Presenters Bios & Abstracts

Coleman, Yvonne
Founding Principal,
Nutrition Consultants Australia

Nutrition in Aged Care Facilities

Abstract

What is the range of services that a dietitian can provide to an Aged Care facility? Services include, but are not limited to:-

• individual residents assessments;
• menu reviews;
• staff education on nutrition related topics such as wounds, falls, sleep, cognition, bowels, enteral feeding, nutrition & hydration, etc;
• help develop or review nutrition-related policies and procedures, including enteral feeding, wounds, falls, sleep, bowels, etc;
• participate in Medication Advisory Committees regarding the impact of drugs on nutritional health;
• quality improvement audits such as weight audits, bowel audits;
• advise on appropriate nutritional risk screening strategies.

A dietitian can contribute both directly and indirectly in the care and management of those in residential Aged Care facilities - much of our contribution can remain "hidden'.

Bio

Yvonne Coleman has worked as a dietitian for more than two decades in Aged Care, initially in the public health sector and more recently as Founding Principal of Nutrition Consultants Australia.

Nutrition Consultants Australia comprises both products and services

• a consultancy service to the residential Aged Care sector
• developer and promoter of the Nutritional Risk Screening System
• publisher of three books
  • Drug - Nutrient Interactions The Manual;
  • Finger Foods A Three-week Menu & Recipes;
  • Finger Foods A Three-week Menu & Recipes Large Print

Yvonne's broad experience in the Aged Care sector includes:

• operating as Chief Dietitian at a Rehabilitation and Extended Care organisation within the public health system for more than a decade;
• directly supported projects of both undergraduate and postgraduate students from several universities;
• presenting papers at International, National, and State Conferences on a range of nutrition-related topics.

Yvonne enjoys the challenge of balancing multiple medical problems with medications and nutrition. Aged care is where one's nutrition indiscretions come home to roost!!! Home

Dangerfield, John
CEO
Care Managers Australia

Making Successful Change in Your Facility

Abstract

Change is a normal part of our personal lives and also our working lives. Managing change itself is an effective management tool.

By using a 'toolkit approach', Mr John Dangerfield will discuss the tools available to any change champion in a facility that can increase the likelihood of a successful change process.

This session is designed to provide every conference delegate an opportunity to consider how they plan for and implement change in their workplace and hopefully make the change process smooth and the outcome a success.

Bio

John Dangerfield is CEO of Care Managers Australia Pty Ltd.

Care Managers Australia is a Queensland based consulting company and has been operating for 7 years. John and his business partner consult to the caring industries of health, aged care, retirement and disability services in the areas of business, operations and quality.

John is a practicing Registered Nurse and Midwife and holds a degree in Nursing and a Master of Health Administration. He has worked with both large and small organisations as they have approached and progressed through changing times and circumstances, and he hopes to bring some insights from those experiences to his session. Home

Eltham, Tim
Director
Communitas

The Future of Aged Care: Why the Future of Community will Shape the Future of Aged Care

Abstract

We often think in terms of the impact that the need for aged care services will have on "the community". A more relevant question to pose is the impact that "the community" might have on aged care services.

In an era in which compliance is becoming the dominant mode of practice, aged care service providers are increasingly in need of all the friends they can find.

Understanding just what we mean by the term "community" and some of the changes likely to shape communities in the future, may offer some useful clues to how aged care services can make successful adaptations

Bio

Background
Community practitioner
Practicing social planner.
Trained teacher and presenter.

Worked in all three levels of government, as well as the private and not-for-profit sectors.

Education
Master of Science in Social Administration (London School of Economics) 1973.

Bachelor of Arts (Monash) 1970

Trained Primary Teachers' Certificate (Victoria) 1964

Experience
Practicing social planner with the City of Berwick Melbourne, the former Commonwealth Bureau of Roads, QCOSS, Queensland Health and Delfin Lend Lease responsible for community planning of their Queensland master planned communities.

Lecturer in Social Planning and Community Work, University of Queensland

Social Researcher, Queensland Department of Welfare Services,

the Greater London Council Housing Department and the University of Queensland.

Most Recently
Principal of Communitas, a boutique consultancy providing advice to those needing to understand community.

Adjunct Research Fellow in the Urban Research Program, Griffith University.

Feely, Tim
Deputy Director Client Services, Public Trustee Office

What we need from Care Providers

Abstract

The Public Trustee of Queensland acts as financial administrator for people with disabilities and the aged. The Office interacts with government agencies, such as the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal, the Office of the Adult Guardian, Disability Queensland the Department of Communities, together with a large number of not for profit organisations providing support to the aged and people with disabilities.

As financial administrator for the person, the Public Trustee of Queensland has to comply with the general principles of Decision Making, accountability and governance standards.

The Office manages clients in a wide range of accommodation - their private home, hostels/boarding houses, Aged rental accommodation, nursing home facilities and retirement villages. As a result the Office interacts, on a daily basis, with care providers, on behalf of the person. The Office therefore has policies and procedures governing such interaction.

Bio

Tim is a lawyer with over 30 years experience in the Trust Industry. He has worked with private Trustee organisations, including two years in the United Kingdom , and is currently Deputy Director, Client Services with the Public Trustee of Queensland.

Tim is responsible for the development and implementation of policy in the Public Trustee's Disability Services, Trusts, and Enduring Powers of Attorney areas for Queensland . He is also responsible for the community engagement of the Office with the non government sector, advocacy and the general Queensland Community.

Tim is the Public Trustee representative on a number of Government Committees dealing with the Government's strategy on issues relating to Disability, Ageing, Elder Abuse, legislation for the protection of people in supported accommodation, hostels, boarding houses and is responsible for the Public Trustee's commitment in this area.

Tim is also a graduate from QUT, Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies. He is responsible for the oversight, on behalf of the Public Trustee, of a number of philanthropic Trusts including the Queensland Community Foundation, the Forde Foundation, and the Lady Bowen Trust. Home

Florence, Zuben
Manager, Collaboration Support Unit,
The Joanna Briggs Institute

Emotional Response to Change

Abstract

A component of good leadership is to promote clinicians to examine and evaluating their current work practices, and to compare what they are currently doing with what is established best practice. This will often lead to an identification of the need for practice change. Although change is an inevitable and ongoing component of aged care, many clinicians resist the change process.

Leaders must therefore see resistance as a fundamental element of the change process, and understand the emotional response people may experience when participating in a period of change.

The feelings clinicians experience can fluctuate from highs to lows, and these high and lows can be identified at particular stages in the change process.

This presentation will discuss these emotional responses to change, and the ways leaders can work with clinicians to facilitate proactive change within the aged care sector.

Bio

Zuben is the Acting Manager of the Collaboration Support Unit at the Joanna Briggs Institute, overseeing the peer review process of systematic review protocols and reports from the many international centres and groups.

Zuben is involved as a facilitator and co-ordinator of the Aged Care Clinical Fellowship program through the Institute, aimed at improving the implementation and utilisation of evidence-based practice within the aged care sector.

He recently completed a Masters of Nursing thesis on family involvement in aged care facilities. Home

Hess, Margaret
Director
Diversicare

Consumer/Provider Partnerships

Abstract

Diversicare is part of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Ltd. We provide services for approximately seven hundred frail aged persons from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The care business of the Aged Care sector is to provide for the needs and preference of individual consumers and to improve their quality of life. We believe that in accepting this ' Responsibility of Care 'it is crucial that all elements of the quality management system are informed by consumer's experience of what they receive. To be successful in our core business, the needs and preferences of consumers should be seen as the strategic driver for the development of continuous improvement of our services.

The focus of this paper is to reflect on this ' Responsibility of Care' in terms of the challenges of diversity:

• Home based Community Care System as opposed to Residential Care
• Across diverse cultures, geographical areas and socioeconomic groups

We recognise the many issues in Quality Management are universally applicable, but the cornerstone of our service and the partnerships we establish with consumers are underpinned by continual reflection and the development of strategies to adequately address the challenges of diversity.

With this in mind we will look at the Home and Community Care Standards which are a common reference point for internal quality controls for Community Care Services.

The pathways we have explored in partnership with consumers in meeting the challenge of diversity are an indication of the direction for the Aged Care Sector in the future.

Bio

Margaret Hess is the Director of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland's community care programs, better known as Diversicare. Margaret has overseen the development of Diversicare throughout Queensland since 1989. 

Diversicare's main focus is to support the care needs of frail aged persons from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds requiring the development of service responses that can respond to the needs of this consumer base.

Margaret holds a bachelor of Arts with double majors in Anthropology and a Masters of Public Administration. Home

Jackson, Dan
Principal
CALM consulting

Quality Improvement - An External Perspective

Abstract

"Optimising Knowledge Transfer through Effective Management Systems" is a cultural issue for organisations. In his address, Dan Jackson will introduce concepts that can ensure sustained improvement in Aged Care organisations. Despite best intentions, management and quality systems rarely provide information to the workplace that can deliver sustained improvement. Many organisations are bogged down in compliance activity and the real opportunities to improve don't see the light of day.

Organisations need to move away from a tick box compliance mentality to an enterprise-wide Culture of Excellence - COE ?

What is COE ?

•  COE is an attitude of sharing knowledge freely; knowledge that is easy to access.
•  COE is me understanding what I do, where I fit in and where the enterprise is taking me.
•  COE is where client needs are well understood and the enterprise knows what and how to deliver to meet those needs.
•  COE is an environment where I feel compelled to suggest creative change and have the skills to bring about sustained improvement; regardless of my level.
•  COE is where leaders take responsibility for the consequences of what they do whether that is financial, social or environmental.

Dan will confront the reality of Quality and offer an alternative to optimise knowledge through COE ; an option based on cultural excellence rather than compliance.

Bio

Dan Jackson is a Strategy Consultant with CALM Consulting.

He enjoys helping organisations improve their operations in systematic ways.

He doesn't have a high regard for how quality systems stifle human creativity.

Dan is currently re-engineering two organisations in Queensland.

He oversees project management activity in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Dan has been a Baldrige (Quality) Examiner USA, Australian Business Excellence Evaluator and an MBA Instructor at the AGSM.

Dan is married to Clare and has 5 children at school. Home

Josephson, Diane
Senior Physiotherapist
Queensland Baptist Care

Special Care Needs- Removing Road Blocks

Abstract

After many years of very rewarding involvement in Aged Care there are a number of features in a days work that point the way to excellence in Care for our Residents Presuming on absolute Professionalism in the dispensation of all technical care needs it is doubtless the enjoyment and satisfaction derived from good team work that results in happiness, relaxation and comfort for the Resident.

What stands out in a "Good Work Day"?

The Environment is people centred and peaceful.

Respect is highlighted by all communication methods, by speech, by body movements, by active listening techniques, by being present for each other, by open discussion, by involvement and interest, by sharing of information, by music and beautifying the living areas with plants, animals and flowers, by involving the residents and making them the central focus for care and concern.

Multi skilling and versatility of staff should be encouraged. No more 'That is not my Job." Threats of cutting hours and costs should be banned from the workplace.

Interfaces should be smoothed and encouragement and praise generously dispersed.

Bio

Diane Josephson has been involved in Aged Care for the past 20 years and in that time has not only worked in the field but has been involved in many aspects of Education, Public Relations and Promotion of the Industry.

Diane continues to be involved in Education and Research with both the University of Queensland and Griffith University.In 2006 she presented her research into "Effectiveness of an Exercise program in RACF's" at The Better Practice Conference in Brisbane .

Diane has been a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association since her Graduation and continues to be on The Gerontology Committee. She has just completed 6 years representing Gerontology on the National Advisory Committee.

Nguyen, Vu

Director (Planning Consultant)
GN Group Pty Ltd

Town Planning Impacts on Aged Care Provision

Abstract

Town planning is often viewed as a major stumbling block to getting most forms of development off the ground. Indeed a poorly managed planning process could result in an additional 12-18 month delay in project delivery while construction and holding costs increase by the month.

With the aging population creating increasing demand for specialist accommodation, it is important to reflect on the town planning challenges currently preventing the timely delivery of much needed aged care accommodation at the local government level. With that in mind, casting an eye to the future challenges relating to town planning will be explored. Specific challenges will be discussed at both the community level and a broader built form perspective.

Bio

Vu Nguyen is a partner of GN Group who are a Brisbane based Town Planning consultancy specializing in development applications. He started his planning career as a Brisbane City Council planning officer before moving onto private planning consultancy before becoming partner at GN Group.

His expertise as a development assessment planner and ability to understand 'both sides of the fence' has seen him involved in a number of development projects throughout Queensland . He has recently been engaged as a consultant to Brisbane City Council to assist with the management of their applications while continuing as a consultant planner to developers. Vu carries university qualifications as both a landscape architect and town planner. Home

Polke, Rhylle

Speech Pathologist
Blue Care

Abstract

Allied Health services support individuals, families and other care providers through professional assessment, treatment, planning and management of a range of disorders. Speech Pathologists are specialists in the fields of communication and swallowing.

The majority of referrals made to Speech Pathology services are for swallowing assessment. Care providers, family or community, want to ensure that clients are swallowing safely, are well nourished and able to enjoy their food. Swallowing difficulties should be received earlier rather than later when muscle function may have deteriorated or weight loss is dramatic.

This enables the implementation of management strategies such as exercises to improve or maintain oromotor function, cueing to prompt use of strategies, use of adaptive equipment or texture modification to promote optimal ability, independence and dignity. Guidelines for management of dysphagia support decision making by care providers.

While communication remains vital in mature and end stages of life, this ability is often considered secondary to other physical care needs in Aged Care. Central to facilitation of effective communication is assessment of the level of ability and needs and specific management strategies designed to promote meaningful interactions for the individual. Supporting a person's ability to make choices and successfully communicate their needs, thoughts and emotions can determine outcomes for aged care providers.

Spaced retrieval training is being used to train people to use procedural memory to carry out everyday activities, and is assisting people with dementia and other conditions to maintain function and independence, and increase their safety.

For effective management of both these disorders referrals for assessment need to be timely. Funding support is required for training staff in specific interventions. Streamlined documentation and accreditation processes allow more person-centred care across all settings.

Theisinger, Jennifer

Director
Office of the Aged Care Commissioner

Abstract

Ageing of the population is a world wide phenomenon, including in Australia where the aged population is growing in both absolute numbers and as a proportion of the total population.

History shows that as the population profile alters and becomes more diverse our expectations change. The provision of quality care to older Australians is one of the most important and emotive issues facing government and the community.

One way of addressing peoples' rights is to provide for them through legislation. The creation of an accessible complaints system for those receiving aged care the services subsided by the Australian Government and the appointment of an independent Commissioner has been part of a significant package of reforms aimed at protecting older people.

The office of the Aged Care Commissioner aims to promote excellence in complaint handling and public administration and to have a positive impact on the quality of aged care service delivery.

Bio

Jennifer is the Director of the Office of the Aged Care Commissioner which was established 1 May 2007. Prior to this Jennifer was the Director of the Office of the Commissioner for Complaints between 2000-2007.

Jennifer's background is nursing and her post graduate work has predominately been in the area of gerontology. Prior to her current role Jennifer managed aged care facilities and was employed for a number of years by the Victorian Department of Human Services where, after a period involved in the monitoring of aged care services, she was responsible for policy development and the growth of sub acute services, particularly palliative care, throughout the State. Jennifer was awarded the Public Service Medal in the Australia Day Honours announced in January 2001. Home

Whelen, Mary
Director
Food Services Pty Ltd

Seeking Solutions to Quality Food Service 

Abstract

Food- ah how we all like to eat and drink! I find this topic is still important - even as we age!

Perhaps the biggest difference with the ageing process is that it can become difficult to hold the cutlery, to cut the food and to chew.

These are the challenges that the food service department face when preparing meals for the Facility.

We often hear the words 'home like' within our facilities - the challenges for the food services department is to continue with this theme.

So therefore the challenges faced for the food services department are enormous - trying to offer the roast meal that ' I used to make' along with the bread and butter pudding! The quality assurance responsibilities also 'encroach' on the food services time; ensuring that the staff have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities with food preparation and service along with completing the required documentation is a challenge that we face. Time management - especially within the kitchen area is one that needs to be reviewed to ensure efficiencies are achieved.

The future meal service, what will it look like, will it include flexibility and choices; how will this be achieved and how will the quality systems be met? Mary will address these areas which will open up discussion and 'food for thought'!

Bio

Mary's 30 years experience is within the Hospitality, Healthcare and Aged care industries.

Mary has held positions of catering manager for Hospitals (Peter MacCallum, Mercy Maternity Melbourne) and Aged Care. Mary was involved in the design and development of a centralized kitchen to accommodate a minimum of 7,000 meals per day utilizing the cook chill technology.

Since forming her own company in 2000, Mary has been involved in many and varied projects including reviews of Public Hospitals for West Australia and Victoria , along with assisting food companies develop products that are suitable to the market. Working with Aged Care providers to ensure operational workflows and menu design within the Facilities offers the outcome of efficiencies for all.

Mary is a highly practical person with strong creative flair demonstrated both as a hospitality manager and trainer and in implementing numerous systems / procedural improvements.

An international study tour assisted with researching food distribution, production systems, and packaging along with meal delivery systems.

Home

• External perspective to Quality Improvement

• Future of Aged Care: Will Australia 's infrastructure cope

• Change Management - the Managers' role in Aged Care; profession vs business models

• Quality Management within Aged Care facilities and community care

• Emotional Response to Change

• Responsibility of Care: Service Provider to the Consumer

• Complaints scheme/compulsory reporting ie elder abuse

• Allied Health Services - Removing Road Blocks