Lynden Aged Care

LYNDEN AGED CARE are requiring more input from Allied Health. At Lynden, they have physiotherapists coming in six days a week, podiatry come in every two weeks and see most of the residents on a regular basis. Dieticians are onsite at least once a month and they work closely with the nursing and kitchen staff. There are also optometrists and a dentist available, and Hearing Australia come in and take care of hearing aids and testing. All this makes it easier for everyone because they don’t have to go outside the facility to get those services. Panassie admits, “The aged care sector is transitioning from a welfare-style system to a market-based system with a focus on the consumer (the language is changing too, but we still like to use the word resident). So our compliance standards really centre on the consumer experience and dignity of risk and consumer choice. That is a challenge, but a positive one, in that aged care had become a bit risk averse and we were afraid to let residents do things. But today if they choose to do a certain activity, we have to enable that for them. As long as they’re making an informed decision and are understanding of the risk, they’re now allowed to take that risk. Which is wonderful for them. It’s all about enhancing their quality of life.” Much credit for the ongoing success of the facility goes to the Lynden Aged Care Association Board of Directors. “They are an amazing group of people,” says Panassie, and very responsive and supportive of the organisation. They are staff members have been here 10 years or more. We have an extremely low turnover.” In the Camberwell area there are over 20 aged care providers in a five to six km radius, so there is a lot of competition. Since the government has boosted funding to the homecare sector to encourage people to stay in their homes longer, Panassie is seeing a change in the acuity level of residents when they come to Lynden. “People are staying home longer and getting services there, whether that be cleaning, assistance with hygiene and so on. So we’ve seen a great shift and the residents coming into care are generally more frail. And often the residents are not as mobile, so we need more lifting equipment; more wheelchairs; daybeds.” Savell adds, “That allows the residents to be out in the home and not left in their room on the bed, so they’re able to participate in activities and be moved around the facility. Which is lovely.” With people living longer, all aged care facilities