Health Services are About People – Learn More About Our Team Caring for Clients Across the Country
Find out what drives our Health Services professionals to go ‘above and beyond’ to help our clients stay independent.
With team members who stretch from far north Queensland down to regional Tasmania, and so many places in between, our Health Services team covers a critical range of professions. These include our registered nurses, support workers, psychologists, social workers and all our allied health professionals. They support so many areas of our work, from in-home care to virtual visits, our Wellness for Independence programs, and much more.
They really are the backbone of what we do to support our clients to live well and independently in their homes across regional, rural and remote Australia. To acknowledge their great work, and learn more about what inspires them, we asked our Health Services managers what sets their teams apart. Here’s what they had to say:
Sarah, Senior Manager – Health Services
What qualities do our team members have that set them apart?
Our teams work really well together, which is even more impressive in the remote regions. We have monthly social catch ups for our Queensland nurses to ensure they can build good relationships and know they can rely on each other. This has been really successful. Our more senior nurses assist in supporting their nurses on a regular basis, too, so again they always have someone to lean on for clinical support if required. Our team in Tasmania are very close-knit, and regularly meet as a team so they have a great rapport and lean on each other a lot, which is wonderful for the sharing of knowledge and experience between each other.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
Our team members enjoy that they make a difference in the community. I get multiple forms of great feedback for my nurses whether this is regarding work on Home Care Packages (HCP), Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), Wellness for Independence (WFI) or others.
It's always great to hear, and doing successful and rewarding work really makes them feel good about themselves. The ongoing feedback shows they are making a difference.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
Specifically, the HCP clients are seen by the same nurse, so they are able to build up such a good relationship with them. Our nurses really do go above and beyond and it’s wonderful to see. They work so hard.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
Our team members feel the most reward being able to make a difference, and assist clients to be able to stay at home with the care needed from our nurses.
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Deborah, Senior Manager – Health Services
What qualities do our team members have that set them apart?
My team members are all experienced nurses from different nursing backgrounds, and they bring a wealth of knowledge from their previous experiences. They are all very supportive of each other and work together to assist any colleague that requires support.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
Our team members enjoy that they can come home at the end of the day knowing that they have made a difference in the lives of someone they spent time with that day. They provide quality clinical care that may have stopped a client from ending up in hospital. Or sometimes it will be that they made a lonely client feel like they have someone to talk with. It all adds up to make a big difference.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
Our team members are experienced and caring nurses who have a desire to support clients to have a quality of life in their later years.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
They can give quality care to an older person and see them enjoy the later years of life with purpose. They respect the older person as they know themselves that this will be them one day.
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Emily, Senior Manager – Health Services
What qualities do your team members have that set them apart?
Our allied health team members – which include social workers, podiatrists, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, dietitians and more – are all caring and thoughtful people who are passionate about helping our clients. They are also intelligent and creative and are always coming up with great ideas for how to support our clients in an individualised and holistic way.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
Our team members really enjoy getting to know clients as individuals, building rapport and then getting to see how their interventions can make such a huge difference.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
Our team are all highly knowledgeable in their respective areas and also eager to learn more. They are always looking for ways to improve their skills to better support clients. They are also all very warm and caring which puts our clients at ease. It’s also why we get so much positive feedback on how easy it is to talk to our allied health team members, and how our clients feel listened to and understood.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
We all enjoy being a part of a supportive team whose members are all always happy to help out and listen to each other. They are all so much fun to work with, while being able to support clients with complex issues to maintain their independence and improve their wellbeing in their own homes.
It is incredibly rewarding to see people thrive as a result of our support, and knowing that how we care for our clients is how we hope for our own loved ones to be cared for.
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Mary, Senior Manager – Health Services
What qualities do our team members have that set them apart?
The nurses in our team are always looking to add value for our clients, and they proactively look for learning opportunities and training.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
This is such an individual thing, but I believe for the most part, our nurses love to enhance the lives of our senior adults and assist them to live meaningful lives.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
Our team are fiercely passionate people who care about their clients and their families.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
Nurses love it when clients reach their goals and go on to set new goals.
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Rebecca, Chronic & Complex Care Nurse / RN Operations Lead
What qualities do your team members have that set them apart?
We have an amazing team who are resourceful, caring and always put our clients’ needs first. They understand our clients and their needs, and always strive to promote independence whilst providing support to ensure safety is maintained and person-centred care is achieved.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
We enjoy building relationships with our clients and ensuring that their needs are always met. We enjoy celebrating achievements, for example wounds resolving, or independence being gained by educating and supporting clients to manage their care independently.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
The Ballarat team are wonderful at delivering person-centred care. They are proficient in setting, measuring, and achieving care goals set by our clients. Our clients allow us into their homes and as such we are able to see risks and issues hopefully before they arise. This unique relationship allows us to plan and deliver better care for our clients as we can see the entire picture.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
The most rewarding aspect of our job is allowing our clients the ability to stay at home for as long as possible with our support. Equally, building and maintaining therapeutic relationships with our clients to enhance their life and achieve their goals.
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Carly, Registered Nurse Operations Lead
What qualities do our team members have that set them apart?
Our team members have a variety of qualities that set them apart. Most notably, our team demonstrates excellence, professionalism, flexibility, compassion, kindness, empathy, humanism, and a generosity of spirit. To carry out the complex care that is often required for some senior people, demands that out team remain at the forefront of clinical excellence. This is demonstrated each and every day, with wonderful feedback, great clinical outcomes in emergent situations, post-acute and chronic disease management.
Each individual on our team strives to honour each client’s unique lived experiences, background and preferences whilst providing clinical care. Our team takes into account the political, social, economic and lifestyle perspectives that impact the individual’s ideals and values; and this informs the way they deliver care on a daily basis. This is particularly important as our integratedliving provides services to an extremely diverse community. With such diverse and unique needs and preferences, our team are adept at remaining flexible, as the needs of the clients and our wider team often change in a dynamic manner. Our team stands out as they balance these factors, whilst remaining compassionate, empathetic, and professional. They truly invest in the holistic wellbeing of our clients and their families and loved ones. These qualities set our team apart as leaders in Community Aged Care Nursing and specialists within their own right.
What does your team enjoy about working with our clients?
There are many reasons our team members enjoy working with our clients. They feel proud to engage clients in maintaining their wellbeing, thereby empowering them to re-gain independence and remain independent with support within the community setting. Our team enjoy celebrating milestones together with clients, as their goals are made and met. Our team enjoys the professional relationships they establish, nurture, and maintain with our clients.
What makes your team so good with our clients?
The professional connection and genuine care that our team have with and for our clients gives rise to a ‘above and beyond’ mentality. The many little displays of connection and true humanity means the world to the people we visit. Many of our clients are socially isolated or may be experiencing difficulties adjusting to age or changes related to chronic disease. Our clients value the kindness and compassion shown to them and the wonderful support that is offered in achieving the activities of daily living. Even just taking the time with a smile and a chat can mean a great deal.
What does your team find most rewarding about working in aged care?
The rewards are endless! Serving the community and our ageing population provides a fullness of heart that I believe can’t be matched within any other field of nursing. It’s so wonderfully satisfying to scaffold our clients to achieve wellbeing and independence in the community. To be a part of the lives of our clients, to share in their stories, joys and sorrows, accomplishments, and successes; this is simply a privilege and an honour.