Senior Clinical Systems Specialist Catherine Le Cornu said a recent upgrade to the computer-based software program which Eldercare uses to store resident information made the creation of pictorial care plans possible.

“This new functionality is a great improvement because it allows for resident care information to be communicated to staff quickly and concisely using pictures instead of words,” said Ms Le Cornu.

“The images that have been created portray a range of different care needs from special bathing and dietary requirements to the different types of mobility assistance a resident may require.

“Having a ‘universal care language’ like this across the organisation is a positive, and significant, step forward as Eldercare employees come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.”

Eldercare collaborated with UniSA's research and professional design practice studio matchstudio for the past nine months to develop of a set of pictograms that could be implemented across the organisation.

Final year UniSA Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) students worked in teams throughout the second half of 2015 to create pictograms that reflected the care and equipment aids Eldercare residents required.

Ms Le Cornu said four student groups presented their shortlisted designs to a panel consisting of Eldercare and UniSA representatives last November and the winner was announced at the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) 2015 Graduate Exhibition.

“I am so impressed at the quality of work the graduates presented and how they were able to create clear and concise designs despite the complexity of some care requirements,” said Ms Le Cornu.

“With the help and guidance of UniSA's matchstudio Director Dr Jane Andrew and Communication Design lecturer Dr Myra Thiessen, students embraced this project from the start and I firmly believe their continual enthusiasm was a major factor in producing the excellent result we achieved.”

The winning set of images was designed by students Cenise Kidd, Jessica George, Skye Klitcher, Emmerlee Heyes and Timothy Casiero.

It is expected that all residents living at Eldercare’s 13 aged care facilities across the greater Adelaide and Yorke Peninsula regions will have pictorial care plans in place by the end of 2016.

Image: UniSA Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) student Timothy Casiero who was a member of the graduate group that designed the winning set of pictograms.