Southern Cross Care (Vic) wins top award at ACSA Victoria Aged Care Awards

Southern Cross Care (Vic), a leading aged care and community services provider has won the Organisation Award at the 2016 ACSA Victoria Aged Care Awards. 

The organisation’s vision to see older people living well has led to the development of their ‘Valuing Every Person’ (VEP) philosophy which was implemented across the organisation early last year.

Southern Cross Care (Vic) CEO, Andrew Newton, said the award is a great achievement and recognition of the wonderful work that staff and volunteers have done over the past year to support and assist older people to live the best lives possible.

“Our philosophy advocates a unique person-centred approach to the care and support we provide to our clients and residents. It underpins everything that we do,” he said.

“Our staffing model, individualised care plans and services, food and dining experience, as well as building developments, are all designed with the ultimate aim to enhance the quality of life of our residents and clients and to ensure they receive the best possible care and support.”

A key component of the VEP philosophy is choice, which saw the organisation changing the way it provides food services to people living in its aged care homes.

“At our Dandenong home, residents choose when they have their breakfast and what they have for breakfast. Breakfast is served buffet style, and residents are encouraged and supported to get their own breakfast. For those who are more capable, they are also encouraged to prepare their own tea and coffee, toast or cereal each morning,” said Mr Newton.

Since the buffet style breakfast was introduced at the home, staff soon noticed that residents who had previously stayed in their own room to eat breakfast, were joining other residents in the dining room.

“This is a fantastic outcome. At Southern Cross Care, we have always practised a person-centred approach across all our services and locations. By introducing the VEP philosophy last year, we were actually bringing together all the good things we have been doing well all these years and giving it a more formalised structure,” said Mr Newton.

Southern Cross Care received the Organisation Award sponsored by CGI Group Purchasing at the ACSA Gala Night on Thursday, 29 September. The organisation was also a finalist in the Volunteer Award category.'

Click here to find out more about Southern Cross Care's aged care services in Victoria.