Updates on the Christmas Decorating....

Ok, I think the boys did a pretty good job. Yes, we might have spruced the decorations up a little after they'd left, however the overall feel around the facility at the moment is definitely Christmassy. We are also dusting of the Christmas CD's and DVD's for a 4 week session of Christmas joy with Andre Riue, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby etc.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Well the Christmas decorations have been dusted off, and we have four Yr 10 Knox Grammar boys doing community service with us this week, and it is their "mission if they choose to accept it" to make this facility more Chritmassy than it has ever been....
Did they succeed....I'll have to get back to you. What was most suprising was the sound of Coldplay coming from the dining room, only to find 1 of the students playing Coldplay on the piano while another student sang along. Amazing! Right that's it, my 8 year old is learning the piano ...not the drums that she has been begging me for.

Person Centred Care

We are full steam ahead with educating our staff in Person Centred Care, encouraging staff to treat each resident as an individual, with individual needs and wants.

Life histories, we encourage relatives' contribution, are used to help us get to know each residents, with their own personalities and pasts. Understanding the reasons behind their actions and the people, places and belongings which are important to them can help to overcome the frustration and fear someone may experience at being unable to express what they want.

We have work to do to shift the task orientation of staff, who believe that they will get into trouble for sitting down and having a cup of tea or chatting with a resident. I want to change the way our staff see their days at work.

We have plans for our special care unit:

• personal name plates on their room doors to aid recognition
• memory boards in each of their bedrooms that include personal items such as photographs, certificates and other memory triggers
• coloured bathroom doors and toilet seats, making them easier to see
• sensory gardens, added to the existing courtyard, which will be adapted to appeal to all the senses through the use of colours, smells, textures and sounds

It's exciting to see the gradual change in the staff...........

Getting Started....

Wow...what a year it has been. A family trip to Italy resulting in a marriage proposal, a wedding to plan, the Groom landing himself a great new Marketing Manager's role in travel, and The Bride transferring from a Residential Aged Care Facility in Mosman as Care Manager to a Roseville facility as General Manager, and then of course there was The Wedding. Yes we have seen alot of changes this year. And now we are excited to get stuck into work. Yes, I accept the challenge. New residents, new relatives, new staff. Where does one start..........
The residents......................