Pat set to join record number of centenarians in SA

Woodville West resident Pat Ashton is one of a growing number of South Australians who are set to turn 100 in 2016.

According to ABS figures released last Friday (December 18), more Australians than ever before are qualifying for birthday wishes from the Queen.

In June last year, there were 388 South Australians aged 100 and over ­– the highest number in the state’s history.

Pat Ashton, who turns 100 in November next year (2016), still lives at home, thanks to daily visits from ACH Group home support. She leads an active life, going out with friends for dinner, regularly e-mailing her children and grandchildren, sewing and reading.

Other in-home services that she accesses via ACH Group include hair dressing, physio and home help hanging out washing and shopping.

A former high school teacher, Pat values her independence and is looking forward to receiving her Queen’s birthday wishes in her own post box.

“I love being at home,” Pat says. “This is where my husband and I built our lives together and this is where I want to be.”

ACH Group Senior Manager Marketing and Communications Jani Baker says ACH Group is well placed to cater for the needs of South Australia’s ageing population.

“We recognise that a growing number of South Australians are choosing to stay in their own homes as they age, and continue to live healthy, active lives,” Ms Baker says. “Through services such as in-home support, ACH Group continues to promote good lives for older Australians.”

The number of centenarians has gradually increased year-on-year since the 1970s.

In June, 1971 there were 18 centenarians in SA; that jumped to 114 in 1987; 191 in June 1998; 300 in June 2011 and 341 in June 2014.

Across Australia, the number of centenarians has increased by 254 per cent over the past two decades.

In the 12 months to 30 June 2015, the number of centenarians increased by 550 people (14.3 per cent) to reach 4,400.

Over the past two decades, the number of people aged 85 years and over increased by 148 per cent compared with a total population growth of 32.1 per cent of the same period.

Find out more: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/CA1999BAEAA1A86ACA25765100098A47?Opendocument

Find out more about ACH Health and Home Support Services at www.ach.org.au

Board renewal to embrace aged care future

Leading not-for-profit aged care organisation for South Australia and Victoria, ACH Group, has announced the appointment of a new Chair.

Geoff Holdich, who has served as Treasurer for the past eight years, has accepted the position during a time of unprecedented opportunity in the aged care sector which includes greater competition, use of technology and innovation and significant policy change.

Mr Holdich is Chairman of BRM Holdich, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a registered tax agent and auditor and has financial planning qualifications.

Mr Holdich was previously the Managing Partner of PKF where he was responsible for five offices in SA and NT and served on PKF’s National Council. He acts as Chairman of three other professional services firms, is active as a mentor to senior level executives and as a career management consultant.

He is also a member of the SAHT Audit and Finance Committee and up until 26 October 2015 was Treasurer and Chair of the Audit & Finance Committee of ACH Group.

“I’m very excited about assuming the position of Chair as we further embrace the consumer age in the sector,” Mr Holdich says. “Until recently, the power has been with the organisations who deliver services. As changing consumer expectation and government reforms come into play and consumers control their destinies, it’s up to us to continue to evolve into the type of business that older people choose to partner with to invent new possibilities. We commenced that evolution under outgoing Chair Brent Blanks, and I thank him for his leadership.”

ACH Group is currently growing and generating some very significant achievements, including:

  • The commissioning of the game-changing ViTA, ACH Group’s state-of-the-art centre that brings together health, aged care and education;
  • The first national trial of Consumer Directed Care;
  • The development of the CIMPACT tool to measure the impact of services on a person’s quality of life;
  • The establishment of The ACH Group Foundation; and
  • The implementation of new technology to serve the ACH Group community more effectively.