The kilometres ticked over on the exercise bikes at ACH Group’s Kapara Residential Care Home as a group of residents took part in making wishes a reality for children with critical illness.
Sixteen residents of Kapara rode or walked to raise funds for Make-A-Wish’s fundraising campaign ‘Ride for Wishes’ held throughout March.
Mel, aged 92, rode 10 kilometres.
“In my younger years I did some competitive riding for a cycling club. I ride now to keep active,” Mel said. “I worked for local government throughout my career and therefore was very connected to my community and was also involved in charities. I like raising money for charity.”
Rose, 78, walked 20 kilometres. Markers were placed in the hallways of the Glenelg South care home for residents to record their distance.
Rose commented, “I like fundraising for children. When many people are involved in fundraising it can make a big difference.”
ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said, “Ride for Wishes has supported residents to stay active and is an opportunity to give back to others, which residents are passionate about.”
What is Senso? State-of-the-art fitness technology that reduces the risk of falls is a key feature of ACH Group’s new Health Studio 50+ at Christie Downs.
For the sixth year West Park’s community will purchase presents for children who otherwise would not have a gift to open on Christmas morning. It is the first year they have partnered with Goolwa Primary School.
A Christmas tree, located in the heart of the residential care home, is fast becoming surrounded by presents. On the last day of Term Four, Kylie Rufus, Pastoral Support Worker at Goolwa Primary School, will collect the presents and deliver them to families to be opened on Christmas Day.
Brian Davies, who lives at West Park with his wife Yvonne, said, “I imagine seeing the children open the presents on Christmas Day and that makes me feel good.”
Yvonne said, “I can remember when I was young I got a pair of socks for Christmas and I thought wouldn’t it be nice to get something better to open on Christmas Day. By buying these presents for the children we are making their Christmas special and memorable.”
Ms Rufus thanked the West Park community for its generosity.“
My role is to get to know our school’s families. I identify the families who will benefit from being gifted a Christmas present, they may be struggling financially or have had a particularly tough year,” she said. “When families are handed a present they are so grateful, they feel seen.”
Yvonne and Brian Davies, and Dorothy Wheatland with presents to be donated to Goolwa children.
West Park Manager, Lynn Coleshill, said each year the giving initiative is an outstanding success.
“It is wonderful that the people of Goolwa are supporting one another,” she said.
A health and education hub developed by aged care organisation ACH Group will provide health services to Adelaide’s northern community and feature a state-of-the-art residential care home designed in line with key findings from the Royal Commission.
Healthia, a $40 million development adjacent the Lyell McEwin Hospital within the Playford Health Precinct, brings together ACH Group, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN), University of South Australia, and City of Playford.
Over more than 15,000 square meters of land, Healthia will include a 96-place residential care home comprising 8 small-scale homes, each with 12 private rooms. The design incorporates findings from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and best practice in dementia care.
Healthia will be Australia’s first residential care home purposely built to limit the spread of infectious viruses such as COVID-19. Infection prevention measures include mechanical systems that increase provision of fresh air to indoor areas, and minimise recirculation and the spread of air droplets. Each bedroom will have direct access to the outdoors, and living and dining areas will be more spacious for greater social distancing.
UniSA will co-locate with a general practice and student-led allied health clinic open to the public on a full-time basis on weekdays. In addition, students will undertake placement in the residential care home.
ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said the aged care organisation was proud to lead the powerful partnership.
“Healthia will improve the health and lifestyle outcomes for Adelaide’s northern community and reimagine residential aged care,” Mr Weits said.
“The Royal Commission favoured the small-scale household model for residential care as the home-like design promotes better quality of life for residents especially people living with dementia.
“Healthia has been designed around a village model. Within each home there are spaces you typically see in every house, including a kitchen for residents to prepare and cook meals in, and a dining room and living area to come together in.”
NALHN CEO Maree Geraghty said Healthia’s location within the Playford Health Precinct will complement the Lyell McEwin Hospital’s role as a major provider of acute health care in the north.
“The establishment of a vibrant health precinct will allow us to increase collaboration with other service providers such as ACH Group, which in turn, will help ease pressure on our hospitals and reduce length of stay,” Ms Geraghty said.
UniSA’s Dean of Clinical Education and Equity, Professor Esther May, said Healthia will give students vital practical learning experiences during their degrees.
“We look forward to collaborating with ACH Group and the local community on innovative models of care. UniSA’s health clinic will offer student-led services under the supervision of practicing clinicians,” Prof May said.
City of Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty said he welcomed construction of Healthia, which is an important contributor to the Playford Health Precinct.
“We’re thrilled to have Healthia in the precinct to care for our older residents in a suitable home environment while creating new job opportunities in the expanding health sector,” Mayor Docherty said.
It is estimated the Healthia development will create up to 180 jobs during construction and a further 66 ongoing jobs in the City of Playford and surrounding areas.
Construction commences in early December 2021. Healthia is currently scheduled to be fully operational and welcome its first residents by June 2023.
Healthia is located on the corner of Mark and Coglin roads, Elizabeth South, adjacent the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
A new walking football (soccer) program will offer opportunities for South Australians living with neurological conditions or who have had a stroke to engage with the sport.
The free program kicks off in November with a come ‘n’ try session on November 4, followed by regular activities at local soccer clubs across Adelaide from mid-November to autumn 2022.
The program is open to people aged 30 – 65 who have had a stroke or who live with neurological conditions such as Younger Onset Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and MND.
Participants will engage in club life and take part in weekly activities, including games and training sessions, with guest appearances from Adelaide United representatives.
ACH Group’s General Manager Service Design, Ivy Diegmann, said team sport improves physical health and wellbeing, with opportunities for social connections and friendship, however there are often barriers for people living with a disability to get involved.
“People with a disability don’t always feel comfortable to engage or play sport in a club environment. Additionally, coaches and volunteers at many grassroots clubs don’t have the right resources or understanding to run suitable programs,” she said.
“Everybody’s Game aims to tackle both barriers. To ensure the suitability of the training sessions and game rules, ACH Group is engaging with people living with neurological conditions, along with their carers, and local soccer clubs to shape the program.”
At the end of the program, a toolkit will be created and made available to soccer clubs across South Australia to increase their capacity to include people with diverse needs.
The come and try session on Thursday 4 November from 10am – 12pm will be held at the Adelaide Comets FC, located at Ellis Park on West Terrace. The program will be run at soccer clubs across metropolitan Adelaide from mid-November to autumn 2022.
If you or someone you know would like to take part in the program, attend the come and try session, or learn more about this opportunity visit achgroup.org.au/soccer for more information.
Everybody’s Game is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services
ACH Group has recently taken out two industry accolades being named a winner at both the ACSA SA and AdelaidePHN Awards.
ACH Group’s Integrated Student Placement Model won the Innovation in Service or Design category at the ACSA SA Awards. While the COVID-19 Resilience and Reconditioning Packages program won Outstanding Achievement in Aged Care at the Adelaide PHN Awards.
CEO Frank Weits said the award-winning initiatives showcased collaboration within the organisation and successful partnerships with external organisations.
“We are very proud to be recognised with these award wins which highlight the success of the two initiatives and congratulates ACH Group staff for their contributions,” he said.
“Most importantly both initiatives enable ACH Group to provide person-centred care and support older South Australians to live well as they age.”
The COVID-19 Resilience and Re-conditioning Packages were a highly successful partnership between ACH Group and Adelaide PHN, which provided individually tailored services to 100 older people in metropolitan Adelaide whose daily routines, social connections, and health and wellbeing had been adversely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Over six weeks they were connected with a host of ACH Group health and social services.
Following the six-week program customers reported improved balance, physical fitness and strength, new social connections, and an overall feeling they were more confident and optimistic about managing their health.
The Integrated Student Placement Model, a first in Australia, offers students studying Cert III in Individual Support experience in residential, and in-home and community care settings over four weeks.
Incorporating the two care settings in placements increases students’ knowledge and the opportunity for ACH Group to recruit graduates who can confidently work in any environment providing person-centred care which meets the needs and expectations of customers and residents.
Following the state win, ACH Group has progressed to the ACSA 2021 National Aged Care Awards with winners to be announced in December 2021.
ACH Group is holding a recruitment open day in November in Goolwa.
ACH Group, which has residential care homes in Goolwa and Yankalilla and provides home and community services to Fleurieu residents, is currently recruiting for various roles in particular Registered and Enrolled Nurses and Care Workers.
The open day on Wednesday 3 November will provide a chance for Fleurieu residents to chat one-on-one with ACH Group’s People and Culture team about a career in aged care and the various roles available.
ACH Group General Manager of Operations, Linda Feldt, said aged care offers careers that are rewarding, with learning opportunities and stability.
“There is growing demand for aged care services and in turn this is creating job opportunities,” she said.
“At ACH Group our workforce is our greatest asset and we have a focus on ‘growing our own’ by providing staff with learning and development opportunities to maximise their potential.
“A career in aged care is also incredibly rewarding as you are contributing to supporting customers and residents to live well as they age. Older people have a wealth of life experience and life stories to share, so there is also a great social aspect to the job.”
The event is open to those with relevant qualifications in care work or nursing, as well as anyone who has an interest in working in aged care with ACH Group.
ACH Group getaways cover all corners of South Australia with various two and three-night trips to the Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, Barossa and Clare valleys, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Limestone Coast, and the Murray River scheduled.
ACH Group Manager of Social Links Katey Elding said the not-for-profit community organisation is excited to come together with AAT Kings, a company with extensive expertise in holidays.
“Our getaways continue to be very popular this year with South Australians excited to discover the state and by teaming up with AAT Kings we are able to expand our offering,” she said.
“Older South Australians are looking for organised trips where they can discover their own state, in a safe and relaxed environment, while meeting new people.
“The getaways offer something for everyone, whether you’re looking to see the amazing landscapes of the Flinders Ranges, the wildlife on Kangaroo Island, or perhaps experiencing South Australia’s best food and wine is more your style.
“There are also selected getaways offered to carers and those they care for to join, and some for the South Australian Cambodian community. Carers have told us they have loved the opportunity to relax and connect with other carers.”
All getaways are accompanied by qualified staff, with transport via coach, accommodation, and most meals included.
ACH Group getaways and small group day tours are available for South Australians aged over 65 who are either supported with government funding including the Commonwealth Home Support and Home Care Package programmes, and tours can also be privately funded.
Australian-first research to prevent falls in middle-aged and younger-older adults is taking place in South Australia.
The study, supported by ACH Group, and led by physiotherapist Nicky Baker, is investigating the relationship between postural sway (body movement) and near falls.
Ms Baker, a PhD candidate at Flinders University, said while falls prevention is widely researched this project involves an unnoticed group of adults.
“Often research looks at diagnostic groups, for example, people living with Parkinson’s Disease or who have had a stroke, or studies compare fallers and non-fallers,” she said.
“This study involves people who have ‘near falls’ – stumbles, trips, and missteps. Near falls often precede falls but no one acknowledges them because they don’t get injured or are embarrassed about falling.
“We’re aiming to identify what postural sway looks like in people who have near falls and measuring the changes in their postural sway while they take part in concurrent mental tasks and after physical activity.”
Over 60 South Australians aged between 40 and 74 are currently taking part in the study, which involves:
An online survey,
An hour face-to-face balance testing, held at ACH Group’s Health Studio 50+ at Glenelg, where a sensor on the lower back is worn to track postural sway,
Keeping a diary for three months to note any near falls or falls.
Ms Baker said after data is collected and analysed it will determine whether increased postural sway increases the chance of near falls.
“If this is the case, which we think it is, we will then be able to inform clinical practice – what personal trainers, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists do in terms of falls prevention and balance activities,” she said.
“No one thinks they will fall until they do and then it comes as a surprise. If there are flags that identify someone is at risk of falling, we can address that early and mitigate the risk through activity or exercise.”
ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said as an aged care provider ACH Group is proud to support research into a serious health event that affects tens of thousands of older South Australians every year.
“Fall-related injuries can have devastating effects on people’s long-term health and their confidence,” he said.
“This research has the potential to be implemented into our service delivery, in particularly our gym and allied health services, to benefit customers and lessen the chance falls.
“This is another great example of the Flinders University and ACH Group research partnership that helps support older South Australians to live good lives.”
The study will continue until the end of September 2021. South Australians aged 40-74 who are interested in taking part in the research are asked to contact Ms Baker via [email protected]
Ms Baker’s PhD is funded by the Australian Research Council funded Digital Enhanced Living Hub of which ACH Group is also a partner. Her PhD is supervised by Sue Gordon, Professor of Healthy Ageing, who has a co-funded position between ACH Group and Flinders University.
