Gillian McFee of UnitingCare Ageing
Uniting Care Ageing NSW / ACT is the single largest provider of aged care services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, with over 14,000 people receiving care each day and night.
Gillian: "Older people want to live in community settings, preferably in their own homes. We have 81 self care villages and 92 residential care facilities, plus we operate about 5,400 community care places including community care and EACH packages, as well as programs provided through Home and Community Care (HACC). With over 5,000 staff and a big but ageing property portfolio, we have a number of strategic challenges to face."
"As a ministry of the Uniting Church, we are committed to finding better ways to affirm life for all people, especially those who are older and vulnerable. For instance, our self care village in Turramurra is one of my favoured concepts. It is just 18 units nestled together very close to the shops and station, with administration and major services provided by our large facility, Northaven, located about a kilometre away. It has a wonderful connection with the community, plus a sense of welcome and security."
"We must design everything around our clients so as to benefit them. We must remain flexible and not behave as a bureaucracy. There are times when services may not attract a lot of funding, but have great worth."
"For example, we have created our ‘Men's Sheds' program where we equip a shed with tools so that men have a place to go to meet with other men, and make things under the guidance of an experienced leader. In Lane Cove we have 15 men who meet for four to five hours a day, three days a week. They have even achieved some commercial contracts."
"Our properties are ageing, which is a challenge. We have to review and update them for our clients, as well as securing our future. We currently have 23 priority projects valued at $480 million under review; our current capital works program exceeds $110 million. Equally, we have to be an employer of choice and innovator in people management. Staff satisfaction surveys have results in the high 80s / low 90s, but there is always room for improvement."
"Our workforce is also ageing, with the average now in their late 40s. We now have the first registered nurse practitioner, a nurse trained to make referrals and prescribe medication and tests. We have another nurse who is 72 years of age and works three hours a day. We need to be flexible. Looking forward, people will be more demanding and have higher expectations of us. Most people want to live in community settings preferably in their own homes. We will be growing our community services and we will also invest in more appropriate housing suited to the needs older people have for safety, social contact, ease of maintenance, and access. Our view is that the funding of care should be separated from accommodation so that people can receive the care they need in the accommodation setting of their choice."
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- Christine Daly - Reducing Residents' Costs and Saving the Environment
- Stuart Nicholson, the CEO of Becton's Retirement Business
- Dr June Heinrich, the CEO of Baptist Community Services
- The SCV Group Australia's Toughest Village Job
- John Martin, Managing Director, Babcock & Brown Communities
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