News

Princes Court aces new accreditation standards

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 14:22:00

Mildura aged care provider Princes Court Homes has achieved the strongest possible result from the new national Aged Care Quality Standards accreditation assessment.

The not-for-profit provider achieved 100 percent success for the 42 measurable requirements – and is one among a small number of aged care facilities across Australia to meet all of the new elements that require compliance, which are assessed every three years.
The new standards came into effect in July and Princes Court Chief Executive Officer Jenny Garonne said they apply to all Australian Government subsidised aged care services.
“The new standards are not just about ticking the boxes – they clearly define what quality aged care should look like,” Ms Garonne said.
“Our results are a fantastic endorsement of the standards and systems we have at Princes Court to ensure quality and safety, but it’s about much more than that,” she said.
“Meeting the new standards is about providing care that is people-centred and responds to the individual as a person, which is what we strive to achieve for every one of our residents.”
Princes Court Homes is a 100-bed facility and one of Mildura’s biggest employers, with 130 staff (83 full-time equivalent) and Director of Nursing Sianne Nicholds said the results are an endorsement of the quality of Princes Court’s staff and their team ethic.
“For every one of the 42 requirements, the review team looks at our systems and records, but they also talk to staff, residents and to residents’ families to take on board the experience of the consumer themselves,” Ms Nicholds said.
“Everyone deserves to feel happy, safe, valued and respected and our focus is on helping the  people in our community to lead a life they aspire – in effect that means supporting our residents to pursue their interests, maintain their independence, stay active and to connect with others in ways they feel comfortable,” she said.
“Meeting all of those standards comes down to the commitment and practices of every one of our 160 staff, and volunteers– and we’re lucky to have an exceptional team of people who love and value what they do.”
Ms Nicholds said being proactive in facilitating the goals of residents was rewarding for staff also.
“We had one resident who had always had a goal to ride a Harley Davidson motorbike, and we were able to help her do that.  Another resident has an interest in poetry, so we started a weekly group that now quite a few of residents really look forward to,” she said.
“It’s incredibly satisfying and rewarding for staff and volunteers too when they are part of giving someone a new experience, helping a resident achieve a goal or supporting them to enjoy a new challenge.”
Ms Garonne said Princes Court had been part of the Mildura community for over 60 years and the experience of residents was enriched by the strong community connections.
“Many local people I talk to have connection to Princes Court and that reflects who we are as an organisation and a community,” she said.
“We benefit from having a strong community-based board but also from local organisations like our tertiary institutions, our schools and kinders, the services we work with such as the hospitals, churches and allied health services and service groups such as Rotary and Legacy who are keen to engage with us,” she said.
“We’ve also been able to facilitate projects such as Mallee Living Stories that document our residents’ stories and are adding value to our entire community as a result and recent interaction with Mildura English Learning Centre where the residents have been assisting young, new Australian to improve their English.”

Pictured: Princes Court residents Elizabeth Boyle (left) and Belsey Thomas with Director of Nursing Sianne Nicholds and CEO Jenny Garonne