Task A – The Community Services Industry (CSI)
1 & 2. The Community Service Organisation that I chose to research is Churches of Christ-Living Care; it belongs to the Aged Care Sector.
3. a.) Living Care provides high quality care and support to for older people in New South Wales with independent living retirement villages and nine government funded Aged Care facilities which provide for both low and high level care needs. They also provide services to older people still living in their own homes and one facility provides Dementia specific day respite. b.) The current needs of Living Care residents consist of social, physical, emotional and spiritual. These needs are filled by appropriately trained staff, volunteers, family members, friends and various health professionals. c.)The changing needs of residents are due to longer living, care needs due to disease patterns, cultural and linguistic backgrounds from immigration, preferences and expectations as more people choose to stay at home longer. d.)Living Care meets the residents needs by providing planned social and recreational activities, church services for a variety of religions, Chaplaincy support, hairdresser, library service, health care professionals and fully trained staff attend to personal care needs on the individuals care needs/level. Kitchen staff provides meals that meet the current dietary guidelines.
4. The roles and functions of Living Care are to provide Residential Care by providing high quality, person focused care. Home Care provides a range of in-home services that allow older people to remain in their home. Retirement Villages provide low maintenance housing for independent clients and Dementia respite.
5. a.)Access and Equity cover people not being excluded due to gender, marital status, disability, language, age, sexual preference, religion, political or cultural beliefs, ethnic or racial background or financial status. b.)Living Care recognise all clients as valued members of the greater community and an important part of the family unit. They provide services that cater to an individual’s lifestyle eg; religious services.
6. a.)Organisations can improve work practices by carrying out continuous improvement policies to identify problem areas, plan how to rectify and carry out improvements which allows for a safe, smooth running work environment and ensures a high level of care is guaranteed. b.)Living Care offers staff, residents, volunteers, family members and visitors the freedom to make complaints and suggestions. All issues are dealt with in a professional manner to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Living Care operates under these four Acts:
The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency
Aged Care Act
Privacy Act
Work Safety
Task B – Self Reflection
7. The importance of self reflection in the workplace is that it enables the worker to understand their own weaknesses and limitations. It gives them opportunities to decide how to strengthen these problems and make changes in how they perform or whether they chose to move through to further study.
8. a.) Formal Methods: staff appraisals, clinical and non clinical assessments are carried out regularly. Feedback can be given on a one-to-one basis or group setting. Attend additional learning opportunities. Be aware of how things should be done and how you actually do them. b.) Informal Methods: daily encouragement, training results, comments from clients, approval from co workers and supervisors, exceeding set performance targets, mentoring advice, outside of work socialising. Always ask questions, be involved, assist other staff members, observe tasks.
9. a.) Knowledge: administration and management, prevention strategies, community interventions, understanding theoretical models, aged care systems. b.) Skills: networking skills, supervision skills, advocacy skills, dealing with