Group Homes Australia offers residential care in a private residence model for those with complex health needs. The homes can accommodate anywhere from six to ten residents and provide 24-hour care and support. The homes also provide respite care, dementia care, and palliative care. Residents are also provided with a mobile app that facilitates personalised service and care.
Group Homes Australia is a private residence model of health care for those with complex health needs
Group Homes Australia are private residences for those with a range of health and social needs. Residents in these homes may have a range of conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and Parkinson’s disease. They may also be youths in foster care, or people with a wide range of special needs. Some insurance plans cover group home care. These policies can be purchased through an employer, or through organizations like AARP.
The operating environment of group homes in Australia differs greatly between jurisdictions. Even as the NDIS is implemented across Australia, substantial differences remain. For example, many of the Group Homes Australia existing group homes are relatively old and unsuited to their intended use. Consequently, the NDIS will generate much-needed new housing stock for this type of model, but not without its own risks.
It offers respite, dementia and high care
Group Homes Australia offers respite care, dementia care, and high care in a residential setting. The homes are equipped with a staff of qualified homemakers who help residents with various needs. The homes house between six and ten residents. They feature private bedrooms and several common areas and outdoor leisure settings. The homemakers focus on the individual needs of residents and encourage them to participate in activities, outings, and hobbies.
Respite care services are designed to provide a break from the demands of caregiving. This time can be short or long-term, and it can help the care recipient and caregiver recharge. Respite care may include visits from paid care workers, enlisting the help of family members, or staying at a care facility overnight.
It has a resident to staff ratio of 1:3
In a five-bed group home with a resident to staff ratio of 1:3, one staff member is responsible for caring for five people on a given shift. This means that five people are covered by one staff member, twenty-four hours a day. The most personal time each person gets from the staff member is about one fifth of one percent of their divided attention, or 1.6 hours of personal attention per eight-hour shift. However, that staff member spends half of their time filling out forms and cooking and supervision, leaving only 48 minutes per shift for personal attention.
Group Homes Australia has a resident to staff capacity of one to three. These homes are modern, safe and purpose-designed to blend in with surrounding suburbs. Residents are supported by clinical and personal care services.
It has a mobile app to support personalised care and service
Group Homes Australia is an innovative aged care provider in Sydney with nine houses where residents are treated like family members. They offer spacious rooms with soft furnishings and personal care plans tailored to meet the needs of residents with dementia and high-care needs. The company believes that personalised care and service are key to enhancing the quality of life for residents. Its innovative concept of small groups of residents with varied interests and abilities aims to balance aged care with independent living.
The CareKeeper mobile app from Telstra Health allows staff to document and view care of residents in real time. It works in conjunction with its Clinical Manager software to minimise data duplication and maintain unique chart types for each resident. It uses the cloud and features role-based access, unique log-in credentials, and automatic logout.
It is ranked above industry benchmarks
Group Homes Australia is committed to delivering a high-quality aged care experience for its residents. In fact, the organisation is ranked above industry benchmarks on several metrics. Group Homes Australia has worked closely with Alzheimer’s Australia NSW and Moving Into Care to benchmark five of its homes against 80 other residential aged care providers. The results of the benchmarking study showed that Group Homes were significantly better than their competitors, largely due to their focus on customised care and personalised service. They also boast a warm, caring environment where staff members are engaged and empathetic.
As the demand for aged care services has risen, so has the need for alternative models of care. A longitudinal study of 96 group homes in three states in Australia included 397 service users. This study provides a valuable comparison between group homes and supported living.