Day: February 3, 2020

Categories
What the research tells us

DCM Institute 2020 Professional Development Days announced – expanded to four a year

We are pleased to confirm the dates and locations of our Village Management PD days for 2020.

Check your city above.

Listening to the positive feedback across 2019, we have increased the number PD days from three a year to four a year (with no increase in membership fees)

The increasing number of DCMI members – now 320 village and HO management – has also led us to book bigger venues. For instance, in Sydney we are moving from the Novotel Darling Harbour to the Hilton Sydney.

Remember, if you are in NSW, membership of the DCM Institute professional development program substantially covers training requirements under the new State government rules of conduct that commenced 1 January.

For all states, membership delivers the training requirements for the retirement village Code of Conduct, which also commenced 1 January.

Categories
Things to watch

Save the new date – 10 & 11 August and join 300 of your peers at the VILLAGE SUMMIT

We have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2nd VILLAGE SUMMIT conference, scheduled for 20 and 21 February.

So many people in communities across Australia have been affected by the devastating bushfires and natural disasters, including our colleagues and their families.

We have taken the stance to move the conference to the later part of the year to allow time for communities to recover.  

The new date for our VILLAGE SUMMIT at the Sheraton Grand Sydney is Monday 10 & Tuesday 11 August.

We made this decision after significant consultation with delegates, operators and speakers. All supported the move and re-signed to join us for the new dates. (Thanks!)

We understand that it is not only the business and operations of villages that have been affected, but also village residents and their families, village staff and their families and importantly, their wider local communities.

We certainly apologise if this impacts you negatively, but we believe it is the appropriate action currently.

With everyone involved recommitting to August, the program continues to be ‘fabulous’.

Check it out HERE.

Categories
Latest industry developments

Judy Martin elected Chair of Washington’s Global Ageing Network (GAN)

Many of our readers will have met Judy Martin at our DCMI professional development days.

Judy is our Director – Industry Engagement, and she has just been elected to lead the Global Ageing Network (GAN) which represents retirement living and aged care operators in 50 countries. It’s a big deal!

GAN is based in Washington DC. Judy’s fellow board members come from across the globe, including Switzerland, China, Uganda, South Africa, Canada and the USA.

Judy has been leading Australia’s international educational programs for 10 years and visited over 300 of the best villages and aged care homes across the world. She will be making several trips overseas this year, including the UK, Spain and Washington.

She brings us the latest international trends and ideas from across the world.  How lucky are we to have her on our team – and to have an Australian so honoured!

Categories
Key things to help you everyday

You have the leadership skills so put them into action in 2020 and your community will reap the rewards…

I would like to share with you a few great tips from Janet Loli from the Forbes Coaches Council.  

Janet says: “Leadership development includes not necessarily learning new leadership skills but working consistently to practice the behaviours and skills that we know we should be practising but haven’t yet formed as habits.”

Some of us have great intentions and strive to be effective leaders but yet sometimes, due to pressure, not having enough time or resources or just being tired, impacts our performance. 

And sometimes our actions are not in alignment with the person we want to be or want to be known as.

Janet suggests perhaps in 2020 we focus on letting what we already know bloom, rather that leaving it to chance.

She says put pen to paper and write down a few areas you would like to shine as part of your 2020 goals and then reflect on it regularly.

Here is an example that looks so simple and obvious.

Leadership Capability:  I would like to be known as being a people-oriented leader

Actions required (tick these off in your mind on how you really rate): 

  • Take time to pause and talk with residents, and really listen 
  • Remember things that are important to individuals – birthdays, events, holidays etc (develop a system to help with this)
  • Acknowledge the contributions of residents/staff/volunteers – great or small (could be verbally or a small note/card)
  • Regularly seek out the thoughts opinions and ideas of residents/staff/volunteers
  • Hold back on judgement; acknowledge we all have a history that shapes our views
  • Act on your word, give your commitment and follow through (and develop a system to support this behaviour)

Try writing two or three of these and focus your 2020 actions and behaviours around them.

This will help move you from automatic reactions into a place of choosing your responses and your actions intentionally.

Come back every month and do a review; you will be amazed how much progress you will make and how good you will feel as a professional.

Remember: simple is good.

In February’s DCM Village Management Professional Development program we delve deeper into the Leadership skills, traits and capabilities that are required of a Village professional. 

Categories
Latest industry developments

A timely reminder to review all things emergency/crisis management related

Emergencies have a way of identifying the cracks in the best-laid plans. Fire, floods, cyclones and now viruses!

The events of the last three months are certainly a timely reminder to us all of the emergency management responsibilities we hold as operators of retirement communities.

The start of the year is a great time to step back and review. Are our resources and plans ‘emergency ready’ and up to the level community expects?

Here is a quick checklist of some of the activities and resources you can review:

  • Training calendar requirements – first aid, CPR, fire warden, OHS/WHS
  • Check first aid kits are in date and fully stocked, plus set up a reminder to check them bi-monthly, or after use, PLUS additional items required – masks, water etc.
  • Service/check defibrillators
  • Emergency/Fire warden training – for staff and volunteer residents where appropriate
  • Test emergency/fire systems and setting up a regular schedule of testing
  • Recheck access and egress requirements
  • PEEPS – ‘Personal emergency evacuation plans’ should be reviewed for residents needing emergency services assistance and other priorities
  • Emergency drill scheduling – how often, how to encourage attendance, appropriate notice of the drill
  • Emergency lighting – check exit, solar, torches, battery-powered alternatives
  • Review of Emergency procedures – especially focus on limited or no power/internet/phone communications
  • Recheck exit accessibility – and alternate route maps
  • If the community is not safe to stay, what is the procedure to inform relatives, PLUS how will you communicate once it is safe to re-enter the community?
  • Understand and have a plan to use social media/websites in communication, to reach families and others

For some states, like NSW, this style of preparation is mandated – it must be done, and you must register and record all events.

If you have been through an ‘emergency’ and have learnings about reviewing resources and plans, please don’t hesitate to be in touch and I would be only too pleased to share them.