Aged Care Professionals Awarded

Top professionals in Australia’s aged care sector are being recognised, with the chance to win $10,000.

A total of 14 finalists have been announced in the 2016 HESTA Aged Care Awards which recognise those in the sector who make an “exceptional contribution” to improving the quality of life for older Australians.

The finalists include a project which uses cutting-edge environmental design to promote independence, well being and interaction, a mobile emergency department on-call program that provides 24/7 help to residential age care facilities, and a eVillage program that provides convenient access to GPs and specialists through virtual online consultations.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said the finalists were selected from an outstanding field of nominations.

“These finalists are finding innovative ways to improve the lives for clients and share a common unwavering commitment to provide the highest quality care,” Blakey said.

“From pioneering improved practices to collaboratively finding new solutions to industry-wide challenges, our finalists are all leaders in their field and we’re proud to give them the recognition they deserve.”

Awards supporter ME Bank has provided a prize pool of $30,000, which is divided among the winners across three categories: Team Innovation, Outstanding Organisation and Individual Distinction.

Activities coordinator at Not for Profit MYVISTA, Stanka Cica, who has been nominated for the Individual Distinction Award for providing high-quality, culturally-appropriate care for residents and support for their families, said she was “very proud” to be recognised for the work she was doing.

“I am doing it from the heart,” Cica said.

“I do many things that are not in my job description but I never think about that… I’m so happy to make the residents happy.

“All my life I have worked with people.

“I am from former Yugoslavia, I was born in Montenegro, and I grew up in Bosnia. In my country there was a terrible war but honestly, here, I have found my country again.

“I found a beautiful opportunity to [make connections] with the elderly, like my parents, and we the staff members are like one big family, all from different backgrounds and different cultures. It is something I have wished for all my life.”

Cica said good aged care was vital.

“All of them [the residents] had beautiful social lives and family and everything before they were admitted into aged care and if you don’t give them the same opportunity from here, they will be sad, depressed and feeling like they cannot go anywhere.

“At our aged care, we are ethnic, we are all from different backgrounds, the staff and the residents and they all have great opportunities to see people from their communities.

“Some of our residents are still connecting, they have their friends and their family members, social interaction and lunch together, it is a great opportunity to be together again.”

The winners will be announced at an awards dinner in Canberra on 4 August.

Winners will receive $10,000 in a ME Everyday Transaction Account for further education or team development.

Nominations are still open for the HESTA Community Sector Awards which recognise outstanding contributors to the community sector.

The full list of nominations:

Team Innovation finalists

• Bloomers Café, Tabeel Lutheran Home, Laidley, QLD

For launching a café that provides a space for open communication and support for family members and residents to discuss difficult subjects such as as palliative care, food texture modification, dementia and behavioural challenges.

• Flametree Dementia Care Project IRT Woonona Woonona, NSW

For using cutting-edge environmental design that promotes independence, wellbeing and interaction – delivering improved outcomes for residents living with dementia and facilitating better connections between family, staff and the surrounding community.

• Sub-Acute Care Program PresCare – Alexandra Gardens North Rockhampton, QLD

For their pilot program to better manage clinical deterioration in residents – avoiding unnecessary hospitalisation while maintaining high standards of quality care.

• Manager in Training Program BlueCross Community and Residential Services Hawthorn East, VIC

For a leadership program designed to identify, foster and retain talented and highly skilled employees, training them to become Residence Managers of the future.

• Vietnam Veterans Social Group RSL Care SA Myrtle Bank, SA

For developing a social group in response to the growing need for social-support for Vietnam veterans who are entering residential aged care facilities often at a younger than the average age and with a history of social isolation and complex mental health needs including active Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Outstanding Organisation finalists

• Atticus Health Carrum, VIC

For pioneering a mobile emergency department on-call program that provides 24/7 help to residential age care facilities – increasing standards of medical care while respecting the wishes of residents, and reducing hospital admissions.

• Feros Care Coolangatta, QLD

For the eVillage program that provides convenient and timely access to GPs and specialists through virtual online consultations that would otherwise not be achievable for residents in the far North Coast Region of NSW.

• Lifeview Residential Care Melbourne, VIC

For utilising International and Australian best practice models to provide holistic, consumer-directed care promoting quality of life, health, wellbeing and independence for each resident, including those living with dementia, mental illness and other complex conditions.

• Maurice Zeffert Home (Inc) Dianella, WA

For the implementation of a fully integrated consumer-directed care system, that recognises the importance of all stakeholders, residents, their families and staff, empowering them to collectively enhance the holistic well being of those receiving care.

• Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) Inc. Parkside, SA

For starting Health & Wellness Centres (gyms) in six residential care homes that are coordinated by qualified fitness coordinators providing individualised fitness programs aimed at improving residents’ strength and fitness.

Individual Distinction finalists

• Stanka Cica MYVISTA Balcatta, WA

A tireless Activities Coordinator, who uses her fluency in four languages to provide high-quality, culturally-appropriate care for residents and support for their families.

• Liz Drew Churches of Christ Care Kenmore, QLD

For leading a Clinical Governance team, implementing innovative strategies and training programs for thousands of professionals across Queensland and Victoria, helping tackle a skills shortage in the sector.

• Camille Koch Macedon Ranges Health – Gisborne Oaks Residential Aged Care Gisborne, VIC

Recognised for her work in improving wound management through the establishment of a multi-disciplinary Wounds Resource Team – leading to improved practice, a reduction in the severity of wounds and better documentation.

• Himanshu Singh annecto Sydney, NSW

For improving the outcomes for older Australians from a diverse range of backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Western Sydney through building relationships, identifying needs and facilitating connections.