St John Ambulance Australia SA Inc. Annual Report 2018-2019

St John Ambulance Australia SA Inc Annual Report 2018/19 31

COMMUNITY CARE CHAIR’S REPORT

Community Care has enjoyed another successful and fulfilling year for clients, volunteers and staff throughout the 2018/19 financial year. As the incoming Chair of Community Care from October 2018, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks on behalf of the organisation to the former Chair, Maggie Dowling, for her valuable contributions as St John SA continued to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the aged and disability care sector. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong cohort of dedicated volunteers who selflessly give of their time to support our clients. In the last year alone, our volunteers contributed 17,786 hours of support and companionship to 435 clients who may be elderly or at risk of social isolation in the community. Through the program’s focus of wellness and reablement, clients are assisted and supported to retain their independence and continue to lead fulfilling lives. 2018/19 saw a number of changes and positive developments in the Community Care space. Firstly, we welcomed David West and Ray Creen onto the committee, whilst also farewelling Darren Chandler, whom we are very grateful to for all of his work on the committee. A new induction, training and development package was introduced for all existing and new volunteers, which is an important part of our compliance with new Aged Care Quality Standards and provides additional engagement and personal development opportunities for our volunteers. An exciting development is the procurement of a new client management system for deployment in the 2019/20 financial year, which will enhance our ability to provide tailored services and communication with our clients. Additionally, new marketing collateral was created to further promote both the client and volunteering aspects of the Community Care program. This was utilised at the Disability, Ageing and Lifestyle Expo and Royal Adelaide Show in September, as well as at a number of community events and university open days throughout the year. Some highlights for our volunteers included participation in the annual Volunteer Week Parade along King William Street in the Adelaide CBD in May, and a Christmas ‘thank you’ celebration in the park with their families

and Community Care staff in December. This was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with like-minded people and celebrate the enormous contributions these special individuals make to the lives of their clients. Our clients continued to receive an outstanding level of care and support from our volunteers in the last financial year. From our recent client survey, 94% of clients expressed their satisfaction with the quality of support they receive from their volunteer. It was also encouraging to hear of the overwhelming majority of clients that would recommend St John Community Care to others and were pleased with the services provided to them. Some comments from clients that particularly stood out were “ I have been fortunate enough to meet the most wonderful people, both volunteers and staff, through the program ”, and “ you are the best community group ever for me. I will never forget my book presentation of my life story in 2016 that you did for me – your group does so much for people .” This exceptional feedback is a testament to the outstanding commitment and dedication our staff and volunteers have to providing the best possible care and service to Community Care clients. These services are aided by financial support from various funding streams. In the 2018/19 financial year new funding was received through the Australian Government Department of Health Community Visitors Scheme to support the continued provision of services to clients as they move from home to residential aged care facilities. Additionally, the Australian Government Department of Health Commonwealth Home Support Program Funding was extended from 2018 through to 2020, and the South Australian Home and Community Care program funding from the State Government Department of Human Services for clients under the age of 65 was also rolled over for another 12-month period. We are grateful to have secured these funding sources to be able to continue to offer an excellent level of service to our clients, which has a palpable impact on their quality of life. While reflecting on the successes of the past year, we also look to the future as we continue to navigate the changes to the aged and disability care sector. Preparations continue to be made for the introduction

of the new Aged Care Quality Standards, along with a number of other compliance items, ready to take effect at the beginning of the 2019/20 financial year. This preparation has included a number of group sessions and external training for our staff. I am proud to be part of an organisation that is delivering so much value to members of the community in such a caring, compassionate and authentic way. Through the program’s focus on wellness and reablement, our volunteers and staff can – and do – have a really positive impact on the lives of our clients who may otherwise experience social isolation, loss of meaning and independence. For that I would like to once again express my sincere thanks to the Community Care volunteers and staff for making the program the success it has been in the last financial year. As we make our way into 2019/20, I look forward with great anticipation to seeing our work in Community Care progress even further and continue to be a source of care, empowerment and connection for our clients.

Janet Finlay Chair of Community Care

The Community Care program continues to provide meaningful one-on-one support to our clients through our caring and dedicated volunteer base. Clients and volunteers are matched based on shared interests and goals to facilitate a mutually beneficial connection between the two. Our range of individually tailored services provide an array of support to ensure that all clients are catered for. We are extremely proud of the positive impact the Community Care program has on the lives of older and socially isolated members of the South Australian community.