Throughout this annual report you will see examples of our ongoing commitment to excellence and how this has reinforced our mission ‘Quality and ethical aged care is provided within a safe friendly environment.
We hold a unique position of trust and enjoy the absolute privilege of working for our residents, in this their home, and having the opportunity to get to know so many remarkable people with amazing stories to share.
Kellock Lodge is an accredited and certified residential aged care facility, operating in a sustainable way. Our objectives are simple. To provide people with accommodation facilities and services in a manner which promotes:
- Dignity, purpose and real meaning in their lives
- Decision making, self-care, self-reliance and assistance in the maintenance of all people in the way most appropriate to their needs
- Family relationships, companionship and genuine inter-personal relationships
- An awareness of the value of people in residential care
- Short term (respite) and long-term needs
- Integration with the local community and maintains a full accreditation at all times under current legislation.
Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that the community of Alexandra will have access to high quality, affordable, relevant and flexible aged care services and activities that are designed to achieve those objectives. The community of Alexandra, always supportive, have excelled again during the 2017/2018 financial year, for which we are eternally grateful.
I dedicate this report to and thank each and every one of the Kellock Lodge Alexandra Inc.’s team.
It has been a year packed with challenges at Kellock Lodge. The emphasis has remained on maintaining an environment in which our residents, staff, families and carers can enjoy a healthy, safe and inspirational lifestyle.
This year saw 98.2 per cent permanent occupancy with 16 admissions and 88.9 per cent respite occupancy with 47 admissions throughout the year. Our organisation cares for in excess of 50 elderly residents citizens. We employ in excess of 77 caring staff. Our employee expenses for this year exceeded $3,204,500, we are an important employer and not for profit service in Alexandra. Based on those facts, we are a very valuable asset and charity that works for and with the community of the Alexandra. We need more long term ongoing financial support to allow us to plan well into the future.
INDEPENDENT LIVING UNITS
Kellock Lodge independent living units offer residents the ability to downsize without leaving their established networks and communities.
This year we welcomed five new residents to our community. There have been many social gatherings utilising the BBQ areas and wonderful to see these residents enjoying afternoon tea with our residents at the Bucks N Deer Café and even a cold ale at Happy Hour.
Many of the unit residents are regular volunteers and work tirelessly as Friends of Kellock offering extremely valuable skills and time.
DONATIONS/VOLUNTEERS
Kellock Lodge is most fortunate to receive tremendous support either through financial means, by local produce or goods or by time and patience from our wider community.
Volunteers day was celebrated in May with an afternoon tea to show our appreciation to all volunteers for their continued support .
Thank you again to all volunteers and a special thank you to Di and Bob Cameron for supply a trailer of wood which raised $2,000 in our winter raffle
ACCREDITATION
This year we received an unannounced visit by the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency in January 2018 which led to our 7 unmet outcomes. This was an extremely challenging time for the whole organisation, but we met these outcomes in May 2018 and met all 44 outcomes in June 2018. We are now fully accredited until September 2019.
The Commonwealth Government announced some sweeping changes that will take effect from July 2019. The most significant change is that the current Accreditation Standards (Residential) will no longer apply and will be replaced by a common set of standards and requirements known as The Single Aged Care Quality Framework which will be fully implemented from 1 July 2019. All accreditations and visits for residential aged care will be unannounced. This change will come into effect from 1 July 2019. We are now ready for any unannounced visit by the Agency at any time. Kellock Lodge welcomes these changes, which should increase the consistency of care standards across the industry.
We will actively consider what the new Standards mean for our organisation and how they will influence our current culture. Our task is to plan and implement the requirements to ensure a smooth transition, together with focusing on opportunities of improving our financial performance and strengthening our work force.
EMPLOYEES
The Kellock Lodge Alexandra Inc. employees, working as a loyal committed team, continued to ensure quality care for all residents with a sense of pride that survived all of the external pressures applied throughout the 2017/2018 financial year. Congratulations and thank you to all employees.
In November 2017, we acknowledged our long-standing employees for their commitment and dedication to Kellock Lodge. Ten years’ service was recognised for Cherie Coleman and Heath Bury. This is a tremendous achievement and we are fortunate to have such loyalty.
Investments in our staff training continued specifically in the areas of management, culture, work place health and safety as well as ongoing clinical support training.
To each staff member, your commitment and care for our residents, is so greatly appreciated and I would also like to express recognition and gratitude to my management and administrative team for all their support and assistance throughout this year and look forward to another inspirational year together.
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Congratulations and thank you to John Sharwood OA, Chairperson, who received an Order of Australian in June 2018 and prior to this a Premiers’ Volunteer Champions Award in Janaury 2018. He is a leader in the Alexandra and wider communities, where his dedication to the welfare and growth of the community has earned him great and deserved recognition. His friendly personality and sense of humour have made him well known and recognized as a dedicated leader in so many ways.
In concluding, I thank all members of the Board for their tireless work and passion for our organisation and I do look forward to working closely with and assisting the Board and Staff to continue to care and support our residents and the Alexandra Community into the future.
Donna Walsh, CEO