Life and Love Magazine Edition 4 by Hall & Prior

HALL & PRIOR

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Love, mercy and care

MEET GLENWOOD’S CENTENARIANS Playing Scrabble and using an iPad are no challenge to some of Glenwood’s most high-spirited residents. In this issue, read their take on ageing while living well.

CELEBRATING OUR OUTSTANDING STAFF p9.

Donation helps homeless cat and dogs p14.

Improving staff skills with workplace training p18.

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ABOUT HALL & PRIOR Started in 1992 by Michael Hall and Graeme Prior, Hall & Prior is a leading aged care provider with a passion for providing quality care to older people from all walks of life. Over the past 20 years, Hall & Prior has grown from one nursing home to an organisation that cares for over 1,500 people in Western Australia and New South Wales.

Our people are our greatest asset. Each one of our 24 aged care homes is led by an experienced director of nursing who works alongside a team of registered nurses, personal carers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dieticians and chefs to ensure that we meet the individual needs of every resident.

As a private, family-owned company, Hall & Prior is committed to bringing long-term benefits to our residents and their families. Our dedicated care teams provide round-the-clock care 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that every resident feels well cared for and at home.

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LATE-BREAKING NEWS! We are pleased to announce recent acquisitions in New South Wales.

Learn more about this in the next edition of Life & Love.

IN THIS ISSUE

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From the Chief Executive Officer

Welcome White Oak Home Care Services

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Better Practice Award win for Tuohy Honouring our outstanding staff

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Veterans in our care: Robert Gray

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Fresh Fields donation helps animal refuges Meet Glenwood’s centenarians

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Improving skills with workplace training Volunteers making a difference News in brief

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Graeme Prior with The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency’s Chief Executive Officer Nick Ryan, and State Director NSW/ACT Tracey Clerke. They presented the 2015 Tuohy Aged Care Home Commonwealth Better Practice Award at the New South Wales Long Service and Directors Awards Event last year.

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FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

As we are now well into 2016, we are now able to look back at the milestones that marked last year for Hall & Prior.

In November we were thrilled to learn that staff at Tuohy Aged Care Home in Midland, Western Australia won a 2015 Better Practice Award from the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency for their approach to supporting the care needs of older people of diverse sexual orientations.

This prestigious national award recognises outstanding innovations in care nationwide.

This is the seventh Better Practice Award given to this organisation and its homes since 2011.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the home’s Director of Nursing Jayne Cummings and her staff on this achievement. You can read more about this on page seven.

In January, I was thrilled to announce a new addition to the Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group, White Oak Home Care Services.

White Oak is a leading Perth home care provider and through our partnership with them, we will be able to deliver continue delivering quality care to people

in the metro area. White Oak is a great organisation and I look forward to working with its staff and General Manager Treasa Lonergan in the future. Read more about White Oak on page six.

The hard work of our staff at Hall & Prior is an essential part of providing a high standard of care to our residents.

Towards the end of last year, we got to acknowledge our outstanding and long-serving members of staff at events both in New South Wales and in Western Australia.

The pages of this magazine are filled with the outstanding achievements of our staff and residents.

Executive Director Michael Hall and I were proud to recognise 50 individuals and four teams across the two states with the annual Directors’ Awards.

These awards are for staff members who are committed to upholding the vision, mission, philosophy and values of our organisation.

With this edition of Life & Love we are also introducing the first in a series of stories about the veterans in our care. To dedicate your life to serving your country is a truly honourable act.

As always, the pages of this magazine are filled with the outstanding achievements of our staff and residents, and I am pleased to be able to share them with you.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, whether you are a staff member, a resident, family, friends or colleagues, for your support in 2015, and as we continue through this year.

Until next time, GRAEME PRIOR Chief Executive Officer

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Manager of Quality, Safety and Compliance Kym Chivers, Touhy Aged Care Home Director of Nursing Jayne Cummings, Michael Hall, Clinical Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia, administration officer FIona Clark, Australian Aged Care Quality Industry representative Paul Richards, Director of Health and Care Services Jennifer Grieve and Graeme Prior at the 2015 Western Australia Directors’ Awards event.

Kensington Park Clinical Nurse Manager Rahmo Farah recieving an award for Outstanding Care and Service from Michael Hall.

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White Oak Home Care Services staff with General Manager Treasa Lonergan, centre.

WHITE OAK HOME CARE SERVICES JOINS HALL & PRIOR There is a new addition to the Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group, with the acquisition of White Oak Home Care Services announced in February.

Hall & Prior Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior said the partnership with the Perth home care provider would mean the opportunity to provide a greater quality of care for people across the metro area.

White Oak has an established reputation in the community care services sector and is committed to helping people continue living in their own home for as long as possible.

Through this new connection with White Oak, Hall & Prior will be able to offer people a greater continuum of service, with seamless access to residential aged care if their needs change. This is on

White Oak and Hall & Prior – a new partnership for quality care. top of access to respite and interim care options, as well as additional clinical support from Hall & Prior’s geriatrician, nurse practitioner, speech pathologists, registered nurses and dietitians.

Graeme thanked White Oak founders Mary Lonergan and Angie Anderson for their commitment and dedication to building the company into the compassionate organisation it is today.

White Oak’s General Manager Treasa Lonergan will also continue in her role, and Graeme said he looked forward to working with her in the future.

“Our vision for White Oak is simple,” he said.

“In this time of significant change in the aged and community sector we need to leverage the strengths of both White Oak and Hall & Prior to enable White Oak to be an economically sustainable, Both Angie and Mary have long-term service provider in agreed to stay on with White the communities in which we Oak as consultants for the operate.” coming months during the Welcome to the Hall & Prior integration with Hall & Prior. family, White Oak.

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Tuohy Aged Care Home Clinical Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia, Residential Care Manager Jayne Cummings and administration officer Fiona Clark at the home’s Pride Day celebrations in November.

BETTER PRACTICE AWARD WIN FOR LGBTI-INCLUSIVE CARE In November, staff at Tuohy Aged Care Home were awarded a Better Practice Award for their approach to the care needs of older people of diverse sexual orientations.

The team, led by the Residential Care Manager Jayne Cummings and Clinical Nurse Manager Mina Pindolia, were awarded at the Better Practice conference in Brisbane.

The national awards are presented annually and recognise innovative programs or initiatives that contribute to quality of life for elders in care and their families.

“The resident and their needs and rights always come first, it’s as simple as that,” Jayne said. “I feel very strongly about doing what is best for our residents because it’s their home and we want them to feel accepted for who they are.”

With the support of Perth-based group GLBTI Rights in Australia (GRAI), Jayne and her staff have been able to work with residents

to ensure their needs are met with inclusive and appropriate actions.

to improve the experience of ageing and aged care for this group.

Jayne and her staff received in-house training from GRAI, who work to raise awareness and improve the quality of life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) elders, earlier in 2015 as part of the Federal Government-funded National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Training Project.

As an organisation, Hall & Prior is responding to the need for appropriate care by creating an LGBTI policy and has formed a committee to ensure the comprehensive roll-out of inclusive language through all forms and documentation.

“In addition to education and fostering a culture of inclusiveness at her home, Jayne’s strong leadership and preparedness to advocate on behalf of her resident’s rights was a crucial part of empowering residents,” Hall & Prior’s Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior said.

First published in 2012, the Commonwealth Government’s National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Strategy recognises that up to 11% of Australians may be of a diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity, and aims

The insights from Tuohy’s journey have been shared with our homes across the organisation, supporting residents who face a similar journey and providing a positive model for GRAI to share as they help other nursing homes in their education and support programs for gender and sexuality in aged care homes.

Hall & Prior’s commitment to providing quality care to people from all walks of life has been recognised with seven Better Practice Awards for innovations in resident care since 2011.

CAPTION CAPTION

RECOGNISING LONG-SERVING STAFF Each year, we get the chance to acknowledge our long-serving staff through the Celebration of Service events.

In 2015 we recognised 45 people across Western Australia and New South Wales for their dedication.

10 YEARS OF SERVICE • • • • • • • • • • • •

Gary Webb – Agmaroy Jas Sandhu – Agmaroy Suzanne Armstrong – Belmont Dona (Lucy) Jones – Caroline Chisholm Merrianne Pope-Averill – Caroline Chisholm Sarita Ghimire – Caroline Chisholm Qian Qian Wang – Caroline Chisholm Lucy Thien – Concorde Jenny Hung-Chan – Glenwood Sandra Butler – Fresh Fields Ron Creighton - Fresh Fields Grace Kapuka – Hamersley

• Pat Braschey – Leighton • Leechelle Clothier – Mayfair Street • Tracey Biddle – Mayfair Street • Joanne Flannery – Mayfair Street • Avelina Rasoqosoqo – Menaville • Abul Azad – Vaucluse • Tasleem Elahi – Vaucluse • Yuniarti Rose – Windsor Park • Ledovina Arcenas – Windsor Park

• Evelyn Manning – Glenwood • Ann McGrath – Glenwood • Desrae Darroch – Fresh Fields • Ujitha Ukwatta – Sirius Cove • Catherine Morland – Windsor Park 20 YEARS OF SERVICE • Eugenie Jelly – Concorde • Rosalie Phillips – Concorde • Cameron Smith – Concorde

15 YEARS OF SERVICE

• Clive Andrew – Central Kitchen

• Sue Gilroy– Agmaroy

• Fiona Prior – Mayfair Street

• Irene Griffin – Agmaroy

• Patricia Vazquez – Menaville

• Sandra Chand – Alloa

• Kris Healy – NSW State Office

• (Cathy) Khadije Reda – Alloa

• Anna Rodgers – Sirius Cove

• Sossie Boulghourjian – Caroline Chisholm

• Catherine Orie – Sirius Cove

• Gliceria Yambot – Caroline Chisholm

• Nancy Cullen – Windsor Park

• Iris Fernandez - Glenwood

25 YEARS OF SERVICE

• Sosepa Mafi – Glenwood

• Anne Walton – Agmaroy

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Directors’ Awards HONOURING OUR OUTSTANDING STAFF

Each year, Hall & Prior are proud to acknowledge its exceptional staff members through the Directors’ Awards. The awards were first held in 2011, with the addition of the first New South Wales Directors’ Awards event two years later.

In 2015, Graeme Prior and Michael Hall, along with the General Managers of Health and Care Services Jennifer Grieve and Kris Healy, presented awards to a 50 staff members and four teams across the two states.

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SCHOLARSHIP Since the creation of the Directors’ Awards, Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior and Executive Director Michael Hall have presented 17 scholarships to staff who have shown an interest in further studies.

In 2015 a scholarship to the value of $5,000 was awarded to Natalie Skalko, who is an Enrolled Nurse at Clarence Estate. A scholarship of $2,000 was also awarded to Annie Sigdel, a Clinical Nurse Manager at Hamersley.

ST LUKES MEDALLION Our most prestigious award, the St Lukes Medallion, is reserved for dedicated longterm employees who have made exceptional individual contributions to Hall & Prior and the achievement of our vision, values and philosophy

Congratulations

TO OUR 2015 AWARD RECIPIENTS

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP Sophie Woodward Emma Juretic Deborah Sinclair-Lane Sharron Magennis Jayne Cummings Sharyn McDavitt

OUTSTANDING CARE AND SERVICES Huma Aryal Manju Sapkota Williams Ampofo

This year the St Lukes Medallion was presented to Sally Gutman, Director of Nursing at Hamersley in WA.

Rosa Tuinanunu

Early in her nursing career, Sally had extensive experience in rural Western Australia in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Carnarvon.

Pratibha Regmi

Sally was previously the Director of Nursing at Belmont before she moved to Hamersley and she specialises in palliative care and continence management.

Congratulations to all of the 2015 award recipients, and thank you to those who nominated them.

It is the dedication, passion and committment our staff bring to our homes each and every day that makes Hall & Prior the company it is.

Leighton Occupational Therapy Team (Pamela Worthington, Kate Poultney, Christine Perejuan)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

Elba Bonilla Jimenez

Aloiti Vakadranu

Julie Haddrick

Patrick Saw

Caroline Lawson

Shobha Ingleshwar

Charisse Joshi

Kate Steward

Cindy Vegar

Peter Moana

Yvonne Wales

Lillian Moorcroft

Merla Julve

Christine Kowalski

Mina Pindolia

Syril Abraham

Kung Burne

Ben Foster

Owen Hesford Annie Soh Cindy Ngieng Siobhan O’Dea Rahmo Farah

Jirath Phureewong

Dawn Sherratt Louise O’Hare Julie Warhurst

Tony Mitchell Elenita Piano-McLeod

Christine Rugless

TEAMS OF THE YEAR Staff of Hamersley Aged Care Home Clarence Community Care

Kiranjot Kaur

Coolibah Health and Care Services Team

Phisamai Nok Khonwai

Gardening Team

RISING STAR AWARD Kraig Hoogland Linda Jackson SCHOLARSHIP Natalie Skalko Annie Sigdel ST LUKES MEDALLION Sally Gutman

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VETERANS IN OUR CARE: ROBERT GRAY “I felt like I should do my bit for our country.”

This was the response from veteran and Belmont Aged Care Home resident Robert Gray, when asked why he joined the Australian Air Force in his youth.

“Thousands of people my age joined the armed services, and thousands of them didn’t get to come back.”

Hall & Prior care for many veterans throughout our 24 homes, and we aim to capture their stories and experiences.

Now aged 96, Robert lives at the home with his wife Lynette, and has been there for four years. He joined the air force when he was a teenager, eventually reaching the rank of corporal.

Shortly before being sent into conflict zones overseas, Robert met the woman who would later become his wife.

“I didn’t expect to get sent overseas. When it was time to leave they sent a great big ship.

It was so big it couldn’t get into the port so they ran us out in little boats.”

“I was posted in Syria, and in Russian desserts. I was part of the ground staff, packing up equipment.”

While not all of Robert’s memories are clear any more, one of his experiences stands out as one he will never forget.

“At one stage I was guarding some prisoners. I was told not to feed them, not to give them any food at all.”

“I looked right at [the man who told him] and said ‘they’re still human, I can’t starve them’.”

Robert began slipping food to the prisoners without telling his superiors. “There was one man, he was Italian, he was so grateful for what I did that he

gave me his ring,” he said.

those who gave their lives in various conflicts.

The thick gold band hasn’t moved off Robert’s finger “I always go to an Anzac Day since that day, and serves as a ceremony every year,” he said. reminder of his life-saving act.

“I wear two rows of medals, While serving overseas, Robert one is mine and one is my dad’s said he was moved around a – he was in the Army in World lot. He didn’t get to see Lynette War I.” again until shortly before they “It’s important to remember got married. The pair wrote what happened. When I joined, letters to keep in touch while thousands of people my age Robert was away. joined the armed services, and As we approach Anzac Day, thousands of them didn’t get to Robert spoke about the come back. importance of remembering

“They’re all people.”

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CELEBRATING THE FESTIVE SEASON IN OUR HOMES The Christmas period kept everyone busy around Hall & Prior homes.

Our residents got the chance to sing carols, meet Santa and most importantly, spend time with their loved ones.

There were Christmas events across our 14 Western Australian homes, along with our 10 New South Wales homes.

Our staff also joined in on the fun by dressing up in festive attire and helping to put up decorations.

Our NSW homes were visited by The Men’s Shed Chorale as well as representatives from local clergies, who spoke about the true meaning of Christmas.

Thank you to all of the families who visited throughout the festive season and helped us make these days special for our residents.

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Fresh Fields Operations Manager Kevin Fitzgerald with Oscar at the Cat Haven.

FRESH FIELDS HOSPITALITY SERVICES DONATIONS HELPS ANIMAL REFUGES The cats and dogs in three Perth shelters will sleep more soundly thanks to a donation of almost 2000 old towels from Fresh Fields Hospitality Services.

Fresh Fields is a division of Hall & Prior Health & Aged Care Group and manages the linen and caters for our 13 aged care homes in the Perth metropolitan area.

Fresh Fields Operations Manager Kevin Fitzgerald was on hand to deliver the towels to the Cat Haven, the Shenton Park Dogs’ Refuge Home and the Swan Animal Haven.

Kevin Fitzgerald with Hunni at the Swan Animal Haven in Guildford, east of Perth.

“With so many nursing homes in the Hall & Prior family, we do a lot of washing at Fresh Fields,” he said.

Hall & Prior Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior said he was pleased to have the opportunity to help the rescue organisations.

“In an average year, we wash more than 500,000 towels, along with more than a million face cloths and more than 160,000 bed sheets. The towels we are donating aren’t able to be used in our homes any more, but they are still good enough for the

“With three of our homes so close to these refuges, it really is a case of helping the communities we are part of,” he said.

dogs and cats in these shelters.”

“I’m glad that these old towels will be able to make a difference

in the lives of these animals while they wait to be adopted.”

Fresh Fields Hospitality Services have been providing catering and laundry services to Hall & Prior’s 13 homes in the Perth area from its current location in Carlisle since 2002.

Fresh Fields is an integral part of Hall & Prior’s operations and is a key contributor to maintaining our residents’ health and lifestyle.

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Concorde resident Mary Lee receives an orange from the mouth of one of the ceremonial lions during a performance at the home.

CONCORDE RESIDENTS ENJOY CHINESE NEW YEAR EVENTS Celebrations for Chinese New Year were in full swing at Concorde Aged Care Home in February, with a range of events for residents and their families to enjoy.

More than 25% of residents at the South Perth home are from Thailand, Malaysia, the Phillipines and China, and more than 60% of the home’s staff are multilingual, which helps to better care for residents who prefer to speak in their first language.

A local group, the Pak Mei Yaolin Kung Fu Association, visited Concorde and performed a traditional lion dance for residents and staff to bring good fortune and prosperity to the home.

The event included performers dancing as two lions, accompanied by drums and a gong played by other group

Concorde Aged Care Home staff with members of the Pak Mei Yaolin Kung Fu Association, who performed a lion dance at the home as part of Chinese New Year celebrations.

members. Concorde residents also attended a lunch held by the Chung Wah Association, Western Australia’s largest Chinese association.

The annual Longevity Lunch celebrates the elders who attended, especially those over

the age of 90, and was held at the Chung Wah Cultural Centre in Balcatta.

Residents and staff at the home also got to experience a Buddhist blessing, a performance from Chung Wah members and a celebratory lunch for staff.

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Glenwood residents Joyce Francis, Constance Frith and Elizabeth Childs.

MEET GLENWOOD AGED CARE HOME’S CENTENARIANS At Hall & Prior homes, keeping our residents happy, healthy and active is our number one focus.

With this edition of Life & Love we are pleased to feature four of Glenwood Aged Care Home’s most vibrant residents, all of whom have hit the milestone of their 100th birthday.

For Joyce Francis, having an active mind keeps the body active and common sense is important to ageing well.

Joyce has three children, three grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren, and before she came to Glenwood she worked in the printed trade.

She has been able to continue her lifelong love of reading at the home, and she also enjoys playing bingo and taking part in occupational therapy activities and bus trips.

“All of the staff here are great and they take good care of me,” Joyce said.

For Constance Frith, good living is key to being in such good shape at the age of 100.

Constance grew up in Sydney and has lived all her life there, and has two sons and nine grandchildren.

When she was younger she

loved sewing and made all of her own clothes. Throughout her life she has spent time travelling throughout Australia and overseas.

More than 50 years’ worth of yoga classes are to thank for Elizabeth Childs’ health, as well as a healthy diet.

She spends her time at Glenwood reading and using

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• Elizabeth regularly uses her iPad.

her iPad and said the home’s monthly Devonshire teas are her favourite activity. She spent most of her life living in England before moving to Australia and has two sons, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

• Joyce loves spending time working on knitting projects.

Our fourth Glenwood centenarian Pauline Pengilley said regular bingo games and going out into the grounds of the home with her two daughters helped to keep her active. She has spent most of her life living in Sydney.

Age is just a number to the group, who agreed that the home’s art therapy program was a favourite, as well as the celebrations Glenwood staff put on for events like Christmas and Australia Day. Glenwood Aged Care Home is located on Sydney’s lower north shore. The beautiful heritagelisted building is perched at the top of Greenwich and has peaceful gardens and tree-lined views of surrounding suburbs for residents and their families to enjoy.

• Mrs Frith and her son Stuart.

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Carers at our Mayfair Street office in West Perth for a Personal Carer Advanced Practice (PCAP) study day.

IMPROVING STAFF SKILLS WITH WORKPLACE TRAINING Hall & Prior offer a range of courses and training initiatives to help our staff expand their skill sets.

Western Australian carers have been hitting the books as they undertake our Personal Carer Advanced Practice (PCAP) course. The course is available for carers so they can take on extra responsibilities such as administering medication, taking vital signs and helping the home’s nurses monitor residents.

The program has been running since 2007 and is a stepping stone towards a new career path, as after the participants have finished the course they can then work towards becoming an enrolled nurse.

The two-month course involves six full study days and doing 10 medication rounds within the home.

Meanwhile, twelve NSW Assistants In Nursing (AIN) from six Sydney homes completed (pictured above) the intense four-week training schedule as part of the program to become Team Leaders.

The AIN Team Leaders are required to monitor for changes in the health or well-being of residents and report to a registered nurse if there are any noticeable changes.

always undertaken under the direction of registered nurse.

Their new responsibilities are around medication administration and management as well as application of appropriate wound care and documentation.

Some of the main new tasks include medication administration, medication management, wound care, skin tears, continence, general All AIN Team Leader tasks are wounds and oral hygiene.

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Windsor Park Aged Care Home resident Ivan Veale signs for ‘coffee’ with Deputy Director of Nursing Julie Warhurst.

WINDSOR PARK STAFF TAKE ON SIGN LANGUAGE While communicating with residents can be difficult at times, staff at Windsor Park Aged Care Home have overcome the added hurdle of caring for a man who is deaf.

Ivan Veale moved to the home in Carlisle, Western Australia late last year.

While he predominately communicate by lip-reading and writing messages to staff, he has also taught the staff some simple signs.

Ivan said he enjoyed making staff laugh and joking with them.

“I like the activities they put on here, they are fun,” he said.

“My daughter Sara is deaf too and I have spent a lot of time

“He likes the staff to know what he wants and this is a way to achieve that.” teaching her sign language.”

lives interstate, writes letters.”

Ivan started teaching the staff some signs after he moved the home, like for when he would like a coffee.

When Ivan needs to go to a medical appointment, Julie can organise for an Auslan translator to accompany him.

Windsor Park Deputy Director of Nursing Julie Warhurst said Ivan had settled in well at the home.

“He likes the staff to know what he wants so this is a way to achieve that,” she said.

“He makes do with what we can do for him. His daughter is also deaf so Ivan will write notes for us to text to her, and his sister, who

“Ivan has a great sense of humour and he gets along with everyone here,” Julie said.

Windsor Park is made up of two houses, one of which provides specialised care programs for residents with complex care needs.

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Greg Adam with the drawing of Nolene by artist Ann Cape.

GLENWOOD RESIDENTS FEATURE IN ANN CAPE ART EXHIBITION In November, acclaimed mother and daughter artists Ann and Sophie Cape exhibited works featuring residents from Glenwood Aged Aged Care Home.

The collection of artwork, which includes portraits and abstract work, was on display in November at Mosman Art Gallery in Sydney.

The works explored dementia and its impacts within the community.

Residents Elisabeth, David, Madie, Thomas and Nolene were featured in life drawings in the series.

Staff from the home, which is located in Greenwich, accompanied Nolene’s husband Greg along to the gallery to view the amazing work.

The exhibition, An Unending Shadow, aims encourage dialogue about the impacts of dementia.

Ann Cape has previously won

the renowned Archibald Prize twice and has an impressive body of work so we Glenwood staff were thankful to have been able to host her at the home and assist with her work.

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Concorde Aged Care Home resident Romayne Augustin with volunteer Rupa Sheth.

VOLUNTEERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE The volunteers we host in our homes make an invaluable contrbution to the lives of our residents.

• AWARD WIN FOR RUPA The hard work of one of Concorde Aged Care Home’s volunteers has been recognised after she received a Rotary Club award in February.

Rupa Sheth was selected for the Unsung Hero Award by the Rotary Club of Mill Point for her work in the South Perth home.

She has just celebrated 10 months of volunteering at Concorde, where she attends several days a week and assists with resident activities and serving meals.

“I wanted to help a charity or a group but I was concerned if I just gave money, I couldn’t be sure it would get to the people in need. So instead I chose to give my time to the residents. A smile on their face every day is what I aim for.”

• BARBARA SHARES ANZAC JOURNEY At Menaville Aged Care Home in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale, volunteer Barbara O’Keefe

was able to use her personal experiences as a nursing officer in the Army Reserve to enhance the home’s Remembrance Day service in November.

• Barbara O’Keefe

Barbara has volunteered at the home for many years and last year shared her experiences with the residents as they commemorated the centenary of the Anzac.

After her 10-year service with the Army Reserve, she retired with the rank of Major and ‘Matron of a field hospital’. In August 2015 she was selected to head to Athens to join a tour looking at the experiences of World War I ANZAC nursing sisters.

Barbara spent eight days on a specially chartered ship with more than 70 other nurses, (both retired and currently serving military nurses) descendants of WWI nurses, teachers, historians and researchers from Australia and New Zealand.

The tour followed the path of WWI Army nursing sisters throughout the Aegean Sea, visiting Skiathos, Thessalonki, Lemnos, Canakkale and finishing in Istanbul. The group

participated in a wreath-laying ceremony on the island of Thessaloniki, as well as one at sea to remember 135 soldiers, doctors and nurses lost in 1915 after their boat was torpedoed.

The group also visited Anzac Cove to pay tribute to those that lost their lives there.

Barbara visits Menaville Aged Care Home each week to spend time with the residents and help with lifestyle activities.

If you would like to volunteer at one of our aged care homes in Western Australia or New South Wales, send an email to info@hallprior.com.au or infoNSW@hallprior.com.au

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CLARENCE ESTATE STAFF MEMBER ON A MISSION TO SAVE LIVES Clarence Estate maintenance staff member Phil Gough (pictured above) is on a mission to save lives after joining Albany Surf Life Saving Club’s Wesfarmers Emergency Response Team (ERT).

The group work closely with the Albany Sea Rescue Squad and the Water Police and use jetskis during search and rescue operations. In comparison to other vessels, jet-skis mean the team can get to hard-toreach areas or go out in difficult conditions.

Phil, who has just celebrated seven years working at Clarence Estate, had been a surf lifesaver for many years but had taken a break from the club before set his sights on joining the ERT. Before he could book in to be assessed for the highly skilled team, he had to ensure his fitness levels would meet the group’s standards, a process which took the better part of three years.

“The most challenging part

• Phil in his uniform for the Surf Life Saving Club’s Wesfarmers Emergency Response Team.

was building up to that level of fitness, as well as how cold the waters are in Albany,” he said.

near Breaksea Island, which is about 12 kilometres south east of Albany.

“There were times where the water was only seven degrees so that was tough.”

“Being part of this group is a really rewarding experience – we’re the last call for life,” he said.

The ERT are always on-call for emergencies and while Phil hasn’t had to head out on a rescue effort yet, he recently took part in a combined exercise with the Water Police. The exercise involved a simulated rescue of a person using boats and jetskis and was conducted

Being involved with surf lifesaving runs in Phil’s family, with his six-year-old son being involved in the club’s children’s’ program since he was three, while his daughter, aged two, is about to enrol for the next season.

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NEWS IN BRIEF – WHAT’S HAPPENING AT HALL & PRIOR Funds raised for fire victims During the lead-up to festive season, staff at Hall & Prior’s Western Australian Head Office raised more than $700 in their annual Christmas raffle.

This money was donated to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund, and will help those affected by devastating bushfires in the south west regions of Yarloop and Waroona.

Hall & Prior joins the race against dementia Staff Clarence Estate laced up their sneakers last weekend to take part in the 2015 Alzheimer’s Australia Albany Memory Walk and Jog. A team of more than 15 staff members, residents and their family members headed Middleton Beach on September 20 for the event.

Hall & Prior’s dedicated staff care for more than 1500 residents across Australia.

“Dementia is something that affects so many of our residents,” he said.

They get a first-hand view of how dementia affects not only those with the condition, but their families as well.

“Our team at Clarence Estate work extremely hard to improve the lives of the people who live there each and every day and the Memory Walk is just another aspect of that.”

By taking part in the Memory Walk and Jog, staff at Clarence Estate want to continue to raise awareness of the work Alzheimer’s Australia does to assist people nationwide.

Clarence Estate Executive Director of Care Kristi Holloway said she enjoyed participating in the walk and helping to raise both funds and awareness.

“This is a cause that is close to all of our hearts because our residents are close to our hearts,” she said.

Chief Executive Officer Graeme Prior is a proud supporter of the campaign and its efforts to help those living with dementia.

Hall & Prior was a proud sponsor of the 2015 Alzheimer’s Australia Albany Memory Walk and Jog.

Hall & Prior on Facebook Have you seen the Hall & Prior Facebook page lately? We’re always publishing great stories like the ones you have read here in Life & Love and bringing them direct to your Facebook news feed. Head to our page and press ‘like’. www.facebook.com/ HallandPriorAgedCare

24 Life & Love

HEAD OFFICE 16-18 Mayfair Street West Perth WA 6005 PO Box 1593 West Perth WA 6872 T 08 9321 1388 F 08 9321 1490 E info@hallprior.com.au

OUR HOMES

GLENWOOD Director of Nursing Irene Whippy and her staff (pictured in the grounds of the home on Greenwich Road in Greenwich) care for 56 residents.

The dedicated staff have created a positive and happy work environment and contribute to the home’s warm and loving feel.

NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OFFICE 274 Burns Bay Road Lane Cove NSW 2066 PO Box 84 Lane Cove NSW 1595 T 02 9427 8978 F 02 9427 3218 E infonsw@hallprior.com.au

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