Residential Care Services FAQs
If you require assistance with any of the information presented here, or if you have further enquiries, please call (02) 5525 3600 Monday – Friday : 8:30am – 4:30pm or email us at enquiries.sacal@stagnesparish.org.au or of course you can visit us at Donnelly House, 150 Horton Street, Port Macquarie.
Yes absolutely! We pride ourselves in meeting a resident’s special needs. You are the centre of our care philosophy. You may have special requirements or considerations regarding language and culture, religious beliefs, sexuality or gender identity, pets and access to medical visits. You decide if you want your partner, family, or friends to be involved in how we provide your care.
Yes, your room is your space, your privacy and your choice. The only time we may request you move is if your existing room does not meet your health care needs. Sometimes, we may need to carry out repairs or improvements, however you can return to your room once this has been completed.
It’s a good idea to have a preview of your room before you move in. You might want to measure the items you would like to bring to make your room feel like home. Bring along personal possessions such as pictures, photographs, decorations, radio, television, music player, your favourite lounge chair, bedside table, your clothing, footwear and toiletries. Remember aids or equipment such as a walking frame, hearing aid or glasses. Take your important paperwork and personal cards like pension card, Medicare card, names of your treating doctors, name and phone contacts of family, friends and any documents related to Enduring Power of Attorney or Guardianship. Ask for a Resident’s Handbook, which has information you need know before you move into one of our Residential Care services.
Yes, this is your home. Your family, friends and neighbours are welcome. While the main entrance is locked in the evening, you may be able to arrange an after-hours visitor with staff. In extraordinary circumstances (eg COVID-19), visiting restrictions may be implemented as a result of departmental guidelines and recommendations to ensure the health and safety of residents.
Staff at St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle will definitely help you with managing all your medications. Payments for pharmacy expenses and medications are the responsibility of the resident or your nominated advocate or family member.
Each resident or their family or representative manage their own bank accounts. When you move into your new home, we will document who is responsible for your financial arrangements. Upon admission, we ask that you engrave personal items such as dentures, hearing aids or glasses.
You are welcome to go and stay with family, go on a holiday, or visit friends. We just ask you to let our Service Manager know the dates you are leaving, and the date you expect to return. If you decide to go into town or on a community outing, we simply ask you sign our Social Leave Register in the front reception of our services.
St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle services are safe and secure for your peace of mind. All rooms are fitted with call bells which allow immediate contact with staff day or night. Each resident has a portable pendant which is linked to a 24-hour medical alert system. When you move in, we will explain all the emergency procedures with you and your family.
Moving into St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle Residential Care becomes your home. Your individual Care Plan details mealtimes, seating preferences, the menus, visitors or guests, meals in your room or any special dietary requirements you have. This is your home and your individual needs are happily catered for.
Our dedicated and welcoming teams care for your health care but are also there to create a warm, welcoming home for you, where you will feel at home and invite your family and friends to visit. You are a unique individual, with your own likes, dislikes, culture, history and identity. We involved you in all the decision making, from what foods you like to eat, to the activities and hobbies you want to participate in. This is your life and your choice!
Staff at St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle have an excellent reputation for education and training. We encourage all employees to improve their skills and ensure they have an understanding and awareness of our shared values, promoting the dignity and self-worth of our residents. Education ranges from Certificate III levels qualifications through to Diplomas and Degrees.
Yes. You have a 14-day cooling off period from the date you signed your Residential Agreement. If you change your mind, simply write to St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle to let us know. You will need to pay the fees and charges for the time you were in our care.
The physical layout in our dementia specific units or memory care units are designed to be easy to navigate and reduce wandering. We have dedicated dementia lifestyle and care programs to slow the progression of memory loss. Cognitive therapy such as music, art, and reminiscence are known to enhance brain function and social interaction. We provide all the specific care, help with daily living tasks and medication management. Our safety procedures are second to none, 24 hr supervision, secured and emergency call system procedures. Most of all, we provide an environment that is a home you want to live in.
Yes absolutely! Our volunteers are valuable members of our care community. They bring along a wealth of experience and their friendly genuine contribution is so appreciated by our residents and staff. Our Volunteer Program is very professional, with orientation, continuous education and support for our dedicated team of volunteers.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please call (02) 5525 3600 or email enquiries.sacal@stagnesparish.org.au.
Our caring teams at St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle value every part of you, through medical care or care for your social and emotional wellbeing. We plan with you to ensure you enjoy our active fun health and wellness programs, to help you connect with friends, neighbours and the community. Our Pastoral Care program supports you and is always available to assist with any concerns you may have.
Every aged care facility in Australia must meet a set of Accreditation Standards and expected outcomes which are set by the Commonwealth Government. St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle provide a high level of care. Qualified aged care assessors visit us and speak with staff, management, residents and their families. Accreditation happens every three years. All services within St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle are currently accredited.
There are 8 standards of care
- Consumer Dignity and Choice
- Ongoing Assessment and Planning with Consumers
- Personal Care and Clinical Care
- Services and Supports for Daily Living
- Organisation’s Service Environment
- Feedback and Complaints
- Human Resources
- Organisational Governance
The Charter is available via: www.agedcare.health.gov.au where it lists your rights and responsibilities. Every resident has the right to freedom and respect. An individual’s right does not decrease when he or she moves into a residential aged care service, regardless of physical, mental conditions or the ability to exercise or fully appreciate their rights. This Charter recognises that residents have a joint responsibility to ensure that their individual rights do not affect the individual rights of other residents, staff or carers.
The Privacy Act gives the consumer new rights in relation to how personal information is used by many private sector organisations. This Privacy Act specifies how your information is to be used, shared or viewed in a Residential Care service. We believe your right to privacy is paramount to you living in a safe happy environment.
Going into a St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle Residential Care service for respite care can happen for several reasons. Maybe you are taking a break from caring for a loved one, you may have had an operation and need some extra care, your carer may need a break or a holiday. Spending time in a St Agnes’ Care &Lifestyle Residential Care service is a great way of experiencing the quality of care before making the decision to move in permanently.
Individuals can access up to 63 days of subsidised care in one financial year, regardless of the care being planned or an emergency request. It is possible to extend respite care by 21 more days at a time if further assessments deem it necessary.
St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle have a wonderful activity and wellness program with professional dedicated teams in each service. We offer a broad selection of programs, exercises, physical therapy, social activities to suit resident’s health, interests and hobbies. We have a wide variety of social groups which encourage great interaction with friends, neighbours and the local community.
St Agnes Catholic Parish is committed to providing high-quality care and support for all residents and their families. Should you have a compliment, suggestion, or complaint, we encourage you to raise this with our staff either in writing, verbally, or via the feedback form to ensure we can appropriately address your matter promptly, fairly, and confidentially. Feedback forms can be handed to any staff member on site or placed in the locked suggestions box located at reception.
Should you have a complaint that is serious in nature, please raise this directly with the appropriate service manager or Executive Manager Residential Aged Care.
You can raise a concern or complaint via the process documented above or you can contact the following organisations;
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission @ Home | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- Health Care Complaints Commission @ www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
- Older persons Advocacy Network @ www.opan.org.au
