Achievements

Anglican Care is constantly striving to provide excellent care, quality lifestyle both in service delivery and in addressing the needs of its staff and the community. The following provides a summary of some of Anglican Care’s recent achievements.

Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards 2012

Anglican Care had four staff and one volunteer named as finalists in this year’s Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards. There were more than 120 nominations received across the seven award categories. Shane Johannessen from Carey Bay Village was named as the winner of the Trainee of the Year Award.

Lake Macquarie City 2012 Business Excellence Awards

Anglican Care was named as a finalist in the above Awards in the Not for Profit and Charity categories.

These awards were open to all businesses in Lake Macquarie and were aimed at showcasing the area's success and to encourage all businesses to strive for excellence.

Better Practice Awards 2012

Anglican Care has been awarded their third Better Practice Award in the category of ‘Innovation’ for the development and implementation of a workplace safety 'Take 5 Calendar'.

The calendar, with the slogan "Think it - Talk it - Walk it" was developed by Anglican Care's HR Department in consultation with Anglican Care's manual handling coaches to provide continual workplace safety awareness. The calendar encourages a culture that promotes a healthy workplace and reinforces Anglican Care's policies on workplace safety, discrimination, bullying and harassment. It also supports the "Smart Moves Exercise program" and the "Basic Personal Skills Protective Program."

Club Grants 2012

Anglican Care was successful in obtaining funding from the 2012 Club Grants Scheme. Toronto Diggers will be providing funding to Anglican Care to support the ‘Anglican Care Community Lifestyle Enrichment Program’.

Aged and Community Services (ACS) 2012 State Awards for Excellence

Anglican Care placed second in the Organisation category and third in the Employee category of the 2012 ACS State Awards for Excellence.

This is the fifth year Anglican Care has been recognised in these awards, having won the Individual Award in 2006, the Organisation Award in 2009, runner up in both Organisation and Media categories in 2010, and the Media Category in 2011.

Anglican Care has earned recognition on the basis of their caring and professional approach and demonstration of innovation, excellence and leadership in the categories of People Management, Training, Development, Technology, Environment and External Marketing and Communications.

2011 NSW Seniors Week Grants Program

Anglican Care was again successful in receiving funding from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care as part of the 2012 Seniors Week Grants. Funds received enabled Anglican Care to organise a Memory Magic Inter-Facility Challenge.

Positive Living in Aged Care Awards

Anglican Care has been awarded a 'High Commendation' for the implementation and evaluation of its Memory Magic program at the 2011 Positive Living in Aged Care Awards. Memory Magic is a unique therapeutic activity that combines general knowledge with reminiscence.
The Positive Living in Aged Care Awards aim to recognise residential aged care providers in NSW who are implementing strategies to promote a positive approach to the prevention and management of mental health conditions.

Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards

Two of Anglican Care’s long-serving staff members, Anne McQueen and Gary Biggs were awarded Trainee of the Year and Care Staff of the Year (Residential Aged Care) respectively at the 2011 Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards. The aim of the Awards is to recognise staff that “shine” in their commitment to providing excellence in their work in aged care and who show a passion for the older person as part of their everyday work in the provision of person centred and innovative care.

Better Practice Awards

Anglican Care has won national acclaim with two Better Practice Awards from the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd, across its eight Hunter and Central Coast residential care facilities. The annual Better Practice Awards recognise quality improvements and better practice within the Aged Care sector and serve as exemplars to encourage improvement and innovation across the industry. Accreditation Agency Chairman, Mr Jim Harrowell AM, congratulated Anglican Care for its recent initiatives, including the innovative ‘Cameos for Empathy in Dementia Care’ project and the implementation of the ‘Memory Magic’ program.

"Booragul Blokes Shed Project"

Anglican Care has been successful in obtaining funding through the Commonwealth Government's Dementia Community Support Grants Program to establish a Men's Shed at McIntosh Hostel. The aim of the project is to provide a dedicated Men's shed area for Anglican Care's male residents to enhance their wellbeing, health and quality of life. The "Booragul Blokes Shed" is a way to provide meaningful activities for all of our male residents living with dementia. The initiative will increase opportunities for conversation, camaraderie and wellbeing.

2011 NSW Seniors Week Grants Program

Anglican Care was successful in receiving funding from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care as part of the 2011 Seniors Week Grants. Funds received enabled Anglican Care to organise a BBQ Luncheon for our Retirement Living Residents, Community and Day Therapy Centre clients. Staff planned a day of fun, food and entertainment to thank their residents and clients for their commitment to the community. Entertainment was provided by the Teralba Primary School Choir.

Aged & Community Services (ACS) 2011 State Awards for Excellence

Anglican Care was recently named as the winner of the Media Award in the Aged & Community Services (ACS) Awards for Excellence 2011.

The Media Award recognises an individual or organisation whose efforts result in the positive portrayal of older people, and/or aged and community care services to the broader community. This could be via any form of media e.g. print, radio, television, web.

Anglican Care’s submission centred around the publicity that Anglican Care received in relation to the introduction of our Broadband for Seniors Kiosks and in particular the journey of one of our Residents, Marion Britt, in using this technology.

2010/11 Positive Ageing Grants

Anglican Care was recently successful in obtaining a $5,000 grant through the 2010/11 Positive Ageing Grants Program. The monies received will support Anglican Care's 'The Age of Technology' project. This project will be run in conjunction with Careerlinks and will involve students from local schools visiting Anglican Care's residential aged care facilities and participating in the Broadband for Seniors Kiosks and Nintendo Wii Games consoles with our residents.

HR Leader Compass Awards 2010

Anglican Care's Human Resources Team was recently named as a finalist in the HR Leader Compass Awards. Nominated in the category of Employer of the Decade, the award recognises organisations which have shown consistently excellent people strategies over the last 10 years. Entrants were required to detail:

One unique, outstanding people strategy that sets the company apart from others
Evidence of a consistent reputation / status within the broader industry and business community
A clear link between HR and business strategy, using people as a source of competitive advantage
A consistently strong and proven employee value proposition
Evidence of ongoing measurement (and positive results) of employee engagement
Evidence of thoughtful leadership in the HR field

Press Ganey 2010 Success Story Contest

Anglican Care was recently named a finalist in the above Contest. These awards provide a framework for recognising excellence in customer service and care, staff development and recognition, doctor involvement, leadership support and other key performance issues both internal and external. Anglican Care’s submission centred around the implementation of the Memory Magic program and the benefits of this program to our residents and clients. Anglican Care was chosen as one of nine finalists from seventy applications.

Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards 2010

The Hunter Aged Care Achievement Awards were introduced into the region in 2010 as a way to acknowledge people working in the aged care industry in the Hunter region, with the aim to recognise staff who ‘shine’ in their commitment to providing excellence in their work in the aged care industry and have a passion for the older person as part of their everyday work.

Anglican Care nominated several staff and volunteers in the categories Aged Care – Care Staff of the Year (Residential Aged Care), Aged Care Allied Health Professional of the Year, Aged Care Registered Nurse of the Year and Aged Care Volunteer of the Year.

Bruce Thompson, Anglican Care’s Physiotherapist, was named the winner of his category - Aged Care Allied Health Professional of the Year – at the Awards dinner held on Thursday, 12 August 2010. This was a fantastic achievement both for Bruce and Anglican Care. Bruce’s position is unique within the Hunter region as Anglican Care is the only aged care provider to employ a full-time physiotherapist, allowing residents to receive a continuous level of this type of care. Furthermore, Anglican Care provides support to Bruce’s position with the provision of Physio Assistants within each of Anglican Care’s three nursing homes.

2010 Hunter Business Awards

Anglican Care was a finalist in this year’s Hunter Business Awards in the category ‘Contribution to the Region’. This award recognises an organisation that has substantially contributed to the ongoing prosperity and growth of the Hunter.

Anglican Care’s submission defines our special contribution to the Hunter region, which includes meeting the needs of seniors within the community in ways that enable us to promote the wellbeing of the older generation, while being cost effective for the community as a whole. All of Anglican Care’s services demonstrate a commitment to the economic and social benefits of the community.

Anglican Care strongly believes that it has a social responsibility in providing high quality aged care services to meet current and future demands and this is demonstrated in our ongoing desire to build new services and expand our current services.

2010 Newcastle Community Volunteer Awards

Anglican Care was accepted and received a Newcastle Community Volunteers Award in 2010. Anglican Care’s submission was for the work that all of our volunteers do within our organisation, which is a great way to acknowledge their outstanding contribution.

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Grierson MP, presented the Awards at a Presentation Ceremony on 28 July with Elizabeth Appleby accepting Anglican Care’s Award on behalf of all of our wonderful volunteers.

Memory Magic Program

Anglican Care is the first aged care provider in Australia to purchase and implement this innovative program for use throughout our Residential Aged Care Facilities and Day Therapy Centre. Memory Magic is a unique therapeutic activity that combines general knowledge with reminiscence. Based on Montessori principles, the programme was developed to provide an interesting and entertaining activity for people with cognitive difficulties. Some of the positive outcomes that the program aims to achieve are as follows:

Promotes the use of cognitive abilities and fine and gross motor skills
Stimulates social interaction
Reduces behavioural disturbances
Creates an enjoyable failure-free experience.

Dementia Community Support Grants

Anglican Care recently received funding as part of the Commonwealth Government’s Dementia Community Grants program. Funds received will allow Anglican Care to roll out their innovative “Cameos for Empathy in Dementia Care Project’, both to the Anglican Care and wider communities. Based on the ‘Habilitation Model’ the information sessions will incorporate the use of puppets, role playing and skits. The project aims to provide the carers of people suffering from dementia with the knowledge to be better able to empathise and communicate with the dementia sufferer, thereby making care partnering more effective and enriching.

2010 NSW Seniors Week Grants Program

Anglican Care was successful in receiving funding from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care as part of the 2010 Seniors Week Grants. Funds received enabled Anglican Care to organise a function for a number of our low care residents ‘Cruising through Seniors Week’. A wonderful time was had by residents who enjoyed cruising the beautiful Lake Macquarie with Lake Macquarie Cruises. The outing allowed the opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge Seniors Week with fellow residents, staff and volunteers.

Aged & Community Services (ACS) – 2010 State Awards for Excellence

The ACS State Awards for Excellence 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. In May 2010, Anglican Care received ‘runner up finalist’ status in both the organisation and media categories of the Awards.

The media award recognised Anglican Care’s efforts in receiving wide spread media coverage in relation to the ‘technology’ programs that have been introduced to our residents. These include the use of the Nintendo Wii’s in our lifestyle and wellbeing programs and the introduction of the Broadband for Seniors Kiosks. The submission for our organisation award centred around the human resource initiatives Anglican Care has introduced - the 4R’s – Recruitment, Retention, Recognition and Recycling, together with our first-rate lifestyle and wellbeing programs.

Aged & Community Services (ACS) – 2009 State Awards for Excellence

In June 2009, Anglican Care was awarded the ‘Organisation Award’ for its Intergenerational Program. The two primary objectives of the Programme for older adults and young people included:

The provision of activities or programs that increase interaction between the two generations that involves the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience between young and old, resulting in education, friendship and caring.
The ability to provide employment opportunities for young adults.

Career Links Workplace Excellence Awards – 2009

In November 2009 Anglican Care’s Jesmond Grove Hostel was presented with a Career Links Workplace Excellence Award for its innovative Nintendo Wii Intergenerational Program, which brings together hostel residents and students from Callaghan College Wallsend Campus.

HR Leadership Awards –2009

The Australian HR Awards is Australia's leading event for recognition of benchmark HR practice. In 2009 Anglican Care was a Finalist for the Hays Award for Innovation in Recruitment and Retention.

Anglican Care’s submission demonstrated excellence in the following areas:

Strategies to identify talented, skilled employees externally and high potentials internally
Approaches to recruiting, measuring and assessing capability and performance
Innovative initiatives in developing and leveraging employer branding
Quality induction processes and programs
Evidence in leadership development, as well as personal development opportunities
Evidence of ongoing measurement of employee engagement
Methods for reaching and attracting the right applicants
Strategies for developing engagement, commitment and loyalty

Workcover Safe Work Awards - 2008

The Workcover Safe Work Awards provide recognition of health and safety excellence and recognise those who are committed to making Australian workplaces safer.
Anglican Care was a finalist in the 2008 Awards for “ Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Solution”. Anglican Care’s nomination centred on the implementation of its Manual Handling Coaches Program which takes a holistic approach to managing risks within the workplace.

Coaches are self-nominated from all levels of Anglican Care’s staff with some of their key functions as follows:

Assessing the manual handling competencies of staff.
Conducting and reviewing risk assessments of equipment and procedures.
Improving and updating Safe Work Procedure Skills Assessment resource folder through risk management.
Conducting internal education sessions.
Mentoring, supporting and encouraging staff in correct manual handling principles.
Encouraging staff to actively participate in the Anglican Care Stretching Program and other initiatives to improve overall health and wellbeing in relation to manual handling.