Residents and Families Happy with Eldercare Services: Survey

An overwhelming majority of Eldercare residents have indicated that they are happy with the care they receive at our residential care facilities, according to the latest Resident and Relative Satisfaction Surveys. Over 250 residents and around 400 relatives and friends responded to the 2012 survey, which asked them to indicate their levels of satisfaction in the areas of management and staff, health and personal care, leisure and lifestyle, living environment and safety.

Eldercare aims to provide a home-like environment, and residents rated their surroundings highly when asked about levels of comfort, adequacy of equipment and personal safety. The majority were also happy with the range of activities on offer, and with the skills of staff that care for them. 96% of respondents felt that they were encouraged to remain as independent as possible.

Relatives and friends were also happy with the care provided to their loved one in our facilities, with 92% indicating that their expectations were met. 96% said they were made to feel welcome when they visited an Eldercare facility.

Some of the results are summarised below:

Eldercare has surveyed its residents and relatives for the past three years and uses the results to highlight common trends and identify areas for improvement. The relative and resident surveys contain different questions.

Eldercare Continues Support of Elonwabeni Aged Care in South Africa

Eldercare and its staff and clients, have been supporting the Elonwabeni Aged Care Home in Kokstad, South Africa, through voluntary payroll deductions and donations since 2009. To date, in excess of AUD$100,000 has been contributed for equipment, services and goods. 

The centre has recently completed a new building and increased its number of residents to 51. Many of the basic requirements that we take for granted in Australia are not available to the residents of this facility, and indeed, many others in South Africa. Eldercare provides much needed material and equipment to this facility that otherwise would not be available.

Caroline Mnyaiza, the Manager of Elonwabeni, is aged 81.

Elonwabeni is located in Kokstad, Kwazulu Natal, in South Africa, in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains at 1300 metres above sea level. It accommodates high-care residents from the Sotho, Xhosa, and Zulu cultures. Elonwabeni is funded by Government pensions, subsidies and occasional gifts of food. It also provides a day care and literacy programme for the surrounding community. A mobile community health clinic visits once a month.

If you would like to make a donation, please complete the attached form, and forward to Eldercare, or contact us on (08) 8291 1000.

Eldercare Sites Win Medirest 'Star Awards'

Medirest, through its Star Awards program, recognises the achievements of its outstanding staff within the organisation. At this year's presentation, staff at Eldercare sites dominated the awards with numerous category nominations and also won a number of sectors.

• Eldercare Elanora: Site of the year
• Eldercare Acacia Court: Great Safety
• Eldercare Acacia Court: Environment
• All Eldercare Sites: Merit award, outstanding achievement
• Gail Capurso (Acacia): Managing Director's Award Nominee

Medirest is Eldercare's Hotel Services contractor, and is responsible for food preparation, cleaning and laundry services at our facilities.

Eldercare's Mount Barker Facility Meets Standards Again

Eldercare's residential care facility in Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills has been successful in obtaining re-accreditation until September 2015, following an audit by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency.

In its report, the independent agency found that Sash Ferguson met all of the 44 expected outcomes, in areas such as human resource management, clinical care, medication management, privacy and dignity, cultural and spiritual life and the physical environment. These outcomes set a quality benchmark for how Eldercare operates and for the quality of care provided to our residents.

The accreditation process was developed by the Commonwealth Government, and requires that to continue to receive funding, residential care homes must demonstrate that they meet the Standards.  

Details of the report can be found on the agency's Web site: www.accreditation.org.au (Search for Sash Ferguson)