These Awards promote and recognise excellence in a range of areas that contribute to the quality of life of older people, people with disabilities and/or their carers. The Awards also acknowledge efforts to increase public confidence and community involvement in aged and community care services.

All State Award winners are subsequently nominated for the ACSA National Awards in their relevant categories, so we extend integratedliving our congratulations and best wishes this for this coming November.

This award reflects the development and implementation of a number of strategic initiatives and their associated strategies contained in integratedliving’s last and current strategic plan. Australian Strategic Services has facilitated and developed all of integratedliving’s strategic plans over the last ten years.

Michael has been pleased to work with the leadership team over many years, facilitating and developing their various strategic plans. Care Connect’s most recent strategic plan prepares the organisation for the new world of aged care, disability and allied health care and presents an exciting and dynamic vision for the future.

This recent article below presents a practical example of how a particular strategic objective in a strategic plan can be developed and implemented as a major project or strategic initiative.

By Keryn Curtis, Group Editor, Australian Ageing Agenda

First published on the Australian Ageing Agenda website, Tuesday, 19/02/2013 and in Australian Ageing Agenda, March – April 2013 Edition. Reprinted with permission.

Above L-R: At yesterday’s offical launch of My Life, My Choice, My Way - Paul Ostrowski, CEO Care Connect; Dorothy Docherty, Chairperson, Consumer Voice Committee Care Connect; Senator Mitch Fifield; and Fred Maddern, Chairperson Care Connect

East coast community care provider, Care Connect, has unveiled its new person-centred model of practice entitled My Life, My Choice, My Way, at a function in Melbourne with Victorian Senator and Shadow Minister for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Mitch Fifield.

The new model, aligned strongly with state and federal government health reforms related to consumer-directed care, is the result of a two-year research and development process and a successful pilot last year.

Care Connect chief executive officer, Paul Ostrowski, said developing and implementing the seven-step model – which involves working with individuals to develop a plan of support, taking into account all aspects of their life including health, emotional wellbeing, family and
community supports – has been a long and complex journey.

“It’s a whole philosophical approach but it has very practical implications across the organisation,” said Mr Ostrowski. “My Life, My Choice, My Way involves a fundamentally different approach to the way that our client advisers work with the people we support.

“In the past, a case manager – and the word ‘manager’ is important here – would have a discussion with the client and take a management approach to their needs. That was just the practice model we all used, informed by the desire to do everything you can for that person.”

Mr Ostrowski said that an extensive body of research both in Australia and internationally, has since demonstrated that a consumer-directed approach is more effective.

“We know now from a great deal of research, that people who have control of their funding and who can lead the decision making process, are more likely to have stronger health outcomes and positive implications across aged care and disability.

“Federal and state governments have changed their approach,” he said, pointing to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and consumer-directed aged care services which will apply to all new home care services from July 1 this year.

“And we know that Vic Health has adopted the active enablement model too – of doing with, not for,” Mr Ostrowski said.

A fundamental shift

Under the My Life, My Choice, My Way practice model (see illustration), the organisation has adopted a new language too.

Care Connect staff have become ‘advisers’ and ‘facilitators’, working with clients to help them obtain what they want from their funding.

“So, for example, with the third step in the program – plan my future – in the past it would have been a discussion with the case manager and client about a management approach.

“Now, the client is invited to bring anyone important in their life – their family members, a neighbour, carer, friend… anyone in their circle of support – along to a facilitated discussion. It can be in their home or anywhere they choose and the adviser facilitates a discussion where the client makes the decisions,” said Mr Ostrowski.

In line with this shift, the organisation has completely divested itself of all service provision, focusing solely on advisory services and brokerage.

“We believe that independent advice is a very strong value and it would be a conflict of interest to position ourselves as independent advisers and to also provide the services.

“Over the course of the last 18 months, we have systemically exited the provision of services and now have a brokerage model. There are hundreds we deal with all around Australia.”

Making the leap

Mr Ostrowski said the process of transition has been positive but does not deny that there have been some challenges for staff. “There’s no doubt that facilitating a big public conversation with a group of people can be a challenge and remains a challenge for some. What brings people along is when they get the positive response.”

In developing the new model and devising the pilot, Care Connect engaged an external international consulting group – Helen Sanderson and Associates – to conduct a critical assessment of the organisation’s practices.

“We wanted a no holds barred assessment,” said Mr Ostrowski.

“You can fall into the trap of thinking, oh we already do person-centred care. At the start of the process all our case managers categorically believed that they already practiced person-centred care. At the end of the pilot, having now understood what it involves, staff realised they did not.

“And the good thing was that the clients said they were happy before but they were even happier now,” he said.

Mr Ostrowski said he felt very excited about the future. “We believe we are well placed for the future as knowledge brokers, providing a key information source with this facilitation methodology.

“No question, there is an enormous technological challenge for the sector in making the shift to a person-centred approach but we are practicing using the traditional system and making modifications to that. It will all be well available for the July 1 deadline.”

First published on the Australian Ageing Agenda website, Thursday, 28/02/2013. Reprinted with permission.

Not-for-profit organisations need to identify new sources of income to survive into the new financial paradigm and that might mean changing to a for-profit legal structure, says a legal expert.

It is an option that retirement home developer Masonic Homes is already actively considering in its quest to raise capital.

As charities need to reduce their reliance on government funding coupled with a review of tax concessions, which could result in a loss of tax endorsements, the option warrants discussion, said Joanne O’Brien, partner, Carne Reidy Herd Lawyers.

“Organisations need to start thinking about more creative ways to identify sources of funding to achieve their purposes,” she said.

“If they want particularly large scale fundraising, they might need to change their legal structure to do that.”

Commercial viability hasn’t always been as high a priority for not-for-profits (NFP) as it is now, Ms O’Brien said.

“All of the indicators are that to be successful in delivering on your social objectives, you must be commercially viable,” she said.

“While you shouldn’t get into something that doesn’t fit into your philosophy, the focus should be on being a viable business.”

In the case of Masonic Homes, CEO Doug Strain said they were actively considering the move to a for-profit entity, possibly a company limited by shares.

“We expect in May or June to make a decision to do it or not to do it,” he said.

Rather than a change in business model, Mr Strain said it was a change in tax assessment.

The discussion is part of the organisation’s 10-year strategy that takes into account where the sector is headed.

“The reality is that government can not afford to maintain support of the aged demographic as it has done in the past. And the community has to come to the realisation that there has been a fundamental shift in the wealth of our nation,” he said.

Masonic Homes is now focusing on retirement homes for people aged 75 and over who are looking at alternatives to nursing homes, following selling its care business to ECH Group last year.

The developer would like to expand its current two-state operations further around the country but Mr Strain said raising capital was a big problem because of its not-for-profit status.

The possible change of structure has been drawing positive feedback from members.

“People are understanding of it. People are saying it makes sense. Whether we’re for-profit or not-for-profit, it’s just a tax assessment,” Mr Strain said.

“It’s a back of house issue and people really care about our front of house,” he said.

Ms O’Brien said that Masonic Homes entertaining the move was the first case she had heard of in Australia.

“It’s an interesting development when you consider that most not-for-profits need to find alternative sources of income and/or capital,” she said.

“More and more organisations will look to broaden their horizons in terms of social enterprise, and this kind of thinking may become more prevalent.”

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Service Organisations…The NDIA/DCA…10 Steps To The Marketplace 10 Considerations For Success is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

National Disability Services is holding a series of forums for Board Members to hear from an expert panel as they discuss how the National Disability Insurance Scheme may impact on organisations. These sessions are designed to prompt thinking within your organisations about getting NDIS ready. For more information on Change Challenge for Boards Forums, contact Belinda Wallin on 03 8341 4311 or belinda.wallin@nds.org.au, or visit the NDS website to register online.

Michael’s presentation, Management Engagement…The Key Considerations, The Practical Actions examines the challenges & strategies for managing & enhancing ‘upward’ professional connections (proprietors, boards and chief executive officers) for Nurse Managers.

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Service Organisations…The NDIA/DCA…10 Steps To The Marketplace 10 Considerations For Success is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

National Disability Services is holding a series of forums for Board Members to hear from an expert panel as they discuss how the National Disability Insurance Scheme may impact on organisations. These sessions are designed to prompt thinking within your organisations about getting NDIS ready. For more information on Change Challenge for Boards Forums, contact Belinda Wallin on 03 8341 4311 or belinda.wallin@nds.org.au, or visit the NDS website to register online.

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Service Organisations…The NDIA/DCA…Where Customer Choice & Market Forces Rule is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Service Organisations…The NDIA/DCA…10 Steps To The Marketplace 10 Considerations For Success is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

National Disability Services is holding a series of forums for Board Members to hear from an expert panel as they discuss how the National Disability Insurance Scheme may impact on organisations. These sessions are designed to prompt thinking within your organisations about getting NDIS ready. For more information on Change Challenge for Boards Forums, contact Belinda Wallin on 03 8341 4311 or belinda.wallin@nds.org.au, or visit the NDS website to register online.

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Service Organisations…The NDIS, Where Customer Choice & Market Forces Rule is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

Michael’s presentation, A New World Order for Disability Services…Where Customer Choice & Market Forces Rule, is a thought provoking, insightful and “big picture” strategic investigation of the new paradigm of individualised choice for people with disabilities and the organisations that will remain to deliver disability services in the future.

Find out more about Australia’s Disability Services Conference,  presented by Disability Employment Australia, an important annual event for disability employment practitioners and leaders.