Water that is circulated within an aged care facility is subject to inherent risks especially for older people who are more susceptible to waterborne diseases.
The health of the water within the facility’s pipework represents more risks to the health of the residents due to both the size and complexity of the facility, and the age of the residents. From the point of entry of water to the care home, water quality becomes the responsibility of the care home provider.
Wai Comply’s Water Management Plans support aged care service providers to understand how the organisation will lead and mitigate the impacts of these water related risk. This includes a legionella response plan and other organisational SOPs setting out clear tasks to be actioned at each site daily, weekly and monthly to monitor and manage the water quality and how to respond to risks and issues when they occur. Having an organisational approach to water management and water health is important because:
In the event of a waterborne outbreak there is an expectation and a social responsibility that water quality risk mitigation measures are in place by the Ministry of Health and the local Public Health Unit.
Through undertaking risk management and mitigation activities, this reduces public liability exposure and the risk of being held negligent in the event of a death or disease outbreak.
ai Comply delivers specialist water management services for eldercare residential providers in New Zealand who are committed to the health and wellbeing of their residents and fulfilling their duties and responsibilities as an eldercare service provider.
The Wai Comply team understands the safety risks associated with water networks within facilities and how to support Care home staff and management to monitor and negate these water quality related risks practically and effectively. Water Management Programmes for the care home provider and Water Management Plans for each site provides peace of mind for the aged care sector.
There is a reputational risk associated with waterborne related risks at aged care facilities with vulnerable residents.
Wai Comply deliver water quality related services for Care Home providers. We develop Water Management Programmes for aged care facility providers and specifically cater Water Management Plans for each care home site.
Wai Comply deliver the following water quality services for Care Home providers:
1. Develop Water Management Progammes for aged care providers.
2. Review the organisational procedures in place for Water Management and address any gaps.
3. Review the organisational and site-specific emergency preparedness planning as it is related to water storage.
4. Develop a Water Management Plan and audit programme for each care home site.
5. Deliver advisory services related to water quality and health.
Undertake a Gap analysis of each individual facility and the organisational policies and Standard Operating Procedures governing water quality management and risk management. Develop Water Management Plans (WMPs) for both the organisation and the specific facility. Deliver workshops/training both in person and online for facility maintenance officers and management team to sustainably integrate and undertake water quality monitoring and management tasks.
Develop site audits/health checks which Wai Comply can either independently deliver or develop audits which the organisation’s quality team can manage internally.
How Does Wai Comply Deliver its Services?
Wai Comply aims to deliver water quality management services which are relevant, suitable, sustainable and with integrity. Our aim is to support the aged care sector to improve water quality being consumed in New Zealand as follows: We deliver services which aim to practically reduce the risks associated with water quality management for aged care sites.
We take a risk management approach and deliver practical and effective solutions and strategies for all levels of the organisation. We focus on building organisational capability around water quality management.
Managing Water Quality is Imperative for Villages and Care Providers.
2. Review organisational procedures for Water Management
3. Review organisational and site-specific emergency preparedness planning for water storage.
4. Develop Water Management Plans and audit programmes for each care home site.
5. Advisory services for water quality and health.
Contact info@waicomply.co.nz for more information
Exercise options need to be simple and achievable for any user.
Total Gym is a cost effective, versatile line of products that enable clients of all fitness levels to achieve their fitness goals in a functional manner. Total Gym provides exercise solutions for individuals and for facilities, including specialist rehabilitation requirements.
Depending on floor space we can advise the optimum choices to allow your residents to improve their Strength and Mobility, and in turn better overall health.
The Elevate Circuitpictured above offers 100’s of exercises to suit all fitness levels of users.
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL:
“Myself and my wife are aged 82 and we are both using the total gym with great results. I previously used a weight machine and found it not to be very helpful. We are both highly active and the gym just adds that extra bit of fitness and keeps everything strong and flexible.”
Bernie DareWith the ongoing effect of Covid-19 in New Zealand, it is important to look at long term solutions to limit the spread of the virus.
Horyzen Labs delivers cost effective and sustainable disinfection solutions for improving indoor air quality allowing people to move safely and with confidence.
In general, the great majority of human infections are transmitted by direct (infected people coughing, sneezing or touching an infected person’s hands or face) and indirect contact (touching surfaces like doorknobs, elevator buttons, etc. then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth to provide conduits of entry into the body).
In relation to viral transmission, and specifically
the well reported transmission characteristics of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 that is spread via direct and indirect contact, Horyzen Labs are providing a continuous indoor environmental sanitizing technology for commercial and residential buildings, hotels and casinos via a unique Bi-polar Ionisation (BPI) device delivered through existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to neutralise up to 99.9 percent of airborne and surface pathogens including Covid-19.
Call or email today for free consultation. 0800 552 878 sales@hqh.com
Training is given high priority for staff at Christchurch’s Hoon Hay Rest Home, with some impressive outcomes.
ranziska Gloor is Village Manager at Hoon Hay. The former teacher’s enthusiasm for learning is turning some staff from unwilling trainee, to successful graduate to confident professional.
Activities Coordinator Naomi Carruthers was a reluctant learner, but with support from Franziska, and work-based training provider, Careerforce, she has now successfully completed her apprenticeship in Diversional Therapy.
“Naomi hadn’t done an official qualification in her life and was convinced she was never going to make it, but she did, and her ability to grow and learn things is amazing,” says Franziska.
“She’s since taken on a relief manager job and has gained huge confidence in herself. She’s a success story!”
Naomi was just one of fifteen care and support staff working their way through various Careerforce programmes at the time in the facility.
Franziska overseas the operations of two rest home facilities in Hoon Hay, Christchurch, managing some 50-60 staff in total. Together they have eighty beds for dementia and mental health residents.
A lifelong learner herself, Franziska is also studying, and has just completed her Bachelor in Business, with major in Management.
“Education of my staff is at the very heart of providing our service,” says Franziska.
The learning begins for new staff with an orientation package, including self-learning tools. Staff are then required to complete the dementia limited credit programme through Careerforce, which helps to give them the basic skills required for working with people affected by dementia.
“If my staff know their job and if they are supported to have the knowledge, they do a good job on the floor, which means that my residents are secure and well cared for. That’s what we’re here for.
“It’s our duty to look after the residents when they are no longer capable. It’s important that they get the best care we can give them, no matter what capability they have.
“And it’s not only the residents, with dementia often comes the challenging situation for the family members who are also needing support. They are sometimes grieving the loss of their Mum that they knew. So, we look into their wellbeing as well. It’s the whole whānau that we need to support.”
Franziska sees her job as a manager to ensure that her staff have every resource they need to do their job well.
“Education is huge. It’s a big part of it, because if they don’t have the knowledge or skills, they can’t do their job well, which means I’m not giving them what they require.”
Franziska says she has all kinds of learners, including people with English as a second language. She even has a deaf staff member and needs to be supportive to all her staff.
“Often people like Naomi haven’t had someone to push them. Many of them put up barriers, and say ‘I don’t want to do this,’ or ‘I don’t have time.’ So, just sitting down with them and asking, ‘where are you at?’ is important.”
Franziska supports some learners to help make sense of the assessment questions, holding their hand until they can walk, as they gain confidence, whereas others like to do it on their own.
“The support from Careerforce has been really good. Staff know that they can email their Careerforce advisors if they are struggling with something,” says Franziska.
“Being able to see the change in her staff and helping them to achieve and grow further is awesome. I see the impact that it has on them and their self-confidence.
“I’ve seen how in many of my staff, after the first few barriers have come down, it becomes easier, and they start infecting others around them. They support each other and say, ‘if I can do it, you can do it’.
“We make a big fuss of them and celebrate the wins. We give them skills that go way beyond the apprenticeship,” says Franziska.
For more information about Careerforce supported health and wellbeing traineeships and apprenticeships, contact Careerforce, a business division of Te Pūkenga.
Our suite of work-based training programmes covers entry level through to advanced specialist and leadership and management.
Talk to us about how we can help you to upskill your care and support team via our work-based training and apprenticeship programmes. Ask about the Apprenticeship Boost Fund, available until end 2023.
careerforce.org.nz/aged-care
“Education is at the core, because only if our staff have the right knowledge and skills, can they do their job well.”
Franziska Gloor, Village Manager at Hoon Hay Rest Home, Christchurch
Metlifecare is Australasia’s first retirement village and aged care operator to have its sustainability targets validated by the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This global body is focused on enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. And Metlifecare’s three targets are ambitious.
chieving validation is a challenging process with a high bar set by SBTi. Metlifecare has now achieved that validation and, in doing so, joins 4,000 companies globally and 26 other companies across Aotearoa who are each driving their sustainability programmes to significantly decrease emissions before 2030. Of the 26 companies in New Zealand, only 11 have set such ambitious targets as Metlifecare to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees. This is an important milestone for Metlifecare.
The three validated targets comprise of Metlifecare's commitment to:
• reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030, from a 2021 baseline
• increase annual sourcing of renewable
electricity from 0% in FY2021 to 100% by FY2030
• reduce scope 3 GHG emissions by 51.6% per m2 by FY2030 from a FY2021 base.
Science-based targets, validated by the SBTi, provide companies with a credible and clearly defined path to reduce emissions that align with the Paris Agreement's goals to tackle climate change and its negative impacts.
Metlifecare’s Sustainability Manager, Ranjana Lal, says while the SBTi validation is a significant achievement, the real work is just beginning.
“Achieving target validation from SBTi is a rigorous process, so we’re incredibly proud to have achieved this important milestone in our programme of work. However, to achieve our targets by 2030, we have a lot of work in front of us over the next few years.
“Essentially, we have committed to reducing our electricity and energy use by almost half within the next seven years, and this is during a period of significant growth for Metlifecare. We will be continuing to buy land, construct, develop and acquire villages while at the same time significantly decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions.
“With the ongoing commitment from Metlifecare’s owners EQT and guidance from sustainable transformation specialists Tadpole, we’re committed to becoming an industry leader in sustainability. Our ambition is to be a business that is enterprising and adaptive to global sustainability challenges. Confirming our science-based targets genuinely underpins our commitment to this,” said Ranjana.
Deane can offer a uniform range designed for comfort, breathability and function. Aged care facilities can combine prints and colours to create a cohesive, consistent and welcoming look across clinical and non-clinical roles.
Deane can offer a uniform range designed for comfort, breathability and function. Aged care facilities can combine prints and colours to create a cohesive, consistent and welcoming look across clinical and non-clinical roles.
Deane can offer a uniform range designed for comfort, breathability and function. Aged care facilities can combine prints and colours to create a cohesive, consistent and welcoming look across clinical and nonclinical roles.
Styles and fabrics are designed to flatter and enhance a range of body shapes, our range covers nursing staff to kitchen hands and everyone in between.
Styles and fabrics are designed to flatter and enhance a range of body shapes, our range covers nursing staff to kitchen hands and everyone in between.
Styles and fabrics are designed to flatter and enhance a range of body shapes, our range covers nursing staff to kitchen hands and everyone in between.
One size does not fit all. Our designers can customise our wide on-the-shelf range. Using our in-house embroidery, badging and alterations factory attached to our warehouse, we will guide you through the choices available so the team can wear your brand with pride.
One size does not fit all. Our designers can customise our wide on-the-shelf range. Using our in-house embroidery, badging and alterations factory attached to our warehouse, we will guide you through the choices available so the team can wear your brand with pride.
One size does not fit all. Our designers can customise our wide on-the-shelf range. Using our in-house embroidery, badging and alterations factory attached to our warehouse, we will guide you through the choices available so the team can wear your brand with pride.
We offer an effortless apparel partnership, including online management that keeps track of your staff’s garments over all their different roles and sites – freeing you to do what you do best, and leaving uniforms to us, the experts in work apparel.
We offer an effortless apparel partnership, including online management that keeps track of your staff’s garments over all their different roles and sites – freeing you to do what you do best, and leaving uniforms to us, the experts in work apparel.
We offer an effortless apparel partnership, including online management that keeps track of your staff’s garments over all their different roles and sites – freeing you to do what you do best, and leaving uniforms to us, the experts in work apparel.
From the first brief through the no-surprises rollout to on-going supply management, we win our customers’ loyalty through our dedication to the customer experience.
From the first brief through the no-surprises rollout to on-going supply management, we win our customers’ loyalty through our dedication to the customer experience.
From the first brief through the nosurprises rollout to on-going supply management, we win our customers’ loyalty through our dedication to the customer experience.
E sales@deane.co.nz P 09 262 2664 W www.deane.co.nz
Deane constantly strives to offer our customers sustainable options from ecofabrics to garment end of life.
Deane constantly strives to offer our customers sustainable options from ecofabrics to garment end of life.
Deane constantly strives to offer our customers sustainable options from eco-fabrics to garment end of life.
The Modular Stainless collection is fully modular and can be customised to suit any individual needs. It includes a comprehensive range of modular benches, sinks, tables, shelves, inlet/outlet benches, glass racks and trolleys.
Modular Stainless is attractive, cost e ective, hygienic, safe and easy to maintain and is ideal for installation in commercial kitchens as well as work areas in the hospitality, hotel and aged care sectors.
y name is Renee Taylor, and I am a Director and Clinician at Swallow and Speech Therapy Consultants Ltd. I work as a consultant to the Pure Food Co, which specialises in texture-modified foods, and I am also a freediving instructor in my spare time.
My work experience includes being a Professional Teaching Fellow and sitting on the Speech-language Therapy Executive Board both in the Māori and Cultural Development and Communications roles at the University of Auckland. Additionally, I work as a community SLT for Counties Manukau DHB. My passion lies in dysphagia, particularly in older adults in aged care settings. I am committed to driving change for our most vulnerable to dine with dignity.
When I introduce myself as a Speech-language Therapist (SLT) to my patients, they often respond with confusion, saying, “But there’s nothing wrong with my speech.” It gets even more perplexing when I tell them I am there to assess their swallowing difficulty. This interaction significantly represents the need for more awareness and understanding of our role in the healthcare industry, especially in aged care settings. This confusion needs to change.
My daily work involves helping our elderly to eat and drink comfortably and safely in residential care settings. My goal is to increase the enjoyment of mealtimes while ensuring safety at the same time. Swallowing is a beautiful system that allows food to enter your mouth and be safely passed into your stomach to nourish and fuel your body and soul. We chew, taste, and experience unique textures and flavours.
Eating and drinking are central to so many cultures and social environments as they provide physical and mental nourishment, and this doesn’t change as we age. When it works well, we swallow automatically without even taking much notice. However, it can be dangerous when it goes wrong, and the pleasure around mealtimes can be significantly compromised.
Various factors, such as Dementia, Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, head and neck cancer, and even aging, can affect the nerves and muscles that make our swallowing system work effectively. It is the role of SLTs to support people with dysphagia when this system goes wrong.
Dysphagia can increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia and choking; shockingly, choking is the second leading cause of avoidable death in aged care. Yet, having an SLT on the team is uncommon across the sector. We often see Dietitians (DTs), Occupational Therapists, and Physio Therapists, but SLT is frequently left off the list.
It’s important to note that inappropriate modification of food and fluid can be just as detrimental to an individual as the risk of choking and aspiration pneumonia. Historically, nurses and DTs have assumed the role of ‘dysphagia care,’ The most common intervention is to “mouli” the food and “thicken” the liquid, always to a very subjective degree slop either way. However, it’s not the nurses’ or DT’s fault. It’s a job that’s historically been lumped on others because, well, who else is there to do it?
It doesn’t have to be that way. Not having an SLT creates unsafe expectations for our nursing, dietetic, and healthcare assistant staff to work outside their scope of practice. SLTs are specifically trained in assessing, intervening, and monitoring dysphagia; this is our bread and butter. However, we have yet to get a regular seat at the table.
In the meantime, our most vulnerable are left in compromising situations, both in safety and for quality of life, at the most precious time of their life.
So how do we support our older adults, our kaumatua and kuia, to dine with dignity? The solution is simple, a dysphagia screening system, an SLT referral pathway, and an SLT on the team.
Eat-10 is a good screening tool. Free and online. IDDSI.org has all the info and free International Dysphagia Diet Standards resources.
Tel: +64 212967292
Email: renee@swallowandspeechtherapy.com
www.swallowandspeechtherapy.com
· Alerts and call buttons at your fingertips
· Real time location tracking of both people and assets built in · Hassle free reporting out of the box
It’s vital that residents can not only get help when they need it, but that you also have a system that supports your team to provide them the best level of care possible. The Advance Care Nurse Call System delivers more than just alerts, it’s a comprehensive solution that elevates the level of care your facility offers.
In days gone by, patients or individuals experiencing dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) were served a plate of mashed or pureed food that wasn’t appetising. Over time, doctors and medical caterers have focused on the importance of ensuring food is not only delicious but looks good too.
he development of specialised food preparation equipment and utensils has achieved quality pureed food individuals find pleasure in consuming. This subsequently improves their health, their recovery process and overall experience.
Puree food is of benefit in many different situations. The most common are individuals in healthcare facilities experiencing difficulty eating solid food, and the elderly to highlight just a few. Many individuals also find themselves caring for family members facing this ailment and are at a loss regarding meal preparation. We’ve put this resource together discussing the basics of dysphagia, the benefits of puree food and how to produce a quality meal beyond soups, purees or mashed vegetables.
Dysphagia is a medical condition where there is difficulty with neural control or the structures of the mouth or throat involved in any part of
the swallowing process. Individuals diagnosed with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing, or experience pain when swallowing. When this occurs, eating becomes a challenge with patients subsequently finding it difficult to consume enough calories for nourishment which may then lead to serious medical conditions.
Dysphagia is when there’s a problem with the neural control or structures of the body involved in the swallowing process. Common causes are strokes or nervous system disorders making it difficult to swallow or stimulate food or liquid to move safely through the throat to the digestive system. Weak tongue, cheek or throat muscles resulting from cancer treatment can also lead to this disorder.
Patients diagnosed with dysphagia are
nourished via medical intervention as well as a diet of food that is soft and moist. Broth, sauces, juices and pureed meals provide the nutritional requirements for individuals to heal and recover through their treatment.
Eating when you can barely swallow doesn’t need to consist of only mashed potatoes, pumpkin and broccoli. There’s only so much pureed fruit and puddings an individual can put up with before meals become boring and mundane leading to a lack of appetite that then turns into malnutrition.
Thanks to research and trials, meals for dysphagia patients no longer need to be boring or appear as mashed piles on dinner plates. Quality ingredients can now be served, with medical supervision, as ‘Texture Modified Meals’ that appear and taste like menu items in high-end restaurants.
1. Place the cooked food in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. DO NOT add fluid unless required as this will dilute the nutritional content of the meal.
2. Add a small amount of food thickener to the puree to help the food maintain its form when removed from the mould and reheated. The
puree should hold onto a spoon when it is held upside down.
3. Use a spoon and spatula to evenly distribute the pureed food into the mould. Cover the mould with the lid and place it in a freezer to set.
4. Once frozen, remove the moulded food portions and place them on a plate. Thaw in a fridge.
5. Cover the moulded meal with a heat-proof cover to retain the moisture and reheat using a Combi Steam Oven, a Bain Marie, a Hot Box, or a Microwave on a low power setting.
Reward Hospitality has a dedicated team of Territory Managers dedicated to the medical field with years of experience advising everything from kitchen design and installation to equipment and kitchen utensils. If you need help delivering meals to dysphagia patients or customers, our team of experts are on hand to offer their skills and expertise to make your set-up as professional and easy as possible.
Contact us today for a consultation. We’re available via phone, or online chat or you can contact us via our online form to arrange a virtual or in-person visit to discuss your needs.
