Pennwood Village was opened on the 26th May 1993 and is run by the Serbian Community Welfare Association of SA. The facilities are designed to provide an excellence in culturally sensitive quality care, with a commitment to providing the highest quality, needs-based support to the elderly people of the community which appropriately addresses their cultural, spiritual and linguistic needs.
Pennwood Village is a fully accredited Commonwealth Funded Residential Aged Care Facility through the compliance of the Aged Care Act 1997 via the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and continues to meet all aged care standards.
With a philosophy of involvement for all, the Board and Management of Serbian Community Welfare Association provides for residents with a quality lifestyle, appropriate to their individual needs with recognition that the facilities are the residents home, they are recognised as individuals where staff and management are fully committed to accommodation and service excellence with a controlled continuous improvement strategy to help achieve complete comfort and satisfaction to the resident.
For more information about the different types of aged care, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or go to www.myagedcare.gov.au
My Aged Care will check your eligibility with the Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs)
For help with any aged care matters call My Aged Care and they will work closely with you to access a home care package together with the Home Care Co-ordinator, Health Care Worker, Mental Health services or hospital staff to provide you with a level of care that can be safely provided in the interim. Services can include; Nursing Care, Allied Health Services-Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy; Dietician Advice, Physiotherapy, transport, overnight support and other services depending on your need, HSG program is a Hospital Avoidance program funded by the state government on a short term basis to allow you time to get back on you feet and recover from an acute illness.
Staff at Pennwood Aged Care Village has received training at Certificate III and IV level and are also working towards further qualifications in RN and EN training. We have a photograph Board in our Foyer, which identifies staff name and position. As well as this the CE acknowledges pockets of excellence with an annual recognition award. The Recipient’s photograph then goes in the Reception area fondly referred to by staff as the Hall of Fame.
We also have a robust Leecare electronic WHS and Quality control system which relies on staff to complete internal checklists, hazards, complaints, incident reports, infection, continuous improvement forms which are entered into an electronic QA tool referred to as Leecare IT. The register integrates hazards, business continuity plans, CQI plans, complaints and can track corrective actions adverse events and claims. The system provides substantial resources savings by collating all risks and opportunities for improvement on a prioritised and cost benefited tool. This data is available for Stakeholders to view in the QA office and is discussed at Relative, Resident and Staff meetings. We take our corporate public accountability and clinical governance very seriously.
Our Annual Reports, Strategic and Business Plans are available for discussion. We pride ourselves in having few Workers Compensation claims, low absenteeism and have not used agency staff in five years.
It is very evident by the results of the Aged Care Accreditation Report April 2006, that we are performing well and achieving outstanding management, clinical, environmental and safety standards 44 out of 44 Compliant Standards achieved with positive auditor comments all through the final Accreditation Report. From the past 5 years financial affairs are performing positively to budgeted and programmed expectations. These results are outstanding financial performance given we are a not for profit organisation. It is apparent this is a core business function of the organization and it is well known to the Board and Management of the business.
Admission
Admission into the facility requires several steps
Pre-admission interview with CE and Serbian or other interpreter of your choice. A tour of the facility, waiting list and pre-admission checklist is to be completed to ensure all necessary information is explained or discussed with the resident and/or their representative.
Admission to Pennwood Village is dependent on the applicant having ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) approval, the availability of a bed and the applicant’s ability to pay the relevant fees and charges.
“The 5 Steps to going into a Residential Care Facility” requires completion and the Assets forms signed and sent to Centrelink or Veterans Affairs (DVA patients) for processing. Information on fees and charges is provided. Pennwood Village’s brochure is to be provided at this time and any questions answered.
People being admitted to Pennwood Village will experience minimal stress in relation to their admission through a complete, coordinated, efficient process. All staff are to introduce themselves when first meeting a new resident, the resident is to be asked how he / she likes to be addressed. This information will be included on the Nursing Care Plan, and Nursing Assessment.
Note: It is important to emphasise that vacancies may occur with little notice. To avoid disappointment, it is wise to complete all of the above processes.
Confidentiality & Security
PACV assures all residents that their Security, Privacy and Confidentiality regarding information will be strictly maintained. Personal Suites are individually locked, and also contain internal lockable facilities for your convenience. You will be provided with a set of keys. Care Personnel are available on site 24 hrs per day. Staff carry emergency RAA Alert equipment and mobile phones. Visual Surveillance Equipment further monitors movement. Entry gates have coded access at all times.
Care Services
Personal Care Staff will offer assistance and supervision as required with:
- Bathing, Showering, Dressing, Grooming, Transfers & Mobility
- Eating/drinking, Special Diets (Cutting up/Vitamising of food if Required)
- Toileting and management of social continence (Sanitary aids may incur a cost)
- Medication Management and Rehabilitation Support
- Medical treatments and procedures by qualified personnel Support Services for resident’s suffering varying degrees of confusion and cognitive impairment
Telephone
Each Suite has a private telephone point. Telephone connection may be privately arrange with Telstra. Accounts are the responsibility of respective residents.
Furniture
PACV provides some interim furnishings if required. Residents are encouraged to provide their own furnishings with homely sentimental items. PACV provides all of the necessary linen from a contracted Linen Service.
Food and Diet
Serbs enjoy grilled meats, typical dishes are cevapcici which is kebabs, punjene paprika stuffed peppers, bean soup pasulj, sauerkraut cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef and pork, sarma, a layered eggplant and potato dish containing mince meat – musaka. Salads are typically simple consisting of peppers, onions and tomatoes seasoned with oil and vinegar. Home made breads such as Proja, corn bread and Pogaca, traditional bread. All main meals are prepared in the Central Kitchen with a European flair. Particular dietary requirements are catered for. Dietary changes are accommodated including fast days.
All Residents are given the opportunity to select a favourite dish. Meals are served in the house dining room. Residents are required to dress smartly for lunch and evening meal. Breakfast may be more casual.
Fees & Charges
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing approves accommodation fees and fee increases. For further information please contact our Finance Officer. Daily fees do not cover personal pharmaceutical services prescribed by your CE. Hairdressing, Dental, Optometry services or appointment costs are met by respective residents.
Chemist
PACV receives pharmaceutical deliveries on 6 days per week by a contracted pharmacist who attends the site weekly to carry out audits and checks on the Webster drug packs.
Hairdresser
Two qualified hairdressers attend the salon once a week. You may book an appointment through your Carer, however, services incur a fee. Residents may choose to attend a community hairdresser.
Referrals
Physiotherapy, podiatry and dietician referrals are made by the Clinical Staff to our contract providers, Wellness and Lifestyle. See our Links page for further details.
Resident/Relatives Meetings
Resident meetings occur monthly and are chaired by an elected resident. This is an open forum for venting any issue anyone would care to raise. It is also a compliments/complaints review forum, which augments the in-house forms available to all residents, relatives, volunteers and visitors.
Family Consultation/Involvement Practises
Families are encouraged to visit and assist with special birthdays and celebrations. The CE communicates with families in a variety of ways, for example email, phone, text. Family conferencing case management practises are available for residents with complex behaviours or Mental Health issues. Families are included in these processes and play a vital role in assisting staff to meet positive care outcomes for their loved ones. Relatives meetings are held every 3 months and are chaired by the CE.
Events and Special Feast Days
Please see The Serbian Community of SA for more information concerning Serbian holidays and feast days.
Leisure
PACV offers a variety of Leisure pursuits, which are coordinated by our Diversional Therapist. Residents are invited to participate at any time. Personal interests and suggestions are catered for and are most welcome. Activities available include bus outings, shopping excursions, concerts, art and craft, music and discussion groups, gardening, parties, or after hours Bingo. A nominal fee is charged for Bus Outings.
A weekend program is available offering a range of choices. Every effort is made to sustain and support community links and interests. Visitors, friends and relatives are most welcome and are encouraged to participate in the enhancement of our services.
Television
Aerial points are available in all rooms. You are welcome to bring in your private television set. The Activity staff have a wide variety of movies in different languages to share with residents. A large screen TVs is in the Function Room and movies are shown at a time suitable to residents. Satellite TV is also available in the language of your choice in all private rooms.
Comments, complaints and suggestions
Pennwood Village is the permanent home for those living here, and should be treated as such by residents and their visitors. It is important therefore; that residents and families feel comfortable to make comments, suggestions or complaints about the care or services they receive. Comments, complaints and suggestion assist management and staff to ensure that services are responsive to individual needs and assist in the continuous improvement of the aged care service. If you require advice on how to place a complaint or feel that your complaint has not been handled as well as you would like an external agency is available please click here [PDF 207KB] (In Serbian)
Attitudes to Care
In traditional Serbian society sometimes three generations lived together, providing emotional and practical security. Older Serbs expect the family will take care of them at home. This sometimes creates family conflict, as younger people may not be able to provide sufficient home care. Sending the elderly to a nursing home may appear insulting to the family honour.
Cultural Diverse Workforce – Culturally Inclusive Practices – Continuous Improvement Projects
Cultural Programs are in place from cross-cultural awareness trained staff to:
- Provide help to identify the cultural, linguistic and spiritual needs of residents
- Provide language and cultural support and assistance
- Assist you with residents language and culture information
- Facilitate community input into the provision of culturally appropriate care
- Facilitate the creation of networks between your aged care service and CALD communities
- Involving your community in the lives of Residents who live in Residential Care
- Supporting Residents during the transition period between home and the aged care facility
- Serbian Voice-Weekly newspaper, Vesti national newspaper and Novosti national news
- Facilitate weekly phone in to local Serbian radio station with music requests and well wishes
- Intergenerational song and dance concerts
- Photos of special events, DVD movie of our Slava Day, Serbian wine, Chapel Wines
Manuals for Residential Aged Care Facilities in Serbian and other languages can be downloaded at www.culturaldiversity.com.au. There are other relevant resources from this site as well as at Pennwood Village, see ‘Information Tools and Library Resources’ for Serbian and Croatian.
The move to Pennwood Village does not mean an end to a resident’s participation in their community. Resident’s retain their personal, civic, legal and consumer rights & responsibilities.