Page 37 - Tropic Magazine Issue 223

TROPIC • AGED CARE

Pioneering and
personal

SUPERIOR CARE
A Cairns-based Aged and
Disability Care service is a
nationwide leader not only in
its field, but in navigating the
current coronavirus crisis.
Did you know?
Words: Renee Cluff
Ten Years Younger home
As COVID-19 strikes fear and uncertainty certified carers can provide
throughout the world, a Cairns company assistance during these
is providing the highest quality of care to uncertain times like shopping
protect our most vulnerable citizens. Its for essentials.
two branches, Ten Years Younger Home
Care and Carelynx, were established by
experienced aged care nurses, including We’ve been able to
2015 Cairns Businesswoman of the Year,
Maureen Fields. “We started 11 years ago implement systems that
as aged care nursing specialists trying to support services to deliver
bridge the gaps in aged care services in
Cairns,” Ms Fields told Tropic. “We split really good care but not be
into two streams because there was a dependent on people
great need for support in-home for the
elderly and disabled in Cairns and Ten Maureen Fields
Years Younger Home Care grew from Ten Years Younger
that. In the meantime, a couple of us Home Care TRACKING APP
were doing remote government-funded Locally headquartered company
contract work to support indigenous aged Fields said. “We’ve got some clients who are Carelynx is now developing
care residential services as nurse advisors 24/7 who have a group of staff members an app to support COVID-19
and administrators and our passion was who care only for them and they become initiatives. The tool tracks
to support them to become sustainable. like a part of the family.” people entering and exiting
We developed a framework so they could As a corporate member of peak industry a facility and everyone must
manage the care for their residents in bodies Leading Aged Services Australia and answer a set of questions such
those settings.” Aged and Community Services Australia, as whether they’ve had a ‘flu
It wasn’t long before the company and its the company is now providing services vaccine. “It gives an ability to
systems became sought after by aged care to ensure older and disabled people are capture details about people
homes right across the nation. “They had kept safe from coronavirus. “We’ve been coming into the facility, such
the same issues with staffing shortages able to implement systems that support as contractors, visitors, agency
and lack of skills,” Ms Fields said. “It’s like services to deliver really good care but not nurses,” said Executive Chairman
a virtual clinical nurse and we developed be dependent on people,” Ms Fields said. Mike Wallas. “It can also give
a software program called Clinical “It doesn’t allow for personal influence. critical information about each
Champion from a need that was identified Currently, there are less hugs but the actual resident and their day-to-day
across the whole industry.” care is still happening. We’re also working vulnerabilities and that is at your
The results speak for themselves, with the with retirement villages because they’re a fingertips, so people won’t need
framework improving patient outcomes, bit forgotten.” to go searching through files or
capacity, clinical governance and viability Co-founder of Ten Years Younger, Sue anything. It’s a good, innovative,
of centres. Clients have always been Boisen says after many decades in the secure, hands-on way to manage
front and centre, ensuring a seamless industry, her passion remains as strong as traffic in a facility.”
transition when new aged care quality ever. “It’s always been about the residents,
standards were recently introduced. Ten the little things that make their day and
Years Younger Home Care is a perfect delivering care in a way that brings a smile MORE: carelynx.com
demonstration. “It’s very personalised and to their face,” she said. “If we make them tenyearsyounger.com.au
we match the carers to the clients,” Ms feel loved, it also makes us feel good.”

37 • tropicnow.com.au