Barossa offers a robust lifestyle program designed to enhance the quality of life for residents.Activities are diverse, ranging from bingo and movie nights to physical games and bus trips. The facility even hosts visits from small zoos, providing residents the opportunity to interact with animals—a proven way to boost mood and reduce stress. “Our residents particularly enjoy our lifestyle program,” Lee says. “We have five staff members dedicated to organizing these activities to keep residents physically and mentally engaged. One of the highlights of the lifestyle program is the facility’s approach to mealtime. “We believe that dining should be a social experience,” Lee explains. “We often have ‘happy hours’ where residents can enjoy wine or beer together. It’s small but makes a big difference in their daily lives.” LEADERSHIP AND STAFF Lutheran Homes Barossa’s success results from its comprehensive care services, a strong leadership team, and a dedicated workforce. Lee, who serves as CEO, oversees a team of 200 staff members, 85% of whom are female. The staff is supported by a volunteer board and approximately 80 volunteers, many of whom are in their 80s themselves. “Our staff is the backbone of our organization,” Lee says. “We have a four-member executive team that reports directly to me, and they oversee five main business units: the aged care facility, three retirement village units, and our home care and Commonwealth Home Support Program units.” The facility also strongly emphasizes staff training and development.“We actively promote training and experience by supporting local universities and other training institutions,” Lee explains. We provide onsite training and work experience and partner with local high schools and colleges to allow students to learn about aged care.” One of the most unique aspects of Lutheran Homes Barossa is its use of robots to support staff in their 6 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09
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