A message from our Care Team

December 19, 2022

We're committed to continually strengthening our partnerships in care and taking a person-centred approach to promoting existing relationships between residents and their loved ones. Crucial to this is understanding the assessment process and care planning consultations.

Assessments

Residents entering a Residential Care Home are regularly assessed by a Registered Nurse (RN) in consultation with the resident and their loved ones or representatives. The RN seeks expert opinions and recommendations from colleagues, this can include diversional therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, dieticians, wound care specialists, personal carers, podiatrists, spiritual carers and General Practitioners.

Through the entire assessment process, residents are recognised as an individual with unique personalities, needs and preferences, alongside their wishes, values and goals.  

The assessment encompasses physical, personal, emotional, spiritual and social needs, as well as risks and end of life. The results are discussed with the resident and their families or representatives, and the identified needs, preferences and wishes of the resident will be used to formulate an Individualised Care Plan.

Individualised Care Plan

An Individualised Care Plan is the 'planned care and services' that results from the assessment and reassessment process. The Care Plan directs care staff and all those attending to the resident on how they are to deliver care and services. The more detailed the assessment, the more detailed and tailored the Care Plan will be. This is just one example of how your participation is invaluable to the assessment and Care Plan process.

When a Care Plan is established, residents, loved ones and representatives can receive a copy to ensure the assessed and planned care is an accurate reflection of what has been discussed and agreed upon. This process contributes significantly to the ongoing consent process and will continue during subsequent Care Plan reviews and case conferences.

Compliance excellence

SCC is dedicated to providing high-quality care and engagement. The Australian Government’s Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission conducts unannounced and scheduled visits annually to all Aged Care Services to assess compliance with the rigorous Standards. Considering the pandemic, they have also increased their focus on infection control and management.

As an organisation committed to continuous improvement, we use these assessments as an opportunity to reflect and learn. Assessments are also a way to validate and recognise the wonderful work and achievements of our local teams and leaders.

Seventeen of our Residential Care Homes have been assessed this year and awarded a further three years of accreditation.

We would like to acknowledge the staff involved both on-site and in the support office for the hard work and dedication that such positive results reflect. What is equally as special is the immense sense of team spirit, support and encouragement that our teams across our network have for each other. They are all united in our purpose of caring about people. This is what drives them and us every day!

"Thank you to my whole team who make all the difference in the world, they were so impressed with all the feedback from the residents; it is great to know they we are up to the task. Whatever the outcome, we can only succeed because of the whole team," Amanda Cleary Schofield, Facility Manager at Deniliquin.

Purposeful Living: Residents design Christmas cards

The response to our Christmas Card Competition with residents and clients across SCC was overwhelming, with many wonderful cards produced.

Thank you to everyone involved and congratulations to Peter (Greystanes) and Joan (Merrylands), whose cards were chosen as inspiration for the design of this year's Christmas cards for fellow residents and clients, and staff.

Pictured: Peter and Joan with their winning Christmas cards.

Take care,

Gaynor Squillacioti, COO