practical living
The model of dedicated rostering with the same team members working in the same apartment most of the time was popular with residents who enjoyed the familiarity but also caused some unintended consequences and continuity challenges .
In providing care , team members got to know the residents comprehensively and understand the small details of their routine that make all the difference .
However , when carers were unwell or on leave , residents felt they needed to explain their preferences again , which was a source of frustration .
Carers also felt that managing challenging behaviours consistent with the same residents was more intense .
While St Paul ’ s was purpose-built and is modern and airy , some residents and team members described it as hotel-like rather than homely .
There were also some concerns from team members about the new technology , which they felt was cumbersome and , in some instances , took longer than usual to perform simple tasks like recording blood pressure .
The evaluation also highlighted financial implications , given that the staffing model was far more costly than that of a traditional aged care home setting .
For example , additional shifts were required to maintain the one carer per apartment model standard .
More catering hours were also needed to deliver meals to apartments rather than as part of a communal dining experience .
“ As residents ’ health needs grew , care costs increased significantly .
As residents ’ health needs grew , care costs increased significantly to manage their evolving needs .
St Paul ’ s concept also reiterated the importance of clearly communicating with residents and families about the day-to-day realities of what apartment-style living would involve .
For example , we worked with our residents and their families to share that , at times , it may feel like there isn ’ t a carer around because they were not in the communal area but were providing assistance in a nearby apartment .
We also shared that any personality clashes between residents could feel heightened when living together in apartments rather than spread out in a more traditional facility .
To mitigate some of these concerns , we were careful to match people entering our care to ensure they shared apartments with others of similar experiences and lifestyles . We also introduced a ‘ floater ’ carer or small teams of dedicated team members to help with accessibility , reduce residents ’ reliance on individual carers , improve communication and make it easier for team members to get advice and support when needed . So what is the way forward ? At this stage , Benetas will not be implementing the apartment-style model as it currently exists .
But we have learned from our experience and taken on those lessons to continuously improve and tailor the care we provide for our residents .
Benetas ’ chief executive Sandra Hills .
We plan to take the aspects of the apartment model that worked well for our residents and reflect this in the built environment .
We have also captured the experience of our residents and team members so that our communal spaces strike the right balance between being large enough to cater to whole facility events and small enough to provide a home-like , welcoming space .
Over the past few years , we have had many enquiries and visits from other aged care organisations considering the apartment-style model and wanted to hear about our experience .
We ’ ve always been upfront about the challenges we ’ ve had to overcome to create the best possible experience for our residents .
In the same way , we are sharing the results of this review so that others in the industry can learn from our experience and consider this alternative model with eyes open , fully aware of the complexity and mitigations needed to deliver the proper care . ■
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