Brightlife Volume 3 - 2022

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New Brightwater CEO Catherine Stoddart honours our past and looks to our future in her first Brightlife editorial

page 3

Farewell Jennifer Lawrence Celebrating our outgoing CEO

page 4

A community

support worker

shares her day

page 8

Why young nurses choose aged care page 14

The people power

behind Brightwater’s

Linen Service

page 16

VOLUME 3

2022

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Contents 03 04 08 10 12 14 16 18 20 21 22 24

Note from the CEO Brightwater's new CEO, Catherine Stoddart, shares a warm welcome in her first editorial.

Farewell Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Lawrence reflects with pride and appreciation on six years as CEO. Making a difference every day For Brightwater at Home clients, it’s the little things that count.

Brightlife Volume 3 | 2022

Special thanks to our interviewees Jennifer Lawrence Catherine Goh Adele Grobbelaar Sharon Knott Esther Osei-Takyi Sam Watson

Changing lives for the better.

The benefits of volunteering go both ways.

Hatisha Padayachee Susan Samuels Chris Morgan

Welcome to Brightwater Inglewood Our new residential aged care home is set to open in Spring 2022.

Georgina Mann Lakkhina Troeung Lyn Beazley

A bright future for aged care nursing Brightwater’s graduate nurses program gets top marks all round.

Brightwater Linen: a leading player in laundry service One of our longest serving employees says a lot has changed in the laundry service.

The landmark study with insights for brain injury rehabilitation Brightwater researchers examine thirty years of data to find new ways to help people with brain injuries.

The little lizard that could Why the gecko is a symbol for the work taking place at Brightwater’s Oats Street Brain Rehabilitation Centre.

How Brightwater is doing more with your feedback Letting us know what you think and what you want has never been easier.

Getting the most out of living in aged care Tips on how to help your loved one stay active once they move into residential aged care.

Brightwater’s roving reporter wrap-up From silent discos to 100th Birthdays and farewells, there is always a lot going on across Brightwater.

Sarah Green Andrea King Janet Corbett

Follow us on social media @brightwcg @brightwatercare www.linkedin.com/company/ brightwater-care www.youtube.com/BrightwaterCare

Speak to us today on 1300 223 968 or email us at welcome@brightwatergroup.com Brightlife is published biannually. You are receiving this magazine as you are part of our network of clients, family, friends and industry partners.

If you would prefer to be taken off our mailing list or if you have any ideas and comments about Brightlife send an email to communications@brightwatergroup.com

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Dear readers, Welcome to the third edition of our recently revitalised Brightlife magazine and my first editorial as Brightwater’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

I feel immense pride stepping into the role of CEO for an organisation with such a rich history of caring for some of Western Australia’s most vulnerable people. Brightwater is an organisation I have long admired, so it really is a dream job for me.

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I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of my predecessor, Jennifer Lawrence. Jennifer was the CEO of Brightwater for six years and we celebrate her achievements on pages 4 to 7 as she reflects on her time with us.

Brightwater’s 2000 plus staff are very special people. In this edition we share the stories of some of our team from across all parts of our business.

Helping people live independently at home is something that Catherine Goh, one of our wonderful Brighwater at Home Community Support Workers, sees as a privilege.

We share Catherine’s story and love of her job on pages 8 and 9.

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Many people might not know that Brightwater operates one of WA’s leading commercial laundries. On pages 16 and 17 we hear from Susan Samuels who has worked for Brightwater for over 36 years and is one of our team leaders from Brightwater Linen.

Not only do our staff have a big impact on our clients, but our volunteers also change lives for the better every day. On pages 10 and 11 we chat with Adele Grobbelaar who has been volunteering at our residential aged care home in Joondalup, Brightwater Oxford Gardens, since October 2021.

Finally, as we reflect on our past we also look toward our exciting future – and on pages 12 and 13 we update you on our new residential aged care home, research centre and head office currently under development in Inglewood.

10 Happy reading,

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Catherine Stoddart, Brightwater Chief Executive Officer.

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Farewell Jennifer Lawrence

“I feel excited. I feel a little sad and I feel absolutely it's the right time for me and the organisation.”

Jennifer Lawrence

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On the eve of her departure from Brightwater, outgoing CEO Jennifer Lawrence spoke with pride as she reflected on six years leading the organisation she describes as courageous, innovative and most of all, caring.

Growing a strong reputation From the start, Jennifer Lawrence wanted Brightwater to be regarded not just as a not-for-profit operator but as a quality contemporary business providing good services and treating its people well. She expanded the executive and management teams to include expertise in business analytics and brand management.

Brightwater’s reputation is now such that, as CEO, Jennifer has been a regular contributor to advisory boards within a range of sectors. She was also proud to represent Brightwater Care Group at the Royal Commission into Aged Care, and the state parliamentary committee into voluntary assisted dying.

“Being in this role… you have the ability to make decisions and change people's lives. And that is an incredible privilege,” she said.

Jennifer joined Brightwater in 2003 as General Manager Care Operations, moving to General Manager Disability, Research and Risk before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2016.

“It made me realise that we really have a voice in big change and big decisions for our community, in terms of clients and the people that we look after.”

Professional pride It is clear that Jennifer has much to be proud of during her time with Brightwater. There are many highlights but she nominates the following as worthy of mention.

• Helping establish the Brightwater Research Centre.

That research centre now, certainly in the brain injury space, is known worldwide, and we have connections throughout the world.

• Introducing the company’s new Mission and Values.

Going around our sites and talking about the importance of mission and values was one of my proudest achievements.

She remembers coming into the role with great optimism about the changing landscape of aged care and disability support. One of the first challenges was to oversee the transitioning of clients into the new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

“I believe our transition to the NDIS has been spectacularly successful. We have just gone through our first NDIS audit and passed, so I'm really proud of that.”

• Refreshing and refurbishing Brightwater residences.

We've spent nearly $12 million on our homes, giving them a makeover. They look more contemporary, they're certainly more livable and get lots of great feedback from families and our staff.

• Building a team that is contemporary and self sufficient. There are some really keen, young, talented people that will be great CEOs in the future. Being able to grow your own is really important.

• Moving Brightwater to a more contemporary position. And the new CEO Catherine Stoddart will take it to the next step, which is wonderful.

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Personal satisfaction While she counts each achievement as important, Jennifer says equally important is the impact that Brightwater has on people’s lives.

“How courageous this organisation is. We take people that other organisations don't because they're hard, and we take a risk with people. I'm so proud that we're able to take that chance and our board lets us take that chance.”

The future beckons There is little doubt that Jennifer has made an enormous difference to Brightwater Care Group during a time of great change and upheaval.

“ The past two years have been especially challenging and Jennifer has displayed courage, resilience and good humour. She has successfully navigated the organisation through change, quickly adapting, whilst never losing sight of Brightwater’s mission."

Earlier this year, she received a moving email from a man who had just attended his father’s funeral. His father had been a Brightwater resident and at his funeral, staff shared stories of his final years. The son was amazed.

He lived interstate and had been unable to visit his father so had no idea that living in aged care could be an enjoyable stage of life.

“He said, ‘I would just like to thank you for making my dad's days in residential care so wonderful for him that he enjoyed his life so much.’ And I just thought that reflected what residential care is all about. It's actually about helping people live a really good life for the end of their life.”

Another case that will stay with Jennifer is that of a South African man who had a massive stroke while visiting Perth. Doctors at the hospital did not believe the man would recover but the Brightwater team felt otherwise and wanted to give him a chance. He was unable to walk or talk when he was admitted to Brightwater’s brain rehabilitation program but three years later, he walked out of Oats Street and returned to South Africa. Today his son is a doctor himself because of the care his father received through Brightwater.

David Craig Brightwater Care Group chairman

While Jennifer believes the future will continue to be challenging, she also believes Brightwater is well equipped to face it.

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“The people of Brightwater are our greatest strength. They are kind, they are brave. They are so compassionate and so generous. Everywhere I go, they thank me for this, that and the other, and they're the ones that are the heroes.

And that's what I'm going to miss the most.”

As for what she leaves behind, Jennifer says it is the values of the organisation that she sees as front and centre.

“Being authentic, being courageous, being progressive, and that's all about taking a chance and of course, above all, caring for each other and the people that we support.

That, I hope, endures.”

For Jennifer, the future will involve mentoring and advisory positions, as well as more time with her family including her baby granddaughter. But she says she will be watching with interest to see what comes next for Brightwater, its staff and the people they support.

“Brightwater has actually made me a better person. I feel that I am kinder, I understand the power of listening and I found my voice through Brightwater. It’s just been an amazing experience.”

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Making a

difference every day

Catherine Goh, by her own admission, is not a morning person. When the alarm goes off and it’s dark outside, she would much prefer to hit snooze and snuggle back down.

But then she remembers the people who are counting on her to turn up for work and it’s the motivation she needs to get moving.

“ I really love aged care. I love the diversity of people I meet and I love just talking and listening to them."

Catherine Goh Community Support Worker - Aged Care

Catherine is a community support worker with Brightwater at Home, one of a million and a half workers across Australia who visit elderly clients in their own homes and help them with day to day tasks and social access or by providing companionship.

Catherine’s shift begins at 7am when she’s there to help her clients to start their day.

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“Sometimes they're out of bed. Sometimes I’ll help them get up. Some people might need medication, others need a shower and help to get dressed, or to get breakfast and do a few dishes. Each person is different,” Catherine said.

Like all community support workers, Catherine spends her day traveling from client to client, supporting them in whatever they need to remain independent and well at home.

“In the middle of the day you might help with things like shopping and cleaning and respite and then in the afternoon you might help with some showers and medication and meal preparation, getting ready for their dinner.”

It’s more than a decade since Catherine started with Brightwater. After her first career as a social worker, she spent time raising her children and then studying for an associate degree in dementia care. She says there has been a lot of change in the sector and the role of community support workers is more vital than ever.

“Your home is your safe place and especially with Covid-19, people are spending more time at home so you need to have somebody that comes in and helps with whatever is needed in terms of practical tasks. But we are also filling a huge gap in helping prevent loneliness so it's important work.”

Community services is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia, and many more workers are needed to provide support to an increasing population of elderly people who want to remain living independently for as long as possible.

Community services workers need to have the requisite qualifications and training as well as a commitment to the people who rely on them. For Catherine Goh, that commitment is repaid by her daily interactions with the clients themselves.

“At the end of the day when I've had that time with clients, I feel so good that I've given but I've also learned so much. It is very rewarding,” she said.

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Changing lives for the better Have you ever wanted to volunteer but you’re not sure how? Maybe you think you don’t have the right skills or enough free time?

Brightwater’s Volunteer Coordinator Sharon Knott can put your mind at ease. Sharon looks after nearly two hundred volunteers in our Brightwater Buddies program, which is run across 22 sites from Joondalup to Mandurah.

Joondalup’s Adele Grobbelaar knows firsthand how easy and how rewarding it is to volunteer with Brightwater.

Adele has been with us since October 2021, beginning as a BEX Concierge Volunteer at Brightwater’s Oxford Gardens Aged Care Home.

“We appreciate every single person that gives their time to contribute to the social, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of our clients. You can spend just an hour a week to come in and have a chat with someone, ask questions about their lives,” Sharon explains.

“After active involvement in charities over recent years and a total knee replacement, last year I decided I needed a change and wanted to go back to what I love most and that is working with senior citizens, our most vulnerable and often forgotten citizens,” she said.

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If you are considering becoming a volunteer, both Adele and Sharon say you will get as much from it as you give.

" If I'm on site saying hi to a client and the Brightwater Buddy comes in, I can just see and feel how much it means to the client and to the volunteer. " Sharon Knott Volunteer Coordinator

" It makes me happy and humble, makes me appreciate small everyday things that we take for granted, I’m hoping one day when I’m in that space in my life, there will be a friendly face popping into my room or giving a helping hand painting my nails."

Adele Grobbelaar Brightwater Buddies Volunteer

Adele’s parents were Lions Club members and she has always been a volunteer in some way. And these days she has more hours to give to her volunteering.

“I love getting to know the residents. I love chatting to them, listening to their stories - so many beautiful people with a lifetime of experiences. Everybody has a life story to tell; everyone contributed and helped shape this country to what it is today.”

As for the process to become a volunteer, Adele says she felt supported by Brightwater at every stage.

“Any questions, I could just pick up the phone and there was always somebody on the other line that I could ask for help and everything went really smoothly.”

Sharon Knott welcomes volunteers of any age or any degree of experience to put their name forward for the Brightwater Buddies program.

“Our oldest volunteer is 89 and she's never volunteered at all and it has changed her life. Another volunteer was feeling isolated after losing her husband, and now volunteering has given her the confidence to make new friends and to try something new each day.”

HOW TO VOLUNTEER 1. Contact our Volunteer Services team on 08 9202 2800 or by email volunteers@brightwatergroup.com. Or go to the Volunteering page on our website, under the Support Us tab.

2. Fill in the Expressions of Interest form and wait for our Volunteer Services team to contact you.

3. You will provide a Police Clearance, NDIS Workers Screening Check and a reference - don’t worry, we will help.

4. Once the paperwork has been finalised, we will take you through our induction and any other training before you are ready to go.

WHAT VOLUNTEERS DO Brightwater Buddies help in all sorts of ways: Companionship - regular visits with a resident who shares similar interests to you Activities - joining in with gardening, games, reading, reminiscence chats, or pet therapy Spiritual Support - providing pastoral and spiritual support Client Concierge - help us meet and greet visitors at our aged care home Site Support - help through hairdressing, maintenance work or managing our mobile library

Brightwater Inglewood brings together 120 years of experience and expertise to create a community, where our residents, family and friends, will feel perfectly at home.

Welcome to Brightwater

Inglewood Our new Residential Aged Care home opening in Spring 2022

Due to open in Spring 2022, Brightwater Inglewood is built on our expertise in best practice residential aged care.

At Brightwater Inglewood, we will welcome people with a range of different care needs, including those living with dementia or cognitive impairment.

Brightwater Inglewood is located within Brightwater Central, a community campus that includes our head office, world-class Brightwater Research Centre and our established residential aged care home, The Village.

Nestled within beautiful gardens and overlooking parklands and a nearby golf course, Brightwater Inglewood will be home to 128 residents in eight individual houses, across two levels.

Life at Brightwater Inglewood Based on the concept of a social model of care, Brightwater Inglewood has been designed with individual households, each home to a small community of just 16 residents with shared spaces where you and your family and friends can come together and connect.

The dining room of each home provides an intimate and homely mealtime experience, and opens

Connected to nature Key to the location of Brightwater Inglewood is the proximity to the Inglewood triangle, a small but significant pocket of bushland that is home to the area’s natural flora and fauna.

out to the adjacent terrace area for alfresco dining in the warmer months.

Just like home, the open kitchen is a place where you can invite your friends and family to have a cup of tea, or even bake biscuits. The kitchen is fully accessible and has discreet safety features.

Whether it’s watching the latest sports game, enjoying a book or playing checkers with friends, the lounge room provides a place to relax and unwind – with a large TV, cosy fireplace and comfortable furnishings.

Keeping in mind future energy targets, over 22% of the electricity requirements of the home is powered by solar panels. And exceeding Australian standards, the heating, air conditioning and ventilation system is able to exhaust indoor air at a rapid rate, instantly bringing clean, fresh air in, in the case of an infectious outbreak.

This has inspired the design of Brightwater Inglewood, ensuring there are plenty of places to look out onto the treetops. Visiting family and friends enter Brightwater Inglewood through the ground floor link, with a coffee cart, café tables and lounges.

You will be able to enjoy the courtyard gardens on level one, and each individual house has its own outdoor terrace and ‘backyard in the sky’.

Interested in finding out more?

Come along to our Open Day on Saturday 20th August 2022 at 2A Walter Road West in Inglewood from 10am – 3pm. At our Open Day you will be able to tour our new aged care home, hear more from our Research Centre, experience activities and more.

Alternatively email welcome@brightwatergroup.com or phone 1300 223 968.

Each home is part of a wider community at Brightwater Inglewood, and has access to the ground floor hairdresser, physio and gym room, common community areas including a café and lounge area, and landscaped gardens.

Both levels have an activity room, which is home to many of the complimentary activities that take place like bingo, arts and crafts and exercise groups, run by our experienced therapy assistants. Families are welcome to book the room for special celebrations like birthdays.

There is also a dedicated family lounge on each level with a kitchenette, which can be booked for smaller family gatherings.

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A bright future for aged care nursing

When Esther Osei-Takyi and Sam Watson completed their nursing degrees, they were hoping to get into a graduate program to help them transition from studying to the role of Registered Nurse. They were pleased to be accepted into Brightwater’s graduate nursing program and began working at our Madeley Residential Aged Care home in March.

“It's a little bit more 'think on your feet' and using a lot of clinical reasoning and so far, it’s been great. It’s definitely not what I expected aged care nursing to be like but I'm actually really liking it,” Sam said.

After completing their inductions, Esther and Sam soon had opportunities to put their knowledge into practice, under the guidance of experienced onsite mentors.

Graduate programs are not compulsory for nurses but they are offered in many healthcare settings including aged care. They provide supervision, support and structure to enable newly qualified nurses to consolidate and develop their clinical and professional practice.

“I've used my critical thinking to choose the right dressings to put on residents. I've done a doctor's rounds which you might not even get the opportunity to do in the hospital,” Esther said.

For Sam and Esther, it is a welcome opportunity to build confidence and experience.

For both graduates, family background played a part in their choice of nursing as a profession.

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Sam’s mum is a nurse which made him think it could be the right choice for him as well.

“I've always found myself to be pretty caring person but I can also kind of detach myself from the situation if needed. So I'm caring, but I also don't take everything on emotionally. And as my mum said, that's a great trait to have as a nurse.”

Esther is originally from Ghana, where she began her nursing studies before moving to Australia where she completed her degree. In Ghana, ageing loved ones often remain in the family home and Esther helped to look after her great Grandmother who lived well beyond one hundred.

She is delighted to work with older people again.

“Listening to them, and then being able to solve some issues for the residents - it makes me happy.”

Brightwater’s graduate program aims to both attract a new generation of nurses and to retain them by nurturing their professional growth and, for some at least, supporting their development into aged care leaders of the future.

The next graduate program will commence later this year and Hatisha says as with Sam and Esther, she is always looking for registered nurses with the right qualities for aged care.

“We want nurses who are clinically competent as we are dealing with residents’ lives. But also those who demonstrate patience, compassion and tolerance. If a graduate can fulfill those fundamental requirements, they are someone that I would want working for me, or looking after me.”

For the residents themselves, Sam and Esther are a welcome addition to the Brightwater family.

" For some of them, it's just a delight having a new face. The residents look forward to that."

Hatisha Padayachee Graduate Program Coordinator

Hatisha Padayachee is the coordinator of Brightwater’s Graduate Program. She oversees all aspects of the professional development including a placement with the home care team, visiting clients living in their own home. Hatisha speaks highly of both nurses undertaking the current program.

“Sam and Esther are very enthusiastic, clinically competent nurses that we are privileged to have. They actively engage with residents and emanate compassion, care and professionalism. It is a pleasure observing their personal and professional transition into the role.”

Brightwater’s graduate program aims to both attract a new generation of nurses and to retain them by nurturing their professional growth and, for some at

Sam and Esther will complete the graduate program soon, after what they describe as a positive experience.

Reflecting on the program, Esther says it is a good opportunity for anyone coming into nursing.

“If you've got the skills and you think you are empathetic and you have all the qualities, I think Brightwater will be good for you, because there are so many opportunities here.”

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Brightwater Linen: a leading player in laundry service When Susan Samuels reflects on her early days with Brightwater, she can hardly believe how much has changed.

Susan was a young mother of one when she began working at the Homes of Peace Subiaco in May 1986.

She started in the kitchen and then moved into laundry service, washing, folding and returning clothes to the residents’ rooms.

Susan’s family and her job have grown significantly in the past 36 years. Today, she has five grown-up children and seven grandchildren, and she is now team leader of linen services at Brightwater’s commercial laundry in Malaga.

It is a big step up from the days when the laundry service was primarily focused on meeting internal needs. Brightwater Linen Service is now one of WA’s leading commercial laundries providing clients with freshly laundered bed sheets, table linen and plush towels.

Chris Morgan, Business Manager Brightwater Linen and Catering explains: “We now service over 150 clients across the Perth metropolitan district and regional WA. Ninety per cent of the business is now geared to service clients external to the Brightwater network, and around ten per cent of the volume produced remains for internal clients. We service more than 120 hotels, 35 or so aged care sites and several major mining companies.”

“I loved talking with the residents as they were sitting in their rooms watching daytime TV programs. While I'm tidying their wardrobe, I'm watching with them and having a chat,” she said.

The first change came in 1999 when Brightwater moved it's catering and laundry services to a central site in Malaga. It was a very different way of working for the laundry workers who had been using domestic washing machines and dryers within the aged care homes.

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“We had to do training. They had a TAFE lady come in to show us all how to work on the machines and how to do the sorting,” Susan said.

Soon the business was thriving and in 2003 Brightwater opened the state of the art commercial laundry in Malaga that is in operation today. The 3500sqm facility is designed for efficiency, with tunnel washers, dryers, sheet ironers and towel folders processing thousands of items a day.

“We are reliable. The customers know that they're going to get a quality product. They know that when they put the sheet on the bed or whatever it might be, it's going to be at a standard that is acceptable not only to them but also to their clients, the end user,” Chris said.

Brightwater Linen is a successful commercial operation with all profits going to support Brightwater clients through investment in infrastructure, programs and research.

Not only that but it’s got a reputation as a good place to work. Now in her 37th year, Susan Samuels is the longest serving Brightwater Linen employee and there are many others who have been there for ten years or more.

“I love working there. You know, we're all like a family. I'll be there 'till retirement I think, unless they kick me out,” Susan said.

Tunnel washers are one example of how technology is harnessed to keep operations running smoothly.

In a tunnel washer, soiled linen is continuously being loaded into one end of the tunnel. It is washed as it moves through the tunnel and emerges clean at the other end. There is no need to wait for a load to finish before starting another. The efficiency of the machines means the 110 strong Brightwater team is capable of processing around 180 tonnes of laundry a week and keeping customers happy.

“We have mums and dads working together with us; we have aunties and uncles and children of parents working for us. It has a very good internal reputation, in regards to quality outcomes for the employee and work life balance,” Chris said.

Susan Samuel agrees with a laugh - all five of her children have worked alongside her at Brightwater Linen at one time or another; Sarah and Samantha are still there.

“They’d say Mum, I don't want to go to uni yet. So I’d say, come work with me and see how hard your mother works.”

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The landmark study with new insights for brain injury rehabilitation A pioneering study by Brightwater researchers could lead to further improvements in rehabilitation for West Australians with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).

The ABI-RESTaRT study examined a range of health and rehabilitation data collected from more than a thousand clients of Brightwater’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Disability Support programs from March 1991 to December 2020. It is a landmark study in terms of the number of years of data studied, and the size and diversity of the cohort.

ABI-RESTaRT stands for Acquired Brain Injury Community Rehabilitation and Support Services OuTcomes CohoRT.

This method is called ‘data linkage’ and allowed the researchers to gain a greater understanding of all clients who have moved through Brightwater’s brain injury rehabilitation services over the past 29 years, through evaluating the short-term and long-term outcomes across the cohort.

" Our aim was to look at what was important to people with brain injury and ask, how can we improve our service models to help our clients achieve what they want to achieve? " Dr Lakkhina Troeung, Brain Injury Research Program Lead, Brightwater Research Centre

" Thirty years is the longest cohort study that has been done to our knowledge in the brain injury population in Western Australia. So that alone makes it a really interesting cohort to work with. " Dr Georgina Mann Research Officer, Brightwater Research Centre

Brain Injury Research Lead, Dr Lakkhina Troeung and her colleague Dr Georgina Mann were able to access not only Brightwater’s internal clinical and rehabilitation data but also information from the WA Department of Health including any hospital and emergency department program admissions up to ten years before and after the brain injury occurred.

The final report is comprehensive, encompassing findings from seven individual studies.

Among them is a profile of the cohort, who were found to be a complex and diverse population from a range of

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backgrounds and circumstances. Non-traumatic brain injury such as stroke was the most common cause of admission, while those who had experienced traumatic injuries such as accidents made up 35% of the cohort.

It was also found that many of the people who experienced an acquired brain injury had complex health needs including another significant illness or chronic condition on admission to Brightwater.

" These findings highlight the need for a whole person approach when working with people with brain injuries. " Dr Lakkhina Troeung, Brain Injury Research Program Lead, Brightwater Research Centre

Examination of a range of outcomes for the cohort demonstrated that Brightwater’s services were most effective in helping people regain their functional abilities such as walking, driving, communicating.

The study also aimed to identify opportunities to strengthen and improve Brightwater’s brain injury services. While clients were able to make clinically significant gains in functional abilities at discharge, only small improvements in psychosocial wellbeing were observed. In an examination of client survival rates over ten years, the study also found that clients who experienced severe social or psychological limitations at discharge had the poorest long-term outcomes, even if they had regained functional abilities.

" It's not just people's functional abilities that's important. It's their engagement in the community. It's their emotional wellbeing.

These things are just as important in terms of their long term wellbeing. " Dr Georgina Mann Research Officer, Brightwater Research Centre

" We found that, on average, our clients were able to make clinically significant, meaningful gains in functional independence at discharge. And that improvements were able to be made up to five years after admission. " Dr Lakkhina Troeung, Brain Injury Research Program Lead, Brightwater Research Centre

" From this research, we were able to say that our services currently work really well to help individuals with the physical side of rehabilitation, but there are service gaps around the psychosocial and emotional wellbeing space. So that's where we're looking to improve our services in order to better support our clients and improve their short term and long term outcomes.

Dr Lakkhina Troeung, Brain Injury Research Program Lead, Brightwater Research Centre

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When it comes to brain injury research, reptiles like the humble gecko represent the high point of recovery because of their ability to regrow their spinal cord as well as their tail just 30 days after detaching it under duress.

However, Professor Beazley’s experiments found that just regrowing the nerves isn’t enough: the lizard has to be motivated to use those new nerves.

“If you're a lizard and you see a juicy mealworm or a cricket, you are motivated because they're a delicious lunch. But if we didn’t show them those and they were sitting around doing nothing, we didn't get the recovery,” she said.

The little lizard that could There’s a small figure set high above the entry to Brightwater’s Oats Street Rehabilitation Centre that has great symbolism for the work that takes place there.

" I'm just so proud every time I see it."

Professor Lyn Beazley AO

Long-time advocate for the brain injury rehabilitation program at Oats Street, neuroscientist Professor Lynn Beazley AO, is recognised internationally for her research into recovery from brain injury.

Professor Beazley says the gecko represents the parallels between her research and the work being done through Brightwater’s brain injury rehabilitation program.

“That's exactly the program at Oats Street: you get rewarded. If you're learning how to make a cup of tea and you get it right, you get a cup of tea. And the nerves get feedback to know whether it's good or not. If it's good, they keep that connection and if it isn’t, they won’t.”

So if you’re ever heading into the Oats Street centre, look up and notice at the little creature above you.

It’s an inspiring reminder of the recovery work going on inside.

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How Brightwater is doing more with your feedback There’s no doubt feedback is important to every organisation. Whether it’s a compliment or a complaint, hearing directly from customers and clients gives a better understanding of their needs and experiences.

But just listening to people is not enough on its own to drive improvement. There needs to be a consistent process in place for recording and responding to feedback in a timely, sensitive and appropriate manner.

At Brightwater that process is itself continually improving.

This year, a new feedback management system has been introduced that makes it easier for clients and carers to provide feedback, and for Brightwater staff to act on it.

" It's about everyone being able to have a voice and to be able to give that feedback almost in the moment. " Sarah Green, Customer Experience Manager

Feedback can be provided by phone or email, through a form on the website or even face-to-face with Brightwater staff.

“For instance, we might see that a number of clients are complimentary about the work of a particular health professional and we can ask, what is he doing that we could replicate with other staff through a training program?” Sarah explained.

If there is something that needs an immediate response, the system will generate an alert that goes to the relevant team or staff member.

All feedback is confidential and will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and respect. Sarah Green says the ultimate goal of learning more about the customer experience is improving it.

“We would really love to learn more about your experience with us, so we can improve on the quality of care and services we provide to you.”

How to provide feedback Clients and carers are welcome to provide feedback to Brightwater.

Phone 1300 223 968 Email CustomerExperience@brightwatergroup.com Visit brightwatergroup.com/feedback

Everything from compliments to complaints, from suggestions to requests, is entered into a database where it’s easier to identify patterns and trends.

Speak to a member of the Brightwater team or fill out one of our feedback forms at our sites

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Getting the most out of

living in aged care When we welcome a new resident into our aged care homes, we know it’s a transition not only for them but for those who have given so much time, energy and love in caring for them to that point.

After all the busyness of caring, often for many years, there can sometimes be a feeling of not being needed anymore.

Nothing could be further from the truth, says Andrea King, Manager of Allied Health Services for Brightwater.

She knows that support and input from family members can help her staff, along with the nursing and care staff, to provide a more personalised and more enriching experience for each resident.

“ Our model hinges off knowing our residents deeply, so we can deliver evidence-based therapy and activity in a way that is meaningful, engaging and effective. We want to optimise each resident’s abilities and strengths, and enable them to live their best life in our homes.”

Andrea King Allied Health Manager

The most valuable contribution family members can make is providing information about their loved one.

Therapy Assistant at The Oaks, Janet Corbett says it’s the little details that can make a big difference.

“ Things like letting the staff know that Dad always puts his wallet under his pillow before he goes to sleep. You might not think of mentioning it but if he’s done it all his life, he’s going to be really stressed if we put it in the drawer because we didn’t know the usual routine. ” Janet Corbett, Therapy Assistant, The Oaks

The message from Andrea King is simple: Get to know the team at the care home and get in touch whenever you have something new to tell us or want to know more about how your loved one is faring.

“We are more than happy to chat. It's just a matter of popping your hand up and saying, I'd like to talk to the physiotherapist or the music therapist for example. We are good listeners and are extremely knowledgeable about the challenges of ageing and disability, and we want to know as much as we can about your loved one,” Andrea said.

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“We are a team and we do want to do the best for our residents so that they can achieve their goals,“ Janet added.

Here are suggestions from the Allied Health Team about ways you can help your loved one stay active and involved in residential aged care.

• Ask what activities are coming up and encourage your loved one to get involved.

• Set electronic reminders in their phone or iPad if they have one.

• Remove any distractions during an activity, such as turning off the radio or TV. • Provide background information about what they did for work; about their hobbies; what they love or hate; what was meaningful for them at home.

• Encouraging meals and snacks when they are visiting, and flagging any concerns with staff.

• If you are not able to visit, mealtime zoom sessions can pre-arranged so the family can all eat together.

• Coming to an activity with their relative for the first couple of times if they are hesitant (Covid dependent).

• Bringing in activity resources for their relative such as easy to use music, word games, easy puzzles, knitting, digital photo frames, calendars/ whiteboards.

• Spending time in common areas with their relative to facilitate interaction with others and to get them out of their room (Covid dependent).

• If possible, continue to include them in family events such as taking them out when it’s safe to do so.

• If visits are not possible speak to the team about scheduling regular phone/video calls to stay in touch.

• Get them a calendar and circle important dates, write down what they represent (eg. Granddaughter’s birthday), and put reminders on the whiteboard in their rooms each week.

• If they do get anxious or worried, what makes them feel calm and relaxed?

The more we (staff) know about the person, the more we can care for them in a way they appreciate.

Who is part of Allied Health?

Allied Health is an umbrella term for a range of health professionals including Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, Speech Pathologists, Social Workers, Music Therapists, Community Access Program (bus drivers) and Therapy Assistants.

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Brightwater’s roving reporter wrap-up Here’s a roundup of just some of the activities that have taken place recently across Brightwater.

Brightwater NDIS Services Update Brightwater is a NDIS registered provider that supports participants in Disability and Residential Aged Care.

In December 2020, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the NDIS Commission) was introduced in Western Australia. The NDIS Commission is an independent agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS services.

Brightwater recently completed an independent audit with Certification Partner Global (CPG) and has successfully met the Practice Standards to maintain NDIS registration.

Thank you to the clients, families and guardians that participated in the NDIS audit. Brightwater really appreciates your time and the wonderful feedback you provided.

Oats Street Farewell’s Terrence (Terry) McGowan Terrence McGowan had been at Oats Street since 2019 and moving into a new house was Terrence’s primary goal. Terry was supported through our Homeward Bound program and receive a bundle of household items to help him on this way in his new house – including a Harvey Norman voucher, bedding, toiletries and more.

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Mindlink Brightwater Award for Interprofessional Practice This Mindlink Brightwater Award for Interprofessional Practice is presented annually at the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI) Conference and this year it went to Meaghan McCallister, Renee Speedy and Rebecca Clinch for their presentation on the Healing Right Way trial.

The Healing Right Way trial has created Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator (ABIC) roles in Western Australia to enhance cultural security in the rehabilitation journey for Aboriginal people.

ABICs were employed across eight sites in WA to support Aboriginal brain injury survivors for the first six months post-injury. Activities included liaison, care coordination and linkage, education, and advocacy. The paper reported on the development of the role and early implementation. The trial recognised that Acquired Brain Injury resulting from stroke and traumatic brain injury disproportionately affects Australia’s First Peoples, impacting individuals, families and communities – yet access to rehabilitation services for Aboriginal people is often limited, with very little support following hospital discharge.

Happy Birthday Margaret Walsh Margaret Walsh from our residential aged care home, The Cove, recently celebrated her 100th birthday. The birthday girl was accompanied by her son and was presented with some beautiful flowers and gifts for achieving this amazing milestone. We hope you had a wonderful birthday Margaret!

The trial was initiated due to Aboriginal brain injury survivors and their families requesting a role for Aboriginal health professionals to enable better access to information about brain injury and its impact on daily living, and to support navigation of services after discharge. This role has proven to be so successful that both Rebecca and Renee, two Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinators, have been employed in part time roles with State Head Injury Unit.

Both Mindlink and Brightwater were excited to be able to present the joint award to a West Australian contingent who demonstrated very clear the benefit of collaboration and interdisciplinary practice in service delivery for people with Acquired Brain Injury.

Congratulations to Meaghan, Renee and Rebecca!

Community Access Program Spending time in nature has been scientifically proven to increase happiness, healing, well-being and peace. Here are some of our Brightwater Madeley residents on a recent outing to Kings Park and the Botanic Garden, as part of Brightwater’s Community Access Program.

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Partners in Care Earlier this year we launched our Partners in Care program.

A Partner in Care is a person who has a close and continuing relationship with one of our residents and has had specialised training in infection prevention and control. Partners in Care can include family members, loved ones, friends or representatives.

After receiving an email about Brightwater’s Partner in Care program during a Covid-19 outbreak at her parents’ home, Anita Speranza didn’t hesitate to join.

Silent Disco Time Our Silent Disco headsets are a huge hit in our homes!

Anita’s parents both live at Brightwater’s Residential Aged Care Home, Oxford Gardens in Joondalup, and she loves visiting her parents each day.

As our first trained Partner in Care, Anita highlights the importance of being able to safely visit loved ones during Covid-19 and other outbreaks.

“The Partner in Care program is very important for residents. It allows them to maintain family contact during times that they would otherwise be isolated from loved ones. It’s amazing that I can bring joy to Mum and Dad’s day and can continue to visit and support them in a safe way,” Anita says.

Chair yoga benefits our clients Chair yoga has many benefits including increasing flexibility, reducing pain, better sleep, improving bone density and best of all – it is an activity that is accessible to everyone as you only need a chair! Pictured are some of our residents from our residential aged care home in Madeley.

Our Partner in Care program is available to all Brightwater residents, with each resident able to have one nominated partner in care.

Service Manager at Oxford Gardens, Andy Bury said Anita’s parents are so proud of her and she is very special to them.

“I love that Anita has signed up for this program so she can continue visiting her parents even during outbreaks. The Partner in Care program is a wonderful way to support our residents – the value is immeasurable,” he said.

Donation from Dandelions Residents at Oxford Gardens received some beautiful, donated gifts through Dandelions WA – including gift baskets and beautiful handmade blankets (pictured).

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We can help

you be you

in your home too.

Christine loves chickens. She especially loves talking to her chickens. However, she couldn’t keep them if she had to move somewhere smaller. That’s why she loves having home care help from Brightwater. Our close-knit team of professionals helps you keep your independence with services such as physio, nursing and help around the house and garden.

Learn more about our services and what sets us apart from others.

Go to brightwaterathome.com or call 1300 223 968

T 1300 223 968 E welcome@brightwatergroup.com W brightwatergroup.com ABN 23 445 460 050 ACN 612 921 632