How dietitians can help at ACH Group

Gemma is a dietitian at ACH Group.

How can dietitians support you?

If there is one thing Gemma Prendergast wants people to know this National Nutrition Week it is this: “dietitians are not the food police”.

Gemma has been a senior dietitian with ACH Group for the past two years and has formerly worked with AFLW team the Adelaide Crows during their premiership year in 2019.

“There is this perception that a dietitian is there to tell you what you can and can’t do – that is not the case, we are there to work with you,” she said.

“Even the smallest adjustments in nutrition can do wonders to improve people’s quality of life, and in some cases, completely transform their life.

“My role is to get to know you and to provide advice on things that they can do that fit within their budget, lifestyle and personal preferences.”

3 tips for improving your nutrition

Gemma said there were so many simple steps people can take to improve their nutrition to support their physical and mental health.

food containing calcium

Calcium isn’t just milk

You can get calcium through salmon, sardines, tofu and leafy greens which is great to support bone health.

older couple preparing a salad

Eat regularly

Aim for three base meals every day.

examples of food containing protein

Add more protein

You can get calcium through salmon, sardines, tofu and leafy greens which is great to support bone health.

Learn more about eating well to age well and explore the ways you can improve your diet to fit with your personal tastes, abilities and lifestyle.

Small adjustments can lead to big changes overtime

“The small adjustments people make can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, can raise energy levels and improve the quality of sleep,” she said.

“A big part of a role of the dietitian is to ensure that the nutrition changes that are made are practical and repeatable, so they become routine and habit.”

Gemma said older South Australians may be surprised with how many avenues there are to receive support from an ACH Group dietitian.

People can be referred via their GP as part of a chronic disease management plan, through the Commonwealth Home Support Program via My Aged Care or Support at Home Program by speaking with their care partner.

National Nutrition Week

National Nutrition Week is an annual campaign championed by Nutrition Australia. The theme of inspiring a connected and nourished Australia encourages us to slow down, share, and appreciate food – from where it comes from to the enjoyment of eating together.

Food is more than fuel. It’s a story, a tradition, a connection.

Key messages are:

  • Food connects us – to culture, community, and nature
  • Eat with gratitute – appreciate where food comes from, the effort behind it, and the journey from earth to place
  • Enjoy eating together – sharing meals nourishes us socially, culturally, emotionally and physically
  • Mealtimes matter – encourage conversation and connection, from the playground or workplace to the dinner table
  • Grow, cook, share – food brings us together. Plant something, cook with family and friends, or get family involved.
  • Nourish the moment – slowing down, tasting, and enjoying each mouthful.

Learn more about National Nutrition Week.

Supporting you to achieve your health and wellbeing goals

Good nutrition can help to decrease your risk of memory loss, maintain your strength and feel better as you age.

Support your health with advice and support from ACH Group’s dietitians who will work with you to develop a realistic and tailored nutritional plan.

Contact us today to find out more.

Life, not labels

Brian Harris is a resident leader, and Health Studio Customer - here pictured with weights at Health Studio Rostrevor

Life, not labels

Brian Harris on purpose, ageism and the power of crossing generations

By any measure, Brian Harris has lived several lives: a country kid on a fruit block; a geologist in a downturn; a teacher who became the kind of principal students queued after the bell to shake his hand; an advocate who calls out bullying, racism and ageism; a Tai Chi instructor guiding flow; and a resident leader who believes communities thrive when people refuse the neatness of labels.

“I’ve always tried to build and maintain a strong sense of purpose,” Brian shares. “The labels change – teacher, principal, parent, volunteer – but the purpose can’t be allowed to fade.”

Born to a family of a returned serviceman who set up a fruit block property – “oranges, apricots, wine grapes, grapefruit, the lot” – Brian was expected to continue on the land. A late spring frost one year convinced him otherwise. He trained as a geologist before the mining slump of 1973 sent “several hundred of us” into new careers. “We became the taxi drivers and the teachers,” he jokes. Brian chose the classroom and stayed in education for 41 years.

He began in science and maths, quickly drawn to help students who didn’t fit the mould. Brian taught in primary and secondary schools, advised teachers, counselled teenagers, and eventually ran schools.

If you want to know the impact of that work, he says, picture the Friday he farewelled one school mid-year to start at another. “Every class had made a book of messages. The bell went and you’d expect the kids to fly out. Instead several hundred stayed – waiting to shake my hand, or get a hug. I knew then my approach had been accepted – be visible, be out in the yard, meet parents informally, teach in every classroom so your feedback to staff is grounded in reality.”

That ethic didn’t clock off at retirement.

“As a leader, you develop a finely tuned sense for bullying and racism. I still speak up when I see it. And I don’t hold grudges – if someone changes their behaviour, they’re welcome at every social event. The community has to be safe for everyone.”

A moment of legacy – being awarded Life Membership of Lincoln College (Adelaide) Alumni, 2025
A moment of legacy – being awarded Life Membership of Lincoln College (Adelaide) Alumni, 2025

Life, not labels’

Ask Brian what “Life, Not Labels” means and the answer comes quickly.

“Labels stick but they don’t define. They’re useful shorthand – principal, retiree, client, carer – but they’re not a destiny.

When I left a busy working life, I needed to build a purpose that wasn’t tied to a title. That’s the work of later life.”

The obstacle, he says, can be ageism – often unexamined, often unchallenged. “From ‘silver tsunami’ to ‘burden on the economy’, the language is corrosive. It patronises, it excludes, it becomes policy. I’ve spoken with hundreds of older people and you can hear the toll in their voices.”

Brian tells the story of a 65-year-old neighbour who lodged 85 job applications after a lifetime of manual labour: “Not one reply. Not one acknowledgement.”

For Brian, tackling ageism begins with education and proximity.

“Younger isn’t better than older. Different isn’t lesser. You change minds with contact, with story, with shared work and purpose.”
Brian with Lili, Village Manager and residents at St Georges Court information session about the program
Brian with Lili, Village Manager and residents at St Georges Court information session about the program

The Intergenerational Bridge

Out of that conviction, Brian designed and leads an intergenerational program linking older local residents and secondary students (Years 7–10) of Campbelltown.

He studied global research, partnered with the local council, community housing provider, UniSA researchers and ACH Group, while borrowing inspiration from the ABC’s Old People’s Home for Teenagers.

The activities are deceptively simple: low-stakes, face-to-face sessions that build trust and skill.

“In our first year I spoke to over 250 older people to recruit participants,” he says. “Ten per cent signed up.

That’s a win. More than half now want to keep working with young people.” He calls it “a kind of magic” created by careful design and human chemistry.

“We pair young people who haven’t yet found purpose with older people in danger of losing it. The connections do the work.”

It’s not a one-off. “Sustainability matters. It’s not enough to change one school and a handful of residents. We’re documenting what works, filming the reflections, building a model others can adopt.” He’s frank about why that matters: “Ageism softens when you shake hands with the person you’ve been labelling.”

Village life – and the case for better communication

Eight years ago, Brian and his wife downsized into the St Georges Court Retirement Village: single-level living, strong social networks, family still close by. “We’re social beings. We still see the kids and grandkids. As we age, more of our social life will happen inside the village, so the village has to work.”

Brian also reflects on what’s important.

“Communication is paramount,” he says, “For older people, words matter: font size, spacing, structure, tone. If I can use an AI tool to compile a two-page evidence-based checklist on communicating with older adults in an hour, we can embed those principles everywhere.”

He helped establish a residents’ committee – not to ‘rock the boat’, but to give people a voice and channel issues constructively – and he chairs conversations that are both warm and uncompromising.

“We work with the organisation, not against it.”

On duty of care, he believes a shift is coming as home care support is becoming more integrated with independent living. “If you’re providing multiple services and case management to someone who lives in your village, it’s harder to say there’s no duty of care. And that’s where the innovation of services is heading.”

Personal trainer Lisa and Brian at Health Studio Rostrevor
Personal trainer Lisa and Brian at Health Studio Rostrevor

Health, strength and small routines

Living with a long-term chronic condition, Brian treats balance as his true north. “My program is simple: strengthen ankles, knees, hips – anything that reduces falls.”

“I get a great support from ACH Group at the Health Studio Rostrevor.”

In addition to this, most days he puts the plan into practice at a community gym. And there’s Tai Chi. “My wife and I have been practicing it for 30 years. We now run a group at St Georges Court – people come when they can. If you miss a week, it doesn’t matter.”

Navigating funding and assessments at the beginning of the journey hasn’t been straightforward.

“The first time, there were many lessons learnt. With support, later reassessments were better – I had ACH Group on my side as my chosen aged care provider – staff sat in on calls, helped with formulating the requirements.”

“That’s the difference good advocacy makes.”

“We attend social experiences, get some support with cleaning. The recent one-on-one information sessions at the Health Studio Rostrevor provided even more clarity, as we transition to the Support at Home Program.”

What advice would he give on staying well? “Move every day. Fight isolation. Volunteer – purpose is a health intervention. And encourage respect: in how we treat each other, in the care we receive, and in how we value ourselves.”

A multicultural life

Home for Brian is a table set for many. His wife is Chinese-Malaysian, three of their children were adopted from Indonesian orphanages. He travelled widely when young – “developed a strong affinity with Asia”- and his first trip abroad was to New Guinea, a tribute to his father’s wartime service.

The family is a mosaic that has sharpened his refusal to accept narrow categories.

“Identity is lived, not stamped.”
Brian and Pat are both global citizens at heart
Brian and Pat are both global citizens at heart

Opening minds, bridging generations

Brian bristles at the idea that later life is a quiet coda. “I strive to create a community that condones bullying or racism,” he says. “And I am keen to keep living in one that doesn’t underestimate its older residents.”

Communities heal and thrive when you open someone’s mind.

Looking ahead, Brian is determined to take the intergenerational program into its next chapter. After a successful first year, he is focused on consolidating the model and sharing it more widely.

“It’s too good an opportunity to miss,” Brian says.

“With new participants preparing to join, stronger partnerships with local councils and schools, and a growing body of research evidence, the program is poised not just to continue, but to inspire others.”

“We wouldn’t have done our job if this stayed in one community. The idea is to spread the word – so more schools, more aged care providers, and more communities can feel the magic of generations learning from each other.”

Your life, your home, your way – with our support

ACH Group is here to support older South Australians to stay at home longer, because home is where the comfort, familiarity, and connections are. Our comprehensive Home Care services are designed to adapt seamlessly to your unique needs, helping you maintain your independence and continue doing what you love.

With ACH Group, you can access:

  • Allied Health Support: Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, and more to support your health and mobility.
  • Everyday Living Assistance: Help with tasks like cleaning, gardening, meal preparation, and transport.
  • Personal Care: Dignified support with daily routines.
  • Social Connections: Opportunities to stay active and engaged in your community.

Whether you’re exploring options for yourself or a loved one, our friendly team is here to answer your questions and guide you through the possibilities.

Discover how a little help can be a big help.

Request a call today.

Ageism: what is it?

Group of older gentlemen catching up in Adelaide

Ageism: what is it?

What is it like to grow older today?

Age is one of the first things we notice about other people. It also shouldn’t be a reason why our older years can’t be some of the best of our lives.

The definition of ageism

Ageism can be defined as stereotyping, discrimination and mistreatment based solely on a person’s age. Discrimination on the basis of age is an unacceptable as discrimination on the basis of any other aspect of ourselves that we cannot change.

The impact of ageism, based on negative and incorrect age stereotypes, restricts the participation and inclusion of older people in all aspects of life. In fact, ageism can impact our confidence, quality of life, job prospects, health, and control over life decisions.

ACH Group challenges ageism

ACH Group draws guidance from our Good Lives Philosophy to be strident leaders in a movement rethinking ageing and challenging the devaluation of older South Australians.

People feel our difference through staying in control, engaging in real experiences and our active promotion of customer and resident stories that normalise ageing, inspire, and change the perception of older people’s lives and what they bring to society.

A new take on aged care advertising

Earlier in 2023, ACH Group has flipped the script on aged care advertising with its new brand campaign ‘Being yourself never gets old‘.

A little help can be a big help

In our new TVC launched in September 2025, ACH Group acknowledges human truth about ageing and that life doesn’t stop as we age – neither should our passions.

Let’s end ageism

It’s not the passage of time that makes it so hard to get older. It’s ageism, a prejudice that pits us against our future selves – and each other.

Ashton Applewhite urges us to dismantle the dread and mobilize against the last socially acceptable prejudice. “Aging is not a problem to be fixed or a disease to be cured,” she says. “It is a natural, powerful, lifelong process that unites us all.”

Watch her TED Talk below or on the TED website.

Call out ageism whenever you see it

Most ageism is more thoughtless than malicious, but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. If you experience it, just start a conversation and raise awareness.

Some of examples of everyday ageism include:

  • Referring to a neighbour as a ‘sweet old dear’
  • Making decisions for grandparents so they don’t have to stress
  • Assuming older people are bad drivers or can’t do something
  • Commenting ‘You look good for your age’
  • Anti-ageing craze – your skin doesn’t need fixing!

Download: EveryAGECounts ‘The Real Old’ e-book

Learn more about ageism

The COTA website includes information and resources about the rights and interests of older Australians. World Health Organization released the Global report on ageism, which outlines a framework for action to reduce ageism.

Ageism awareness

Ageism Awareness Day – 9 October

The overall goal of EveryAGE Counts is to set strong, new foundations for current and future generations to age well.

Toward this goal, the Ageism Awareness Day campaign seeks to:
  • Shift those deeply entrenched negative social norms about ageing and older people
  • Reimagine what it means to grow older and be an older person; and reframe our older years as a valid, positive and meaningful part of life
  • Drive a political and societal response to the opportunities presented by our ageing population.
How you can get involved this Ageism Awareness Day:
  1. Take the pledge
  2. Share your story
  3. Take the quiz: Are you ageist?

Find a number of resources on the EveryAGE Counts website.