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  • Are you one of 48 finalists for the inaugural ACCPA Excellence Awards? Every nomination named

    • Are you one of 48 finalists for the inaugural ACCPA Excellence Awards? Every nomination named

    The peak body for residential aged care operators will hold an annual Aged Care Employees Day on Wednesday 7 August, which will feature for the first time Excellence Awards.

    The 48 finalists for the Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) Excellence Awards have been selected from over 460 nominations received as part of ACCPA’s industry recognition program, ‘You are ACE!’.

    Two of the finalists are aged care nurse Cathy Buick, from Coolibah Care in Western Australia, who has retired after 54 years of caring.
     
    “Nursing for me has been a fantastic journey with lots of challenges along the way. I have loved every minute. Caring for people from babies to aged care and everyone in between has been so rewarding,” said Cathy, who has worked at Coolibah Care in Mandurah for the past 17 years.
     
    "All my life nursing has been a great passion for me, and I would definitely encourage people to go into nursing - I loved it.”
     
    Volunteer Anne O’Connor is spreading smiles and warmth with the help of her faithful four-legged companion Ellie May. With Ellie May's wagging tail and their smiling faces, they lift the spirits of all, engaging in lively conversation as part of their weekly visits to The Forrest Centre - an 80-bed residential aged care home in Wagga Wagga.
     
    “I’ve lived 67 years in Wagga. There are quite a few people that I’ve known who grew up in the area and it’s nice to go and have a chat with them. You only need to spend 10 minutes with four to five people. For them it’s like fresh air and brightens up their day,” Anne said.
     
    “(Ellie May’s) the best icebreaker. She’s really good for that, then they love to chat. They’re lovely people and it’s a nice way to fill a little bit of time.”
     

    The full list of finalists:

    Individual Category

    Leadership

    Merle Simms, Clinical Nurse Manager – Ech Inc., SA

    Peter Williams, CEO, OneCare Limited, TAS

    Thuy Nguyen, Aged & Disability Services Manager, Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association Inc., VIC

     

    Consumer Focus and Care

    Arna Dinham, Nurse, Resthaven, SA

    Ben (fu To) Wong, Home Support Worker, Accept Care, SA

    Cathy Buick, Enrolled Nurse, Coolibah Care, WA

    Curt Schmeissing, Aged Care Assistant, Country To Coast Home Care Services, VIC

     

    Innovation

    Andrew Curle, CEO, Warrina Homes Inc., SA

    Brendon Gakowski, Hotel Services Specialist, Uniting, NSW

    Julie Roppola, Lifestyle Services Coordinator, Bolton Clarke, VIC

     

    Rising Star

    Ahmed Loze, Banksia Lodge, Broulee, NSW

    Jo Garrett, Receptionist, Just Better Care Mid North Coast, NSW

    Kelly Roberts, Service Manager, Palm Lake Care, Deception Bay, QLD

    Melissa Taylor, Lifestyle Manager, Oryx Communities, WA

    Virginia Savva, Lifestyle Team Leader, Greek Orthodox Community Home For The Aged, NSW

     

    Volunteer

    Anne O’Connor, Volunteer, Mary Potter Nursing Home, NSW

    Julie Garamy, Volunteer Administration and Service Coordinator, BCR Communities, NSW

    Nickolas Makrynakis, Volunteer, Fronditha Care, VIC

     

    Team Category

    Making a difference

    Banksia Village team, Banksia Villages Ltd., NSW             

    Hoarding & Squalor team, Footprints Community, QLD

    Lifestyle team, Akooramak Aged Care, QLD

     

    Consumer Focus and Care

    Gocha Kitchen team, Greek Orthodox Community Home For The Aged, NSW

    Graduate Enrolled Nurses Deb, Mal, Bonnie and Romelyn, Barossa Village, SA

    Residential Care team, Anglicare Community Services, NSW

     

    Innovation

    May Shaw Health Centre Inc., TAS

    Oryx Communities, WA

    KinCare, NSW

     

    Project

    Burnie Brae Respite team, Burnie Brae, QLD

    Strategic Projects team, Comlink Australia, QLD

     

    Teamwork

    Jacaranda & Wanneroo team, Elderbloom Community Care Centres, WA

    Kirami Intergenerational Playgroup, Anglicare Southern Queensland, QLD

    Residential Care team, Anglicare Community Services, NSW

     

    Organisation

    Excellence

    Banksia Village, NSW

    Greek Orthodox Community Home For The Aged, NSW

     

    Consumer Focus and Care

    Gallipoli Home Gastronomy, NSW

    Gratis Home Care, SA

    Inasmuch Community Ltd, NSW

     

    Innovation

    Anglicare Community Services, NSW

    Inasmuch Community Ltd, NSW

    Melville Cares, WA

     

    Making a Difference

    Brotherhood Of St Laurence, VIC

    Fronditha Care, VIC

    Home Instead Central Coast & Newcastle, NSW

    Resthaven Paradise, SA

     

    Rural and Remote

    Aged Care Deloraine, TAS

    Care In Motion, Community Care And Transport, SA

    Murray Mallee Aged Care Group Inc., SA

    Tenterfield Care Centre, NSW

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    A special thanks to our contributors

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    Caroline Egan

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Ian Horswill

    Journalist

    Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Lauren Broomham

    Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

    Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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    Icons
    Jill Donaldson

    Physiotherapist

    Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Chris Baynes

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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    Icons
    Annie Donaldson

    Nurse and Carer

    Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.

    Read Profile
    Icons
    Caroline Egan

    DCM Media, agedcare101

    Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

    Read Profile
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    Ian Horswill

    Journalist

    Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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    Lauren Broomham

    Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

    Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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    Jill Donaldson

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    Chris Baynes

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