News

ACH Group is set to invest more than $1 million to upgrade its residential care homes at McLaren Vale and Rostrevor.

The upgrades are set to commence in August and will include a new reception and welcoming entry at Colton Court, McLaren Vale, and a new gym and café that will be open to the public at Milpara, Rostrevor.

Leading Adelaide architect Walter Brooke, whose portfolio includes the Adelaide Oval redevelopment, Australian Federal Police headquarters and ACH Group’s ViTA facility, has been appointed to design the projects. Well regarded South Australian firm, Marshall Brougham, will undertake construction.

Colton Court residential care home at McLaren Vale will also be upgraded to include a new reception area and welcoming entry, undercover drop-off zone for residents and visitors, refurbished walkways and improved storage units.

ACH Group CEO Frank Weits says the upgrades are in line with ACH Group’s Healthy Ageing approach which aims to make it as easy as possible for residents to remain physically, mentally and socially active.

“We want to ensure that our residential care offerings continue to offer innovative models of care and the best in modern facilities to support people to live well as they age,” Mr Weits says. “New gyms will support active ageing, cafes open to the public will foster community connection and an innovative studio apartment at Rostrevor will pioneer small scale living within residential care.”

Anthony Balsamo, Associate Director from Walter Brooke Architecture, describes the design vision for the upgrades as having a strong focus on improving the health and wellbeing of all residents. “The refurbishments will bring further amenity to each home and further encourage people to enjoy and spend time together in multiple newly appointed communal spaces,” says Mr Balsamo.

Each stage of the projects will be carefully staged to minimise disruption to residents, staff and volunteers during the construction phase, which is due for completion early in 2020.

A not-for-profit organisation established in 1952, ACH Group operates eight fully accredited residential care homes across Adelaide and the Fleurieu each with their own signature features and strong links with the community.

ACH Group’s arts community is set to take a trip ‘Around the World’ at this year’s South Australian living Arts (SALA) Festival.

In its ninth year as part of SALA, ACH Group’s community of customers, volunteers and staff has submitted over 240 works to be exhibited across a record 10 venues state-wide.

Works have been created by community arts groups, run across metropolitan Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula, as well as art classes in residential care homes and ceramic and jewellery making workshops run by ACH Group in conjunction with JamFactory that are open to people living with neurological conditions and people over the age of 65.

ACH Group Manager Social Inclusion and Programs Gwyn Elson said works had been submitted across a range of mediums, from jewellery and ceramics to photography and painting. “This year we invite people to explore the influence and uniqueness of different cultures, travel destinations and experiences through art,” she said. “We’re thrilled to be involved in this inclusive festival that celebrates the creative talents of our customers, volunteers and employees.”

ACH Group will again invite the wider community to try art for the first time via a series of free art classes, along with printmaking, a sketching tour of the Art Gallery of South Australia, jewellery and metal, ceramics and spoon carving workshops at JamFactory. Come ‘n’ try classes will be held in Yankalilla, Torrensville, Victor Harbor, McLaren Vale, Newton, Ridgehaven and Adelaide.

“We know that art can bring so many benefits, including relaxation, a sense of satisfaction and joy, the chance to make new friends and challenge ourselves to try something new,” Ms Elson said. “Art classes give people the opportunity to try art for the first time or renew an old passion or interest.”

Flinders Medical Centre Arts in Health Manager Sally Francis said there was growing evidence that ‘Art on Prescription’ programs introduced in the UK – where doctors prescribe ‘art and culture’ to patients – were improving health and wellbeing, saving costs for GP practices and reducing hospital admissions.

“Art can be therapeutic as a simple diversional activity and a distraction, but also therapy-based and a valuable form of self-expression and communication, increasing feelings of self-worth, self-esteem, confidence and identity. There is a myriad of neurological effects and hormonal responses, which improve health and wellbeing and can change behaviours in a positive and long term way.”

Ms Elson said ACH Group, which marked its 65^th anniversary in 2017, had long recognised the value of art in healthy ageing.  “We’ve been running arts classes for older South Australians for more than 30 years,” she said. “Our arts focus is one of 50 different social programs across South Australia.”

ACH Group’s SALA exhibition is supported by a grant from the ACH Group Foundation.

Find an ACH Group venue near you.

Pictured: ACH Group’s 2019 SALA exhibition includes works produced in ceramics workshops held in conjunction with JamFactory.

ACH Group has been recognised as finalists in two categories in the Aged & Community Services (ACSA) SA & NT Awards for Excellence announced at the National Wine Centre on Friday.

The ACSA Awards promote and recognise excellence in a range of areas that contribute to the quality of life of older people, people with disabilities and or their carers.

The Awards also acknowledge efforts to increase public confidence and community involvement in aged and community care services.

ACH Group finalists:

ACSA Employee of the Year Award: Teresa Moran, ACH Group Product Co-Design Manager

Teresa is a passionate advocate for people living with dementia and the delivery of evidence-based best practice. During her time at ACH Group, Teresa has helped shape the delivery of services and the organisation’s dementia learning and development program. She has developed training to target specific job roles, including recent trials of empathy suits as part of care and support worker training in partnership with the University of Sydney.

ACH Group Head of Service Design and Production Innovation Ivy Diegmann said: “Teresa leads and inspires the ACH Group workforce, students and volunteers to change the way they deliver dementia services through risk reduction, earlier diagnosis and support, living well with dementia through to comfort, care and maintenance of dignity at end of life. Teresa is unrelenting in challenging the myth that dementia is an inevitable part of ageing and that there is nothing that can be done to support or indeed improve quality of life. She is a passionate champion of evidence-based best practice.”

Teresa’s advocacy and approach to service co-design is informed by the latest research and clinical guidelines. Examples of her leadership include:

• Part of leadership team partnering with University of Sudney to introduce ‘empathy suits’ as part of ACH Group’s Dementia Learning and Development Competency Level Three training requirement for more than 800 care and support workers
• Redesign of Positive Behavior Support tools and processes
• Developing new business models to provide flexible respite options
• Reviewing practice against the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre ‘Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dementia in Australia’
• Co-designing new reablement services informed by the Cognitive Decline Centre ‘Supporting independence and function in people living with dementia guidelines’
• Piloting a frontline dementia evidenced-based mentoring program

With almost 80 per cent of people living in residential care and between 30 and 60 per cent of people receiving community care identifying with memory loss and or living with dementia, Teresa’s role is central to ensuring best practice and the promotion of good lives for all.

ACSA Innovation in Service or Design Award: Empathy Suits, ACH Group

ACH Group is the first aged care provider in Australia to trial ‘empathy suits’ as part of an innovative workforce training pilot through the use of three Premature Ageing Unisex Leisure (PAUL) suits.

Partnering with the University of Sydney, ACH Group has introduced the suits as part of its Dementia Learning and Development Competency Level Three training requirements for nearly 900 care and support workers.

Workforce participants wear a suit to carry out daily activities that allow them to experience a range of conditions including vision impairment, hearing loss, a hunched posture, reduced tactile sense and shortened gait.

Since the initial training pilot held in January 2019, more than 130 support and care workers had completed empathy training to the start of May 2019. The aim is for all of the organisation’s 900 care and support workers to complete the training by the end of October 2019.

ACH Group General Manager, People, Culture, Business Quality Nichole Tierney said in time, the training would be rolled out across ACH Group’s 1700+ workforce as part of onboarding and induction training.

“An ageing population worldwide makes it increasingly important that people employed in the aged care industry understand issues that older people face,” she said. “This innovative workforce training is designed to enable the workforce to experience what it feels like to be in the shoes of an older person or a person living with a disability. Developing the suits is in keeping with ACH Group’s person-centred approach and extends its toolkit to help the workforce build empathy, challenge stereotypes, respect uniqueness and individual identity, raise awareness of potential limitations in the environment and communicate effectively with customers.”

Read more about the awards.

On July 1 2019, the Australian Government introduced a new and simpler Charter of Aged Care Rights (the Charter).

This replaces previous charters to make it easier for older people receiving Australian Government funded aged care services, their families and carers to understand what they can expect from an aged care service provider, regardless of whether they are in residential care or receiving care in their home.

ACH Group CEO, Frank Weits said: “We welcome this move, which is in keeping with ACH Group’s philosophy of ensuring that customers are at the heart of what we do. This provides an important opportunity to ensure that customers are aware of their rights and what they can expect from us.”

Why a Charter?

The Charter places the customer at the centre of care by giving them choice and recognising their right to be treated with respect. It acknowledges that identity, culture and diversity are to be valued and supported. Customer responsibilities have also been revised in this new document. These changes will support aged care service providers in delivering care to customers and provide protection for the aged care workforce.

What now?

ACH Group will contact all applicable customers over the coming months to explain the new Charter and invite them to sign it.

Watch a video about the new Charter.

Read more about the Charter.

July 2019

 

As of 1 July 2019, the Australian Government have introduced Aged Care Quality Standards and Charter of Rights, giving customers a stronger voice.

The new Standards bring together Home Care services and Residential Care under one set of standards. This is one of the most significant changes to occur to the aged care sector in many years.

ACH Group has welcomed the reforms initiated by the Australian Government with Chief Executive Frank Weits saying these standards place the customer at the centre of care through choice and being treated with respect.

The Independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will monitor and assess all aged care providers against the eight new standards with respect to:

1. Consumer dignity and choice
2. Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers
3. Personal care and clinical care
4. Services and supports for daily living
5. Organisation’s service environment
6. Feedback and complaints
7. Human resources
8. Organisational governance

Frank said, “At ACH Group, no matter what we do, the emphasis is to always put our customers first. Our focus aligns closely to the new Aged Care Quality Standards.”

“Together with our Good Lives philosophy, we are well placed to respond to our customers’ needs and committed to maintaining full accreditation across all areas of the organisation.”

The new Charter of Aged Care rights has coincided with the introduction of the Standards. Read more about the introduction of the Charter of Aged Care Rights.

Resources

Further resources on Aged Care Quality Standards include:

• Aged Care Quality Standards factsheet (PDF)
• Information about your involvement in the accreditation process
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission website
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission’s video about what the new standards mean for aged care recipients

July 2019

A group of residents from ACH Group’s Kapara Residential Care Home at Glenelg South experienced the latest in transport technology when they participated in the driverless bus trial at Glenelg last week.

The residents, aged from 72 to 95, caught the bus from the South Esplanade shared pathway from the Stamford Grand Hotel to Broadway Kiosk as part of a six-month Olli bus autonomous vehicle trial that ended on Sunday (June 30).

They provided their feedback on the experience which will form part of a Trial Close Out Report to be presented to the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).

The $1.6 million trial, part funded by a $700,000 grant from the State Government’s Future Mobility Lab Fund, includes the use of the ‘Olli’ shuttle and two portable ‘smart transit hubs’ known as ‘Matilda’.

South Australian company SAGE Automation developed Matilda that has the ability to partner with any autonomous vehicle, including the Olli driverless vehicle developed by US-based Local Motors.

ACH Group’s manager at Kapara Lyn Bertram said the trial was in keeping with ACH Group’s Healthy Ageing Approach which aimed to ensure people remained connected with the local community and continued to participate in community activities.

“This is a great opportunity for residents to experience the latest in transport technology and to contribute their voices to the trial,” Ms Bertram said. “Research around the world has shown that people who are active and socially connected are happier, have a better sense of wellbeing and overall health, regardless of age or health status.”

SAGE General Manager – Transport, Damian Hewitt, said Matilda has been deliberately constructed to ensure that the technologies are designed to support individual needs, especially those with mobility issues such as older people or people living with a disability.

“The trial is aimed at showcasing how driverless technologies could share public spaces with pedestrians, cyclists, animals and recreational activities.”

“Technologies built into the Matilda include T-coil loops to connect to hearing aids, removable wheelchair ramps, sign-language interpretation and large interactive touch screens. We have seen many older Glenelg residents using the free service to grab a coffee at the Broadway kiosk, or travel to Glenelg for groceries which were previously a challenge to access, due to mobility restraints.”

Kapara is one of ACH Group’s eight residential care homes. Located at Moseley St, Glenelg South, it has been developed around a large historical homestead.

ACH Group has welcomed its first international volunteer, Austrian university student Andre Gramlich, who is volunteering his time and skills to the IT department.

Andre, who is working towards his Masters in Artificial Intelligence with Netherlands University, is in Adelaide as part of a semester-long exchange with Adelaide University.

He has been working with ACH Group’s Data Science Specialist Pedro Junqueira on ACH Group’s data analysis.

Andre was introduced to ACH Group via Pedro’s wife, who was lecturing at the Study Adelaide Workshop, and he has enjoyed learning from and sharing his knowledge with a large organisation.

“It has been good to experience an Australian working environment and find out how much it differs from home,” he says. “I’ve enjoyed my time here.”

Andre plans to travel around Australia in July before he returns to Austria in August.

ACH Group Volunteer Team Leader Tay Parker says 390 volunteers work in a variety of roles across ACH Group.

“Our volunteers work across a wide range of roles and they can be students, part time workers or even employees who are looking to give back to the organisation and our customers.”

Caption: ACH Group’s Data Science Specialist Pedro Muller Coimbra Junqueira has been working with international exchange student Andre Gramlich, who signed on as a volunteer in May.

ACH Group Board Director Brenda Wilson has been recognised with an Order of Australia (AM) medal in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List announced yesterday.
Her medal was awarded for “significant service to community health, and to the people of South Australia through a range of roles.”
Prof Wilson has worked in the health industry since 1973 in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in Australia and the UK. In addition to her Board position with ACH Group, Professor Wilson is a Director at ACHA Health, a Member of Flinders University Council and Executive Committee, a Director of the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Governing Council, and a Director of the State Opera South Australia. Brenda is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She was the recipient of the 2000 Telstra Business Women’s Award: Corporate and Government Sector and the 1999 Johnson and Johnson Wharton Fellowship program. In 2014, Professor Wilson was appointed as South Australia’s first female Lieutenant Governor.

 

Maxine Bawden says she has a renewed sense of purpose now that she is volunteering with ACH Group’s East Arts Group. 

Maxine’s husband passed away 18 years ago and, with no children and not many family members left in Adelaide, she found she was mostly on her own. 

“I started going on bus trips with ACH Group’s Social Links program and I used to help people around me, and someone suggested I would be a good volunteer. 

“That was two years ago. Now I volunteer with an art class and help with bus trips and on op shop trips.” 

Maxine helps set up the room at Thebarton Community Centre on Mondays, brings artists cups of tea, helps with anything they need and enjoys chatting with people. 

“I love coming out and getting to know people, and helping people makes me feel good, too.” 

Find out more about ACH Group’s Social Links program here: https://achgroup.org.au/discover-and-explore/social-activities/ 

 

Becoming an ACH Group Volunteer is a simple process, find out more >

Bea Plush is a volunteer with ACH Group’s Sing for Joy choir at Wynn Vale as well as a member of the group. She was instrumental in organising a series of intergenerational performances with the Wynn Vale and Ridgehaven Primary School choirs. She helped secure a grant from the City of Tea Tree Gully, helped book the venue, organized rehearsals and ticketing. As part of her volunteer role, she helps transport choir members to and from rehearsals and concerts.

“I heard a radio interview a few years ago and they were talking about this ‘Sing for Joy’ choir and I thought ‘that sounds like me’, so I decided to give it a go,” Bea says. “My teaching career was coming to a close, and singing in a choir was on my list of things I wanted to do. And I loved it from the first moment.”

Bea also volunteers as an English teacher, travelling to China to teach English to English teachers.

“I’ve always believed in making the most of every opportunity and I find volunteering challenging, interesting and rewarding.”

 

Becoming an ACH Group Volunteer is a simple process, find out more >