Category: Reporting Results

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Reporting Results

2019 Review: What a year …

Resident Associations’ views and their expectations have been heard and considered more seriously than ever previously encountered by Governments across the country, with many states enacting immediate legislated reforms. 

In my own 20-plus years of experience, Ministers would barely be involved in the drafting of new Retirement Village legislation.

Yet in 2019, they were making election promises and directing drafting new legislation in various states due to the tireless advocacy work of the Resident Associations (Photographed Building Commissioner, David Chandler and Kevin Anderson, NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation).

The continued slow and steady media activity via Today Tonight, The Australian and several local state-based papers has continued to confuse retirement villages and aged care.

Then we had Earle Haven Retirement Village on the Gold Coast confusing everyone when its aged care home was abandoned by the outsourced manager.

Reinforcing the media’s interest in our sector are the awards to Anne Connolly (pictured right) and her team from ABC, who recently took out the Australian Human Rights Commission’ Media Award for their ‘Aged Care: Who Cares?’ investigation which aired in September 2018.

2019 has also seen the increase in the acceptance of the Land Lease model and an extremely popular housing option for retirees.

Plus the introduction of many other hybrid model offerings such as LDK Healthcare – led by assisted living advocate Paul Browne – and their “Club membership” offer, apartment buildings with Care Concierges, etc….

Along the way village operators are building medium rise villages that look like hotels – and Village Managers will be leading them.

2019 has certainly been a year of disruption and refocus for many operators and the sector!

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Reporting Results

Village Vibe – Diane Olson Village Manager Aminya Village, Baulkham Hills

On Wednesday 30th October, Aminya Village residents with members of family and friends, (over 40 ladies in total), celebrated Pink Ribbon Day in our Terrace Cafe with a very enjoyable High Tea.​

This is our third year for this event with Guest Speaker, Lee Christian, attending on behalf of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation to report on the many advancements and funding grants projects which we fundraise towards. Currently, to date, our generous residents have raised $1,474 with this year’s tally being $510.

A photo booth was created on the lounge area in the Café with some fun dress ups which created wonderful memories and lots of laughter for our residents. A great day was had by all who attended and enjoyed the spirit of the event.   

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Reporting Results

New South Wales operators have 26 Days to be Rules of Conduct compliant

This week the DCM Institute distributed and mailed out to Village Managers across NSW a guide that will assist them prepare for compliance with the new NSW Rules of Conduct regulations.

These new regulations highlight areas previously not found in legislation across the country. Check out this list – just part of the new required code:

  1. The need for operators and their staff to maintain their legislative knowledge
  2. Operators must have regard to the best interests of residents
  3. Operators must exercise skill, care and diligence
  4. Operators must act with honesty, fairness and professionalism
  5. Operators must not disclose private and confidential information about residents or prospective residents
  6. Operators must have an elder abuse strategy
  7. Operators must provide information to external selling agents
  8. Operators must not make false or misleading representations
  9. Operators have new guidelines for marketing requirements
  10. Operators must disclose any conflict of interests and maintain a register
  11. Operators must have a robust complaints and internal dispute handling process, register and staff must be trained in these processes
  12. Operators must maintain policy, procedure and registers for Village professionals ongoing professional development
  13. Operators must monitor staff compliance with policy and procedure 

During the month we have received a number of enquiries asking the difference between The Rules of Conduct and Code of Conduct.  Put simply if you are operating in NSW you must comply with all areas of the Rules of Conduct by 1 January 2020 as it is a Regulation.

You can download a copy HERE. 

Where as the Code of Conduct is a voluntary industry framework that helps create the benchmark for Retirement Living operational standards and whilst this too comes into effect 1 January 2020 you are able to sign up at any point once you have completed the self assessment.

Click here to view our Compliance guide, developed by DCM Institute, to assist operators meet their requirements.Download Rules of ConductDownload DCMI Compliance Guide

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Reporting Results

Code of Conduct Registration of Interest hits over 800 villages – Operational Stage commences 1 January

Recently at a Property Council education day in South Australia, Ben Myers, the Executive Director of the Retirement Living Council, shared that over 800 villages had already registered their interest in being engaged with the Code of Conduct industry framework.

Ben shared “This industry framework plays an important role in the future protection and promotion of resident interests. 

It helps implement regulation in a way that creates high and consistent standards across marketing, sales and operations. 

It promotes trust and confidence in the sector. 

The framework supports open, transparent and efficient resolution of complaints and importantly provides industry leadership”.

Our tip: It is a really important initiative to take the professionalism of the retirement living sector to the next level. If you need a copy of the Code of Conduct, download it HERE.

At the same event Jason Sack, General Manager at Living Choice Australia shared tips on how the Living Choice team are championing this framework and as industry leaders offered these practical steps to help get you started: 

1. Develop an implementation plan

  • understand obligations and make sure you can always meet them
  • ensure you have the processes to manage complaints and disputes

2. Embrace the Code and opportunities it brings

  • promote the Code to customers and community (MPs and media)
  • include your commitment in marketing material
  • make sure potential residents know you value the commitment

​​3. Engage with residents, resident committees and resident        associations

  • host resident morning teas to talk about the Code and its benefits
  • discuss the Code at resident committee meetings

4. Appoint a Code Compliance officer

  • Who will be the first point of contact with residents on all Code matters?
  • Who will assist in monitoring village compliance?

Our tip: The team at DCM Institute have developed an example implementation plan to help you with the first step HERE. 

Plus over the summer break, the DCMI team will be adding more resources to the Resource Vault for members on the DCM Institute website, to ensure that signing up to the Code is as easy as practical for all participants. 

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Reporting Results

Ingenia Community Manager named Employee of the Year

Ingenia Community Manager Misty Lovis, a member of our DCM Institute, has won the Employee of the Year Award at the 2019 Land Lease Living Industry Awards for Excellence.

Known as the Caravan & Camping Industry (CCIA) Awards, it celebrates the achievements of individuals and businesses in the NSW caravan, camping, manufactured housing and land lease living sectors.

Misty’s village, The Grange, also scored top honours for the Best Land Lease Community of the Year Award at the ceremony last Thursday in Sydney, and Ingenia snapped up the Community Engagement Award.

Misty took part in our Village Manager Professional Development program launched in April to deliver better resident outcomes and better business outcomes for operators.

Participants in the program are trained in dementia, ageism, regulations around fire emergencies, guidance with home and aged care, and much more.

Learn more HERE.

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Reporting Results

Dementia-friendly communities​

There are 4 million Australians over age 65 – that’s about 15% of the Australian population living with Dementia…and its a growing cohort expected to be 22% of the population by 2057.

70% of these people are living in their own homes within the community, including within retirement communities. 

There is no question that as Village professionals we will be in a position to support those living within our communities with Dementia.

Dementia Australia has a range of tools and resources to assist with supporting those living with Dementia, including a couple of great new social movement initiatives called Dementia Friends, Dementia Friendly Communities and Dementia Friendly Organisations. 

I encourage all Village Professionals to become Dementia Friends. It only takes about 25 minutes online. 

Or perhaps your community could become a Dementia Friendly Organisation and then perhaps you could even consider becoming a Dementia Advocate and encourage the local business community around you to become a Dementia Friendly Community.

In the meantime here are a few tips that will help people living in your community with Dementia:

  • Contrasting colours in rooms such as doors being a slightly different colour than walls, grab rails & toilet seats being different colours that the tiles and paint, word on signs being contrasting colours
  • Identification labels on drawers, cupboard doors and entrances and exits
  • Clear kitchen cupboard doors to be able to see what is behind the door
  • Non-patterned floors and highlighting colours on change of levels/stairs
  • Personalisation/recognition indicators in the front garden of the persons home
  • Promotion of Dementia Friend (25min) on-line training for residents and staff
  • Quiet space in community areas to get away from the noise
  • Invite Dementia Australia to visit your village

Download the DIY Dementia Friendly Toolkit at dementiafriendly.org.au

Register HERE or contact Dementia Australia below.

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Reporting Results

Policy and procedure — keep it simple

Many of you may be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of having to be ready to undertake what’s needed to achieve the Code of Conduct or ARVAS requirements.  

The best advice I can give is to have a plan, tackle the job one step at a time and document the way things need to be done.  

The POLICY should be the standards you set for your village.

The PROCEDURE will set out how you will achieve those standards.

Here are a few tips to help:

  • Identify the categories of operations within your village, eg. property, finance, human resources 
  • List for each category the policy, procedures, tasks and decisions associated with each category (Suggestion — check your last month’s calendar for tasks you do regularly as a starting point)
  • Use the Code of Conduct and Accreditation standards as tools to develop a Gap analysis (Suggestion — the ARVAS standards can be be downloaded as a great starting point without you being registered in ARVAS) 
  • Consult with your team
  • Consult with your residents’ committee
  • Prioritise what needs to be done  
  • Decide on a timeline and outline your weekly/monthly actions ​

And the best piece of advice — DON’T overthink it and DON’T be afraid to ask for help!

Jodie

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Reporting Results

Village Vibe —Sometimes a simple cuppa and smile is all it takes​

The residents from War Veterans Home Retirement Village Myrtle Bank, SA are making the most of their new on-site café.

Village Manager RSL Care SA, Terri Wood says, “The residents love the café, it’s a great place to people watch and chat all whilst enjoying a nice cup of tea.” 

Please send us in a photo and a few words highlighting what makes your village smile.

Jodie

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Reporting Results

Jessica Maddern wins LASA Village Manager of the Year

A hands on approach and diligence in responding to the concerns of residents are just some of the qualities of LASA Retirement Village Manager of the Year for 2019 Jessica Maddern.

Jessica is the Operations Manager of De Paul Manor Estate, a 79-unit village on the Gold Coast.

Since Jessica took on the role, the Gold Coast village has seen a huge improvement in resident satisfaction, largely due to her professional and friendly approach.

Jessica joined the village part-time as a student finishing her social work degree and took on her current role aged 24. ​

Being a young village manager was both an asset and a challenge – on one hand the residents trusted her, enjoyed her enthusiasm and were grateful for her IT skills. 

But in the early days, residents wrote letters of concern to the Parish and Bishop that she was too young for the role. 

Today however, resident engagement is her absolute priority.

We would also like to acknowledge and congratulate the following finalists:

  • Jack Greathead – Village Manager at Wesley Mission Qld’s Wheller on the Park in Brisbane – VMPD Program member.
  • Vanessa Nugent – Manager at Bolton Clarke’s Westhaven Retirement Village in Toowoomba – VMPD Program member.
  • Deborah Luscombe – Retirement Village Manager at Mt Eymard Retirement Community in Bowral.
  • Raylene Trewartha – Resident Liaison Manager at Good Shepherd Village in Mackay.

Jess will be joining us on the Village Management Professional Development program, as part of her reward. 

Jodie

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Reporting Results

Wondering why getting respite is so tough – check the Royal Commission

An aged care respite bed makes a loss of $67.47 per day.

This was a testimony in yesterday’s Royal Commission inquiry by Darren Midgley, CEO of the not-for-profit Chaffey Aged Care home in Mildura.

He said that respite care residents are charged a daily care fee of $51.21per day plus Medicare make a payment of $86.54.

The net result is aged care homes cannot afford to provide respite – which many of your residents may be keen to get to give a partner a break from caring, or for a resident transitioning out of hospital.

The impact on villages, and village management, is that you are likely to have residents at home who should be receiving a higher level of care.

Our advice: further build your relationship with local aged care homes you know and have confidence in so that you can be an advocate for your residents in their time of need.

Chris