Living the SummitCare Values

Wellbeing is about being the best you can be – physically, emotionally and spiritually. SummitCare provide care and lifestyle choices to support 900 residents and 1000 staff to live the lives they choose, ensuring each member of the SummitCare family reaches their optimum wellbeing, every single day.

For residents and staff, this means premium care for both their physical and mental health. Especially during the restrictions and rules imposed around COVID-19, SummitCare has proven itself as both a caring operator for the residents of its ten nursing homes across Sydney and in Wallsend, Newcastle, and as a responsible employer.

Chief Operating Officer, Michelle Sloane, says that the organisation is one that truly "lives its values."

“Our values drive everything we do for our residents and our staff. Our purpose is to enable wellbeing for our communities and we work very hard to deliver on that.”

SummitCare values are:

Welcoming – Be welcoming at all times to residents and guests

Obliging – Be obliging and willing to learn

Respectful – Be respectful

Teamwork – Demonstrate teamwork with colleagues

Honesty – Be honest with yourself, residents and colleagues

“Our staff are terrific at all times and have shone even more brightly during the pandemic,” says Michelle.

The SummitStar recognition awards program is held every year to spotlight staff who really live and model values, going above and beyond what is expected of them. The awards also include categories for homes, based on clinical and services excellence, while acknowledging home managers and celebrating the SummitCare Home of the Year.

SummitCare emphasises staff professional development, so if they choose to further their skills, staff are encouraged and supported to complete study. SummitCare works with institutions such as the Australian Catholic University, Royal College of Nursing, Charles Darwin University, the Institute of Health and Management, IHNA Institute of Health & Nursing Australia, Think Colleges, University of New England and Western Sydney University.

“And our support for residents and their families is vital,” says Michelle.

“As well as our day-to-day individualised care for each resident, our Transition into Care team calls residents’ families to see how they are settling into their new home and any issues are escalated to the local leadership teams at each centre.

We actively promote family involvement in their loved one’s care and to help meet their preferences. We provide counselling services to families who are having a hard time dealing with grief. And, during the pandemic, we’ve had a special focus on communication and connectedness, keeping residents and their families informed and comfortable about changes and have established a dedicated COVID tab on our website.”

Michelle says, “We work hard to ensure we reach key goals: that everyone we support can live in an environment that is filled with warmth, that there is recognition of their worth as a special and unique person, and that there remains a focus at all times on optimum wellbeing.”

“SummitCare collaborates closely with our staff, residents and their families to ensure we demonstrate our values. Residents receive choice in care and lifestyle, delivered with honesty, trust and respect. Our staff are also supported in their wellbeing, which helps them create a nurturing and supportive environment for our residents,” says Michelle.

SummitCare is an award-winning care organisation that brings to life the values of warmth and worth, ensuring relationships are heartfelt and respectful, and the worth of every member of their ‘family’ is valued.

Find out more about SummitCare.