Snapshot

Snapshot Zooming in on the latest news from St John of God SEM Hospitals (Berwick, Frankston, Pinelodge, Langmore)

Friday 25th September 2020 Current Victorian COVID-19 Status as at Friday 25th September 2020 Australia-wide 604 active cases | 27,000 total | Victoria-wide 482 active cases | 20,118 total Deaths (Vic) 781 total | People hospitalised (Vic) 58 | People in ICU (Vic) 8

Foundation Day 2020- a time to show gratitude and give back The story of St John of God Healthcare began with the foundation of the Sisters of the St John of God on 7th October 1871 in Wexford, Ireland. Each year St John of God Healthcare celebrates Foundation Day to honour our beginnings and the visionary work of the Sisters of St John of God – a work that continues today through all of our caregivers. This year we are also celebrating the 125 years since the arrival of the Sisters in Australia.

Reflecting on our theme of Healing Hope and Dignity, and in the spirit of gratitude that for the most part we have all been able to maintain our employment , we are inviting caregivers to donate small personal items and toiletries to those who have been greatly impacted by COVID-19 through job losses, domestic violence and homelessness. We have partnered with WAYSS, and invite you to assist with any donations. WAYSS are here for all people facing homelessness and family violence and will support them to have a safe, secure and affordable home that helps them to live a better life. Today, Wayss provides services across Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Mornington Peninsula and Frankston.

Foundation Day will look a little different this year and we thank you all for your understanding and generosity of spirit that has been evident this year and for the care you have shown to other caregivers and all our patients and families.

Rhonda O’Connor Director of Mission Integration St John of God South East Melbourne

Fun at Frankston

So long, farewell

A sweet competition Frankston are holding a “Guess the Lollies in the Jar” competition for their caregivers to boost morale and have a bit of fun. Even the caregivers working remotely can join in and have a guess.

For more information, please contact Vickie Aiton.

Physio department / Allied Health Teams These teams are participating in daily mindfulness 10 minute meditation sessions and all the team are participating in Steptember. Great job!

Technology Enabled Care Amie Malcom Senior Occupational Therapist has will be commencing a course at RMIT, “Technology Enabled Care,” to learn therapy techniques using the latest technology.

A new menu for patients St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital will adopt a new menu from Thursday 1 October 2020, which across our Eastern Hospitals is referred to as the “Common Menu Project”. The Project is led

by Scott Horn and supported by a Common Menu Steering Committee. Scott has been working closely with our Catering, Dietetics and Speech caregivers over the last few months in preparation, and we thank the team of caregivers for their contribution. We have engaged with our Consumer Consultative Committee who have provided postive responses and enthusiasm in regards to the new menu.

Meals will continue to be cooked fresh on site, with an increased choice of meals for our patients, including those on therapeutic diets. The standardised common menu implementation, ensures meals are consistently high in nutritional value, supports our commitment to patient safety via allergen management and dietary requirements, provides a formal process to review and update our menu to ensure it remains contemporary and responds to our patients’ expectations. As part of the project, we are able to access a wider range of suppliers securing quality produce and competitive pricing.

Ballarat, Berwick and Geelong have successfully led the way for us in adopting the new menu and positive patient feedback has been received in relation to improvements in meal temperatures, presentation and taste. We have recently engaged in a patient survey and will check in with our patients again post implementation to monitor our progress and ensure that we are meeting and exceeding expectations.

We were proud to see the last of our aged care residents depart the Langmore Centre yesterday. Headed back home to Outlook Gardens, Dandenong, they left us healthy, safe and well looked after.

The Langmore team, a blend of caregivers from multiple St John of God Hospitals, came together voluntarily to respond to Victoria’s Aged Care crisis. Along with Berwick’s 4 East Covid-positive unit, they put their heart and soul into preserving the dignity of the residents and restoring them to health.

Brooke Finkel, a Mental Health Nurse from Pinelodge Clinic, responded to the call for help and has been caring for the residents at Berwick’s Langmore Centre since it re-opened in August. Yesterday as the team packed up, Brooke reflected on how difficult the Covid-19 pandemic had been for the residents.

One resident in particular struck a chord and Brooked explained how he had dealt with becoming paraplegic as a result of surviving polio at age 4 and then struggled through intense bullying- being kicked and punched- throughout his life.

“He said he had been through so much in his life and there’s one thing that shook him and that was Covid-19 and not knowing what’s going to happen the next day,” says Brooke.

“He expressed that at his age people don’t have a lot of choice anymore and the one thing you want is to be with your loved ones and you can’t. He was so grateful that he came here and we able able to give them (the residents) the TLC that they couldn’t get from their families.”

As we reflect on the 9 lives sadly lost to Covid-19, we feel an incredible sense of gratitude to the courgaeous caregivers who stepped up to show love and compassion to those people in their final moments. We feel pride knowing that the care they provided saved lives.

“It’s been a blessing to be part of a team that all had one intention. We all volunteered and had one goal and that was to care for these people while they had no-one to look after them and to make this their home, as much as possible, in this crazy and confusing time,” says Brooke.

“To be a part of a team who all supported each other- that will stick with me forever.”

There have currently been 611 aged care deaths in Victoria due to Covid-19.

There are currently 274 aged care residents infected in Victoria.

Pictured: Alynae Hullin (Geelong Grad), Mel Phillips and Brooke Finkle (Pinelodge)

If you have content to add to the daily update or if there is something more you’d like to see, please contact Lisa Carman, Marketing Manager on lisa.carman@sjog.org.au or 0407 682 501

Mini Field of Women October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

On Monday 5th October we plan to hold our annual mini Field of Women at SJG Berwick Hospital.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions we invite all SEM caregivers to participate remotely by texting or emailing your tributes to Cathy Rose (Pastoral Care) or Liz Douglass (McGrath Breast Care Nurse).

Your messages will be transcribed onto a tribute card and placed on a pink lady in the chapel garden during our Pink Lady ceremony on Monday 5th October. They may be read aloud so for privacy please don’t include surnames.

Tributes can be sent to Liz by text to 0417 125 968 or email elizabeth.douglass@sjog.org.au or Cathy cathy.rose@sjog.org.au

Foundation Day Ritual All SEM caregivers are invited to join the Foundation Day celebrations on Wednesday 7th October 2020 via Webex. The Foundation Day reflection and Length of Service Awards ceremony will commence at 12.00pm.

Webex detail will be sent out as a calendar invite shortly.

You can find us on social media Facebook

@SJOG Berwick @SJOG Frankston @SJOG Pinelodge Clinic

Instagram @stjohnofgodberwickhospital @sjgFrankston

Coming up in October Foundation Day

7th October

Pastoral Care Week

25th - 31st Oct

Frankston new menu launch

1st October

Grand Final Day Public Holiday

Fri 23rd Oct

Breast Cancer Awareness month Mental Health Awareness month Pregnancy and Infant Loss month