care, medication management, and even cooking and cleaning, house companions work alongside residents, supporting them in day-to-day tasks and fostering a sense of agency and independence. Unlike traditional staff roles centered around regimented tasks, house companions shape their day around the resident’s preferences, fostering a collaborative and nurturing atmosphere. Chadwick explains,“In traditional aged care, it’s taskfocused—how many showers can be done by this time, how many residents can be dressed by eight o’clock. But here, it’s the residents who drive the schedule. They live how they want to live.” This shift from task-driven care to person-centered support is transformative, enabling residents to maintain control of their lives and NewDirection Care is a pioneer in this approach. CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON AGING In Australia, discussions about aging and dementia are often postponed until a significant life event forces the conversation. “It’s quite scary that our communities feel that way about dementia and aging,” Chadwick reflects.“Usually, something dramatic has to happen in somebody’s life for them to look at it, which is unfortunate that it’s not discussed sooner.” NewDirection Care’s innovative approach aims to take the fear out of aging, showing that with the proper support, people can age well no matter their diagnosis or care needs.Through their wellness center and accessible support services, Chadwick’s team helps seniors live the best possible life, achieving remarkable improvements in mobility. “Research states “20% of residents experience improvement in function within 8-12 weeks of moving in, while 90% of residents at least maintain their functional mobility status during the same period.This is a vast improvement over the more common experience of residents moving into residential aged care who typically experience a rapid decline in their functional ability from their date of admission and within 2 years their functional capacity has reduced by 56% on average,”Chadwick shares. This progress stems from NewDirection Care’s commitment to resident engagement. Whether participating in gym activities, socializing, or 4 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11
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