Dece mber 2012 bentley park resident newsletter Across My Desk CEO’s Report As we enter the festive season, I see evidence of the spirit of friendship and community across our Community as many of our clubs and groups enjoy their respective Christmas and end of year celebrations. One of the advantages of being a large Community is the diversity of the social and recreational choices that our residents themselves over the years have introduced. We have exceptional talent and commitment within our residents, whether it be here at Bentley or down south at Australind, and this directly contributes to the wonderful lifestyle for which we are renowned.
Our volunteers are special people As is our tradition, during the first week of December each year we celebrate International Volunteers Day by acknowledging the extraordinary efforts of our many volunteers. This year we will hold a “Masquerade Breakfast” to say “THANKYOU” to our very special people.. In marking this day, I wish to convey my personal thanks to all of our volunteers who go about their business throughout the year making Bentley Park a better place to live. There are so many different roles that our volunteers are engaged in with each person bringing their individual talent, skill and commitment to their work. A number of studies have measured the value to the Australian economy of the time volunteers give doing a wide variety of volunteer jobs. Of course, it is not monetary reward that volunteers are seeking but the desire to contribute to their community. We appreciate that the services provided by this special group of people are essential to a
Security Number If the Resident Support Services number is unavailable residents are reminded the mobile contact number for Security is:
0413 388 650
non-profit organisation such as SwanCare Group and we acknowledge with gratitude the work they do. To us, they are TRULY SPECIAL PEOPLE.
Paying tribute to our long serving staff A continuing tradition at SwanCare Group is to also recognise exceptional lengths of service amongst our staff. Around this time each year we recognise those staff who have achieved 10, 20, 25 and yes, even 30 years’ service to our organisation. In a challenging work environment and with the transient nature of today’s modern workforce it is truly an amazing achievement that we can celebrate and recognise service periods of such great length. We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice in the aged care sector. We want to make our employees feel proud of working for SwanCare Group and we try to ensure that they are continually acknowledged and appreciated for their hard work and commitment. When I see lengths of service such as this I get a sense of validation that we must be doing things right. This year we acknowledged the following staff members with 10 years service, Sheryl Edwards from Hospitality, Carole Boyd, Maria Bacaron, Angela Wright and Teresa Gonzales all from Residential Care, Fiona Millar and Ronnie Deans from Admin. In addition, this year we also acknowledged 25 years of service from our much valued, loved and respected librarian Penny Felder. We are very proud of all these wonderful staff members.
Changes at Board Level At the SwanCare Group AGM held at the end of November, Martin Dunleavy, Chair for the past six years decided to hand over the baton of leadership. Martin was the Chair of SwanCare Group during a very challenging period in which he oversaw major changes in the way that the organisation went about its business. During Martin’s tenure he established a strong focus on governance and detailed strategic planning, which has enabled SwanCare Group to re-build its financial position and create a stable and
Bentley Park Social Club The Town of Victoria Park Brass Band - 14th December
sustainable business platform. With Martin stepping down, the Board unanimously elected Julian Keys to the position of Board Chair. Julian has been Martin’s Deputy for the past Martin Dunleavy three years, and has been instrumental in driving the association’s re-focus on governance and strategy. Julian also has a wealth of knowledge in the field of human resources and training and these skills have been greatly Julian Keys valued during his current tenure. Julian is keen to continue the excellent work and build upon the solid foundation and platform that Martin has delivered. To assist Julian, the Board elected Professor Robin Watts to the position of Deputy Chair. Robin Prof. Robin Watts has been a member of the board for 18 months and her skills as specialist nursing practitioner coupled with her detailed understanding of clinical governance and ethics have been a great asset to the Board. As per the constitution, both Julian and Robin have been appointed for a period of one year. In addition to the two new Board positions, there were also changes to the Village Resident Advisory Council (VRAC) representatives. As you all know, SwanCare Group is one of the only villages where residents actually get a seat at the Board table, in our case two seats. We find this an extremely valuable addition to the running of the organisation and the input from the village members is very much appreciated. Their input provides grounding for the Board and is a reminder of why and for whom the organisation exists. This year, we saw Brian Dale stand down from his Continued Page 3
Inside this issue > Bentley Park Social Club - pg 3 Bentley Park News - pg 4 Kingia/Tandara Auxiliary - pg 5 What’s On Calendar - pg 6 & 7 Bentley Park Show - pg 9