News and reminders in brief

Here are some news briefs and reminders from the early January grapevine.

• Honouring 20 years of service
  

Congratulations to physiotherapy aide, Jill Brennan, (picutred) on 20 years of service with Lutheran Community Care in Queensland.  Jill has chalked up the full 20 years working at Wahroonga Retirement Village in the central Queensland town of Biloela.    

During that time, her duties have included assistant in nursing, physiotherapy aide and workplace health and safety officer and Jill is now studying a massage course.

Jill says she has stayed in the role for 20 years because she loves her work.  

“I liked what I was doing and I have a lot of variety in my job and I have fun. 

“I love making people feel worthy and reinforcing their self-worth even if they’re bedridden,” she said.  “If you’re happy then they’re happy too.   My motto is you have to give love and respect to receive it.”

Jill’s advice for newcomers to the aged care industry is to “give it your best.” 

“Young upcoming nurses need to be mature when working alongside the residents,” she said.

“We work in their homes – they don’t live in our workplace. […] Be yourself and have fun while working within the policies and procedures. 

The retirement village’s ‘Heart of Wahroonga’ tree now features a plaque commemorating her years of service from 1993 (pictured here with Jill).
 

• Final places – rural and remote healthcare study tour

The Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM) has only a few remaining places on its forthcoming Darwin and Northern Territory study tour.  The tour, offered for the first time in May 2013, is pitched at health professionals with a particular interest in rural and remote and disaster medicine.   12-15 May 2013.  For further information see the study tour brochure.

• 31 January closing date – Financial well-being survey 

Accountancy and management consultancy, Bentleys is seeking input now from aged care providers for phase two of its annual Benchmarking Survey.  Phase two requires providers to input profit and loss and other operational data before the new deadline of 31 January 2013.

According to Bentleys, this data will be used to provide a benchmarking report which measures the provider’s financial performance and provides assistance with resource planning to improve the long term financial sustainability of their service.

Bentleys Director, Heath Shonhan, said results of the survey will help participants in “gaining a better understanding of the true performance of their service.”

“Analysis of provider data also offers invaluable insight into performance across the industry to better inform the sector and its funders, contributing to current discussions around concepts of efficiency, and return on equity, and potentially impacting future funding models.”

All data entry can be completed online via a secure website –  www.agedcaresurvey.com.au.

The Bentleys Aged Care Survey is in its 18th year.  Participation is free and is open to all aged care providers.

To find out more about the survey, click here. 
 

• Next stop: Mother’s Day Classic

Registration is open for the annual Women in Super Mother’s Day Classic, Australia’s biggest breast cancer research event.   Every Mother’s Day for the past 15 years,  Australians have walked or run to fund research and honour those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

The 16th annual event will take place on Sunday 12 May 2013, in more than 55 locations around Australia.  It is open to all ages and fitness levels and participants range from large teams brightly and creatively dressed in pink costumes, through to inter-generational family groups and running enthusiasts. 

Since it began, more than a quarter of a million Australians have taken part, helping to raise almost $15 million for the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s research programs.  As well as raising valuable dollars for research, organisers say the event has a wonderful “heart” and vibe, where people can honour their loved ones who have faced breast cancer. Since the event started, Australian women’s survival rates from breast cancer have increased to 85%.  More info on the event can be found at www.mothersdayclassic.com.au.