A ‘yes culture’ for aged care

Above: LASA chair, General Peter Cosgrove addressing the ACCV State Congress in Melbourne yesterday

By Yasmin Noone, reporting from Melbourne

The might of leadership comes not via the use of force and aggression but instead from a respectful and reverent relationship between a leader, governments and the community in which they both serve, according to the new chair of Leading Age Services (LASA) board, General Peter Cosgrove.

Itis a little over a week before the former Defence Force Chief, General Cosgrove, officially takes his spot on the LASA board, but he has already started leading the sector, presenting words of advice to an auditorium of delegates at the last ever Aged and Community Care (ACCV) State Congress in Melbourne, yesterday.

“I come with humility right at the forefront,” Gen Cosgrove said at the conference.

“I’m not going to pretend I have an instant understanding of aged care… You have thousands of collective years of experience in the aged care sector. I will try hard not to lose sight of you.”

Leading by example Gen Cosgrove stressed that aged care leaders must also approach their role with humility and pride; respect and value the older person they are there to serve, and always strive to achieve a standard that exceeds their current level of success.

Leaders should have “integrity, courage, compassion and a lot of humility”. 

“Older people have, individually and collectively, made enormous contributions to this country, their community and to their own kids,” Gen Cosgrove later said in an interview with AAA.

“And they are now in an extremely vulnerable phase of their life where they should be treated with affection, respect and dignity.

“I think if we aspire to be an affluent nation, the world’s best in the care we extend to the aged, then everyone from the best provider to the newest or least experienced, will be always on the look out to improve [their services and the customer experience].

And, if we maintain a culture of continuous improvement, then “whatever we are doing now, we will always find ways to do better”. “If this is the culture of an organisation, then the answer to any question will always be ‘yes – we have to do better’.”

But Gen Cosgrove said the respect between providers and consumers must also extend to the relationship between providers and governments. “There is this eternal partnership that has to be factored in.”

At the conference he commented: “I’m not frightened of politicians. And I don’t mind speaking to them.” Gen Cosgrove referred to his former defence force role and reminded the audience how he has mixed with people from all walks of life including army officers, politicians, media, those in war zones and even school children.  

“I understand the very difficult job politicians have got as they are always balancing [inadequate] resources with needs which are, generally, excessive,” he later added while chatting to AAA.

“So, unfortunately for them, they are in the hot seat. So we have to state our recommendation to government.

“We must ensure they understand the needs we are expressing to them…and, in the end, these needs are inescapable.”

LASA, which was formed earlier this year, has positioned itself as a new alternative national peak body for the whole spectrum of not-for-profit and for-profit organisations, as well as retirement villages. It aims to play a chief role in the aged care reform process currently underway, advocating on behalf of its members for positive change 

On 1 July 2012, Gen Cosgrove will officially start in his role as the new chair of the LASA board 

“I want everything that LASA does…to be characterised by a sort of value-judgements and behavioural professionalism. With value judgements, everything we do should spring from a desire to make our care better for elderly and needy Australians.

“And everything we do ought to also be effective and professional. If that hallmarks LASA’s activities, that will lead to the next goal: to be able, over time, increase our membership to attract some other aged care groups to join us, on the basis that the more united a voice, the louder the voice.”

Offering some final words of wisdom for sector professionals, he encouraged a united approach to aged care reform and the delivery of quality aged care services.

“We need to act together. A common understanding is better than a diversified understanding. A common goal is easier to approach than separate goals.

“And our combined energy will undoubtedly produce what I am striving for: we will be a team of teams and providers of world’s best care to aged Australians.”