Chief Executive message

A message from the Chief Executive

This past year has seen Catholic Homes continue to build our capacity and further develop as a leading provider of quality care to the Western Australian community we serve.

We continue to focus on delivering our mission with dignity and respect for each other and this was a fundamental factor in our ongoing development and implementation of the Catholic Homes Strategic Plan 2021-2024.

The Strategic Plan is our roadmap to the year 2024 and beyond. It helps us define our goals, so that we may work together to meet and exceed community expectation for quality aged care.

Given the challenges presented to Catholic Homes during the year, including our ongoing responses to COVID-19 and wide-ranging reform of the aged care sector, achieving this objective is a considerable undertaking. I would like to acknowledge the wonderful staff we have across Catholic Homes and the gifts and experience they bring to their roles every day.

Like all aged care providers across Australia, COVID-19 has had a significant effect in all facets of our services. Most effected have been our residents, clients and staff who have endured many challenges and I commend everyone’s resilience. During the year we found ways to remain connected through various technologies and we successfully held our first resident ‘next of kin’ meetings.

The operational and financial pressure due to the pandemic has been significant, however, we will endure and continue to provide quality care to all we serve through our talented and experienced staff. We continually review our financial performance, governance measures and stewardship of our resources to support our staff and the people we serve.

We welcomed COVID-19 financial support from Government which helped us recover associated costs and we continue to practice financial prudence to best manage expenditure and maximise our opportunities.

During the year Catholic Homes continued to monitor and prepare for the coming changes to funding and regulation of the aged care sector. The National Aged Care Reforms come to us as a result of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and Catholic Homes is well placed to respond and implement these reforms.

In 2021-2022 we remained focused on looking after our staff and considered different avenues to recognise and reward staff for their commitment to service throughout the year. By example, we continued to maintain salary increases of a minimum of 3 per cent for the fourth consecutive year and all front-line staff who were ineligible of the Federal Government’s retention bonus, received this payment from Catholic Homes.

One of the highlights of the year has been the growth and development of our Community Home Care services, particularly in the expansion of services to rural locations. Services to those in the country is not always what is available to people in the metropolitan or major regional centres and Catholic Homes is making a difference through the provision of quality care to those in need within country locations where we operate.

The reporting year saw three of our six residential aged care services, Servite, St Vincent’s and Trinity undertake a three-day re-accreditation process with all achieving re-accreditation for a three-year period from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. My congratulations go to the Facility Managers and their teams at each residence for this very significant achievement.

Later in 2022 the nation moves from the Aged Care Funding Instrument to the Australian National Aged Care Classification funding model. In the lead up to the new funding model, Catholic Homes has taken a number of proactive steps to ensure implementation is effectively managed and our residents receive the necessary funding they are entitled to.

While the Federal Government has committed to increase aged care funding across the sector, we remain challenged with escalating costs in all aspects of our care delivery. Catholic Homes will continue to advocate on behalf of all we serve to highlight the challenges we face and the need to ensure those we care for receive the care they rightfully deserve.

In July 2021 Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation was enacted in Western Australia. Catholic Homes worked with other Catholic aged care, health care and disability service providers across Western Australia, reaffirmed our commitment to follow our Catholic identity and not abandon anyone in need within our care. Our training and commitment to end of life care is essential to expressing our model of care while respecting individual choice.

In November 2021 we commenced the construction of our new 96 bed aged care facility in Belmont. This is an extremely exciting time at Catholic Homes in bringing to life a new home that will cater for those who will require our care for generations to come.

Our new home is appropriately named after Dr Sr Mary Glowrey and it is Catholic Homes honour to acknowledge her achievements and dedication in caring for the sick in Australia and overseas.

At Catholic Homes we care with purpose, we do so because, purpose provides direction for a fulfilled life. To care with purpose can be challenging, we are able to do so though our dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers. To care with purpose is fundamental to our mission and Catholic identity, it is who we are at Catholic Homes.

I wish to acknowledge and pass on my appreciation to our staff and volunteers, including the many committee members in our villages and residences, to our Executive Team and Board at Catholic Homes, who all serve with passion and commitment.

Your devotion to provide quality care and service is the very essence of who we are at Catholic Homes.

Paul Andrew
Chief Executive

 

Back to 2021/22 Annual Report