Staff Matters – Issue 127

Staff matters November 3, 2017 - Issue 127 Week 17

Cherrywood Hub Opens with Industry Leading Supports

In This Issue 1 Cherrywood Hub Opens with Industry Leading Supports

2 Staff Profile Afford Culture Makes Us The Best!

Rehan Makes A Splash

3 Cherrywood Hub Opens with Industry Leading Supports Cont.

Afford Supporters are Winners!

It’s official - the new Cherrywood Hub is open! The Hon. Ray Williams, Minister for Disability Services officially opened the Cherrywood Hub this week during a ceremony attended by many Afford staff, clients, and their families. The Cherrywood Hub is an industry first based in Llandilo, that incorporates interactive programs and activities to deliver whole-of-life supports to our clients.

4 Keeping Clients SAFE Selfie Of the Week Have a Laugh

The Chairman of our Board, Neville Barnier led the opening ceremony, excited for the future of the Cherrywood Hub, which is a one-of-a-kind for the disability industry.

Designed to provide clients with greater choice of more person-centred supports, Afford’s Cherrywood Hub will provide opportunities for our clients to enhance their skills for independent living, to join the workforce or find happiness in a new setting.

Mr Williams was impressed with the new Cherrywood Hub and congratulated Afford on the redevelopment of the this site, the two new Lifestyle Centres and a Secret Garden, which are aligned with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) values to provide individuals with more person centred supports and choice.

The clients enjoyed exploring the sensory garden centrepiece, that spans most of the outside grounds and incorporates a walk through fairy garden with seating area for imaginations to run wild in fantasy and fairytale; an ‘old car’ garden area which has a vintage car as its centrepiece; as well as an old speed boat area, surrounded by beach themed landscaping for clients to explore using a variety of textures.

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Let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Reminder Don’t forget to send your/clients’ achievements, good news stories and photos to CELEBRATE@afford.com.au

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November 3, 2017 - Issue 127

Staff Profile

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Afford Culture Makes Us The Best!

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CHOICE

At Afford, we value the contributions of every staff member and we celebrate our successes together.

Throughout all of our organisation, we know that we are leaders because we apply common sense to everything we do, rather than just assuming ‘common knowledge’.

Dongquan Van Nguyen IT Support Minchinbury

Favourite Song: It’s My Life – Bon Jovi Favourite Movie: Johnny English, 2012 and Patriots’ Day. Favourite Hobbies: Gym, swimming and attending sporting events and concerts.

Favourite Foods: Spaghetti bolognaise.

If you could be an animal what would you be: A Monkey What is your dream holiday destination: Hawaii If you had the power what would you change about the world: Everyone lives forever!

What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you: Delivered Pizza Hut to my house on my 14th birthday back in 2005.

If you had to teach something what would you teach: Computers and/or English.

Something no one knows about me: Sometimes I have a temperamental mood depending on what is going on in my life.

let your abilities soar

Leaders within our organisation are those that are able to manage situations well. Working as a team we need to be mindful of every person’s role and supporting our whole team.

If everyone takes an approach that is hard headed, but not hard hearted, that is realistic and not idealistic, that is driven by a sense of humanity as well as fairness, we will all succeed as a group and as a team.

Keeping up with Afford communications is one way we can deliver industry best practice as a team. Staff Matters is delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Set aside some time every day to read email communication from Afford so you stay across all organisational activities and information.

By working together we will continue to be a leading disability service provider for Sydney!

Rehan Makes A Splash

Rehan is a client who attends Campbelltown Lifestyle Centre. Recently, Afford staff offered Rehan’s father the chance to join them in attending a swimming session for the last term of the year. Rehans father jumped at the opportunity and as was very excited that Afford could make such an amazing memory possible.

The morning of the swimming session, which was also Rehan’s first day of swimming, Rehan was so excited that he refused to eat his morning tea (which is unheard of for Rehan!). He was all smiles and eager to get going.

Afford staff arranged for a manual hoist to be taken along to the swimming session so that Rehan could be easily and safely transferred into the water chair. Anthony, our Lifestyle Assistant supported Rehan to float and swim around, while Dyane, Lifestyle Assistant spotted from outside of the pool. Although a little nervous at first, Rehan was soon trying to splash the staff with water and proudly showed his cheeky smile. Rehan’s father was very happy with the program and is looking forward to attending again.

www.afford.com.au

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November 3, 2017 - Issue 127

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Cherrywood Hub Opens with Industry Leading Supports Cont.

In addition, Cherrywood Hub also has garden beds for clients to plant, grow and harvest vegetables for use during cooking classes, as well as a petting zoo filled with chickens for clients to learn about the responsibility of caring for animals.

Cherrywood Hub is truly an industry leading centre that supports people with disability to achieve their life goals and happiness. Whether it is in the sensory garden, engaging with the animals, taking part in programs or enjoying an outing with friends they have made, Cherrywood Hub was designed to make learning life skills fun.

No other sensory garden within the disability sector offers clients so many opportunities to learn through tactile exploration and have a place that invites discussion and building of friendships.

Clients have contributed to the decoration of Cherrywood Hub by creating the amazing mural and totem pole artworks that sit proudly throughout the site, so everyone has ownership of the space and its development.

The delight of the day for clients was getting up close and personal with the animals, facilitated by Dave from Bushbred.

Afford Supporters are Winners!

Afford’s social media following has experienced significant growth over the past few months and we appreciate all the support that we receive from our Facebook followers.

So, we thought the lead up to Christmas would be the perfect opportunity to run our very first Facebook competition!

To be in the running to win, entrants had to explain in 25 words or less what they would spend the $500 visa card prize on and share our page.

We received an overwhelming response to the competition, but of course there can only be one winner. After much deliberation, we are excited to announce our very deserving winner, Tania Batten, who needed help replacing her non-verbal son’s broken iPad. Tania has won a $500 gift card and we wish her all the best.

let your abilities soar

www.afford.com.au

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November 3, 2017 - Issue 127

Keeping Clients SAFE

At Afford, we take pride in the supports we provide our clients and understand that there is great responsibility involved attending to the needs of individual clients, especially when administering medication.

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Afford has now developed a best practice system called SAFE (STOP and SETTLE, ARRANGE , FIRST IN LINE, ENSURE and ESCALATE) to ensure the safe administration of medication for clients.

• STOP and SETTLE: Stop everything else that is going on to focus on administering medication. This is also time for the appropriate staff member to put on a safety vest as a visual cue to let everyone know that it is nearing the time to take medication. Settle any commotion and advise that medication will be taken soon.

• ARRANGE: Medication needs to be administered in a dedicated room (staff office) away from everything else. This is important as it ensures there are no distractions or interruptions. Medications should be arranged in a logical and orderly way on a clear table prior to anyone entering the room. During this time, individual client medication Webster-paks must be checked to ensure they are clearly labelled, including the client’s photo, and undamaged. If there is damage or if the staff member has any doubt, they need to follow the Red Alert Procedure and be advised on the appropriate steps to be taken for that client.

• FIRST IN LINE: Clients must be administered medication one and a time. There should be no crowding around a medication room or zone.

• ENSURE and ESCALATE: Staff need to ensure that clients receive the right medication. Each client needs to be individually checked and asked to personally confirm their photo ID on their Webster-pack, immediately prior to taking medication. Staff also need to ensure that clients take their medication correctly and, in particular, that clients have swallowed their medication properly. If a client has not taken their medication correctly, then Afford staff need to escalate and call the NSW Poisons Hotline - 13 11 26.

For an overview of SAFE protocol, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbwmE9Que6Y Taking care of our clients and ensuring best practice when dealing with medication administration is of the highest importance and is the responsibility of us all. Be SAFE!

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Have a laugh

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In the Selfie Above: Oran Park Staff - Skye Southcombe, Tracey Anderson, Linda Port, Belinda Smith and Antoinette Imbruglia taking a spooky selfie!

let your abilities soar www.afford.com.au

Please send in your selfies or laughs