BluePrint (Dec 2019)

BLUEPRINT THE

3 Our new brand

4 The healing hens

9 New residence opens in Malvern East

A message from the CEO

Welcome to the first edition of The Blueprint , which replaces our previous newsletter, Out of the Blue . We are excited about the new name and look of our newsletter as part our recent rebrand.

We hope you like the name ‘The Blueprint’, which was picked by our residents through a popularity vote. The name was inspired by our vision and commitment to provide exceptional services and support to our consumers. Through this newsletter, we aim to bring together wonderful stories from around our residences and home care services, and the fantastic work that our people do.

The Aged Care Royal Commission Interim Report was released in November. While we are disheartened by the shocking stories of abuse and neglect as reported in the media, we know that an overwhelming majority of aged care workers work very hard to deliver quality services to the people who rely on them every day. We are very proud of our people and we stand by our commitment to support our residents and clients to live the best possible life every day.

With the year coming to a close, I wish to thank our residents, clients and their families for putting their trust in BlueCross. I am confident that 2020 will bring more positive changes and reforms, and I wish you, your family and your loved ones a happy and safe holiday season.

In our first edition of The Blueprint , it gives us great pleasure to share our bold new brand design with you. Much work has been put into the development of our new logo and brand identity as we embark on a new era as a unified organisation. A company that combines our collective strengths and is united by our people, our passion, our vision and our values. Having a new brand identity and set of values that reflects this is very important to us.

Two elements were used when developing the logo – a circle and a cross. The circle represents connectedness to the community and the cross is the universal symbol for care... and part of our name. We have arranged the five coloured circles into a cross as a key element in our brand identity. The circles also represent each of our five new values.

Our new brand

We involved our people as well as a representation of clients and families to develop the new values:

x Excellence

x Choice

x Safety

x Kindness

x Partnership

From August this year, we have been rolling out our new visual identity across our 34 residences, Central Office and our home care services.

As part of our rebrand, we have refreshed our uniforms, stationery, marketing materials, website and signage. You may have seen staff wearing new uniforms. The professional style and colour palette were selected with extensive staff and resident consultation to ensure the uniform meets both functional and comfort requirements.

Our fleet of vehicles has also been rebranded with the

bright logo, making them a striking identity on Melbourne’s roads. Signage at all exSapphire Care homes has been updated to BlueCross, with existing BlueCross residences progressively changing over the next month.

With the launch of a new BlueCross website, the old Sapphire Care website has been decommissioned. To view the new website, we invite you to visit www.bluecross.com.au.

We also have an advertising campaign running with fresh new photography and bright colours that reflect the vibrant brand BlueCross is today. This includes 3AW and Smooth FM radio stations, newspapers, transit, outdoor and online.

As a leading provider of aged care services, we now serve more than 1000 home care clients and support 2600 residents across 34

LIVING AT HOME

Robert Putamorsi Chief Executive Officer

aged care residences in Victoria. Under the new brand, we continue to provide excellent care and services to everyone we support. We hope you are as proud of our new brand as we are!

FUN

GETS OLD

1300 133 414 bluecross.com.au

1300 133 414 bluecross.com.au

NEVER

BLUECROSS HELPS YOU GET THE MOST FROM LIFE As

BlueCross Darnlee 33 Lansell Road, Toorak

New BlueCross brand on advertising (including our cover) and vehicles

The healing hens

Pets make a great companion. They are also known to lift our spirits and provide emotional support simply by being there when we are down, sick or lonely. While dogs and cats are the most common pets in Australia, physical and mental health benefits can also be derived from other animals, big or small, furry, fluffy or feathered.

At BlueCross Baradine in Mooroolbark, the healing touch comes from three feathered friends – Penny, Freckles and Henrietta. It has been ten months since these chooks made the aged care residence their permanent home, much to the delight of their fellow human residents.

Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator, Keirston Whelan, who introduced the idea to the residence, was delighted with the outcome.

“The hens play a very important role in bringing a sense of empowerment and independence to the residents,” says Keirston. “For many of the residents, their motherly instinct just kicks in.”

HenPower is a creative ageing program originally set up by UK charity, Equal Arts, to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness among people living in residential care while reducing their stress and anxiety levels.

“One resident has even made it her job to coax the hens back into the henhouse when it’s time for bed, while another resident watches from the window instructing her," says Keirston."It gives them a sense of purpose to each have a role in taking care of the hens.”

Resident Marjorie O’Brien says she adores watching the chicks hatch. Once, she even waited until 3am for the chicks to hatch before the nurses ushered her off to bed.

“I love seeing them make the first crack of the egg. Getting a first glimpse of their beak… the feeling is indescribable,” says Marjorie. “It brings back fond memories of my childhood growing up with chickens.”

Such memories can help a resident open up about their past and share their experiences with other residents, fostering interaction and communication. Another benefit is the incidental exercise that comes with every action from fussing around the chickens, according to occupational therapist Minni Griggs.

“Even residents with advanced dementia or cognitive decline can equally benefit from the interaction with animals,” says Minni. “The repetitive motion of stroking the hens have a calming and soothing effect, particularly for our residents who live with dementia. When we walk in with a chicken, their whole face just lights up.”

Our residents really enjoy the responsibilities that come with looking after the hens. "

Top Left: Resident Marjorie O’Brien with two newly hatched chicks

Top Right: Resident Ina Allman with Freckles

Bottom: (L-R): Residents Ruby Burt, Jessie Williams and Rosina Croney with the healing hens, Penny and Henrietta

Photos: Courtesy of Nicole Cleary/Herald Sun Story: Adapted

When life needs a helping hand

“I live on my own and I rely on my carers who come daily to help me with various day-today activities,” says Dorothy, who receives private home care services from BlueCross twice a day, seven days a week.

“I have a carer who comes in the morning to make my breakfast and help me shower and get dressed. She also makes the bed and cleans up the place before she leaves. In the evening, another carer comes to help me get into bed. I take Sustagen so she also gives me that.”

She enjoys reading and watching the television, but also finds the time to knit for charities supporting disadvantaged children. Originally from the United Kingdom, Dorothy moved to Australia six years ago. Prior to that, Zimbabwe and South Africa were her home for many decades when her husband, a pilot with the UK Royal Air Force, was posted there.

“I met Philip when we were working in a patent attorney’s office. We were both in our late teens then,” recalls Dorothy.

“When World War II broke out, he joined the army and we were separated for two years. During that time, I worked as a driver for the army, transporting ammunition to various places."

Dorothy and Philip married a few years later and had two children. They moved to Zimbabwe (then known as Southern Rhodesia) before relocating to Pretoria in South Africa, and finally settling down in Durban when Philip retired from service.

“When Philip died in 2010, I lived on my own for a few years. I couldn’t drive anymore so I decided to move to Australia in 2013 to be closer to family. I have a son in Australia – he has been living here for over 40 years,” says Dorothy, who has seven grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren across Australia and the UK. Having lived in three continents, Dorothy has had her fair share of travelling but one experience eludes her – cruising along the Rhine River in Europe.

“I guess I’m too old for that now, but I’ve lived a good life so I have no regrets,” says Dorothy with a twinkle in her eye. “I enjoy living here in Australia and being supported to live the life I want.”

T: 1300 133 414

Highly independent despite her advanced age, the home support Dorothy receives enables her to keep living at home."

If you are not eligible for government funded services or need more support than is funded by your program, we can help. Call us to enquire about private home care services.

Getting the right support at home can make a big difference in helping one to live independently on their own. Whether it is personal care to get ready for the day, or some help around the house to keep it spick and span, there are some services you just can’t do without, according to Dorothy Palmer, 97.

Dorothy Palmer enjoys living independently at home

New aged care standards

How they impact consumers

On 1 July 2019, a new single set of Aged Care Quality Standards for the accreditation of residential and home care services came into effect. Comprising eight standards with 42 stated requirements, the new standards focus on quality outcomes for consumers rather than provider processes. To find out how the new standards impact consumers in terms of care, service delivery and choice, we spoke with BlueCross General Manager of Clinical Review, Strategy and Improvement, Jocelyn Small.

1. Why were the new aged care standards introduced?

The new Quality Standards define what good aged care should look like. By having a single set of standards for all Australian Government funded aged care services, it is easier to check that people receive the best possible care – no matter what type of services they receive, be it residential, home care or short-term restorative care.

2. How are the new Quality Standards different?

The new Standards focus on quality outcomes for consumers, making it easier for the consumers, their families, carers and representatives to understand what they can expect from a service. Each of the eight Quality Standards is expressed three ways:

New residence opens in Malvern East

BlueCross Cresthaven, the newest aged care residence in Malvern East is now open, following a successful community Open Day on 24 August which drew a large crowd of people to the residence.

i. an expected Consumer Outcome

ii. an expectation of BlueCross as an organisation, and

iii. specific requirements to demonstrate how the Standards have been met

3. How will the new standards benefit consumers?

The new Standards promote greater transparency in managing consumer feedback, ensuring residents, clients and families feel comfortable if they wish to raise any issues or questions about the quality of care and services. The Standards support consumers to live the life they choose.

As an aged care provider, BlueCross aims to support this choice by promoting a care and services environment that is respectful, treats residents and clients with dignity and ensure individual needs, goals and preferences are known and supported.

4. How is BlueCross responding to the change?

BlueCross already strives to provide quality personcentred care and services. The new Standards were widely communicated across the organisation and staff training conducted. We also reviewed our existing processes to ensure the expected consumer outcomes were reflected and any new requirements were being met, while establishing new processes to support the expansion of consumer engagement in care and services planning, delivery and evaluation.

Comprising three levels plus basement parking, BlueCross Cresthaven is a redevelopment from the original residence and now boasts 103 rooms and a host of specialist facilities including multiple dining and sitting rooms, a club lounge, library, hairdressing salon, private dining room, as well as a cinema and café.

BlueCross Chief Executive Officer, Robert Putamorsi, says the new residence has been

custom designed to support ageing in place, making it possible for residents to continue living at the home even when their care needs change.

"We understand that it can be a daunting experience for an older person to move into residential care. That's why our residence has been purpose built and designed to create an intimate environment that feels more like home," says Mr Putamorsi.

Alena Otto, 89, was delighted to be the first resident to move into the elegant building.

"I want something that is near family, comfortable and has various facilities under one roof. This place is just perfect for me," says Alena.

For more information or to arrange a private tour, please call 1300 133 414

Staff welcome Alena Otto, first resident at Cresthaven

Nurturing a culture of culinary creativity

How does one continue to keep the chefs in a BlueCross kitchen motivated?

Getting their creative juices flowing and making the residents’ day, of course! That’s the mantra that General Manager of Hospitality Liz Goldsmith lives by to keep the chefs inspired and the residents happy. After all, celebrating special events begins in a BlueCross kitchen.

Every month, at least two special events are held at a BlueCross residence with food being a major highlight of the celebration. For example, in one particular month, residences celebrated World Chocolate Day with an “All Things Chocolate Afternoon Tea” and Bastille Day with a competition for the best “French Style Afternoon Tea”.

“Competitions are a regular component of motivation for our chefs,” says Liz. “Catering can be a very hard job, both physically and mentally as there are many legislative requirements to consider. The efforts and the great lengths that our chefs go to ensuring our residents enjoy many fun and gastronomic events are simply amazing.”

Among the many competitions this year were Daffodil Day Sweet Yellow Delights, Romantic Hearts Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Queen’s Birthday Baked Delights.

HOW WE DO THINGS

Be there

Have fun

Make their day

Choose your attitude

For all enquiries, call 1300 133 414 Stay Connected

www.bluecross.com.au

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Your feedback is very important to us as it forms part of our commitment to continuously improve the care and services we provide. To share your feedback, please email feedback@bluecross.com.au