LifeLink News

Feros Care has just been announced as the top Aged Care organisation in NSW, at the industry’s peak body conference in Sydney last night, putting them in the running to be announced as Australia’s best aged care provider at the national industry conference later this year.

Feros Care claimed the Aged & Community Services Association (NSW & ACT) 2012 State Awards for Excellence – Organisation Award for their promotion of telehealthcare technology; and people management (continued learning initiatives and staff development). The organisation also recently claimed the same title from the Aged Care QLD Awards in late March for its implementation of telehealthcare technology and Gateway model.

Feros Care was one of the first aged care organisations in Australia to trial the use of telehealth technology (monitoring daily vital signs of those with chronic conditions) and telecare technology (falls detectors, personal safety alarms and environmental detectors) in the homes of seniors as part of a pilot trial in 2010.

Today Feros Care is proud to boast that it has created over 500 Smart Homes in QLD and NSW, and has seamlessly incorporated the technology into its care and support packages.

Feros Care is now focused on advocating for Federal Government support that would allow them to roll out the technology across the country, particularly increasing its use in the homes of people living with dementia or chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Feros Care’s CEO Jennene Buckley said it was an honour to be recognised for the lifesaving initiatives the organisation has introduced to Australia.

“Feros Care is focused on implementing initiatives such as telehealthcare technology that help ensure seniors live their life, their way, for longer.

“The award also recognises the commitment and shared values of our employees, managers and volunteers who have a passion for working with seniors and see it as a privilege to do so,” Ms Buckley said.

Shirley Nelson, Director of the Feros Care Board, also claimed the Volunteer Award for her 32 years of selfless dedication to Feros Care and the wider seniors’ community in the Byron Shire. Shirley was one of the founding members of Feros Care and has been an integral part of seeing Feros Care grow from one residential village in 1990 to today, operating three aged care villages in Northern NSW and offering community services to 3500 seniors living in their own homes in NSW and QLD.

Have you ever wondered how your clients can access technology to make living at home safer? Do you have a client who could benefit from daily monitoring of their chronic health condition at home?

If the answer is yes, then you should attend Feros Care’s LifeLink Community Technologies Workshop at:

Hervey Bay – Tuesday 8 May, 2012 – 10am-12pm
Chermside – Wednesday 9 May, 2012 – 1pm-3pm

The workshops are targetted to Community Care Service Providers, Hospitals, and Allied Health and General Practice Staff. They will provide practical demonstrations on Telehealth (remote vital signs monitoring of chronic disease patients) and Telecare (smart home 24hr monitoring) technologies.

For more information or to register, simply fill in the form for Hervey Bay or Chermside and return to Feros Care.

Feros Care has just been announced as the top Aged Care organisation in QLD, at the industry’s peak body conference on the Gold Coast last night.

Feros Care claimed Aged Care QLD’s Excellence in Care – Organisation of the Year Award for their innovative technology systems and framework including:

• The implementation of LifeLink, one of Australia’s first ever main-streamed aged care telehealthcare services (including both telecare smart homes and telehealth implementations)
• State-of-the-art IT infrastructure as the backbone of the organisation
• The creation of Feros Care’s unique Community Care Gateway (a centralised contact and referral centre for all of our community care programs stretching 1000kms).

Feros Care’s CEO Jennene Buckley said it was an honour to be awarded this highly sought after title, but more importantly thanked all the staff who worked hard to support senior Queenslanders.

“We have built our reputation through the dedication, commitment and shared values of our employees, managers and volunteers who have a passion for working with seniors and see it as a privilege to do so,” Ms Buckley said.

Feros Care also claimed the Sustainability Award (Waste) for reducing resource waste through the Gateway and the organisation’s General Manager of Community Services, Gabriele Taylor, was ‘Highly Commended’ as a finalist in the Employee of the Year Award (Gabriele has been instrumental in overseeing the organisation’s expansion into ‘in home’ care and the Gateway).

Registrations are now open for the latest Community Technologies Workshop (Coffs Harbour), a free information session showcasing LifeLink’s telehealth and telecare ‘Smart Home’ technologies.

Date: Tuesday 13 March, 2012

Address: 1 Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

Time: 1pm – 3pm

Cost: Nil

LifeLink Telehealth is designed to support those living with single or multiple long term conditions. It enables the reliable collection and secure transmission of a client’s vital signs and related health information to a secure website. The data is accessed by clinical health professionals to help early intervention and informed decision-making about your health and wellbeing.

LifeLink Telecare products and response service helps to minimise falls, medication errors and other mishaps or accidents in people’s own homes. LifeLink Telecare uses sensors and other devices such as automated night lighting, movement sensors, voice reminders, pendants and triggers that can monitor and respond to emergencies.

This workshop is targeted to Community Care Service Providers, Hospitals, Allied Health and General Practice staff and will provide practical demonstrations on telehealth (remote vital signs monitoring of chronic disease patients) and telecare (smart home 24hr monitoring) technologies.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstration of the technologies and the wide range of applications.
• Case Studies and examples of the technologies; outcomes and benefits.
• Lessons learnt for implementation.
• Details on affordability and costs.

To attend this workshop please send a completed registration form to Feros Care today.

Feros Care’s CEO Jennene Buckley has told ehealthspace.org about the benefits and cost-effectiveness of LifeLink’s telehealthcare technology.

Ms Buckley told the online magazine that “my goal is to provide the best possible care, and to do it with existing technology.”

“Technology is exciting. There are fantastic opportunities to deliver healthcare, and to do it with what we have to hand in a cost effective manner.”

Read the article or learn more about LifeLink’s products.

500 smart homes and counting!

Australian seniors have joined the telecare ‘smart home’ revolution, with LifeLink celebrating 500 installations since first introducing the technology just 18 months ago.

The popular and innovative telecare service (such as personal safety alarms, inactivity sensors, medication reminders and property exit [wandering] sensors that are linked to a 24 hour response centre) was among the first to be introduced in Australia.

500 senior Australians have transformed their homes into a residence that now provides safety and peace of mind that should they suddenly become sick or immobile, an alarm will be raised and help can be promptly sent. LifeLink is available nationally, however, the greatest areas of uptake have been the Hastings Shire (120 smart homes) and the Tweed Shire (117 smart homes).

Feros Care CEO Jennene Buckley said telecare technology is the way of the future when it comes to supporting the independence and safety of the senior community.

“As reflected in the Productivity Commission’s draft report, Caring for Older Australians, more and more people aged 65 and over want to remain in their homes for longer. They aren’t as willing to leave their family home and want to have services and support offered to them there,” said Ms Buckley.

“Following a pilot program in 2010, we have enhanced our community services and now offer telecare technology as a mainstream service. The rapid uptake by seniors shows that this is a viable support solution.

“Sometimes it takes only one undetected fall for a senior in their home to set off a chain of events that can lead to premature admission to a nursing home. Telecare can provide piece of mind knowing that an alert will be raised (by the senior or by an inactivity sensor) and help can be on the way.” Ms Buckley said.

Any existing home can be set-up as a ‘smart home’ with a variety of advanced technology, with enhanced services for people living with dementia such as property exit sensors and pager transmitters. When any of the technology alarms are triggered an alert goes through to a 24 hour response centre that can contact family, a carer or if necessary, emergency services to assist the person in the home.

Elaine Phillips, 78, has LifeLink’s inactivity sensor and pendant alarm in her home and it has already helped her in an emergency.

“One day I was feeling very dizzy, my vision went blurry and I felt very unwell. I tried to make myself feel better by resting on a chair but even after sitting I felt terrible. So, I pressed the alarm and (the response team) talked to me (from the base alarm). I told them I wasn’t feeling well so they organised for an ambulance to come over – they came straight away,” said Ms Phillips.

“It was definitely worthwhile having the alarm – I was lucky to have to it! My daughter was also very relieved to know that I was able to get help straight away. I would never go without the alarm again and I never take it off!

“Any senior living at home alone should have the (telecare) alarm system. It’s a life saver,” Ms Phillips said.

An Australian aged care provider’s bid to develop a modern aged care system has just received global recognition, taking out the 2011 Excellence in Ageing Services Award from the industry’s peak body, the International Association of Homes and Services (IAHSA).

Feros Care (a not for profit aged care organisation) has claimed the highly sought after award for the implementation of their Community Care Gateway, with the judges stating that the program “demonstrated the importance of community care, and that the combination of human and e-resources was an excellent model for replication in other communities”.

The Community Care Gateway is a single point of entry to Feros Care’s community services. It has significantly simplified service access, delivery, logistics and administration all through one super hub in Coolangatta, QLD, but covering a service footprint of 1000km between Port Macquarie, NSW and Bundaberg, QLD.

Feros Care’s CEO Jennene Buckley said on the eve of the release of the Productivity Commission’s report, Caring for Older Australians, the Community Care Gateway is an example of the innovation that is needed to overhaul the country’s aged care system.

“The aged and community care industry is difficult to access and navigate when people are looking for help at times of crisis. The Community Care Gateway demystifies the industry complexities and links people to services.

“This is just the start of bringing the aged care industry into the modern realm, and we need other care providers and the Federal Government to start embracing innovative technologies. The industry as a whole needs to be bold enough to make reform a reality.

“Feros Care is an example of an Australian provider who is already working hard to modernise services for seniors. We are very excited about receiving international recognition but we are even more passionate about wanting to meet with the Federal Government to discuss the implementation of efficient and effective technology,” said Ms Buckley.

The one-stop-shop gateway serves as the organisational backbone with all information management and administration systems actioned centrally, and all referrals and communications from clients, families, staff, referral agencies, service providers, health professionals and funding bodies travelling seamlessly through the gateway.

It is also the avenue through which Feros Care has started implementing smart home technology for use in the homes of senior Australians, and it is this technology that has put Feros Care on the map.

Feros Care was one of the first organisations in Australia to offer telehealthcare technology, following a self-funded trial in 2010. It can be used to set up homes in the community, helping seniors avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or premature entry into a nursing home.

“The award is great timing in bring to the forefront the importance of change in aged care. The industry is on the cusp of a significant evolution,” Ms Buckley said.

Jennene Buckley and General Manager of Community Services Gabriele Taylor will be going to the IAHSA Conference in Washington in October to present the gateway model and participate in an award celebration.

For more details about Feros Care community services contact us.

Feros Care, a not-for-profit aged care organisation who operate a Telecare  technology service called LifeLink, is calling upon the Federal Government to expand funding that will allow Australia’s elderly population to access ‘smart home’ technologies that could save their lives.

In response to the ACT Police’s plea for neighbours to look out for elderly people and the recent tragic events of senior people being found deceased in their homes months later – and in one case eight years later – Feros Care is encouraging the Federal Government to fund technology that is available in Australia now, but is limited to a small percentage of the senior population due to the current limitations of such technology being provided through aged care programs e.g.  Home and Community Care (HACC).

Feros Care is one of the first organisations in Australia to offer Telecare “smart home” technology, either at a private expense or under the Commonwealth Community Aged Care Package programs. The technology can include inactivity sensors (alerting to a lack of movement in the home), fall detectors, chair and bed sensors, safety pendants, security alarms, or even property exit (wandering) sensors. All of the equipment is linked to a base alarm in the house which can automatically raise an alert and have help arrive quickly, be it family, friends or emergency services.

Feros Care CEO Jennene Buckley said the technology is here and ready to be implemented into more homes, if the government could allow it.

“The technology is new to Australia, but it is offered as a main stream service for the elderly population in other countries including England for many years. Feros Care ran a self-funded trial in 2010 to see if implementation was worthwhile and the results were very encouraging with reports of a greater sense of safety and independence, as well as peace of mind for family and/or carers, knowing that if their elderly loved one is sick, injured or immobile they will be automatically alerted,” Ms Buckley said.

“Sometimes all it takes is for a senior to have one undetected fall that can lead to reduced confidence and increased anxiety, possibly resulting in premature nursing home admission. The installation of an unobtrusive inactivity sensor can generate an automatic alert if there is an extended period of no movement in a senior’s home, avoiding dreadful outcomes such as those we have heard recently.

“The Government should be viewing this technology as a way to help combat the issues of anxiety and concern around seniors living alone and no one knowing they are hurt or sick or in some situations passed away. More and more seniors want to remain in their own home, and families, carers and aged care service providers need greater assistance in ensuring this population is well looked after,” said Ms Buckley.

Feros Care’s LifeLink trial, Telehealthcare – Supporting People to Live Safely and Independently at Home: An Australian Pilot Program, found that 90% of clients felt that their quality of life had improved with the technology, 94% reported an increase in independence and security, while 76% of clients were less fearful of having an undetected fall. More information about Feros Care’s LifeLink technology and pilot results can be found on this website using the tabs at the top of the page.

Feros Care’s residents, families and friends, and staff and volunteers can now keep up to date with the latest news from Feros Care and the aged care industy on Feros Care’s Facebook page.

The new page is an organisation page, so viewers don’t have to have a Facebook account to read the latest posts. Simply  click on the link above and join Feros Care today.

More seniors living in NSW and QLD can now be part of a revolutionary care package scheme, thanks to the latest release of Federal Government funding for Consumer Directed Care (CDC) Packages.

The Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA) has announced that Feros Care has secured new funding to offer CDC Packages to residents living in NSW (Mid North Coast and Far North Coast) and QLD (Logan, Caboolture and Sunshine Coast). Feros Care was part of the original two-year CDC trial and will be the first provider to bring CDC packages to the Logan area.

The CDC Packages have been designed to provide seniors with more control, increased flexibility and greater choice in how their government subsidy will be spent, with Feros Care providing transparent budget details.

Feros Care will provide all three levels of CDC Packages:

• CDC Low Packages – This level of care is similar to a Community Aged Care Package (CACP) in that it will provide care services to people living in the community who have low level care needs. It may cover services such as personal care, social support, transport to appointments, home help, meal preparation and gardening.
• CDC High Packages - This level of care is similar to the current Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) package in that it will cover high level care needs. It can provide services such as nursing, domestic assistance, in-home respite, personal care, transport to appointments and social support.
• CDC High Dementia Packages - This level is similar to an Extended Aged Care at Home – Dementia (EACHD) package and covers high level, complex care needs, including the behaviours and symptoms associated with dementia that affect their ability to live independently.

Acting CEO Gabriele Taylor said this is a wonderful opportunity to further explore the ways in which senior members of the community can remain independent and happy, in their own homes, for longer.

“The CDC Packages allow our senior citizens to actively choose, as much as they want to, the types of care services they need, and direct who, how and when they will be delivered in their home,” said Mrs Taylor.

“The packages are very innovative in that they allow the individual to work with Feros Care to determine what is most important to them; this can be anything from remaining part of the community through social activities to greater assistance at home. We want to work on providing what each individual needs to make their life content.

“Feros Care is very excited to be offering CDC Packages as they complement our own model of care, ‘The Byron Model’, where we focus on making life worth living by combating the plagues of ageing – loneliness, helplessness and boredom – through holistic care-giving and support,” Mrs Taylor said.

CDC Packages are available to senior Australians aged 70 years and over, or for Indigenous Australians aged 50 years and over. Individuals must be assessed by the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) to see if they are eligible for the care packages. ACAT can be contacted on 1800 500 853 or www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au. Feros Care can also offer further information on 1300 763 583.