Message from Michelle Sloane - March 2024

Dear Resident, Families and Friends,

Welcome to our Autumn edition of SummitNews.Autumn is a season that personally reminds me of the beauty of mother nature and change. The cooler evenings are a welcome relief after the heat of Summer.

We recently celebrated Chinese New Year, a colourful and festive event. Each month our homes continue to plan more events and entertainment for all of our residents and we encourage everyone to join us for these special days and to be an integral part of our close-knit communities.

SummitCare residents remain at the heart of all our homes. Their stories, wisdom, and laughter create a wonderful sense of community that enriches our daily lives. When I visit the homes there is nothing better than chatting with our residents and watching them interact with each other and enjoying a joke or event.

Our teams remain dedicated to ensuring days are filled with warmth, care, and activities that bring this fun and happiness to their homes.

On the 12th May we will celebrate International Nurses Day in each of our homes. This year the theme of the day is Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care. It aims to reshape perceptions, demonstrating how strategic investment in nursing can bring considerable economic and societal benefits.

No doubt many of you are aware that the Australian government has embarked on a significant reform of the aged care system. These reforms are in response to the findings of the Royal Commission and are aiming to address long standing challenges and improve the quality and accessibility of care for older Australians.

Many of these reforms are already implemented and recently I wrote to you in relation to forming Consumer Advisory meetings. We are always on the lookout for representatives amongst our communities to engage with us on our committees.

Your feedback and suggestions are invaluable to us, as they help us to continually grow and improve. Please feel free to reach out to me or any member of our team with your thoughts, concerns, or stories you’d like to share.

As the CEO, I am incredibly proud of the resilience and compassion our homes continue to demonstrate no matter what comes their way. This includes the changes brought about by the many reforms.

As promised in our last edition I have outlined some of the reform changes that are currently occurring in the aged care community.

We are currently awaiting the report from the Albanese government taskforce into aged care which is due to be released any day. The mandate of the report was to conduct a review of the current funding arrangements in aged care and ensure a fair and equitable arrangement for all Australians into the future.

This July we will see the introduction of a new Aged Care Act and a new set of Quality Care Standards. Community feedback forums are available for those who wish to review the proposed changes.

Other key areas of reform include;

Increased Access and Affordability:

Reforming funding models to make aged care services more accessible to a broader range of Australians.

Greater Choice and Control for Residents:

Empowering aged care recipients and their families with more choices regarding the type of care they receive and who provides it, along with improved information to help make informed decisions.

Workforce Development:

Investing in the aged care workforce to attract and retain high-quality care professionals. The introduction of mandated Care Minutes and the reinforcement of 24/7 registered Nurses in all Aged Care homes. (SummitCare has always maintained 24/7 Registered Nurses in all of our homes.)

Better Integration and Coordination:

Enhancing coordination between aged care services and other health services to ensure a more holistic approach to the health and well-being of older Australians.

For families, these reforms promise not only improved access and affordability but also greater involvement in the care of your loved ones, ensuring that they receive the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve. The implementation of these reforms is complex and an ongoing process, the ultimate goal is to create an aged care system that meets the needs and respects the dignity and security of all older Australians.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition and we look forward to welcoming you into our homes.

Warm, festive wishes

Michelle Sloane - CEO SummitCare