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Matt Martin, Head of Strategy at Southern Cross Care Queensland (SCCQ), knew the Known and Loved cultural transformation program, was making a difference, when a 96-year-old resident told workers she was “living her best life”, and “couldn’t be happier” with her care.
The resident, who was receiving respite services in Chinchilla, west of Brisbane, appeared to be echoing sentiments from SCCQ’s broader aged care community.
Since launching the Known and Loved program, net promoter scores have risen steadily across SCCQ’s thirteen aged care homes.
Over 90 percent of residents report being extremely satisfied with their overall care, 97 percent feel known and cared for, and 89 percent describe themselves as genuinely happy.
Mr Martin – who is due to present at the Aged Care Reform Conference on 16-17 June in Melbourne – said the program is based on a simple formula.
Listen first
“We listen first,” he said. “Every aspect of the program is based on community feedback. We always believe that, if you listen, others feel heard, and you can actually learn something.”
Mr Martin, who frequently attends town hall meetings to garner insights from his community, says among the priorities listed, ‘ageing in place’, and ‘access to healthcare’ ranked high.
“You’ve got to get together with local communities to know what their challenges are. In our rural area, people want to stay where they are, as they grow old.
“They want to have primary and allied health – particularly physio, podiatry and GP services – nearby, so they’re not pushed out to towns, to have their health needs met.
“They also report needing help with digital literacy and navigating the healthcare system.”
In response to feedback from the Chinchilla community, and with grant assistance from the government, SCCQ built a new $36 million, 81-bed age care home, and is finalising works on a health and wellness centre.
The age well community centre is phase 2 of this development, and will feature consulting rooms for allied health, a community café, and a gym for overall health and wellness.
“The hub will help us push out and support other communities, like Miles and Tara in in that region, so it will make a big impact in people’s lives.”
To better service rural areas, SCCQ has also established a partnership with Southern Queensland Rural Health (SQRH) – part of a formal collaboration led by Associate Professor Geoff Argus between The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland and Darling Downs Health and South West Hospital and Health Service.
Their combined goal is to skill and grow a local pool of qualified allied health and nursing professionals, and offer additional education and training opportunities.
“It’s an intergenerational approach, which I think is important in any setting. It doesn’t matter if it is age care or any other type of community – if older people are at the centre, it’s a reflection that community is flourishing.”
Build loving communities
One of the significant issues facing regional communities, is the impact of loneliness and isolation on physical and mental health.
“We try to find places where people can connect with each other, and feel connected to the place itself. Purpose is very important in communities,” Mr Martin said.
The focus on connection is particularly important in rural towns like Chinchilla, which have a population of just 8000 people – a high percentage of which are older Australians.
“We often see richer concentrations of older people in rural towns, largely owing to the median house prices in metropolitan centres. These towns sometimes need that extra layer of support to combat isolation.”
To foster connection, SCCQ’s new health and wellness hub will include a café, which Mr Eldering hopes will bring together older people in the community.
“We’re really excited about it and hope it will be a focal point that fosters friendships,” he said.
Serve the greater good
Alongside first-hand insights from community members, Mr Martin pays attention to the data.
“We are troubled by hospitalisation statistics among older people and want to do everything we can to keep them out of hospital. We want to help them live their best lives, stay active and well.”
On this front, Mr Martin draws inspiration from the Blue Zone research by Dan Buettner, which explores how the happiest and healthiest people in the world live.
As a Catholic organisation, SCCQ is particularly focussed on the spirituality principle, but says it should be celebrated in all its forms.
“We’ve got to think a bit more laterally around how we keep our communities ageing well and support them to have a beautiful life in the process.
“Spirituality doesn’t have to be the Catholic faith. It could take any form. The bottom line is people who are connected to their spirituality are often happier and healthier,” he said.
In line with Blue Zone research, Mr Martin also supports a shift towards a more plant-based diet with reduced meat consumption, though he acknowledges that implementing this can be challenging in certain settings.
“We have a food strategy, but it requires a change in practices, views and behaviours, which can be hard when people have their ways of doing things. But we’re getting there.”
Thinking innovatively around care models is especially important in the bush, he added, with resources more stretched and health inequities more rife.
“Here, everybody has to roll up their sleeves to do different jobs. That’s already been happening for years, but through our care model and its collaborations, we’ve been able to amplify and scale those efforts. We’ve collaborated to bring more allied health in the community, for example.
Further insight
Sharing more on the principles that have guided SCCQ’s care model, Matt Martin will present at the Aged Care Reform Conference, held 16-17 June in Melbourne.
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