aged care awards

winner

HealthX

Petrie Terrace QLD

HealthX is recognised for its work to help address Australia’s aged care workforce shortages by boosting long-term staff capacity to improve the overall wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.

It does this through a variety of programs. HealthX employs full-time AHPRA-qualified registered nurses from overseas to work in partner facilities for 24 months. It also places highly skilled nurses to support aged care facilities facing critical staffing shortages. These nurses provided COVID-positive facilities with infection control training and workforce relief during the pandemic, supporting more than 500 residential aged care facilities, and it continues to assist facilities under pressure.

HealthX strives to provide its employees with professional and personal development in self-care and overall mental and physical wellness, leading to better health outcomes and reducing burnout for staff working in busy and demanding environments.

ACH Group

Mile End SA

ACH Group is recognised for its Connected Communities strategy, which focusses on partnering with people, communities, like-minded organisations, and tertiary institutions to create opportunities and social connections for older people to improve their health and wellbeing, have real experiences, build strong relationships, take on new roles and challenges.

The strategy is brought to life through innovative programs including the ‘Child Care in Aged Care’ pilot initiative which saw Milpara Residential Care Home residents and childcare-aged children engage in weekly activities, develop lasting connections and learnings from each other. Another program is ‘Everybody’s Game’, a partnership between ACH Group, Flinders University and Football SA that provides a walking soccer program for people with diverse neurological abilities.

ACH Group hopes to develop a series of videos featuring customers participating in social initiatives and programs to encourage more older people to take up new experiences.

Activus Transport

Engadine NSW

Activus Transport is recognised for its work to combat loneliness and social isolation for men in the South Eastern region of  Sydney through the Just4Blokes program.

Activus Transport is a not-for-profit community organisation providing transport and social services to older people and those living with disabilities. After observing few men joined its regular social programs, the organisation created Just4Blokes, a monthly day trip designed for men.

The popular program has helped reduced loneliness and social isolation, providing much-needed companionship and social engagement. More than 100 men have participated in Just4Blokes activities since April 2022, with new participants joining each month.

In the future, Activus Transport hopes to employ a part-time coordinator to assist with research, promotion, delivery of the service, and to offer free trips to clients experiencing greater disadvantage.

winner

Falls Improvement Program Team, Brightwater Care Group

Osborne Park WA

Brightwater Care Group’s Falls Improvement Program Team is recognised for identifying and implementing evidence-based strategies in falls prevention to reduce fall rates, better support aged care residents, and improve overall knowledge gaps.

The program provides ongoing support and education to increase prevention awareness and includes professional development and educational sessions for staff to minimise risks and hazards. The team also introduced weekly exercise sessions for residents to help prevent falls and hosted Zoom Chair Yoga sessions every weekday during Falls Month 2022.

Within six months of launch, the program has resulted in a 28% decline in fall rates at several of the Brightwater Care Group facilities.

Brightwater Care Group plans to support additional events for Falls Month 2023, train 40 therapy assistants for various exercise activities that appeal to individual residents' interests and develop a virtual exercise platform.

Consumer Experience Team, St Vincent’s Care Services

Bowen Hills QLD

The St Vincent’s Care Services (SVCS) Consumer Experience Team is recognised for reimagining the resident and family experience of aged care.

The team introduced a comprehensive suite of consumer-focused and informed initiatives during COVID. These include an award-winning visitor booking system, seven-day call centre, a centralised admissions process across SVCS’s 23 residential aged care facilities, and a new consumer listening program and survey system to drive organisation-wide improvements. 

The team has given SVCS access to new, vital insights – more than 22,000 pieces of feedback have been received directly from families, residents and clients since launch. This data now underpins decision-making and direct investment to achieve the best care, health, and wellbeing outcomes for residents.

The team hopes to conduct more research to better influence the aged care consumer experience, from admissions through to outbreak communications and community engagement.

Specialist Community Palliative Care Team, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District 

Wollongong NSW

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) Specialist Community Palliative Care Team is recognised for their commitment to supporting Aboriginal people to maintain Connections to Country while receiving culturally safe care.

The service follows a person centred and family supported approach which ensures Aboriginal elders living in aged care facilities are engaged in the community while receiving palliative care that is trauma informed, individualised and that recognises the importance of story and identity, and aligned to the individual’s song lines.

The team holds yarning circles with staff and the local Aboriginal community to share information and skills to better understand how to improve quality of care for First Nations people. The team’s work is highly valued by the community and the pathway is formed for walking together in the palliative care journey. 

Looking forward, ISLHD will focus on communicating the importance of cultural safety and identity, as well as highlighting team collaboration across the District to meet the individual communities’ needs - encompassing care by hearing valued community voices.