News

Older South Australians will be supported to leave hospital sooner thanks to an Australian-first reablement program by the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) and ACH Group.

NALHN will occupy 24 private rooms at ACH Group’s brand-new state-of-the-art residential care home Healthia to help transition older people from hospital to their home or more suitable accommodation.

Half of the rooms will be dedicated to the newly created Northern Reablement and Intermediate Care to Home (NRICH) program, which will support older people experiencing delays with their hospital discharge. The Australian-first program focuses on reenabling patients in an alternative community-based setting which provides a safe home environment and specialised 24/7 care from a team of expert healthcare professionals.

NALHN staff will deliver specialist geriatric and reablement support, with person-directed day-to-day care provided by ACH Group staff.

Healthia, a $40 million development by ACH Group, is located in Elizabeth South within the Playford Health Precinct. The residential care home has adopted a small household-built form, a preferred model identified by the Royal Commission.

ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said the South Australian not-for-profit aged care provider had extensive experience in partnering with local health networks on innovative and integrated programs to support both older people live well and the acute health system.

“We know the goal for the majority of older South Australians is to remain living independently in their own home. With care from ACH Group’s specialist aged care staff and the NALHN team, NRICH will support patients to regain their health and return and live well in their own homes,” he said.

“The unique home environment and person-directed care philosophy at Healthia create a de-institutionalised and familiar setting for patients and residents which further supports their health and wellbeing.”

South Australian Minister for Health Chris Picton MP said, “NRICH is a unique program that will vastly improve the health and wellbeing of older people in our northern suburbs during their journey home from hospital.

“Not only does it provide older people with the care they need in an appropriate setting, but it also reduces hospital pressure.

“Patients will have the benefit of staying in a top-class residential care home that is warm, welcoming, and designed in a way that mimics a traditional home, so they immediately feel comfortable in their new surroundings.”

NALHN Divisional Director Aged Care, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care, Dr Alice Bourke said, “We are proud to be the first in the state to introduce NRICH, offering a unique model of care that will improve the experience and the lives of older people in our care.

“Being able to operate the service from Healthia adds to the overall patient experience as they will be supported in an environment that allows them to regain their independence with dignity, and with the encouragement of staff who are available 24/7.

“We hope this program will also have a positive impact on bed availability and flow across our hospitals, and ensure people are in the right place for their needs.”

The additional 12 private rooms occupied by NALHN will support Care Awaiting Placement – a service that provides short-term accommodation for patients as they wait for permanent residential care. While the remaining private rooms are dedicated to permanent residential care residents.

Learn more about Healthia.

ACH Group congratulates its Chair, Mary Patetsos, on her receipt of an Order of Australia (AM) award this Australia Day for her ‘contribution in the field of aged care and commitment to advancing multicultural Australia’.

Ms Patetsos joined the Board of ACH Group, a South Australian aged care provider, in October 2008 and was appointed Chair in 2018.

Further, she continues to play a critical role in helping to shape aged care reform in Australia as an Advisory Council Member on the National Aged Care Advisory Council.

“It is a great honour to be named on the Australia Day Honours List alongside many Australians making a positive impact in the community,” Ms Patetsos said.

“My dedication to the aged care industry is driven by the desire that the care older Australians receive meets their expectations and changing needs. I am passionate about enhancing aged care services and how this can be achieved through innovative ways, such as providers engaging in cross-sector partnerships with education, government, and health.

“I believe life is not an opportunity to be missed, regardless of age, gender, culture, and capacity. This outlook is reflected in my commitment to amplifying the voices of older people and culturally diverse communities.”

Ms Patetsos is also Honourable President (Immediate Past Chair) of Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) a peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

ACH Group CEO Frank Weits congratulated Ms Patetsos on her significant achievement.

“This award acknowledges Mary’s long-standing commitment to aged care in Australia,” he said.

Ms Patetsos has extensive experience across the private, government and not-for-profit sectors and serves on both national and South Australian boards.

Her memberships include:

• Chair ACH Group
• Board Member of the Can:Do Group
• Board Member of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF)
• Hon. President (Immediate Past Chair) of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA)
• Board Member of the Glenelg Community Hospital Inc.
• Member of the National Aged Care Advisory Council (NACAC)
• Member of the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) Governing Board
• Presiding Member of the South Australian Housing Trust Board
• Member of the South Australian Leaders Advisory Board; and
• Council Member of the University of South Australia

Twenty-four organisations and teams who have excelled in the disability, allied health, aged care, and community services sectors have been announced as finalists in the 2022 HESTA Excellence Awards.

ACH Group is proud to share we are a Finalist in the 2022 HESTA Excellence Awards for Outstanding Organisation – Aged Care.

We are recognised for our Connected Communities strategy which focusses on partnering with people, communities, reputable 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.

Being acknowledged as a Finalist highlights ACH Group’s positive impact in supporting older people to live good lives and the outstanding work of ACH Group’s staff and volunteers.

The winners of the Excellence Awards will be announced on 24 November.

Read the media release.

ACH Group staff and teams recognised in ACSA Over and Above Program

Earlier this year, ACH Group employees were invited to nominate a colleague or team in the ACSA Over and Above Program.

The Program, run by former aged care peak body ACSA (now Aged & Community Care Providers Association [ACCPA]), was an opportunity to reflect, pay tribute and share the stories of those employed in the aged care sector who have taken extraordinary measures this year to support customers, residents, and colleagues.

There were four categories to nominate in: Acts of Kindness, Community Connection, Innovation, and Unsung Hero.

The categories the 12 ACH Group recognitions were split between were Acts of Kindness: teams or individual staff that have displayed acts of kindness ‘over & above’ the call of duty – giving their best self to others without request or promise of return, and Unsung Hero: the unsung heroes that might usually fly under the radar but that go ‘over & above’ the everyday and exhibit exceptional qualities.

Meet the individuals and team recognised by their colleagues

• Home Care Team West
• Ground and Maintenance Team South
• Community Scheduling Team
• Luisa Greco, Social Links Group Planner
• Suman Thakur and Gagandeep Kaur, Kapara Residential Care Home Site Clerical Administrators
• Natasha Kapulski, Customer Experience Lead
• Geoff Barclay, Retirement Living Manager
• Donna Hogarth, Support Worker
• Todd Murphy, Home Care Scheduling Specialist
• Giggle Liu, Quality Assurance Business Partner
• Rob Shapcott, Group Facilities Manager
• Em Makalima-Edwards, Property Maintenance Officer

Thanks for caring

As we have just celebrated with Aged Care Employee Day, on 7 August, those working in the aged care sector, including the ACH Group staff recognised above, make incredible contributions to supporting older people to live well.

ACH Group thanks all its 1900 employs for their care and commitment.

Are you interested in joining the team at ACH Group? Learn about our current opportunities.

For Bessie Dickins visualising a new piece of art is the key to her creative process.

Bessie, who lives at ACH Group’s Milpara Residential Care Home and is exhibiting three pieces of art in the 2022 SALA Festival, is legally blind.

“I can see the art in my head, but I can’t see it on the canvas,” she said.

“As I have limited vision, it is hard work and I try to control my frustration.

“Silvia Reitenbach, the art teacher at Milpara, helps me select colours and gives direction on where to paint. She is helping me, but she doesn’t do the art for me. I appreciate this and it is very important to me – as it is my art.”

Bessie’s interest in art began in 1975 when she was inspired by the work of her friend who was talented at China painting.

“I said to her, ‘I can’t even draw stick men’, but she encouraged me to attend her China painting class at TAFE and I was hooked from the first night.”

Bessie continued to paint China until the late 1980s when she started caring for her late husband. It wasn’t until she moved into Milpara that she re-engaged.

The ACH Group arts community will show over 100 pieces in three exhibitions as part of the 2022 SALA Festival held throughout August.

Bessie has submitted three pastel on canvas works titled: ‘On the Third Day’, Russell Falls’, and ‘At Noon’.

On the Third Day

On the Third Day is inspired by Easter Sunday.

“I was up early on Easter Sunday and as I went back to bed, I went to see if the sun was up. The sun was just coming up and the sky was beautiful, it was full of colour and serenity. The big gum tree that I look out on from my room was completely still – there wasn’t a breath of air, and I was overcome. I am a Christian and I said to myself ‘he has risen’.”

Russel Falls

Bessie’s second piece, Russell Falls, is inspired by the China plate she painted and created into a clock for her parents’ 40^th wedding anniversary. Russell Falls is one of Tasmania’s most treasured locations and is where Bessie’s parents once visited.

At Noon

Her third piece is At Noon.

“At Noon is completely different to On the Third Day. Easter Sunday is light and fresh and is a new life, whereas Good Friday is a sad, dark, quiet day, which is reflected in the painting.”

Bessie said the thought process is what she most enjoys about art.“It makes me think. When I start something new, I must think what I want to do, I need to think about why I want to do it, how will I do it, what is the meaning behind the work, and so on.

“Friday afternoon is art class. I will put any other day away for people, but I will not change art for anything unless it is a very important medical appointment.”

ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said the benefits of engaging in art are endless and that is why the South Australian aged care provider has a significant art program in the community and within its residential care homes.

“Art stimulates imagination, enhances problem solving skills, creates a sense of accomplishment, can reduce stress and when done in a group setting is also a social experience,” he said.

“This is the 12^th year the ACH Group arts community will exhibit in SALA, and we are proud that the works of customers and residents is on show in a well-known and public festival.”

ACH Group’s theme for this year’s SALA is ‘invisible threads – a celebration of connection’ taking inspiration from a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, “Invisible threads are the strongest ties”.

“The theme encouraged artists to reflect on and draw inspiration from meaningful connections in their own lives, which may be in response to relationships and experiences with family, friends, or the wider community,” Mr Weits said.

To learn more about ACH Group’s involvement in SALA visit achgroup.org.au/event/sala/

Leading South Australian not-for-profit aged care provider ACH Group is celebrating its 70th birthday in 2022.

ACH Group, or as it was initially known Aged Cottage Homes, was founded in 1952 by Sir Keith Wilson, a former Senator for South Australia, and Federal Member for Sturt.

ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said throughout the seven decades the organisation has been proud to positively impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of South Australians.

“For 70 years ACH Group has supported older people to live and age well, acted as passionate advocates in challenging ageist stereotypes, and helped shape Australia’s aged care sector,” he said.

“Following in the footsteps of our founder Sir Keith Wilson, who was a trailblazer in supporting older people, ACH Group continues to be at the forefront of innovation contributing to current aged care reform and reimaging services to provide better health and wellbeing outcomes for residents and customers.”

Identifying the need for low rent home options for older people, Sir Keith championed the campaign to raise funds to build housing for older couples, with the first completed in Payneham in Adelaide’s east in 1954.

Then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies became interested in Sir Keith’s efforts as the government insisted it was preferable to have these homes built and managed by religious or philanthropic organisations rather than by government. Sir Keith’s work inspired the creation of the Aged Persons Homes Act 1954, which provided grants toward the capital of building the homes.

Evolving from the initial focus on housing, ACH Group is now one South Australia’s largest not-for-profit organisations with eight residential care homes and 700 retirement living units located across metropolitan Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula. While in the community ACH Group offers a range of help at home, health, wellbeing, respite,  and social experiences.

In 2022, ACH Group employs more than 2000 staff and supports over 20,000 older South Australians.

“Our caring and committed workforce is integral to ACH Group. I pay tribute to and thank our current and previous staff and volunteers dedicated to supporting older people to live good lives,” Mr Weits said.

Looking to the future, Mr Weits detailed a series of developments for the aged care provider including construction of Healthia, a $40 million health and education hub in Adelaide’s northern community featuring a state-of-the-art residential care home.

“Healthia, which encompasses a powerful partnership with UniSA, City of Playford and the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, will improve the health and lifestyle outcomes for Adelaide’s northern community and reimagine residential aged care,” he said.

Furthermore, ACH Group will expand its health and wellness offering in the community with a new $4.5 million Health Studio 50+ to be built in Rostrevor.

Healthia is due to open in mid-2023, while Health Studio 50+ Rostrevor is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.

A series of celebrations will be held with staff, volunteers, customers, and residents to mark ACH Group’s 70th birthday.

Download: Media release – ACH Group’s 70th birthday

ACH Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) bringing the organisations together to improve the health and wellbeing of older people.

The new agreement aims to strengthen the capacity of both organisations to jointly pursue research goals, provide expert leadership, and promote excellence in the field of ageing and aged care.

“ACH Group has recently developed a research and development strategy and our new alliance with NARI will enhance our strong commitment to being evidence-based and data informed,” ACH Group CEO Frank Weits said.

“ACH Group is passionate about re-imaging aged care, including developing new models, technology and innovations to meet the changing needs of our customers.

“This collaboration will support ACH Group to make practical changes that will have a lasting positive impact on residents, home care customers, and carers.”

NARI Acting Director, Associate Professor Frances Batchelor, said the partnership will be invaluable to both organisations, fostering research and service delivery of the highest quality.

“By working closely with an aged care organisation like ACH Group, NARI will be able to embed our research into everyday practice. In this way, evidence-based interventions can be rolled out directly into care homes and services, and we can make positive change,” Associate Professor Batchelor said.

“Building relationships with industry bodies allows for vital progress to be made, with the input and consideration of those at the heart of our work – older people and their carers. This new agreement will help us continue with our strategic approach to knowledge transfer, education, training, and upskilling of health professionals.”

With both NARI and ACH Group focused on a consumer-led approach, the partnership will provide opportunities for new research, funding, and workforce capacity building, benefiting both parties and — most importantly — the older people they support.

A total of seven events were held across ACH Group Retirement Living communities to mark the celebration.

Friendships, having a laugh, and looking out for one another were common sentiments shared at the recent events.

More than 250 retirement living residents attended events in their community hub from 22 March – 8 April, where along with enjoying a chat and food, residents shared what they most enjoy about their community.

A keep-sake board on display in the hubs has captured these thoughts.

Responses included,

• ‘The social club at JEC is so good,
• ‘I love the people we interact with and love having a laugh,’
• ‘Smiles and support when needed’.

Held annually, on the last Sunday of March, Neighbour Day is a celebration of community.

It also aims to support sustainable and respectful relationships across communities, while helping to address loneliness.

Competition Winner

As part of Neighbour Day, residents were invited to enter a competition for the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. To be in the running residents wrote a favourite memory they’d experienced with a neighbour.

While there were many lovely memories shared, there could only be one winner.

Congratulations to Helen and Tony, residents of Cornish Street.

Helen and Tony shared,

“Our first COVID affected ANZAC Day Dawn Service. We all met at dawn in our night gear in front of our units, all holding candles, with the service coming from a radio in a garage – pets included!”

ACH Group’s art community is ready for the 2021 South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival.

In its 11^th year of participation, ACH Group’s community of customers, residents, volunteers, and staff have submitted over 100 works under the theme of ‘From little things big things grow’ to be exhibited across three venues state-wide.

The majority of works have been created in ACH Group’s community arts groups, run across metropolitan Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula, as well as art classes in residential care homes.

Community class artist Stephen Hill has submitted an acrylic on canvas painting of a Monarch butterfly sitting on a sunflower.

The SALA Festival marks one year since Stephen joined the ACH Group art class held in Aberfoyle Park.

Stephen is living with Parkinson’s Disease, and the prospects of a new hobby he would enjoy, combined with being aware that art can be a useful therapy for Parkinson’s made the decision to join the group an easy one.

“With Parkinson’s there is nothing you can do about its existence and progression. It is all about managing and finding activities that might make it easier to live with it,” he said.

“The activity forces my brain and nervous system to concentrate hard, so I can hold the paint brush steady.

“Even though I had never done painting in my adult life, I have always had a certain interest in it and in high school I was fairly good at it. I am enjoying the classes and look forward to exhibiting in SALA.”

To celebrate SALA, ACH Group is offering free come and try art classes available to people aged 65 and over.

To find a class near you and for exhibition opening times visit www.achgroup.org.au/event/sala/