Feros Care Winners

Feros Care won both the Not-For-Profit Network Project of the Year 2008 for ‘Northern Rivers Primary Palliative Care Project’ and Organisation of the Year 2008.

View the article – click to download PDF. 2008-Organisation-Project-of-Year

New technology, which will revolutionise the delivery of aged care services in Australia, was launched today by local, non-profit aged care provider Feros Care. The launch was attended by Federal Minister for Ageing, the Hon. Justine Elliot, MP and Federal Shadow Minister for Ageing Margaret May, MP.

Feros Care unveiled a hi-tech, central communication centre called the “Community Gateway”, which enables more efficient delivery of aged care services, along with a range of assisted living technologies that allow people to remain living in their own home longer and retain their independence.

The assisted living technologies, which are already widely used throughout the UK, are new to Australia and include falls detection, emergency response, exit monitoring (for people with dementia), environmental safety (including bathroom and kitchen), night time safety, continence management, and daily scheduled phone calls.

The technologies are a cost effective solution to allow people to remain living in their own homes safely and securely. They also provide peace of mind and relief for families and carers, who often can’t be present 24 hours a day.

While Australia’s aged care worries are regularly headlined, the NSW and South East Queensland are facing an acute aged care challenge. There are currently 1 in 5 people aged over 65 living in the region, compared to the national figure of 1 in 7. This ratio is expected to reach 1 in 3 by 2050. North Coast

Feros Care CEO, Jennene Buckley said: “With our region’s rapidly growing ageing population, it is essential we continue to find more advanced ways of allowing people to remain living in their own home longer.”

“We are on the cusp of a massive national increase in demand for aged care services, and I fear that unless we find creative solutions to meet this demand – such as we have announced today – we will be unable to manage.”

Feros Care’s new “Gateway” utilises advances in communication technology to create a central management and administration centre, providing a single point of call for the delivery of their 17 types of aged care services across Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland.

This central communication hub allows for the delivery of high quality aged care across a wider geographical area, eliminating excessive infrastructure costs which have traditionally been an obstacle in the establishment of aged care services.

PHOTO: Federal Minister for Ageing, The Hon. Justine Elliot, MP & Federal Shadow Minister for Ageing, Margaret May, MP with Feros Care CEO Jennene Buckley at Feros Care

Jennene Buckley, the CEO of Feros Care discussed the subject of aged care sector and the future of it on the Far North Coast on the ABC Far North Coast morning program.  Feros Care has recently won the National Not-For-Profit Network Organisation of the Year Award.  Ms. Buckley said governments have to be looking at the facilities that will be needed for the increasing aged population over the next 30 to 40 years.  That population will increase substantially in this region.  Aged care providers are looking at this situation and providing services to people in their homes.  Ms. Buckley gave examples of what her organisation is already providing for aged residents.  She also said simplification is needed from the government when dealing with the bureaucratic system aged people have to deal with in their lives.

The end of 2008 has seen Feros Care the recipient of 4 more Awards.  Aged Care Association Australia awarded Feros Care with the the Best Renovated Aged Care Facility for its Village at Bangalow; as well as the Excellence in Management Award for the CEO, Jennene Buckley

Feros Care also received Organisation of the Year from the Not-For-Profit Network, as well as the Project of the Year for its Northern Rivers Primary Palliative Care Project.

The Telstra Business Women’s Awards have become an integral part of the Australian business calendar, celebrating the achievements of some truly remarkable women.  This year Jennene Buckley, the CEO of Feros Care has reached Finalist stage in the category of NSW Telstra Business Woman of the Year (IBM Community and Government Award for employees in government departments, statutory bodies and not-for-profit organisations).
  
Past winners include some of Australia’s most talented business leaders, whose career paths and individual achievements continue to inspire business people around the country.

The winner(s) will be announced on Friday, 14 November.

Feros Care has won its second national award for Technology Innovation.  This award for outstanding achievement was presented yesterday at the Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) National Conference held in Adelaide.

This award showcases the simple but smart use of technology at the Community Gateway which is a single point of entry connecting staff, services and care from Caboolture through to Coffs Harbour.

“The awards that Feros have won this year confirms that we are definitely travelling down the right path”, said Feros’ General Manager for Community Services, Gabriele Taylor.

Some of the Frequently Asked Questions related to employment with Feros Care have been added to the employmnet section.

Use the following links to check them out.

• Frequently Asked Questions for Residential Care Positions
• Frequently Asked Questions for Community Care Positions

Home Host is Feros Care’s new service that can help you to meet the demands of working or studying, and caring for an elderly relative or friend. If you would like to find out more about the service please visit the Home Host Care information page.

As part of our Home Host initiative we recently launched a TV campaign. You can view the ad below or access it directly on YouTube — Home Host TV Commercial

The award for the best IT solution across more than 150 beds went to Feros Care in Queensland for the Gateway Community Care Initiative.

This second award again recognises the efforts of many staff in developing the Community Contact Centre, the use of remote offices, the software packages, the phone networks, electronic documents, the internet and telecommunications technology.  This combination of technologies has allowed for one central communication point for community care for staff, clients, service providers and families. 

Congratulations to the Community Team.

Feros Village Bangalow is no ordinary Nursing Home. Our residents are celebrated for their own unique legacy and are encouraged to be an active part of care receiving and giving and making the village a home.

Feros Village Bangalow has been beautifully extended and refurbished allowing us to further promote meaningful relationships that can flourish between residents, carers, families and friends.  Resident rooms now join to form cottages that flow into larger community hubs within the village – including the open plan servery and social area, activity rooms, gym and beauty salon and lush gardens.

Our philosophy of care seeks to combat the three plagues of ageing – loneliness, helplessness and boredom.   We do this by providing residents with a choice of stimulating venues and activity options for interaction with village neighbours.  Your loved-one can choose between craft in the activities room, baking in the servery, a manicure in the beauty salon or reminiscing and music in the open plan area, just a few of the opportunities from our varied calendar of events and activities. Children and animals play in important role in the everyday lives and activities within the village.

Our staff and volunteers promote a ‘can do’ culture and attitude that focuses on the abilities of residents rather that disabilities.  Care plans are holistic and, in addition to addressing medical and nursing issues, consider each resident’s lifestyle aspirations ‘choices and decisions.   Feros Care believes that meaningful care nurtures the human spirit as well as the human body and that everyone one, regardless of age and needs, has capacity to grow.

Mutual caring relationships between carers and residents are the central to the success of Feros Village Bangalow.  Staff and volunteers join a village communitiy according to mutual interests and life experiences.  The sense of place is strong.  Our home-makers work along side experienced nurses and personal care staff to add the warm touches to the communities and Feros Village Bangalow as a whole, that make it a home rather than a facility.