29 October 2021
Saturday 7 August is Aged Care Team Day and the chance to celebrate every team member involved in caring for our residents.
At our Estia Health Hope Valley home, the team saw an opportunity to collaborate together on a special project, following a suggestion from a resident.
At one of the monthly resident meetings, Lynn spoke about how she very much missed weekend breaks away and camping trips. The lifestyle team started to research the possibility of a weekend away for residents and the work required.
At the next meeting, they provided a presentation with some weekend away options – all of which had been selected and reviewed with accessibility in mind for residents with mobility issues. The response was overwhelmingly positive with 6 residents saying they’d like to go and voting for their preferred location, which was Cockle Beach House in Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsula.
Vanessa, the home’s lifestyle coordinator who was overseeing the trip gave the thumbs up and planning was underway! The team included members of the lifestyle team, a Registered Nurse and one of the home’s volunteers. They worked together to plan a weekend away that was safe and accessible for the residents, in a secluded and peaceful location, with plenty of space.
A detailed risk and safety assessment was conducted of the house environment and resident’s care needs, with Jen, the Registered Nurse administering medications and care.
Residents enjoyed cooked breakfasts, beautiful dinners, a camp-fire on the beach and trips out to see local sites and attractions. Resident Lynn who had the original idea was asked how she’d found the weekend away and said ‘It’s been fantastic’.
Vanessa from the lifestyle team, said of the planning and preparation ‘it was worth it to see the smiles on everyone’s faces’. Following the success of the first holiday, another holiday has now taken place, with plans for future weekends on the cards!
