Good morning, 

An Interim Report released by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety on the final day of October sent shock waves through the sector.

Titled: Neglect, the brutal Interim Report labelled the industry a “sad and shocking system” that “diminishes Australia as a nation”.

I was overcome with emotion reading the three volume Interim Report, but also disgust, that Australia’s most vulnerable residents have been neglected by a system which should have been supporting them.

We’ve dedicated a full section to the Interim Report in this edition of Sundale Spotlight. The findings and assessment of the industry by the Royal Commissioners is at times difficult to read, however, I completely embrace their recommendations.

It also makes me and Sundale’s Executive Leadership Team even more determined to play a proactive part in reform and sector change, because caring for older Australians is an issue of national importance and is too important not to get right.

The past month also saw John (Sundale’s Chairperson) and I outline Sundale’s performance at the General Meeting.

We were proud to report Sundale is in a very strong position, thanks to excellent management and considered, strategic investment.

We both spoke at length about Sundale’s staff, community expectations, future plans and the ongoing need for older and vulnerable Australians to access outstanding services, not just today, but into the future.

October saw Sundale’s residents continue to shine as they enjoyed a range of stimulating and engaging activities, including:

• Celebrating Spring by taking care of some baby chicks;
• Dancing up a storm at the Mad-Hatter’s Ball;
• Clowning about McGowan;
• Celebrating Talk Like A Pirate Day at Bowder.

Sundale was also in the headlines this past month, with 7 News documenting the wonderful interaction between our residents and care recipients and the children from Normanton House Playgroup.   

Finally, a special mention to Tahlia Kozlovic and Emily Towle, who were recently awarded their Bachelor of Nursing degrees. Congratulations to you both on this amazing achievement.

Thanks, and appreciation.

Danielle Mackenzie

Sundale CEO

Royal Commission

A message from Sundale CEO, Danielle Mackenzie.

A scathing Interim Report released by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was tabled in Australian Parliament on the final day of October.

Titled: Neglect, the Interim Report labelled the industry a “sad and shocking system” that “diminishes Australia as a nation”.

The Interim Report found Australia’s aged care system fails to meet the needs of its older, vulnerable, citizens, does not deliver uniformly safe and quality care, is unkind and uncaring towards older people and, in too many instances, neglects them.

Reading the Interim Report, I was overcome with emotion, but also disgust, that Australia’s most vulnerable residents have been neglected by a system which should have been supporting them.

The Royal Commissioners identified three key areas which need “immediate” reform in the Interim Report. They are the waiting list for home care, an “over-reliance” on chemical restraints for aged-care residents and stopping the flow of young people with a disability into aged-care homes.

The Interim Report found Australia’s aged-care services are underfunded, mostly poorly managed and all too often unsafe and seemingly uncaring.

The Royal Commissioners said Australia had developed an “ageist mindset” towards seniors and a public discourse that was about “burden, encumbrance, obligation and whether taxpayers can afford to pay for the dependence of older people”.

The three volume, Interim Report also found the aged care system needs fundamental reform and redesign and identified systemic problems in aged care with a system which:

• Is designed around transactions, not relationships or care;
• Minimises the voices of people receiving care and their loved ones;
• Is hard to navigate and does not provide information people need to make informed choices about their care;
• Relies on a regulatory model that does not provide transparency or an incentive to improve;
• Has a workforce that is under pressure and under-appreciated and that lacks key skills.

The Interim Report also focused on the sector’s workforce and found the quality of care people receive depends very much on the quality of the paid carers, their working conditions, their leadership and engagement.

There’s no denying the Royal Commission’s assessment of the sector is brutal; however, I completely embrace their recommendations. It also makes me even more determined to play a proactive part in reform and sector change. 

Caring for older Australians is an issue of national importance and is too important not to get right.

It’s essential older Australians can access exceptional services, not just today, but into the future.

I’m extremely proud of Sundale and the progressive steps we have already taken as an organisation, particularly our renewed focus on exceptional clinical care.

In the past year, we’ve introduced a raft of proactive changes, improved structures to cater for the changing needs of clinical care and increased staff-to-resident ratios, so we remain a provider of choice and continue to support the residents and clients in our care, irrespective of their needs or circumstance.

This commitment to exceptional clinical care was recently highlighted at our first assessment following the implementation of the new Framework and Standards, where the assessors shared stories of positivity, best practice, glowing consumer and staff feedback which included the exceptional care Sundale provides, our new model of care, consumer dignity and choice, the positive change in culture and the responsiveness of management.

This amazing achievement would not have been possible without Sundale’s incredible workforce who have embraced and celebrated change over the past year.

As an organisation we’ve also invested considerable time and resources to ensure we remain a positive example to the sector.

Sundale’s recently crafted Strategic Plan outlines a clear vision for the organisation and identifies four priority areas:

• A focus on the replacement of assets;
• An improved organisational structure to cater for the changing needs of clinical care;
• The refurbishment of facilities;
• Reinvesting in staff.

The Strategic Plan will allow Sundale to continue to meet the needs of its residents and care recipients for years to come. We’ve already increased staff numbers, invested in learning and development programs to empower staff and approved plans to redevelop existing sites.

The Interim Report released by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety can be viewed by clicking the below link.

Finally, I’m extremely proud of Sundale’s entire workforce and their kind, caring and compassionate nature towards our residents and care recipients.

I’m also grateful for their hard work and the countless hours they dedicate to the people that we care for.

I hope Sundale’s entire workforce will continue to form relationships with our residents and care recipients, so they feel safe, listened to and part of our Sundale family.

Warm regards, 

Danielle

General Meeting 

The recent General Meeting revealed a bright future for Sundale.  

I’m proud to report Sundale is in a very strong position, thanks to excellent management and considered, strategic investment.

As discussed at the General Meeting, it’s essential older and vulnerable Australians can access outstanding services, not just today, but into the future.

To make this vision a reality, Sundale has invested considerable time and resources over the past year to ensure it remains a provider of choice.

Last year, Sundale initiated an independent review into the quality of care at its four Retirement Communities and six Care Centres.

The comprehensive review identified four priority areas:

• A focus on the replacement of assets;
• An improved organisational structure to cater for the changing needs of clinical care;
• The refurbishment of facilities;
• Reinvesting in staff.

The review will allow Sundale to continue to meet the needs of its residents and care recipients for years to come.

To meet evolving community and consumer expectations, Sundale has already increased the number of care staff, invested in learning and development programs to empower staff and approved plans to redevelop existing sites and build new facilities.

Sundale’s roadmap for the future, its Strategic Plan, was also revised and launched earlier this year following extensive consultation with staff, volunteers and consumers.

This collaborative approach allowed Sundale to better understand what it does well, what it could do differently and the direction it should take in the future.

The end result was a clearly defined set of values, a purpose and a vision for Sundale.

The new Single Aged Care Quality Framework and Standards also came into force earlier this year and mandated a shift away from traditional models of care and required Sundale to transform its organisational processes to prioritise and demonstrate quality of care and quality of life.

At our first assessment following the implementation of the new Framework and Standards, the assessors shared stories of positivity, best practice, glowing consumer and staff feedback which included the exceptional care Sundale provides, our new model of care, consumer dignity and choice, the positive change in culture and the responsiveness of management.

Sundale is committed to providing services which exceed expectations and to become a completely consumer-centric business. However, this commitment requires investment.

The economic reality of the current climate, coupled with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety means margins are tighter. As a consequence, Sundale has, and will continue to evaluate every dollar it spends.

The Sundale Board, in partnership with Sundale’s Executive Leadership Team has chosen to step-up and invest and eliminate the likelihood of business shock in the coming years.

Strategic and measured investment today will also help future proof Sundale. Often you only see the consequences of a lack of investment when it’s too late and you’re no longer relevant, and that’s absolutely the last thing the Board and I want for Sundale.

Sundale’s considered investment is clearly evident at Tewantin and Nambour. We’re currently finalising the build at Bella Noosa (Tewantin), with preliminary construction well underway.

The development will offer residents an idyllic lifestyle and the perfect blend of privacy and connection to the community. 

We’re also exploring the best way to re-develop the Nambour Garden Village site.

In an exciting first step, Sunshine Coast Council recently approved Sundale’s development application (DA).

The DA will allow Sundale to explore a range of development options and opportunities.

In the coming months, Sundale will meet with a range of internal and external stakeholders, residents, staff, leading architects, futurists, industry experts and designers to determine the best use for the site, to ensure it matches the wants and needs of the community.

There’s no doubt the sector is changing and evolving, but I’m confident the tough decisions the Board has made in the past year will deliver long term dividends into the future, benefiting staff, and most importantly the residents and consumers in or care.

We’re definitely building something remarkable, and something Sundale’s fore-fathers would be extremely proud of.

Sincerely,

John Woodward

Board Chairperson

Dementia Week 

The staff and residents at Sundale recently acknowledged Dementia Action Week.

Dementia Australia is calling on all Australians to consider how discrimination impacts people living with dementia, their families and carers.

Nobody chooses to have dementia but we can choose how we respond to the people in our lives and in our community, who are living with dementia.

#dementiadoesntdiscriminate

To celebrate Spring, the residents at Rotary Garden Village took care of some baby chicks.

Born on-site in an incubator, the residents looked after the chicks for their first 10 days.

The program is extremely popular with the residents, who shower the little chicks with love and affection.

The residents at Nambour Garden Village were the recipients of “Random Acts of Kindness” from Nambour Floral Art Society recently.

The unplanned delivery of beautiful flowers brightened up the residents’ rooms and triggered a lot of smiles and happiness.

Thank you Nambour Floral Art Society for your thoughtful gesture. We’ll be sure to pay it forward.

Very few organisations celebrate like the staff and residents at Sundale, who had a wonderful time at the recent Mad-Hatter’s Ball.

There’s always plenty of clowning about at Sundale, but McGowan’s residents (Nambour Garden Village) took it to another level recently.

Bowder Care Centre (Nambour Garden Village) recently celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Residents adopted pirate names including:

• Moneybuckets
• Pegleg,
• Captain Puffypants,
• Fishface Freebooter
• Yerr Stink-a-lot

Bowder residents at Nambour Garden Village have recently formed a sewing group.

The ladies are currently making sensory blankets for the ‘Memory Support Unit’ at James Grimes Care Centre.

Sundale CEO Danielle Mackenzie was thrilled to attend the SHINE Business Women Conference recently.

SHINE Business Women is an organisation whose aim is to Support, Help, Inspire, Nurture and Empower business women of all levels, experience, age and stature.

Danielle is pictured alongside CEO and founder Zoe Sparks.

In the news

Nambour Garden Village was recently invaded by dozens of lively children.

The visit was part of a program to prevent residents from feeling socially-isolated and also proved you're never too old to play.

Sundale was thrilled to be featured in the first edition of Lifestyle 55 Plus magazine.

The must-read publication aims to build social engagement as well as enlighten, empower and enrich the lives of Sunshine Coast residents aged 55 years and above.

Pictured is Sundale CEO Danielle Mackenzie and Lifestyle 55 Plus founder Tanya Dave.

Milestones

Congratulations to Jane Tietjen who recently celebrated her 10-year work anniversary at Sundale.

To say thank you, Jane was presented with gifts and flowers in front the residents and staff.

A huge congratulations to Sundale’s Tahlia Kozlovic and Emily Towle, who were both awarded a Bachelor of Nursing degree.

Sundale is very fortunate to have you both!

Happy birthday to Neil Garrett who recently celebrated his 90^th birthday.

Neil was very humble and thanked everyone for their good wishes and said he did not think he would make it to 90.

Hip-hip, hooray to Bill Booth who recently celebrated his 95^th birthday.

Bill has also been part of the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club for more than 30 years.

New Website

Have you seen Sundale's amazing new website?

Make sure you check it out.

In focus

NAME 

Liz Kelly 

POSITION

Lifestyle Coordinator

LOCATION

McGowan (Nambour Garden Village)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKS AT SUNDALE? 

Almost six years 

WHAT WAS THE BEST CONCERT YOU EVER ATTENDED? 

I have been to quite a few concerts over the years, but the one that stands out is the Dire Straits concert, it was fantastic.

WHERE'S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD? 

I have been very lucky to have travelled to many wonderful places. I have to say, my favourite place is London.

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT? 

I am passionate about food, a good wine, and very much love being around people.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE?

My favorite movie is “ Notebook”.  

WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?

I think I have done so many crazy things over the years there is not one moment that really stands out.

WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SWAP PLACES WITH FOR A DAY? 

Meryl Streep, great actress.

WHICH FOUR INDIVIDUALS, LIVING OR DEAD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EAT DINNER WITH THE MOST?

Have to say my wonderful mother who passed away a few years ago, Elvis Presley, Meryl Streep of course and Prince Harry.