Local aged care provider, Emmerton Park, has its residents and staff cheering after being crowned Regional, Rural, Remote Provider of the Year at the Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) awards last Thursday night.
Emmerton Park chief executive officer, Ian Adams, is chuffed with the win and said they were the only provider who took residents to the awards night in Hobart.
“This award is a celebration of our whole facility because it represents what we do,” Mr Adams said. “We work hard, we’re very, very proud of what we do and everyone’s part of the team. “We enjoy incredible community support up here.”
Volunteer Annie Saville was also nominated for the Volunteer of the Year category and was a finalist but missed out on the award.
In the written nomination for the award, Mr Adams stated “At Emmerton Park we are not a big organisation but we are an organisation full of great people, supported by a great community, with a common goal of improving the lives of all who come into our care”.
The well-awarded facility, which won the national award for aged care organisation in 2013, includes a fully accredited 61-bed residential aged care facility, 73 independent living units across three sites at Smithton and Stanley, as well as home-based care services.
There are 106 staff and those represented in the photo include people from departments like maintenance, catering, cleaning, carers and administration.
The organisation’s application for its award lists staff development, which includes many people taking on diplomas, Bachelor of Nursing and certificates, training and community partnerships, and the introduction of four in-house television stations along with its radio station, EP Radio.
The facility has employed a counsellor in the past year who supports new residents, and also utilises tele-health technology with specialised medical appointments with clinicians based in Hobart and Melbourne.
The ACSA awards are designed to highlight outstanding achievements and contributions made by organisations, teams and individuals in the aged care industry throughout the year and encompassed seven categories including Provider of the Year; Innovation in Service or Design; Employee of the Year; Volunteer of the Year; Distinguished Service; Regional, Rural, Remote Provider of the Year; and Trainee of the Year.
ACSA executive director Darren Mathewson said it had been a big year for aged care.
“It’s important we identify and acknowledge the exceptional work of providers and individuals,” Mr Mathewson said.
“The Royal Commission has put our sector in the spotlight. It is also encouraging a big national conversation about how we can better prepare for ageing.
“It’s extremely important to share and recognise all the good work that is being done in our sector. Especially examples of high-quality care, innovation and positive solutions demonstrated by our award winners. This is a reminder that everyone can be treated with respect as they grow older,” he said.
The winners from each category form the list of nominees for the national awards held in October at the ACSA National Summit.
As Emmerton Park resident Lois Sharman put it “I’m really proud, I’m so proud I could cry.”
